The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-26
a. y y. Louisiana.
Al Sea. Nov. 20, 1905

lstration. including nice MIR. Laur.
ance Grahame. then were given a -.
lcoptlon hy the Aicnldo ana people OF
Ponce. and then went straight across
the island In automobiles 10 san
Juan. on tho north shore. II was an
an So.mile trip and really delightful,
The road wound up 90 tho high noun
tains 81 the middle island. thru them
and then down again 20 the flat plain
on tho north shore. Tho scenery
was beautiful II was as thoroly
tropical as Panama. but much more
llvabc. There were palms. tree
ferns. bananas. mansocs. bamboos
and many other uoca and multitudes
OF brilliant flowers. There was one
vina called the drram-vinc with flow
cra as big an great white water'lllicA
which close up light IA the day time
ana bloom at night There were
vines with masses OF brilliant purple
and pink flowers. and Others, which
at night time smell deliclouaiy. There
were trees studded over with huge
white flowers. and others. the flam
boyants such as saw In the oam.
paiEn at Santiago. ar. mass OF
! AtfkN NfAANSt NARa1NflA* w IAftfs OMN
which now had nhsd them. ] thought
the tre-f~rna especially beautiful
The towns were just such as you saw
In Cuba. quaint brilliantly eolorcd
with tho old church or cathedral
| fronting the plaza. and tho plaza al
ways full Of fiowcrs or course tho
towns are dirty. hu, they ar, not
/ nearly "a dirty and offensive "a those
OF Italy. and there IN something
/ pathetic and chiidiike about the pco.
pia. We are giving them a good
government. and the island Ia pros
perinK. I never Jaw finer set of
young fellows than those engaged In
the administration. Mr. Crahams.
whom. % course you remember. Ia
tho intimate friend and ally OF the
leaders 81 the administration. that Ia
OF Governor Hickman Winthrop and
Of tho secretary Of state. Air. Regis
Post orahafno IL perfect trump and
such handsome. athletic fellow. and
rival sir uaiahad, Any wrong do.
Ing. and especially any cruelty.
makes him flame with fearless indig.
nation. lie perfectly delighted the
Porto Rlcans and also immensely
puzzled them by coming IN hia
seotch kilt to n government ball Ac.
cordinEly. at my special request. I
had him wear hia kilt AZ the sta. Z
dinner and reception tho night we
were az tho palace You know no IL
descendant Of Montroae. and aitho
born In Canada. his parents were
Scotch and he was educated In Scot.
land. DO tell Mr.. Bob Fcrgie about
him and his kilt. when you next
write him.
We spent tho nigh, AZ tho palace.
which ls hair palace and hair castle,
and was tho residence % tho old
spa nish governors. II in nearly 400
years old. and Ia n delightful build.
Ing. with quaint gardens and n quaint
ara wall looking over tho bay. There
were colored lanterns lighting up tho
garden. for the reception. and the
view across tho hay IN tho moonlight
was lovely our rooms were attrac.
two a. possible too. except that they
we're 30 very airy and open that We
found u difficult TO siecp-not that
that much mat;crrd az. thanks 10 the
carllnsSa OF our start and the late.
meas OF our reception. wo had barely
four hours in which we even tried 10
sleep.
Tho next morning wo came back
In automobile. over different and
even morn beautiful roads. The
mountain passes thru and over which
we went made un feel aa II we were
In troplc Switzerland We had TO
cross two or three rivers. where big
cream.colored oxen. with yokez tied
to their horns. pulled tho automobiles
thru the water. ~ one funny little
village we had an open air lunch.
very good. Of chicken and eggs and
bread. and some wine contributed by
a wealthy Spaniard who rode up
from a nclghboring coffee ranch.
/ Yesterday afternoon we embarked
again. and that evening tho crew
gave a theatrical entertainment on
the afterdcck. closing with three box
ing bouts. | send you tho program.
IL was great fun. the audience being
equally enraptured with tho sentL
mental songs about tho flag. and the
sailors true love and his mother
and with the jokes (the most reiished I
OF which related to the fact that bed |
bugs were supposed TO he 10 large /
that they had 10 be shoto and tho 4
skits about the commissary and vnri /
GAL q. Roosevelt Letters Dec % /
Gus persons and deeds on the shin 4
In n way the freedom Of comment
reminded mo n little Of tho Roman
! triumphs. when the excellent legcn. |
darics recited in verse and prose
anything they chose concerning the |
hero in whose deeds they had shared 4
and whose triumphs they we're ceie. 1
brating. The stage. well lighted. was
built on the aftcrmost part Of the
deck We sat In front with the Off. II
GERS. and the sailors behind us In Il
masses on the deck. on the nftorrnost 1
turreta. on the bridge. and oven In Il
the fighting top OF tho nfteruost
mast. II was interesting 10 see their
faces in the light
T. s. I forgot TO tell you about
tho banners and inscriptions OF vel
come TO me in Porto Rico. ono OF
them which stretched across the road
had on Il. Welcome to Theodore and i
Mrs. Roosevelt" Last evening |
really enjoyed n rather funny expert. |
ence. There is an Army and Navy
union composed chiefly OF enlisted
men. but also OF many officers, and
they suddenly held n garrison" meet
ing in tho torpedoroom OF this shin
There were about 80 enlisted mon
together with the captain aud myself.
| WAS introduced ns "comrndo and
shipmate Theodore Roosevelt. Presi.
dent OF tho United States" They
were such "A nice set OF fellows. and
was really so pleased TO be with
them, so HelfrespeCting, 20 earnest
4 IL = J