Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17

cage Turn the screw Of the camera ana
better the focus. Notice how the sieepels
are rolling about. Some OF them are
dreaming They talk in their sleep Here
one murmurs of home, and there Is another
almost delirous; with his fear Of the fever.
Notice that nightcapped man swearing.
Now he scratches himself he mas oeen
out all day tramping through the pushes
along the edges of the canal, and the req
bugs of the isthmus have burrowed unoer
his skin. Those bugs are everywhere out
side the city. They lay thelr eess a lH yoo.
flesh, and the itchlns ofaVes one " u"
ton. u,.
How quiet 1t is. Panama has long since
shut it's stores There is little noise on the
streets after dark me cary et tenir b.is
comics or in family parties inside the mouse
Now and then one hears piano anu soiiie
times the music of balls, winch pegin az
o'clock of an evening ana iast ial aa' So rao
night. These Panama girls are gooo dahc-
ers but they do not go TO dances aioIe.
Their fathers or mothers must accompany
them. or they may have, as ouehna; an
old maiden sister, cousin or aunt. NESS
taLe the Mace of wall flowers at balls.
They make you think of morning glor!es,
for their eyes close soon after the oaIlclils
begins and open again as the uayilshl ap
proaches.
Morning in Panama.
Our NEXT snapshot is in the early light OF
the morning. Panama is awake. The bells
are ringing all over the city, calling out,
In the cracked voice of old age, the people
to PRAYERS The Panamans are Catholics,
and many of them attend early mass There
are women in black moving along toward
the churches, and here and there man
walks the same way. 1t is only here and
there, however, for the men, as at home,
let the women do most of the praying:
Panama awakes early. At daybreak the
carts are rafting over the stony streets,
peddlers begin crying their wares, and the
natter of many feet is heard on the side
walk. The roosters now crow more than
ever They have been at 1t all night long,
Int they receive fresh strength at day
break They may be Growing at the nigh
prices of eggs. They now cost D cents
apiece, and that is enough TO make any
cock crow.
The stores are now opening. Sleepy clerks
are taking down the shutters, sweeping the
floors and arranging their wares The
a M. when all will lie off for rest. Many
of the clerks live in the stores They are
boarded by their employers. and all eat the
noon meal together. Ihey are usuaAy palu
low wages but they understand how to ask
extra prices of every American, and ger
them.
A Snap at Midday.
Our next picture is taken at midday. 1t
Is high noon In Panama city. The town Is
uuieter now than 1t was at midnight
when we made our flashhght exposures. but
the great sun Is shining down from the
midst of the heavens, evidently wonder
ing why man is not working. Most OF
the stores are closed The great canal adj
ministration building with Its hundreds OF
clerks is as still as the grave, and the
streets are deserted, with the exception
of the dogs which lie asleep In the shade.
Every human being is now taking his noon
siesta. and even the goats. ROSTERS and
buzZards are nodding under the sun. Pan
anna Is Spanish city and 1t rests In the
middle of the day. 1t is a tropical city, and
1t Is best for one to do nothing from IL
o'clock until 2. At II the canal clerks go
to their homes. Between IL and II they sit
down to breakfast, or to what the Spaniards
would call almuerZo. The most OF these
people eat nothing but some coffee and
roll upon getting up. Their second meal,
which forms the real breakfast, consists of
a soup, a stew or roast some vegetables
and dessert. The Americans eat first
class dinner at lunch time. and are ready
for q second dinner at night. After tho
noon meal the people sit around and chat
or lie down for a snooze. No one Is at
his office much before 2, and 1t is impos-
sible to do any business during the usual
hours of. the siesta. From o'clock until
or 9 Is taken up with business and work,
after which everything closes up for the
night. TIE canal Offices close at 3. and at
that time the larger stores begin to put up
their shutters A. little later all have gone
home for the evening.
In the Panama Plaza.
Dinner is the chief meal Of the day. 1t
is eaten at 8 or O. clock. after which many
go out for a walk. On music and con-
cert nights every one takes a stroll through |
the park or plaza At such times the scene
is a gay one. the plaza. an acre OF palms
and tropical trees. is lighted by electricity
and all the Panama world and its wife
and fts daughter are out. With brothers
and husbands they promenade up and