The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-10

ly even answered by a motion of the head or hand. They will remain this way until the noxious vapors of the isthmus night envelop them, and when the dread malaria shows itself, they are too lazy to take even the simplest care of them selves. They must be carried to the hos pitals even though as strong as an oN' for with avidity they seize upon any ex- euse for muscular inaction.
 4 These negroes have made more troupi9 in the digging of the canal under the oiu regime than almost any other cause. They. cannot be made to care for their tools, and they will improve every possl- ble opportunity to rest from their slug gish work.
 There are perhaps 9OOo of them still at work on the job, all of them sick oI the work and yet too lazy to throw ' up and go somewhere else. Thelr Wases average much less than dollar a oay' and the effect of the enervaung chihate and the lesson of the 75.000 graves or VIC tins to the isthmian climate, In slgnt ol which they work. is rapidly demoralizins them.
 Attempt at Social Gaiety.
 Tn Cristobal Colon and Panama there
 is some little attempt at social gaiety' Many semi wealthy Spaniards who nave emigrated from Cuba, Mexico and the South American republics have settled in these cities and become the gran dees" of the neighborhood. They are commonly a somewhat ignorant anu gross set: but have established an aris- tocracy of their own, and already some little signs of education are manifest among the best of them. The evenings have become festive occasions In Colon' on account of the number of pretty span ish senoritas who fit about the dirty thoroughfares clad in the gaudy orna- ments of their country, and the Dons, who with their flowing velveteens and guitars, have transferred bit of old Mexico to the city on the isthmus Gay and natty young clerks, who have at tached themselves to the employment or the commission. and young adventurefs who are in the country in search or new excitement parade up and down the brll- 1iantly lighted piazzas every night, ognns these same dainty senoritas. and making the scene resemble a small section or the gay Broadway at home. These di- versions have proved the death of more than one frivolous youth from the north, for they disregard all caution and fall an easy prey to the night mists which their frail constitutions are poorly htted to withstand. For this reason the death rate among the minor clerks is greater than among the engineers and the men who do the hard work, for the latter re- tire to their cots every night. thoroughly Tagged out after hard days labor con seauently emerging robust and healthful, while the young fellows who spend their evenings and nights in the open air, among the mosquitos, fall an easy prey to the untoward climate
 The writer was entertained for several days at the home of one of the well-to- do landlords near Panama city. The man himself was a good type of the ''grandee" of this region-swarthy, thick necked. coarse, and yet intelligent, with out being educated. Tn Mexico or the southwestern states he would be called s'greaser." but in Panama he Is a Don and receives the respect his station calls for About four hundred acres of swamp jungle and cultivated rubber plantations comprised his estate and some forty na- lives were his retainers. His residence was a low, rambling, bare-roomed butld- ing. which looked as though it had been built In sections. each one in decided hurry and at various periods of the worlds history He had no stable, and except for an antiquated pony and cart, no live stock or farm implements His family consisted of two decidedly pretty