Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-26

which the bark is so twisted as to hold the
water Is too ingenious for American eyes.
10 a stranger it would seem as easy to
make WaShtub out of n wooden sieve.
Fairly Good Inns.
Porto Rico Is fairly well supplied with
good inns. They do not come up to the
IDEAS of the American tourists of what the
motel accommodations should be in small
towns and out-of-the-way villages, but gen.
erdily they are quite as comfortable as may
pc round in places of the same size in the
Ihtcd states. The meals are ALWAYS good
cor those VINO can accustom themselves to
spanish cooking. The beds are not quite so
= soou, oat insect life in all warm countries
10 sociable, and that is one reason WHY a
wire mattress. with fiat boards stretched
across the head and foot and a single sheet
70 serve as bedding, is. better than an old
efn hair mattress
osually clean linen is provided, but
- re- lii s the customs Of the house have
90 pe lolioWed as rigidly as in an ultra
one of the villages on the military road an
LAiiiericam of1lcer of rank arrived with his
party Ihey We're travelling in an ambu-
lance put mad been enjoying all the COM
fCrts or civilization. They took possession
OF the Inn, and the officers wife called for
Iresh linen. The landlady was very cour-
teous, put very persistent The linen was
sHdised once week. 1t had been changed
nat uty was W euueS1ay. Inc
following Monday there would be fresh lin
en- me officers wife after enduring the
chaffing of her party. finally secured a com
promise oy which she was allowed to send
kets ~
Porto Rico lads have not yet taken kindly
to American sports..., while the soldiers
sometimes play base ball. there has been
youths. Where they hSvg a club they play
very languidly and With none of the ex-
ehement which usually marks the game.
One observant officer asE1ared that there
gave his opinion thai the physical exertion
was what kept the sport from being taken
up as other Americaft. fdeSs had been taken
up Tnu, In Ponce where 4heIR are number Of
an; amateur golf club at Which some Amer
fed to the Porto RicoIcfmate, yet even then
few OF the spaniardS Or Porto Ricans can
be induced to take part ihi,it.
Drawback to the Bicycle.
The bicycle is ma insTits way slowly
Some of the army officers have them and
occasionally visitor brings his bicycle
along with the notion of. enjoying himself.
Inc lack of good roads Is a drawback. The
military road is a splendid highway, as
gooo for bicycling as an asphalt pavement
but 1t Is mostly uphil and downhiii, and
before the enthusiastic cyclist has covered
the eighty-odd miles between San Juan and
f3nce ne Is likely to regret the enthusiasm
which carried him so far
An American officer who has been two
years on the island told me the other even
ing that he had just learned why balconies
were so prominent part OF all the better
class houses. He said It was in order that
the Porto Rico ladies might show them
selves. This was rather ungaeAnt, for the
balcony Is no more prominent In Porto Rico
than In other countries of the West Indies
and the Porto Rico ladies are not entirely
dependent on them, for there are two or
three evenings a week in which the band
plays IN the plaza, or public square, and
everybody joins in the promenade.
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER.