The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-11-03

HhlteTsshed walls. red-tiled roofs. and
blue and green doors and window
shutters The most pretentious resi- g >Mz
oeuces are no more than two storied - *
frame structures With 10 rooms al
most and a patio in the rear. OF the 49,
5000 inhabitants perhaps 50 are well *
TO DO" in the conventional sense OF --Sxl
the phrase. The remainder are super. T<s -
lativey poor measured By the stand -
ard OF dollars and cents but passing
rich in fact by OF having
everything that they need ard probably all they
desire. Everyone seems TO secure an easy live
hhood. but precisely how is difficult 10 determine
hard worker is not 10 be seen but neither 10
beggar nor vagrant and the municipality does
not boast any such institution as an almshouse
However. the matter is Invested OF much OF its
mystery when considers that land as prolific
as any in the world Is 10 be had for the taking
and mans outfit Of clothing consists Of three
pieces-straw hat, shirt. and cotton trousers
while woman gets along very well with one gar.
nent and children are not encountered tc that
extent
Although the dry season was wennigh spent
everything looked fresh and green the morning
that ] gslloped ont upon the llano on my way to
DfTala My moso. a long lean fellow with
melancholy visage. followed al a pace which he
never varied. but which later experience taught
me could always be depended on to bring him
up with at the end of a ride. Man never
Pantaleon-"panther ion"-was possibly be-
slowed upon him in a spirit OF irony He was
profoundly self-possessed and had the commend
able Characteristic of combining his attention to
bis own business and just so much OF his en-
ployer's as properly concerned him
Before stretched one OF the Ilanos which
lie like grassy islands in forest sea at intervals
all along the Pacific slope Of the Cordillera. For
miles onward and on either side of US the
ground extended in sweep as level a billiard
table and green With its thick covering OF
jeniebri'lo the tract looked strikingly like Bit
OF the blue grass country OF Kentucky. Here and
there a wild hg or ceibo threw its heayyleafed
branches wide. affording grateful shelter for man
and beast On every side the close ranks Of the
forest trees hemmed the Iano in and away be-
yond in front the jabbed teeth OF the
sierra with the smoking cone, OF FL volcan pro-
!eoting beyond the ruck
A well-worn crack indicates the shortest route
70 the point where the road enters the forest
We keep I; in sight for the sake Of preserving
our bearing. otherwise might ride unrestrain-
eddy on the darkest night over this fat expanse
unbroken by gullies and devoid OF burrows In
fact. | have crossed II at a hand gallop in a
downpour of rain. when my horses ears were not
distinguishabe and the blurred lights OF David
made lurid beacon patch in the distance.
These Ilanos are tire commons" of the people
the poor mans grazing ground We pass small
herds Of from 10 TO 20 head. nibbng the heritage.
which is ample for sustenance but not sufficiently
rich and plentiful TO condition them for market
Scattered over the range few mares with
foals at their heels. In this country they ride
and work only the male horses leaving the fe-
males constantly al grass This is obviously a
bad system for II retards hereditary transmission
and results in the development OF serviceabe
qualities on one side only The animals un.
dersiZed and the breed poor. the best strain being
derived from Peruvian stations Despite bis IN
promising appearance. however the Panamanian
pony is apt TO surprise you with wonderful dis
play OF stamina. have been carried ffty-odd
miles by in twelve hours and found him At
FOR good days journey the next morning They
are sy-going beasts. with single-foot gait and
II will be content to ride them in the manner
TO which they are accustomed quite service
able the average mount TO be picked up In
Central or South America 1t Is distinctly advis-
able however. to get rid Of the greasy hair bride
Of the country. even though no better substitute
than piece of clean rope Is available Failure
20 take this precaution once cost sore hand
OF which was not cured for weeks
Now and again a traveller joys by with NUT
tered "Buenos dias"-a sautation that Is never
omitted by man. woman or child. The rider
wears a conical straw hat. cotton shirt. flap