Evening star., 1940-03-03
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

Homemaking In an insular tropic
possession such as Puerto Rico is
more of an art than it is with us of
the States, because it means a con-
slant series Of adaptations to native
usages and customs, if one is to be
successful in the administration of
ones domestic regime.
Houses are at a premium and
apartments do not exist except in
San Juan where they cannot be built
fast enough to take care of the
augmented population which Puerto
R1cos increasing importance as a
key island Of defense in the protec-
ton of the Panama Canal has
brought to it.
Screening is distinctly an Ameri-
can innovation and is apt to be
conspicuous by its absence, unless
previous tenants have written its
necessity into their contracts.
With the exception of the hospital
which is a part of the famous Insti-
tute Of Tropical Medicine In San
Juan, most of Puerto Rico's hos
pitals depend upon the darting little
lizards to keep down harmful in.
sects, except the mosquito, rather
than UPON such purely mechanical
assets as wire netting.
In fact, it is said, "one's acclimitt-
zatton to Puerto Rico can be Judged
accurately by the degree Of rapiditv
with which the newcomer conouerx
aversion to the lizards and comes
to regard them as the friend to man
they really are"
The average wage of maids and
cooks in Puerto Rico, varies from
81 to $11 per month. Happy and
smiling, they learn easily. often
developing skill and great LOYALTY
under patient training, but they are
absolutely unversed in the intrica-
cies of housekeeping according to
our conventional standards.
Maid Tests Sense of Humor.
The average Puerto Rican house,
hold assistant does not speak Eng
Ish. despite the 40 years of America 3
ownership Of the island with its
cession to us at the end of the
Spanish-American War, 80 both
mistress and maid have to learn a
new language, the employe English.
the employer Spanish.
Into the picture, too, there en-.
ters the pageantry of fiestas and
feast days. Their observance seems
to be and often is a sacred duty to
the little Puerto Rican maid. In
dividuals celebrate not only their
own birthday anniversaries, but
their saints on their name day.
Strange situations, sometimes
grave and many times gay, naturally
evolve from the laudable desire OF
Puerto Rican handmaidens to un-
derstand the very different mode of
life of their employers from the
continent" as they often refer to
the land Of their country and ours,
Mrs. George l.. Crawford, wife of
the soil conservation expert Of the
United States Department Of Agri-
culture, in charge Of soil conserya.
ton for Puerto Rico and the Vir-
gin Islands, whose delectable cui-
sine with its blending Of native
dishes Is as renowned as her hus-
bands successful scientific efforts.
had her sense of humor put to test
by her maid Consuelo while we were
In San Juan.
The week before our arrival, that
Consuelo might shine with particu-
lar eclat at very special fiesta, Mrs
Crawford had given her an evening
dress which the girl had always
particularly admired.
In giving last-minute instructions
to Consuelo for the dinner in our
honor, Mrs. Crawford emphasized
''how very nice she wanted every.
thing to be-"
Everything was, Is We can testify,
but with an extra special touch
that Mrs. Crawford hadn't planned.
for Consuelo' capped the climax By
serving the delicious dinner In her
mistress one-time bright red de-
collete evening dress, that quite OUT
shone the more sober black evening
gowns and dinner coats Of the vis-
itors.
"Camelones" prove to be . very
large species Of macaroni stuffed
with ground meat. "Gandulis" are
little round peas that sometimes
grow to be as large as malaga grapes.
Names" are large brown tubers
which make excellent substitutes for
potatoes. Eggplants are shaped like
gourds, but taste Just as they do
here. Most Of the bananas are not
the ones to which We are accils-
toner, but the plantain variety, very
much smaller In size, which are
delicious either boiled or baked.
Boiled with conee, they are TOO ofteu
the mainstay oe the poor peopls Of