The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-02
Christmas in the West Indies.

quiet that it seemed entirely deserted.
 There was no sound of slatternly, slip
 shod feet in the echoing corridors, and
 the noisy clamor of voices, with their
 undistinguishable patois, which issued
 from the servants quarters in the early
 hours, was hushed.
 Half of the servants on the household staff had been excused from duty that
 morning. After first attending the par ish church to perform their religious
 rites they had been given most gene
 rous portion of whiskey by their mis-
 tress. This old and time-honored GUS
 tom was religously observed on an ear- ly Christmas morning. It was one Of
 the established ceremonials of the day. Why, Christmas would not be properly | commenced without acopious, initiatory | draught. It was sort of libation to
 the obeah Now they were dispersed at
 the back of the building, in various at l titudes of indolent and sleepy enjoy
 ment Percy, the dlgnified butler, sat | in tilted chair, his eyes blinking lazily | in the sun; and Matilda was out in the | park caroling to the birds. A brilliant
 macaw, who had the reputation of not
 being particularly amable, and was | therefore left very much to himself
 walked up and down the vine-clad ve-
 1anda, with trailing, eaudy tail, and | looked askance at the reclining figures
 in evident displeasure.
 Matilda was the general fastotum of
 the establishment and her work was
 onerous. She was part waitress, part | oh a mi h C, iI and m crl1lljnn and 11-
 together irrepressible. Unlike the Ja
 maican negroes, she possessed voice
 of wonderful sweetness and purity of l tone which rendered her easily conspic-
 uous; and, quite like her sable sisters, she was exceedingly fond of tawdry 1 nnery which she wore on occasions. 1 Arrayed in delicate muslins and laces,
 she lost at once her fine picturesque
 ness and sank immediately into com
 monplace. But underneath that dark
 exterior there beat heart so kind, and
 true and loving, that the fever-stricl1en 1 strangers, who were the recipients of | her devoted care, will not soon forget 1 her. She had been to her mistress and said, "Pse cpared up all de wok, an done said my prayGs; and now, please
 Missus, I wants de whskey." Present. | ly her liquid notes will cease, and she, too, will be sleeping the sleep of the care-free. Thrice already had the
 bright face, surmounted by the gayest
 of turbans, appeared at our window. | Come out de do an git de Chris mas breezes." she urged.
 | Christmas breezes, forsooth. The vertical sun blazed overhead out of | sky unflecked by single cloud; and not even a wandering zephyr played among
 the tropical foliage in the park while the gorgeous akee tree, with it's shining green leaves, and wealth of scarlet
 fruit, which peeped in at our window, was absolutely motionless. There was something incongruous in the day: and
 not even the dainty, blue-rlbboned ! packages that found their way to our rooms, as Christmas souvenirs, could mako 1t seem otherwise. To our New
 England ideas .here was a lack of fit-
 ness: and Santa Claus without the &C., compartment of chilling winds and snow, divested of furry robes and icicla- fringed beard, was shorn of half his
 glory.
 Park Ledge Hotel receives its name from the large park immediately ad- joining 1t, which Is filled with all man. her of fruit-bearing and blossoming trees. Indeed, l believe that with the exception of the orange and lemon
 nearly all of the various kinds of tropi- cal trees are there represented. The hotel itself Is q substantially built structure, with walls from two to three feet in thickness; made to withstand the sudden, violent tempest as wei as to exclude the fervent heat The massive doors are of solid mahogany which is of native production. Beautiful roses and begonias cluster around the foun- tain in the courtyard and blossom con- tinuously, pertaining the air with their delicate fragrance; while at the en- trance gates a unique cactus, tall and coumnar, rises to the height of eight feet or more, unbroken by a single leaf. skirting the park are a fine tennis court and thrifty egetable garden, where lettuce and radishes flourish by the side of their unfamiliar tropical netghbors.
 Christmas is celebrated for two days in Kingston, and banks are closed and all business suspended After the early coffee, which is taken before one rises. the white residents repair to Victoria market, where the band plays and pan upiloilulli lciSliS SuJIbiilc. OSuallY the market Is given over entirely to the colored population, but on Christi mas day it is considered en regle to be seen there. Tt is one of the cus- toms of the country" and Lady Blake herself, wife of the governor general graces the scene with her presence
 In the afternoon there are races at Up Park Camp; and the dust from many wheels rises in thick cloud from the blinding, white roads. and settles on brilliant cacti hedges and luxuriant bourgain villeas, covering the'r bright ness as with gray veil. Every horse is called into requstion, from the we'll fed, carefullygro )med teams of the wealthy to the eorriest beast before q public trap" It Is said that John Crow" is in constant attendance on some of these miserable animals, that he may be in readiness to pick their bones should they chance to fall by the wayside Although there is an s. P. c. A. in Kingston, the law is not rigidly enforced It is enough to make one cry out in righteous indignation to witness a brutal driver as he belabors his skel- eton horse.
 At four the tennis players assemble, and in due time tea is served under one of the umbrageous trees. This is the most delightful hour of all the twenty four, for then cool refreshing breeze