Evening journal., 1906-09-05

terested to wager n half peseta upon the
result II he loses he may llnger long
enough TO deliver a mild homlly upon
the siu Of gambling; II he wins a beners
diction will not be lacking. In either
case, the father Of his nock'' is followed
by words Of warm affection and cheerful
smiles He Is the dominating spirit of
the pace-the conhdant. adviser ana
preceptor OF his people All this because
he Is thoroughly human and one OF them
selves, poor as they are poor joyous
and easy-going as any boy among them.
when the tagged and fretful man OF
affairs turns for relief from his business
into the bustling paths OF tourist travel
he little dreams Of the opportunity for
recuperation offered by our lovely garden
spot I'm the Caribbean Sea- II he be
willing to throw or the barnacles OF artl-
iclality for awhile he may here secure
complete rest from his cares under the
most healthful and enjoyable conditions.
Should be be an artist by practice OF
instinct. he will here find a superabun-
dance OF material for the brush. OF food
for the eye Nor need the mind stag
nate Nature and mankind in unaccus.
toned aspects afford ample and interest
ing study.
Porto Rico has been little affected by
the emigration from the old Castillan
families that formed the aristocracy OF
Cuba. This. to a great extent. accounts
for its peaceful history as compared with
that Of the sister island. The island
was In the early centuries Of Spanish
occupation a military post, and the
troops by which It was garrisoned we're
permanently stationed there. The officers
in most cases married Creoles OF the
Island. and settled there for life. The
descendants Of these persons. and OF
French and Spanish refugees from the
neighboring islands. In the revolutionary
times OF the nineteenth century, are the
gente rustrada, or aristocrats Of Porto
Rico Their numbers are Insignificant.
and are represented in the literacy ex-
hibits by one-half Of one per cent OF
the population. which IS something less
than one million. This class supplies
the merchants. planters and professional
men Of the island. They have accepted
the change OF sovereignty with ready
acquiescence. mainly because OF their
strong love Of the soil aud pronounced
domestic tendencies. Furthermore. al
though Handicapped by the universal In
dolence of their countrymen, they are
shrewd and intelligent. and fully appre-
clate the prospective advantages OF
American rule. They are much like the
similar class In Cuba-well-bred, hos
pltable. Intensely proud and generally
prosperous. They are soclable 10 their
sedate fashion. and fond OF amusements.
such ms dancing. the theater. music. and
tie Inevitable bull hght Their business
men are honorable and honest II lack
ing in enterprise. There IS In this class
splendid material with which to build
In the formation Of a new race or
nationality. so TO speak, but Il Is too
sccnty to indulge the hope that II may
in time leaven the whole. What Is
probable. however. Is that intermarriage
with Americans will eventuate In the
production Of a class possessing the best
characteristics OF both races, and that
this class will IN the course Of the pres
ent century make Porto Rico what It
should be. one Of the most prosperous.
as It Is one OF the most inviting coun-
tries IN the world.
c. H. FoRBEs-LINDsAY.