The Portland daily press., 1900-05-25

when the woman reached this point
thought could not stand much more of
the conversation, 20 ! changed my seat.
Then found the girl on one side Of me
was studying spanish verbs half aloud,
and the man on the other side was read
ing spanish novel and making notes of
the colloquial expressions. l was rather
amused at that, for suspected they were
both going TO teach English to the
Cubans, as l am. shall have TO brush
up my Spanish next month In the same
way. But / haven't begun yet, and when
do begin l shall not pursue my studies
in public places.
I'm Harvard Square I happened 20
meet an old college, friend Of mine. That
I Is one Of the beutities of Harvard Square.
II Is a place where you always meet
4 friends. j was going 10 bubble over with
delighted surprise when my friend cut
me short with Il hear you are going q,
4 teach the Cuhans' Yes 1 answered
coIsliv. for Il was not a welcome subject.
AIR she exclaimed with an arch look,
| Habla Espanoig Il beg your pardon,
| 1 answered Il am 80 sorry. There Is my
car, Goodby' With that 1 rushed off,
though, Of course, it wasn't my car ut
all, and had 10 get of around the corner
and walk long way TO where l wanted
to go. BUT Habla Espanolg was sore
point Every one knows 1 don't speak
/ Spanish now, but 1 shall when the
Cubans come.
Then made a call. thought II
was going to he n safe one, for l went to
see an old white haired lady, who be-
lieves that all girls ought TO he brought
up to do Homework, and never lets slip
an opportunity of telling me so, l was no
| sooner in her room, however, than she
rose from knitting and said: Como esta
usfedg
II wasn't expecting anything Hike that
so suffered and stauImered. and finally
managed to get out, You mean, how do
you do?'
+" Yes she replied And now, sup
posing l was n Cuban, how would you
| answerY
=" i am SIRE don't know. But ]. shall
know added hastily.
= Let me tell you,' she said gently.
| Muy-Let me see-Muy bien' This with
an air Of triumph.
Il responded meekiy, TO be sure,
Muy bien. How stupid of mel
And then Won must be polite, she
added. You must say "Gracias'
- All. yesi That means thank you,
doesn't itT said l proud at recognizing
the word.
18TH she went on. You must say,
~ ustedY" She put the accent on the
first syllable and jumped AT the chance
of correcting her, for thought | might
stop the Spanish lesson. did, for that
time, but / suppose the dear old lady will
have learned y few more phrases the next
time l see her.
At the next place to which went 1
| had TO Introduce the Cuban question my
| self. l did not know what part the teach
ers would have to take in the social func-
tions, although l had heard frequently
| that they would be expected TO act as In
terpreters on all occasions. II they were
| to be asked to lawn parties and recep-
| tions, elaboratefgowns might be neces-
| sary, 50 / asked, What clothes will one
| need to teach the CubansY' The reply
was quick but startling. i do not know
what clothes you will need, but you will
have to have great deal OF courtesy
That was all the information / could get.
| Our Northern manners are cold and for
NAL, and are likely TO hurt the Cubans.
All teachers therefore, are warned to be
as sweet, kind, and courteous as possible.
| They are even TO be effusive; anything
to avoid GOODNESS, with its possibility of
| active, though unintentional offensive
| ness. This idea has become so prevalent
| that, But you must be very polite, Is
| tackled on to all sentences, like Cato's
Carthage must be destroyed So, as you
see, got an idea that l must go clothed
| in courtesy as In garment, and that
| everything else was immaterial.
| Il took luncheon with a friend who Is
boarding in Cambridge The people with
whom she Is living expects 10 have six
Cubans this summer, and can talk of
nothing else. Like the rest of Cam
| bridge, they are studying Spanish. The
moment we sat down at the table we
were told, Now, you can't have any
thing to eat unless you ask for IL in
Spanish / should have starved, had l
not had the wit 10 reply, Let me say
thank you in Spanish instead. My re.
Gently acquired word stood me In good
stead.
! teach English to the Cubans. She want
ed to talk shop, but l wouldn't let her.
She began, Il have just learned such q
useful phrase, Como sigIe usteds'
That is, How are you getting ong'
shall say that to every Cuban l meet,
just to be agreeable To this replied
fiippantly, i can see you. You will say,
Como sigue ustedy'' and the Cuban
will open her mouth to answer. A stream
af rapid Spanish viii pour forth. You
will not understand. You will get
| scared. Then YOU will say, .'Gracias,
gracias. Agur.'" q suppose that is the
grunting word for good-by that the
woman in the car meant). You will flee
| for your life, but around the corner you
will meet another Cuban. From force of
habit you will again say, Como sigue
| listed, !" and you will again be met by
rapid stream of Spanish. You will
ricochet to third Cuban, and so on all
over Cambridge, until you drown yourself
| in the Charles River, shouting Como
sigue nstedy,
This vivid portrayal of possibilities
engrossed my friend 5 attention for some
time. Then again she began. If we
| want TO cross the street, ought l 10 say,
"Crusamos lac alley'' My dear be-
| gan in reply, do you think you are going
| TO teach babes in arms? These people
will have wills of their own. Perhaps
when you suggest, Let us cross the
street. they will say, mo, we like this
side better" What will you do then? If
you begin to think of possibilities you
will get into hopeless muddle. 1 will
not have it. IL You say another word
about Spanish / viii cut dessert and go
home
'That trick worked, but you can't
choke and gag all your friends. / no
sooner left that house than l met some
one who asked me IL was going 10 try
TO get window from which TO see the
Cubans arrive. oh, she said, 1t viii
be as good as a circus. Think of l, $50
Cubans coming at once on electric cars!
do you suppose they will wear nlantillas,
or viii they have heard that every one
here wears hatsY
i~gsIt WAS that NAV all through Cam