The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04

N
MI color the days work. wanted
i v L to discover the West Indies for
myself was eager to see
now my book gathered notions Of the Car
ibbean-notions that were mind movies
e seventeenth century buccaneers. hurry
burly revolutions and the twentieth CEN
fury banana trade-matchcd the reality.
Besides, travel produces Il vanity Of
its own. Would 1t not be delightful Oh
returning home to toss at less favored
friends. This cocktail isn't bad but my
boy! You should taste the Bacardi cock
tails they frappe for you at the Casa
Grande in Santiago" Or An amusing
little thing occurred as was leaving Co.
lombia for Costa Rica."
I had ,tickied myself with such fancies
for ten years while acquiring joys at sec
Ond hand by walking in South street.
where many Of the fruit steamships and
West Indies passenger boats dock. or by
reading the tales turned out by the ship
news writer's. colorful yarns IN which
palms waved and the SURF beat ON coral
reefs
One day in November. when New York
was particularly characterization UNI
derfOot an irritating wind whirlng from
all directions and the mercury standing
at 40 something-l watched "a big white
fruit ship. in from Jamaica. South Amer
leu and Panama. land and discharge her
company of tourists. They hurried into
South street and 1t didn't take much
Imagination to understand what jolly
time they had had. They We're Drowned
and vigorous and gay. They were bur
dened with trophies Of their tour. parrots
and tiny monkeys and native baskets
filed with oranges and mangOes and
fruits for which l had no name. They
brought with them a little. at least. of
the atmosphere of the southern seas
Clustered momentarily. they said fare
wells to ship friends and there was "A
brief clatter OF fascinating odds and ends
Of their Caribbean travel
That episode did the business for me
/ brushed aside the difficulties and Oh
stacles that had tied me to New York
for years and two hours later. at dinner.
] said to my wife:
Lets sail for the West Indies next
Saturday"
I'D love it," she said.
Then she was oppressed by woman's
ancient and everlasting worry.
"What on earth can ] wear? This ID
Wednesday. There are only two days
IN which to get things together. Can we
spare the money!?
THE tickets for a twenty-five day trip
will cost $2sO. $40 apiece, and l shall
figure on $500 to pay all other expenses,
That's more than Columbus had when he
started"
Columbus didn't take Mrs. Columbus"
"Never mind. We shall do it nicely on
$500, tickets, tips, necessares, few
Injuries and the souvenirs" | assured her.
As II turned out the $500 was ample.
1--WE were economical, although We didn't
pinch and squeeze. and We saluted the
skyline twenty-five days later with $40
In The family purse, a young and talented
parrot an armload OF trophies and a
million dollars worth OF delightful recol-
IecttOhs.
The problem OF what to wear was sim
pie enough. Knowing that winter cloth
ing would be necessary for two or three
days going and coming. each OF us took
q heavy Overcoat and a winter suit, with
such accessories as go with December In
New York. My wife got out her summer
frOcks, bought two duck skirts to wear
with shirt waists and completed her
wardrobe with two pairs OF canvas
pumps. I packed two summer suits and
added three suits OF ducks tthe coats cut
with military collars to do away with
wearing linen collars when we reached the
trOpics). which were put up quickly and
very cheaply by military supply concern
whose name ] found at random In the
telephone book added two pairs OF
white low shoes. not forgetting the pipe
clay. plenty Of linen and my dinner coat.
Weeks later We CONGRATULATED ourselves
on our ample supply OF shirts and skirts
and shirtwaists and light underwear. be-
cause We found that laundry work on
shipb0ard In uncertain and that through
out the West Indies garments are re-
turned poorly starched and frequently yell
lowed. But why bother about evening