Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-08-28

luC AulCl lNoh III q lOAShoA
not so tenacious of his home customs
as is the Englishman, and in Panama
he finds himself not only in a tropic
cline but in the midst of a civilization
much older than his own. Conse-
auently he yields in many particulars
to the customs of that cline and that
civilization. The midday siesta OF
two hours, when he disrobes and dozes
in a cool room, the dip in the ocean be-
fore dinner and the evening stroll in
the plaza all appeal to him as to the
native and have become a part OF his
life there.
At the same time the influx of north
erners has had its effect on the Pana-
manians, especially, perhaps, IN the
matter Of sports. Bulltights no longer
are to be seen here and cock fighting
has suffered a marked decline. In
place of them the native now enjoys
frequent wrestling matches and prize
fights, INDUCES in tennis to some eX-
tent and has taken kindly to the ma
tional American sport of baseball.
1t is the American woman on whom
the changed conditions of life bear
hardest, for housekeeping on the 18TH
mus is attended by many annoyances.
A good many people have the idea that
a woman in the tropics lies in a ham
mock all day and at meal time picks
her food from the branches Of trees
that shade her resting place. AS a
matter of fact she must do her house
hold shopping as at home, and the do
nestle problem is with her here as
there. only more so if possible. For
clothing and standard groceries she
usually goes to the store of the com
missary department, where she can
buy well and cheaply. But for fruit
and many of the vegetables there is
the daily trip to the market. In that
spacious building-I am speaking now
of Colon and Panama-are scores OF
booths and tables, attended by Jamal
cans. Chinese and native Panamanians
and piled high with taro, breadfruit
!, soursaps, guavas, papayas, a
, plantains, alligator pears, mangoes, or
, anges, cocoanuts and a dozen othe'
tropical products. The layout is tempt
ing, but the purchasing is aNtask. Sucl
a thing as a fixed price is unknown an
!, one must bargain diligently or get tn
worst of 1t. And the insolence of tn
negro women is often commensurate
! with their ignorance. The native mea
market is quite impossible" for whit
f people from the United States, for tn
e meat, roughly hacked, is sold immed
ately after slaughtering, and tn
screening enforced by the America
sanitary department is rendered Inc
fective by open doors.
The domestic servants employed b
Americans in the zone are almost a
jamaican negresses. They are nef
and clean, but their stupidity usual
is monumental. Every detail'of tn
Il household operations must be drive
into their heads, and their minds seer
ingly are on the island home they hay
left for their memory is almost n
and their eyes see little close at han
Then, too, after a year or 80 of servit
and saving they begin to think OF r
turning to Jamaica and grow weary
why, Blanche" said one shockt
housewife, here it is eleven o'clot
and the breakfast dishes and kitcht
things not washed, and the ants
over them!"
ooh. marin, | couldn't do them, L
so exhausted this morning. w
Blanche's reply.
That's a mild sample of what mu
be commended with.
5, Speaking of ants, there is another
tn the annoyances Of housekeeping in t
al ~tropics. The ants are everywhere,
er unbelievable numbers and most exit
he ordinary activity. Screens do not Ike
in them out nor insect exterminators d
courage them. They must simply
la endured. IL they take a fancy to
,e- nicely growing garden of young vel
at tables, they cut and carry off all t
he leaves in a night. 1t Is the social
he leaf ant that does that. All over t
IN isthmus he is to be seen, moving
professions along well beaten pat
ut each individual carrying a leaf
TIA other bit of foliage. One day | saw
long line Of them moving through
sparse turf, all carrying tiny red bl
SONS cut from a small weed. 1t "
a very picturesque miniature para
he No place and no age has been Fl
,rk from the c%ockroach, and in Panama
grows to an enormous size and spel
in some of his time and energy eat
OF the covers of bound books.
lis Rust and mould add to &e woes
Isa. The American h~ousekeeper, and ma
ind articles she must keep in dry close
Its. in which electric lamps are kept bu
Der ing.
Of There are not In Panama a or
hip many Of the old pure-blooded Span
re- families, whose members possess G
af. cation and refinement, and those t
nal are there are not especially 0 n
Americans. Consequently there is
much social intercourse between
two races. The social activities OF
hen Americans have three general CEN
ow the Tivoli club, the Washington
are tillon club and the Young Mems On
in tian association. The first two
. IT dance organizations and give balls
and ~ternate fortnights at the Tivoli h
it's in Ancon and the Washington hots
pile, Colon. These affairs are quite ior
.nds and attract the best OF the Ameri'
from all parts Of the o a