Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-07-15
NOSTALGIA IN PORTO RICO.
Homesickness of Soldiers and Other
Americans Sometimes Results
Disastrously.

avages of the disease known as tropi
cal anemia, or blood impoverishment,
which is prevalent throughout the is
land, they have not reckoned at all
apparently on the havoc caused by that
other great foe to health and happiness
nostalgia 1t is true, says the New
York Times, that this complaint at
lacks only the so-called carpet-baggers
from the United States, but as it is
to these that both the natives and the
home government look for good exam
pie and forceful methods, it will be
seen that an epidemic of inconsistencies
would in the long run effect as much
damage as the Quicker-acting disease
There is no longer any doubt that
nostalgia is one of the colonial condi-
tions that the United States will have
to deal with for at least a generation.
Until Americans marry and settle down
here: until their children born in a
tropic zone love it as their parents do
sheir native home up north, there will
De trouble growing out of the want
sO-gO-back" craze which is bound to
;ome over the refugee sooner or later.
stronger minded folks-folks who can
,ut up with almost anything pooh-pooh
hey come, but when they get the COM
,laint they get it badly. They see
heir companions, who make no boast
Il their strong-mindedness, sailing
forth. They receive letters by every
weeks mail which set their blood tin
cling by the recital of some familiar
pleasure. impossible in Porto Rico.
hey are reminded of the United States
n hundred different ways every day.
fact almost every hour, and in al
most every case nostalgia gets them
.fter awhile
1t is interesting to note the different
gays that the disease affects different
,atures Some it forces to write reams
# letters every week. People up in
he states who have not heard from
Bill Brown or Bob Jones in 25 years
will suddenly receive letter post
marked Porto Rico, asking in the most
usual way if the folks are well and
low business is progressing. The fact
hat the writer is down in Porto Rico
seems excuse enough for him, without
;urther explanation.
Another exile who seems bearing his
separation from the north with the
greatest equanimity will suddenly
break OUT as it is called. Usually alb
stemious, he will "let loose" in way
hat puts BacchuS to shame. There isn't
anything absurd OF wild or "devilish'
hat he will not do. A San Juan tailor
with a prosperous business, whose fam
lily up north had been hearing regularly
rom him for three years, were greatly
worried when his letters suddenly
stopped. They wrote three or four anX-
lous letters every week begging him tc
answer. Then they wrote the postmas-
ter, and finally the governor. After four
months they found that the exile was
lot dead, but on a terrific ''let loose
He was attacked with an acute fit of nos
algia one morning and walked out OF
4is tailoring establishme nt without say
ng a word to anyone. He stored away
enough alcohol in a short time almost
o forget his own name. He spent all his
'eady money and then started in on his
oank account. Everything went by the
BOARD When he came to he found the
shutters long up on his shop and three
boxes of mail at the post Office. 81 might
nave gone up home and had good visit
With the money and time I've SPENT
was the best thing he could think of say
L.
Then he started all over again. It is only
matter of time before the escapade
will be repeated. Old-timers say it can't
De helped.
Soldiers stationed here get nostalgia
badly at times. The regimental band
plays on the plaza every few nights
Home tunes cause many a lump in the
throat. At the close Of every pro-
sramme the Star Spangled Banner" is
played. Sailors and soldiers are fire.
luently seen in tears, and for hours they
awe melancholia.
Nostalgia induces the most curious
sacrifices. Men who are ten times bet
.er situated here than they would be
forth, both as to class of position and
enumeration, plead constantly with |
lorthern hackers to make place near
r home for them, even with more work |
and less money. For a man or woman |
o have a sweetheart up north is one of |
he quickest ways to bring nostalgia in |
evidence. The lover up north imaCines |
hat there must be Heaven and con-
eminent down near the tropics The |
lover down here is ten times more I'M
easy about what is going on north, feel |
ing just as though the ocean between |
mere and New York were prison bars.
You can tell nostalgia by the dreamy
look in the eye of the school teacher and |
the government official as they sluggish |
ly walk the narrow streets. They are |
not in San Juan-they are hundreds of |
miles away in mind and desire. School |
teachers have frequently to be reused |
out of fit of musing by their Porto |
Rican pupils. They have been thinking |
of home and how far away it is
Believe Themselves Invulnerable.