Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1920-12-17
A MAGIC ISLAND OF THE
MEDITERRANEAN

.
IL. G. Of l.. ard politics, 1t may be
restful to read of place where breez
es blow cool but seldom too hot or
too cold, and the scenery Is magic /;
where people are peaceable and hon
est, and there are no profiteers; where
the women are pretty, charming and
easily entertained, and life moves
along with a song
There is such a spot. Ten hours
out from continental Spain on a fairly
fast and quite comfortable steamer
lies a little, archipelago-the Balearic
islands, whose largest island. called
Mallorea, or Majorca, is perhaps the
most enchanting corner, one of the
most interesting and pleasing, as well
as one Of the most forgotten islands
Of the Mediterranean. The following
account Of its attractions Is summa-
rized from the description Of an eye
witness, Col. Ernesto de March y de
Garcia-Mesa, Spanish army.
A great painter and writer called
1t the island of calm," for there ev-
eryone moves, rests, talks, walks and
conducts his courtships as II the day
had 48 hours, the mile about 10000
feet, and the span of human life 700
years; SO little haste do they make In
living and enjoying life. One Nal
lorquin of noble family is said to have
waited 45 years in determining to lead
his sweetheart to the altar, with no
protest from her, and without having
been slain in evaporation by his moth
er-in-law.
Last summer during the latter part
of July when the thermometer In
Washington and New York stood
around 90 degrees In the shade, and
In Madrid ran to blood heat, the
breezes famed these island folk to
the tune of rs degrees.
Nor Is this wonderful island an i'm
practical place to spend few months.
There are about 100 miles Of railroads
on the island, and system Of local
roads which permit of travellers Wis
iting many Of the chief points Of in
terest with ease and comfort.
These people who take life so leis-
urely are not lazy, shiftless or I'M
pleasant In personal appearance or
manner. They are intelligent, honest
capable Of work, sober and econOmi-
cal. These characteristics preserved
throughout centuries Of uninterrupted
peace and tranquility have made them
peaceable, trusting, and homeloving.
The men are Of medium height, strong,
and agile. They have competed bril-
liantly In many Of the championship
sporting events held In Spain, and
wherever they have gone on the con-
tinent their undertakings have been
marked with success. And as for the
women, Colonel March, In writing Of
them, says: "They possess the same
lovely skin as the women Of North
America. features as II sculptured by
Phidias or Praxiteles, and they walk
like goddesses." But he laments In
the next breath that they know moth
ing Of the 10Y of living" due par
TALLY, to ancestral Arabic influences
and to the fact that their island has,
for so long, been under strict repres-
sion. He calls Mallorca "the loveliest
cage on the planet, its wonderful. in
telligent and gracious women being
extremely bored"
And an all-important feature-the
cost Of living is low I'm Mallorca. Who
would not be astonished to know that
he could become member Of the
Royal Club of Regattas," fully and
comfortably equipped, for about 20
cents a month In dues? Though prices
rose here as elsewhere during the war,
the Spanish colonel says that II 10 the
"spot Of all Europe and America
where one could have lived the most
reasonably during these past Ave
years."