Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-11-19
Life in Porto Rico.

paths OF peace.
Life in Porto Rico.
Writing from Porto Rico, Mr.. Henry
Lewis, who went from Randolph last Sep
TENDER to teach English in the public
schools OF that island, gives some inter
esting descriptions OF the people, country
and mode OF life in this one Of our new
possessions.
The first point he reached was San Juan
and the evening OF his arrival strolled
among "a throng of white-elothed, chat
tering people on the Plaza, which was
crowded until midnight with these
picturesque folks. San Juan is fast be-
coming Americanized and with the
soldiers and shopmen one hears consid-
cradle English spoken.
~ have been assigned to Patillas, which
is a pleasant town in the southeastern part
of the island Just now the sugar cane IS
from six to nine feet high on either side
of the road, and it looks rather pretty as it
stretches away for mile or so. They are
also planting some now that will be ready
to grind in May. 1t is pleasant to go out
and see the slow-moving oxen ploughing,
with boy directly in front prodding the
oxen backward, all the boys singing
together the songs they say were brought
from Spain and are centuries old.
'sThe weather has been very good,
except that during the nights there have
been several rather hard showers, making
the roads full OF mud holes, which remain
for a week sometimes, as the sides of the
road are higher than the bed and the
ground is so hard that the water does not
soak away readily. The trip to Patillas
was along the military road to CaZey, then
on a branch that went over mountains
and along their steep sides. The road is
well laid out and crosses innumerable
small streams and rivers, necessitating an
equal number of small bridges or culverts.
pieces of masonry. The road Is well kept
by poems stationed in houses every two
miles along the way, and these workers
were out with their machetes, cutting the
grass very close to the ground as well as a
man with scythe could do it.
bananas, oranges, lemons and grapes
grow by the wayside without the least
attention. They are not quite ripe yet
but at the stores we could buy small
bananas at 20 cents for bunch as large as
you see at home. There was no water to
be had until we got to the top of the
mountains where small streams run over
reddish and brown rocks to the valleys
below. The bills rival our own Green
Mountains as to height and steepness, and
the views are sometimes magnificent, but
there always seems to be haze that takes
tains.
awe had to change horses-called such
by courtesy, Of courEe-three times at least
during the day. They are sturdy little
animals and on the level easy road can 90
very fast at a gallop, but cannot climb
hills with loads behind them very well.
'sIn regard to the recent riots at San
Juan, the Porto Rican papers stated that
but two persons were arrested, and that
false reports were sent out in hopes Of
giving Americans the impression that the
people here are lawless and against Amer
leans, while Ii is only Gov. Hunt they dis
like, considering him somewhat worth
less politician.
ssSugar seems to be the only paying crop
in Porto Rico, as it is the only one that
can find a market. Spain before the war
used to take much coffee, etc, and also
France, but now these ports are closed,
and the United States does not offer an
equal market Brazilian coffee has the
control OF American markets, so what IS
to be doneY
.sThe people here have been putting me
up in the front room every night after the
others had gone to bed, bringing in cot
for me, ETC., but i did not like IT. Inc
same people own little house caseta, and
they were waiting for the tenants to move
out and let me have IL. Well, 1t ran
along, as everything does in this country,
from day to day and the sonora, when
would ask il il were ready, would draw
up her shoulders, tip her head on one side,
twist her face up, and throw up her hands,
saying 'manana' she would
and / would have to wait. But at last
have the house all to myself, 2Ox2O feet,
and am very comfortable. From my
window / can pluck roses of a rich dark
red and also roses that have the scent OF
raspberries, and opposite is the church,
weatherbeaten and OF all colors."