Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-09-17

pers, but lot stockings, and suits Of
light wear, with quaint straw hats and
ties. Some of these children are very
black; others are brown; all have the
soft. gentle voices.
In the old quarter are the shops, in
teresting to tour. but pitiful to rely
on. Drug stores. or boticas-dark.
measly places-make n wonder
what percentage Of germs and CRIME
are added to each prescription. Odd
little fruit shops neighbor them
shops with a very diminutive tomato,
wrapped in bark and seeming like SO
much candy; shops Of oranges and
tain, Of course. Here, too, are the lit
tie brown, naked children. scrambling
all over the wares.
on to one side opens the saloon
area. Women operate these saloons
a buxom duenna in each-and they do
a land-oflce business, for their little
lane forms the shortcut across the
arc formed by the long main street Of
Panama, and men as they pass
through must, p~erforce, %patronize.
Ever Present Buzzard.
Busy, indeed, is that Broadway Of
Panama. Instead of street cars there
are hacks innumerable. Traffic costs
but ten cents from any one point in
town to another and so every one,
even to the poorest negro, rides in the
landaux. Each such vehicle has its
bells. changing wildly for passage and
bringing to mind the drivers cries for
way in equally-crowded Gibraltar.
You turn from peering high at them
to the little shops in which the famous
Panama hats are sold. Hats can be
had in price from five dollars up-gold
always. All American money in Pana-
ma is gold; all Panamayan money is
silver. Whatever its denomination.
the silver money is worth Just one-
half that sum in gold.
Panama has another native product
for which she is world.renowned and
of which specimens are to be had in
these little shops. This is the native
lace and embroidery, often made "in
the real of the shop itself. The wares
will range in value from five cents the
yard up.
Throughout this heart of the business
district. step behind the little store
and you are in a quaint, Interesting
courtyard, One great establishment is
known as The Devil" and American
girls, having bought hats in 1t, are
wont to make a Decline to "The
DEVILS" back yard to have snapshots
taken of themselves among the palm
trees.
Wander of In another section of
Panama city and the old depot recalls
memories of your readings Of child
hood. Built of stone, now gray with
age, the depot is a survival of the days
almost OF the '49ers. It brings to mind
the wondrous tales Of how, before the
railway came, men had to cross the
isthmus on %donkeys; Of the fever and
pestilence from which they suffered;
of the great heat and how mules STUN
bled to destruction On the trails; how
guides would renegade and held one
up, and how, now and then, outlaw
bands swept down and boldly muir
dered the traveller. There's a more
modern station not far distant.
And then your first evening In
Panama! oh, how you envy the lucky
folk destined to spend days and weeks
and months here! How you look back,
even now, to watching the Sunday
drawing Of the lottery, the Sunday aft
ernoon at the cock fight; the early
Sunday evening drive to deserted Old
Panama-America's proudest city In
its day, but wrecked by Morgan. the
b%uccaneer. and since given over to the
jungle!