Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-05-12

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In the summer time the weather is
very hot in the middle of the day and
no work can be dope. The mornings
and late afternoons however are very
comfortable, so that most of the ma
tivcs sleep the siesta from about one
o'clock until three
The early morning is the busiest
part of the day The stores open at
five o'clock; the banks open at seven;
but during the siesta period every
thing is closed and no one is seen on
the streets. This of course is only
true of the summer season.
Every Argentine is a born horse
man and can ride about before he can
walk Horses are very cheap. being
raised with little care and expense on
the big ranches. This doubtless ac-
counts for one of the chief ambitions
of certain class of men in the cities;
namely, to save enough money to buy
a team and coche (coach) and become
cochero (coachman). \ typical
Argentine likes nothing better than
to sit all day upon the box of some
dilapidated old coach waiting for
fare. Coach hire is very cheap and
everybody uses the coaches. In San
Luis one can go anywhere in the city
for 20 centavos (about cents)
Another ambition of a certain class
OF ArgentineS is TO be a merchant
Stores are very numerous in compari-
son with the population, as are also
tailor and barber shops. The number
OF houses that are supplied with the
most meagre of stocks even to the
outskirts of the town, is surprising.
The dry goods stores are small and
carry a fair stock of cheap goods.
Hardware and grocery stores are sup
piled with the most common staples.
There are no saloons, but liquor is
sold in the restaurants and in all gro
Gerry stores. Such things as meat and
vegetables which are perishable
are sold at the public market, which
is owned by the municipality.
While there are people in Argentina
from all countries of Europe, the tia
liam is the principal immigrant. He is
easily assimlated into citizenship be-
cause of language, religion and mode
of living. The very best class of Ita-
liam immigrants have come hther and
now form highly respected portion
of the population. They are thrifty
and Industrious. Whole colonies OF
Italians have been established at
stations on the railroads. Many OF
these new towns have no natural
water supply. but the railroads have
undertaken to provide water by i'm
porting it in tank cars, the way that
oil is transported in the States. All of
the towns on the railroad within
thirty miles of San Luis are provided
with water from San Luis carried in
this way In some towns wells are
possible but only in certain localities
People living in the country or in
villages not on railway have to store
water in reservoirs and cisterns from
one rainy season to the next.
OF course. you have read Of the
Spanish "manana' Gomrrow), but one
cannot appreciate it until he has really
felt it. They never do anything to-
day; they are always going to do it
tomorrow. They rarely make an ap
pointment with any idea of keeping
it, they are always making promises
because they think il is polite. they
think it pleases you, and they do not
seem to have any idea that you will
be disappointed if they do not fulfil
their promises. They are always pro-
missing everything and doing nothing.
\ good illustration OF how ingraincd
procrastination has become in their
natures came TO orr notice recently.
While in a store the water supcrin-
tendent entered and during the con
versation remarked that he had gotten
up that morning knowing that he had
to see to making two important con-
ncctions, but up to that time Give
hours latcr) had not been able to re-
either place. 1t is not un- |
common to see play advertised at
the theatre for a certain night, and at
the appointed hour find that the com
pany has not arrived in town. They |
had probobly found it worth while to
extend their stay in some other town |
The practice has arisen OF firing |
bombs an hour before the play begins
so that the people may know that the
play is really on.
The Argentines with their procras-
tinating ways do not accomplish |
much. Most everything that is being |
done or ever has been done TO make |
the country what il is today is the
work of foreigners. chiefly English
Italians and Germans. The great |
wheat industry on the rivers Plate
and Parana has been developed by
Nearly all the railroads
are owned and operated by foreigners.
Nearly all the large commercial
houses are foreign. and what manu-