Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-03-18
THE CHARM OF PORTO RICO,
Attractions of the Tropic Isle for
Americans ON q Winter
Vacation.

Only since American occupation has
San Juan become engaging, as place
for winter holiday, to Americans.
There were now and then American
visitors of the variety which is best
pleased when the novelty and strange
ness are strong; but no doubt the usual
American who travels prefers places
where he can, for relief, have some of
the things he has been accustomed to
at home, says correspondent of the
New York Post. San Juan has changed
into one of these places. It can minis
ter better to personal comfort and
personal well-being, as the terms are
understood outside Latin commune
ties, than it could before. The most
conspicuous of the new shops are
those which sell nickeled, porcelained
and tiled fittings for the bath.
Most of the advertisements of
habitaciones now include mention of
the bath, the electric light, the excel
lence of the ventilation. And the de-
sire of sojourners for balconies from
which there is a pleasant outlook
mirador-is adequately recognized.
There is long harbor front, and some
of the best houses stand along it. All
day the winds blow fresh upon them
from the purple mountains beyond the
bay. AT this season to go to San Juan
is to sail back to. the month of June
The sun lies brilliantly across every
thing. There are yachts in the harbor,
with sailors who grew up on the sur
face of waters, and almost never have
had an accident. They can be hired for
less than one dollar an hour, and can
take one to little ports on the, bay
where life is as it used to be, primitive,
Spanish, tropical, but happy.
1t was once the thing for Americans
to sail to one of these little ports on
Sunday mornings to famous cock
fights. But these contests have been
almost wholly suppressed by the Amer
lean administration. Sunday is holi-
day: early in the morning the churches
are filled, and then TIE population does
rs it pleases-shopping on the way
home, driving in the afternoon, prone
nadlng at the concert in the plaza in
the evening, taking ices in the pretty
cafes in the hour before bedtime. In
these duties and diversions the pres
ence of Americans has caused many,
and often undesirable, notifications.
The innocent Porto Rican family party
at Cafe Melia, slipping almond water or
fruit ice, looking across with wide eyes
At the gay quartette Of tourists who are
ordering their third bottle of cham
payne.
At first it was word Of reproach for
a mother to say to her daughter, "You
are as bad as an American girl" and
the daughter would weep. Further ac-
quaintance has taught the mother and
the daughter that the American girl is
different from what they were led to
believe from her rainy-day skirt, her
strange habit Of going about unattend-
ed, or sitting in restaurant unchape-
roned. There remains a prejudice
against SO much liberty, but whatever
dangers there might be in it for the
always clustered Porto Rican girl. it
has been observed that the American
girl knows how to use the liberty and
make it respected. Now, if woman
walks out without duenna. or eats
alone or with men in a public house,
the fact that she is an American makes
it proper enough as to custom. Porto
Rican women have adopted it only so
far as to go sometimes to church or to
the shops unattended.
Fifteen minutes out by electric car
from San Juan is one of the pleasantest
suburbs and hotels in the West Indies.
Any one who is guest at the chief ho-
tel in San Juan has the privilege, by
giving notice at the office, of spending
what time he pleases there, while still
keeping his room in town, at the same
price-that is, without additional cost
ne can breakfast or dine in town. or
breakfast or dine in the country. If
the day is warm, this is a privilege
capable of yielding great delight; for
Santurce is always wholesome and
odorous with the breath of flowers.
There are English parks" botanical
gardens, wide verandas, stables and
drives through a violet landscape.
There is not much to see except land
scape, which is perhaps enough for a
jaded New York eye.
IN