The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-20
ODD PORTO RICAN WAYS
AL THE ISLAND ToPsY.TURvY M
THE AMERICAN EYES.

The EncAs ol the nuusef Really IN Front
All window Traditions Violated =
Natises PeHniiesa und HAPPY = Dog.
Was Tails up and DoWn.
Porto Rico Is most remarkable for
what Il Is not. Dut might be- It is an
island Of negation It's people should
BE- marked with minus signs It's laws.
customs and manners are ihe opposite
OF everything 10 the American code
Everything upon the islands. writes
tie Arroyo correspondent 0f the New
York Sun. Is the result Of a struggle
against nature and natural methods.
from the mountains whose broken
peaks tell Of the eruption which left
them high above the sea TO the poor.
est little razorback pig, which for gen.
erations has been struggling TO be a
real hog: from the men who were
once straight bred Indians. Africans
Oh Spaniards. and are now an three.
to the little. inch-through tomatoes
which would be ruddy. succulent fruit
II they had the least encouragement.
The mountains alone seem 10 have
finished their struggle The other ele-
ments are stili ia the throes. Every
thing on the island Is done in the
wrong way. Ia order 70 do anything
right It must be done wrong. What
seem to be the fronts Of the city
houses are really the backs. The
backs Of the houses, which are the
real fronts, are IN the front yard
which Is at the back. and the fronts
Of the houses. which are really the
backs face tie alley which Is called
street
The front yard in the back usually
contains what Is called a garden This
garden is paved with bricks or fat
stones aud variety Is gained BY max
Ing raised concrete circles or squares.
IN each Of which is placed little
hump Of dirt. and from the lump
grows a bush or shrub as luxurlantly
as the scant nutriment and the re-
hected heat from the brick pavement
will permit There Is never a spear OF
grass or an inch OF lawn.
The windows Of the houses in this
island violate an the traditional reas-
ons for the establishment and exist
ence Of openings IN the wills Of dwell
ings for purposes OF light -rl ventila-
alton. There are no glazed windows.
A few rich men have glass IN the front
doors Of their houses, but 1t IS merely
a decorative matter and indicates opu-
lence The matter OF light and air
has been the subject Of earnest consid-
Grafton on the part OF the municipal
authorities. Every municipality has its
official architect who supervises the
construction Of all buildings and Is.
sues all building permits. lie sees
that all the laws are strictly compiled
with, and the laws have been care
fully framed With a view to compel
ling all the city buildings 10 have
plenty Of light and air. The ingenuity
with which the laws have been framed
is equalled only by the ingenuity with
which they have been nullified.
Il is provided BY law that the cell
Ing Of every house shall not be less
than thirteen feet high. and that each I
house shall have an open court yard /
Dne quarter Of the size OF the building.
The airiness thus obtained Is Offset by |
the manner Ia which the building is
Next to the open court /
Is built a long kali In the rooms /
which open from this hall there are |
no windows The rooms are without
renulation except what comes through |
he doors. They are. therefore, most
for sleeping: an absolutely /
lose room Is esteemed q great luxury /
n land where slxty-slx degrees Fab
-enheit is Icy winter weather. The 1
Door people who are unable 20 shut 4
he air completely out OF their miser-
lble shacks swathe their heads Va
blankets when they sleep
The window novelty has caused
much discussion among the Americans
md the arguments caused By the
Porto Rican habit of keeping the
ront shutters closed when the wind
,lows have been heated and frequent.
)ne prying Americana attempted 10
ecure positive information. and put a
mild native to the torture In this man
Ter.
say. Spiggoii. why don't sou have
windows in those rooms opening OF
be hallf"
'The law forbids, replied The native.
Forbids whaty'
Having the window"
WHY
The native shrugged his shoulders.
why does it forbid having win
ows, spiggotig persisted the Amerl-
an
"Oh. | don't know. It's an old law
But why Is # laws What Is 10 pre-
ent
We might get through The windows
a our Eeighbor's property
We'll what IL you dids Would you
arm the propertys
Il don't know suppose they
light not ike H. ehs'
Amt you honestf'
n think SO. yes.
Yes. ] don't think. you mean. III
az 'Va nof arrn fool farr rtsise 1iIutf +