The Van Buren press., 1904-06-25
NOSTALGIA IN PORTO RICO.
Homesickness of Soldiers and Other
Americans Sometimes Results
Disastrously.

w hllt luIit Ddm anu lNt lusuldf
government officials Of Porto Rico have
been worrying a great deal over the
rayages of the disease known as trop-
ical anemla. or blood impoYerishment
which Is prevalent throughout the is
land, they have not reckoned at all
apparently on the havoc caused by that
-ther great foe to health and happiness
nostalgia II Is true, says the Nev
York Times. that this complaint at
tacks only the so-called carpet baggers
from the United States, but as 1t is
10 these that both the natives and the
home government look for good exam
pie and forceful methods, II will be
seen that an epidemic OF homesickness
would in the long run effect as much
damage as the quicker-acting disease.
There is no longeD any doubt that
nostalgia Is one Of the colonial coud-
tons 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
tropic zone love 1t as their parents do
their native home up north, there will
be trouble growing out OF the want
to-go-back" craze which Is bound TO
come over the refugee sooner or later.
Stronger minded folks--folks who can
put up with almost anything pooh-pooh
he nostalgia talk for long while after
they come, but when they get the COM
plalnt they get It badly They see
their companions, who make no boast
of their strong -mindcdness. sailing
uorth, They receive letters by every
weeks mail which set their blood tin
Cling by the recital OF some familiar
pleasure, impossible In Porto Rico,
They are reminded Of the United States
In hundred different ways every day.
In fact almost every hour. and In al
most every case nostalgia gets them
after awhile
It Is interesting 10 note the different
ways that the disease affects different
natures Some Il forces to write reams
Of letters every week People up In
| the 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
casual way II the folks are well and
how business Is progressing The fact
that the writer Is down In Porto Rico
seems excuse enough for him, without
| further 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
that puts Bacchus to shame There isn't
anything absurd or Wild or "devilish"
! that he will not do A San Juan tailor
with a prosperous business, whose FAM
| ily up north had been hearing regularly
from him for three years, were greatly
worried when his letters suddenly
| stopped They wrote three or four anx-
lous letters every, week begging him 70
answer Then they wrote the postmas-
ter, and finally the governor After four
months they found that the exile was
not dead, but on a terrific "let loose"
| He was attacked with an acute ~ OF nos.
talgla one morning and walked out OF
his tailoring establishment without say
| ing a word TO anyone, lie stored away
enough alcohol IN II short time almost
20 forget his own name lie spent all his
ready money and thea started In on his
bank 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 tho post Office 81 might
have gone up home aud had good visit
with the money and time I've spent"
was the best thing he could think Of say
ing when he became hiNself again.
| Then he started all over again. ltlsonly
matter OF time before the escapade
will be repeated. Old-tImers say II cant
be helped /
Soldiers stationed here get nostalgia
badly at times. The reglmental band
plays on the plaza every few nights
Home tunes cause many lump In the
throat At the close OF every pro.
grammc the star Spangled Banner" Ia
played Sailors and soldiers are frc
quontly seen In tears, and for hourst they
have melanchola
Nostalgia Induces the most curious
sacrifices Men who are ten times bet.
ter situated here than they would bc
north both as to class OF position and
remuneration, plead constantly with
northern hackers TO make place near.
or home for them, even with more work
and less money For man or woman
! 10 have a sweetheart up north Ia one ot
the quickest ways to bring nostalgia In
evidence The lover mp north lmagInes
that there must be Heaven and con-
tentment down near the tropics The
lover down here ls ten times more un-
cnsy about what Il going on north feel
Ing Just A. though the ocean between
here and New York were prison bars
You can toll nostalgia by the dreamy
look In the eye Of the school teacher and
the government ofilclal as they sluggish
/ ~ walk the narrow streets They are
not In san Juan-thoy are hundreds of
miles away In mind aud desire School
teachers have frequently To be reused
out oi ~ of muslug by their Porto
Rlcan pupllA They have been thinking
Of home and how far away Il IA