Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1905-02-14
Letter From Porto Rico.
Casa Blanca, San Iuan, Porto Rict

nlcl anotueT letter on you, but 1t is al
WAYS to be understood by you tina
no complaint will ever be heard from m
if my effusions be consigned to the edi
torial waste basket. or dispensed in brok
en- doses to your readers, if at all.
In the ten days beginning the nth
had an excellent opportunity to see. un
der favorable circumstances, some part
of this island to which | could not con
veniently go year ago. / was invited
to accompany him on trip by Mr.. Proc
| tor, the Asst Commissioner of publ,
works, whose duty 1t is to look after th,
construction and maintenance of roads
public buildings. etc. could not have
travelled under better conditions, as Mr.
Proctor is very intelligent young en-
gineer and knows the country and the
/ people well. He speaks Spanish fluent,
and do not, and that is the language Of
the country, though one hears more
English now than even year ago, as il
is taught in every school and the people
are beginning to understand its advan-
tages as means of communication with
others who it is worth their while to know
for business purposes even if they don't
love them, and the majority of the people
don't love us.
Mrs. Lippitt gave me warm cup of
coffee, eggs, etc. as early as $50 a. m.
January nth. and was at once driven to
the train where was joined by Nh. Proc
tor. We went by rail as far as Arecibo.
where had been year ago. There we
found waiting for us one of the coaches
OF the country which are used where the
railroad does not go. and in many parts
OF the island WIN never go. on account OF
Typographical obstacles. Mr.. Proctor
was inspecting the road between Arecibo
and Ponce. Our first place of stop was
at Utuado, where we had breakfast ct
noon and changed horses and coach
men. but we had procured and enjoyed
some very nice oranges at resting place
about half way between Arecibo and
Utuado, fresh from the trees near the
road and full of sweet Juice and pulp.
AT Utuado | sent telegram to DR.. Lip
pitt, and also wrote a postal requesting
that the mail be forwarded to Mayapuez
which the incoming steamer of the next
day would bring for me this could not
do before leaving San Juan as l could
not arrange my own dates until l knew
Mr. Proctor's plaus The telegraph
operator was young woman who knew
very little if any English, and it required
much explanation between her and MIR.
Proctor to make my English understood
especially as my handwriting was not the
best. Of course, ! helped and superin-
tended the important work in hand, aud
we also had the help of the assistant
operator, who by the way was one of the
prettiest girls | ever saw in Porto Rico
or any other place. As rule all Porto
Ricans. male as well as female, have very
pretty dark eyes, and nothing sets off a
pretty face better than pair of lustrous,
laughing black eyes but / have seen
them IN other countries where blue eyes
and brown eyes are also very attractive
there are such in Charles Town not to be
surpassed by any in the world as far as
my observation goes
Just at this point in this letter pause
to look at another very beautiful sight, al
fine ship under full sail passing out in
front of the Casa Blanca and disappear
ing around MORO point. Mrs. Lippitt
left her work. darning socks. to admire
this sight which is always attractive even
if occurring every day.
After we had had breakfast and
dispatched that telegram at Utuado. l.
called to see Mr.. aud Mrs. Mark. some
French people by whom had been most
kindly entertained year ago. The
French are always polite and courteous.
and they seemed sincere in their show of
pleasure at seeing me again. Mrs. NJ.
had the misfortune to lose her parents
and other near relatives when Mt. Pelee
destroyed the town of ST. Pierre, in Mar
Unique. as she had told me year ago
and when she heard / was going there
she wished to go with me. but did not as
| had no time to give her notice OF my
departure.
From Utuado we were driven over the
part of the road which was so unfinished
a year ago that was unable to pass over
it. The work is most creditable to Mr.,
Proctor, under whose supervision it was
built. Much of the scenery along it is
very picturesque and beautiful.
We reached Adjuntas early in the after
noon. and lodged at hotel kept by a
Roman Catholic priest. He was very po-
lite and no boubt did his best for our COM
fort, but hope he is better priest than
a hotel-keeper. He left of. his robes as
priest while looking after his guests in
the hotel. and didn't even wear a coat or
a collar while waiting on the table. But
in this country it is the rule to wear as
few clothes as possible. He had his ton
sure as priest all right. but he also had
qnite heavy black beard several days
old when we arrived. but that had disap-
peared at dinner time. felt a real re-
spect tor this man whose stipend had be-
come very small from his flock. and had
been lost altogether from the government
c,,Ca fla odvo,t Of flo h,,a~.,a,- IL
was not like the mendicant friars. who
are too lazy to work and not ashamed to
beg and live in idleness. This man was
making living by his own exertions and
perhaps supporting family too. aid yet
he did not neglect his daily mass in the
church. as he came to bid me goodbye
early the next morning and go to the
ehurch for celebration.