Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-07-20
Strange Scenes to Northern Eyes.
landscapes that Resemble Moving
Pictures. improvements Under
American Rule.

Pictures. improvements Under
American Rule.
NO. 8
Before leaving Porto Rico take a
trip around the island. You may go
around with the boat stopping at
Ponce and Mayaguez, or you may
cross by auto The former is the
easier and the latter the most de-
nghtful. The auto carries you
through bewildering mountain seen
cry, around palm bordered curves
which open up new scenes and land
scapes like moving pictures. To nor
thern eyes this trip is especially in
terestlng. Not tree, shrub, plant
or flower but what is different from
those back home. Even the soil and
rock formation is different. Were
one suddenly transported to the
moon his surroundings could be 10
more foreign than that of the trop-
les, which are reached in four days
from New York The principal
charm of visit to these parts is
the novelty of finding yourself in
over tropical scenery, it's beauty, etc.
Tropical scenery is riotous, colorful,
extravaganza in detail but it is no
more beautiful than our own. But
the charm of the whole thing lies in
the startling contrasts. The Royal
palm is beautiful tree, SO is our
own feather buster elm. But We are
used to the noble elm and unused
to the stately Royal palm. Hence
the interest. The same is true of
everything we see in the tropics.
Some of us remember the old fash
Toned spice can our mothers kept
on the top pantry shelf. It's htho-
graphed colors linger In our memory
yet. The ultra blue sea, the intense
~ black natives with the strange
loads on their heads, the startling
use of the primary colors, inger still
in our memories, and if we go to the
tropics we will find that the litho-
graph was not SO far. wrong.
These and similar mental compar-
1sons come to mind as we ride over
the magnificent roads Of Porto Rico
or sail along It's shores by boat.
The City of Ponce
The principal city on the south
ern side of the island and ranking
second in size is the city Of Ponce.
1t IS beautifully laid out with two
plazas in the center. Ponce excels
San Juan in its public markets.
Tourists should never miss visiting
the market. 1t is an exhibition of
native production and native Gus
toms. The market place of Ponce
Is clean. well kept, and well I,
stocked. City meets country here
every morning and exchanges com
modi1es.
Ponce may we'll be proud of it's
public buildings and especially it's
schools. There are few cities in the
United States of the same size which
can boast of school buildings which
Will compare with those of Ponce.
They also have a fine country club,
as we'll as several social clubs The
cathedral which divides the two
plazas Is a splendid old monument
Of Spanish architecture.
Mayaguez on the west end of the
island is very interesting city to
visit. Here again we find a splendid
Catholic church. After struggling
with Spanish names so long imagine |
our surprise on visiting this church
TO find among the clergy names like
Rather Murphy and Father Lynch,
the latter from Saratoga, N. Y. We
made an effort to locate him but our
time Was limited. we managed
however, to break into one of the |
CATHOLIC schools and through the
kindness of Sister Peerboyre, former
ly of Skaneateles, N. Y, we were
permitted to learn something Of the |
splendid work these parochial
schools are doing.
Good Work of the Church
The Catholic church In Porto Rico. |
under Bishop Jones', formerly of AL
bany, N. Y. Diocese, is one of the |
potent factors in the upbuilding of |
the character of the new Porto |
Rican. Already their schools are
turning out useful and accomplished |
men and women in all walks of life, |
and their students are among the
most loyal and patriotic subjects of |
the United States. The work the |
church is doing in fighting poverty
and disease, and in educating the |
children would make volume in it. |
self, and is none the less important |
because of the transformations man.
ner in which it is conducted.
At Mayaguez we find a splendid
agricultural college, a fine plaza,