Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1905-02-28

Concluded from FIRST page J

SONS of the Episcopal Cilnrch OF me
United States.
The American ladies ard gentlemen Of
Ponce are fond Of cards. especially the
games of euchre and whist, including
bridge and duplicate, but without stakes.
Twas invited 10 JON these gamesin Ponce
the one nighf WAS there. bnl preferred
conversation with some Of the agreeable
people met. both ladies and gentlemen.
From Ponce l wrote notes 10 Van Lip
pitt at Mayaguez and also to Mrs. DR..
Lippitt at San Juan. Mr.. Proctor and
left on the early train from Ponce to-
wards Mayaguez Perry Lippitt return
ing to San Juan. Two routes are avalla-
bic between Ponce aud San Juan by
which the trip can be made the same day,
one Of which is called the Military Road
built by the Spanish. in which hevehicle
is the coach drawn by two horses, with
relays every few miles, This trip is often
made in the night because cooler. 1t
can be also made by automobile in much
less time than by coach. The least tire
some route is by rail from Ponce to
Aguadilla aud from Camuy through Are
cibo to San Juan. the break in the rail-
road between Aguadilla and Camuy being
traversed in automobiles. Leaving Ponce
or San Juan at 6 a. n. he can be al
San Juan or Ponce at 7 p. IN.
Mr.. Proctor ard l slept at Mayaguez
the night OF the 18th. but we used the
railroad only between Ponce and Yauco.
From the latter place we went by coach.
as there were some repairs IN progress
between Youco and Mayaguez which we
wished TO inspect. This was also more
agreeable to me as was not IN a hurry
and the opportunity to see the country is
better from the coach than the railway
car. The railroad is not equal TO either
of the roads between Baltimore and
Washington. at least in point of speed
To illustrate: The road used by the
coaches IS at some points quite near the
railroad. On more than one such place
our coachman, in order 10 show what he
could do, whipped up his ponies. and the
result was we soon passed the train. He
could evidently do so whenever he chose.
Between Yauco. which Is no baby Of a
town, having bsen founded in 1856, a
year after Braddock's defeat near Pitts
burg. and Ponce. which dates back to
1692, when jamestown was only 50 years
old and not much older than the present
writer, we passed through San German,
which contains one of the oldest churches
in the slaDd that Of the barefooted
Dominican friars, built in 1888. San
German dates back to 1917. In I52S II
was attacked and destroyed by theFrench.
bat 1t was rebuilt. Again in I74S it was
attacked by the English, but they were.
repulsed. They had landed at the same.
port, Guanica, which was used by General
Miles in our war with Spain. Thus his
tory repeats itself.
While referring to these old towns /
will mention an antique in the shape of a
chair presented to Mrs. Llppitt by the
Mother Superior OF the Convent of San
Juan, which is known to be at least 200
years old and may be mnch more This
recalls to my recollection an old chair
have in Charles Town that belonged to
my great grandfather, Robert Ruther-
ford, who has been dead more than
hundred years and was buried at the
Flowing Springs. That chair is at least
$50 years old.
Mr.. Proctor and were in Mayaguez
by noon and were soon located at the
French Hotel Paris. pleasantly situated
on the main street. | remained quietly
in the hotel the rest of the day, except for
short excursion to the lodging house of
Van LlppItt, to let him know of my pres
ence in town, Not finding him there, l
was taken to his place of business on the
water front by the Post Master, Mr.. Les
ser, whose acquaintance | had made on
the ship from New York IN December
Van came to see me in the evening and
brought me weeks supply of the Balti-
more Sun. These were like old friends
10 strange land and gave me much in
teresting news.
Mr.. Proctor went off on an inspection
OF an unfinished road leading out of Nav
aguez, but he was back in time for a late
dinner. On the .I4th he left at 10 a. M.
for San Juan by rail. expecting to keep
an engagement there to a late dinner.
The mail from San Juan brought me also
number of letters from Charles Town
and other places in the States. all very
acceptable. Mr.. Postmaster Lesser dlned
with me, and Van Lippitt called laterand
satuntll bedtime. Just as am closing
this letter peculiar funeral has come
under my notice. The body. in a small
blue box, was carried on the head Of a
boy of IL years The struggling process
sion consisted OF one young woman in
black, probably the mother. three SINAI
children and three men There was not
the least solemuity in the performance.
WM. p CRMemrL1.
-. lot 7. 49, yfs