Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-04-19
FROM BIBLE TO POKER.
Miss Wood Describes Travellers Di-
versions While in Quarantine.
Yauco, Porto Rico, March q, 1906.
Mr. EDIroR:-

Mr., EDIroR:-
Shall / contlnueg II certainly had a
queer sound-the word .'quarantinen as
applied TO ones own particular self.
Quarantine is for people who may, can,
might, could or would bring infection in
TO country, and who must be punched
by themselves until danger is disproven or
proven by time. Venezuelan ports are re-
garded as .infected,n and as yellow fever
requires five days for development, the
time at sea is not sufficient to determine
the point. We could not escape. After
all, II one is to reside in Porto Rico it is
pleasant TO know that Uncle Sam takes
wise precautions.
"But, Captain, you didu't let us go
ashore at La Guayra. Aren't you going to
help us now ?" Sorry, can't DO a thing"
This was evidently sincere, and the brown
skinned, black eyed, close mOuthed doc
tor in white duck clothes, wearing gilt
letters on his collar and plenty OF pro-
fessional dignity, had his own sweet way
with us. The peadings and arguments OF
q bright American lawyer. one of the con-
demned, had no effect. Possibly two or
three people might have been let off by
/ agreeing to call daily at the doctors
Office, but our number, tour, was doubled
/ by party OF seeond-class passengers, and
all entitled to the same treatment So,
about p. M, after pas engers for New
/ York had boarded the steamer, we took
leave and climbed down into the little
government tug which was to convey us
to "Miraiiores, beautiful island in San
Juan harbor.
/ had confessed to the captain that a
Red ID. plate had found its way into my
grip. BY the way, ii might not be be-
lieyed by stay home people, the craze
that tourists have for stealing spoons and
plates and cups as souvenirs of their Jour
/ Tho ar f,Gd
trip when they brought a sbipload OF
American teachers to Porto Rico, so many
/ spoons were missing that on the third day
out they were actually short. She had to
get after the young women with, "Now,
see here, girls, | don't know who's got
em, but somebody has, and il those
/ spoons don't show up your baggage will
all be searched before you 20 ashore. y
4 This had the desired effect and spoons be-
came plenty again. But think OF respect
able school INA ANS being such thieves
| However. didn't want TO be behind in
respectability, or out of fashion and
wished the captain to know that | had
done the correct thing. "ConfessioD is
good for you.h he said. And this was
ample permission to keep the plate, which
proves useful little souvenir in this land
OF oranges.
Now let me answer one question before
it Is asked-Did not long to 90 on to
New York and back to Verm0nt2 No,
never once. That is not saying that / did
not long to see friends In the north, but ]
had only to remember that il was the end
OF December and be thankful that my
next field of labor was right here in the
tropics. Yes, ! was willing to forego even
the good sport OF snow-shoeing for the
luxury OF being always warm enough. To
wear light clothing and not SILVER, to live
without fires, without blankets and with
out glass windows, and be comfortable in
doors or out, summer or winter seems
ideal, and when Porto Ricans claim that
their climate is the best in the world, / am
not one to disagree with them.
"Mirafiores" is the name of the quaran-
tine station. "Behold the flowers ~ bat
flowers were not the only things we be-
held. long, low building OF Spanish I
architecture reminded one of something |
seen at the Worlds Fair. The central |
portion had an arched roof, while a fiat |
roof and thick outside wall enclosed the |
galleries extending on both sides. In one
part OF this long, narrow space meals were
served: in another the doctor took his
station at his desk every morning, for tn /
daily test OF temperature, and down /
toward the kitchen end were the scales
that interested us later. Under the arched /
roof Of the middle space were several large /
wards full OF beds and hospitel-like furn- 4
a dormitory that made one feel there was
danger OF catching something, and il |
any OF us had had yellow fever or any |
other kind should always believe that It /
was caught in quarantine. We had been |
preceded by an Italian Opera company OF
seventy people and tents necessary for the /
accommodation OF so large a number were
still standing near the house.
What a funny party we were Or I
rather a company OF four parties, as each /
individual was travelling separately and on |
a distinctly personal errand. Here we are
"a New York society young woman, re-
turning from visit to Caracas; mis-
sionary young woman, originally from |
Illinois, but OF several years. experience T
in p. r.; the American lawyer. whom | /
shall call Mr.. Connecticut, resident of San /
Juan; and the Vermont woman, school /
ma am elect in she knew not what part of /
the hull country of Porto Rico. Our fell
low travellers were Arabs, i believe. AT
any rate, with the best will on both sides,
we could find no common tongue in which .
TO say ssGood morning. to the woman,
and could only substitute mods and smiles.
The husband had learned Spanish in Ven
ezuela and eonversed intelllgenty in that
language with the lawyer.
Shall / give you our daily program ?
We ladies got off our wire mattresses the
first morning, | must say, with some Curl
osity to see II we were tattooed in lace
patterns. as only a sheet and a cotton
blanket interviewed between us and the
wires. But we were refreshed all the
same, especially after taking turns under
The cold shower bath Final touches were
put on our toilets by taking turns before a
little crinkly mirror that made straight
faces wry, and did not ito my disappoint-
mentl turn wrv ones straight. At we
assem- bled for coffee the first meal of
the day, and ate oranges, eggs, bread and
coffee, oatmeal perhaps. but it had not a
Yankee taste. Then came the doctor and
placed us in a row with Thermometers in
our mouths for the space OF five minutes,
the ladies having the singular appearance
OF holding cigarettes in their teeth, after
which ne recorded the results with appar
ent satisfaction and excused us for the
day.