The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-26
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CHAPTER XIV

DO you think we should venture out of the city?" MT. Gregory csked uncertainty. They were finishing their lunch at the British club, and he seemed loath to leave its cool splendor and it's conservative pro- lection.
 "Why not?" Joyce asked lightly. "We have plenty of time, and Dr. Gray remarked particularly that the drive to the Petionville Club was a worthwhile sight"
 q daresay the road takes us through the jungle" He stood up, unwilling. Well, if you really would like to go, we'd better start"
 His tone conveyed the sugges- ton that she might say, "Oh, never mind, thank you" but she didn't say it. She wanted to go, terrifcally, if only for spite.
 Their three faithful guests were waiting attentively for them. MT. Gregory mentioned the Petionville Club to the driver, and he grinned in quick understanding.
 In less than few moments they were out in the country, climbing 8 mountain road which overlooked the harbor. Here and there tiny cottages dotted the scenery; make shift affairs they were, some ot narrow shafts of bamboo or sugar cane, some of odd bits of second- hand lumber, but all of them were white washed in flashing elegance. Against the abundant background of tropical shrubbery they were quaint and picturesque.
 This afternoon the only traffic along the road was an occasional native, astride his burro, his long legs hunched up in front to pre- vent their dragging on the ground. The animals seemed no larger than good-sized dogs, and Joyce visualized the rider dismountlng by the simple method of standing up and letting the animal walk from under him.
 A mile or two out they passed a section of roadway undergoing repairs, unusual because it lacked the attendant hustle of concrete mixers and steam rollers. Along the shoulders were piles of small rocks, on top of which stalwart men sat in tranquil indifference, chattering cheerfully and break ing the rock into smaller pieces with occasional cracks of their hammers. Their efforts were un- hurried; if this highway were not improved this year, there was all of next year and the year after that. As hunger touched them they would reach into the bushes and pluck a banana from bunch growing wild, or send one of the younger members to scale a near by cocoanut palm and shake down its abundant fruit.
 Heres your Utopia, MT. Greg ory," Joyce commented. What matters capitalism down here, with three meals day ripe for the picking?"
 Her companion drowned. "Even here the wealth is not shared"
 But the bananas are. And the coconuts. And there's 8 place to sleep under every shade tree"
 Now the road, high up on a moun- tainside, followed the shore-line, and they could see the Empress lying at anchor in the harbor her white out line a dazzling contrast to the opal escent blues of sky and water. Be- low them, the city was a cluster of spotless white buildings sur rounded by protecting horse shoe of verdant hills.
 At the club, they sat on cool yeranda which overlooked a col orful world of tropical splendor and slipped frosted drinks from tall glasses. Here they saw other Americans, residents of Portrait Prince, no doubt, and army off1- cers, and representatives of Varl- ous consular services. A native string orchestra played at inter vals. delightful when it offered the gay and unusual melodies of the country, yet strangely ridiculous in it's misguided attempts to 1n- terpret the popular swing music of the States. ...
 T wonder why none Of tne other passengers discovered this place." MT. Gregory remarked.
 "The women are never wiling to stir off the main street," Joyce reminded him. "The minute they're off the ship, they swarm into the shops to bargain for all sorts of things they'd never buy at home. That's all they seem to 20 ashore for-to buy things"