Evening star., 1952-05-23
Conducted by
BETSY CASWELL
PANAMA.

fFrom MISS L. T., WILLIAMSBURG
Mrs. G.. c.: I read your notice
IN the Star and I Immediately
became interested. Anything con-
corning Panama interests me
greatly.
My father is a Colonel in the
Air Force and We were stationed
at Albrook Air Force Base in Bal
boa, Canal Zone. Balboa is on the
Pacific side. You asked about the
climate. There are two seasons:
The rainy. and it really rains, and
the dry. The rainy season starts
in June and superstition says
that it never rains after Christ
mas Eve. To my knowledge there
has never been any fault to that
belief. The rain causes you very
little trouble, however. as it rains
at set times during the day and on
a rotation basis. That is, one day
it will rain at 8, IL. 3. S. 8 and IL,
and the same day the next week it
will rain at 9, !, 4, 6, 9 and /. 1t
seems ridiculous, but, although it
rains every day, you don't mind it
at all. The dry season is perfectly
wonderful. There is a constant
breeze and completely clear skies
for six months. I can honestly
say that during the three years of
our tour, we never had a night
when it wasn't necessary to use
a sheet to keep from being cool.
The temperature runs in the
80s and 90s, but it is very seldom
as hot as the Stateside summers.
In fact. one summer we came
stateSide. and We were so hot that
we welcomed getting back to the
Canal Zone.
AS you have probably decided,
cottons are the thing. You will
have a laundresS, so don't worry
about the ironing. I should Sug-
gest that you take quite a few
clothes with you. both for your
self and for your children. The
clothes they have. though very
nice. are not original and you
meet yourself coming and going.
Help is easily and cheaply OBJ
tained. Maids and coolies run
about $40 month, and laun-
dresses, $50. They will live in or
out. and most houses have rooms
for maids.
1t is little difficult to explain
the housing set-up. The type of
house you live in is determined by
your salary. All the houses are
very nice though.
I know of little else to tell YOU
other than things you will learn
about down there. hope you love
and enjoy Panama as I did and
still do! I only wish that were
going back.
POEM.
(Fronl Mrs. H. w. p, WdShinqton)
In response to request by Mrs.
E. r., for the words to "The Old
Arm Chair" I am Offering the
stanzas as I remember them from
the days of my childhood.
old ARM CHAIR"
My grandmother she. at the age Of eighty.
Was taken ill one day in May and died:
And after she. was dead, why. OF course,
the will was read
BY lawyer as we all stood BY his side;
one hundred pound
Twas, the same unto my sister, l
But when it came to me, why the lawyer
"she has left to you her old arm chair"
Chorus:
How How they Uttered, how they ,chatIed.
When they heard the lawyer declare.
Granny has only left to you her old
thought it hardly fair. yet I said I
didn't care.
And IL the evening took my chair away.
MY orosner ~ al rna me laushed ana my sister
And said, 1T will be useful. John.
When you settle down in life. nnd some
II VIII W,, then be yours quite useful. !
On q cold and frosty night, when the firs
is burning bright
You can sit in your old arm chair"
Repeat Chorus.
One night the chair fell down; when
picked it up 1 found
That the. seat had fallen out upon
And there before my eyes, saw to my
A lot of notes, two thousand pounds
When my. brother heard Of this. why the
fellow. confess
Went nearly mad with rase and tore
But I only winked at him and said,
AHA. Jim.
Don't you wish you had the old arm
No more Ss.tisy they Uttered. no more they
Nosmore by brother and my sister LAUGHED,
When they heard the lawyer declare,
John has the biggest dowry in the
old arm chair"
X x X X
X X X
GARDEN FURNITURE?
from Mrs. J. L. H., Silver Spring.
I am planning to buy some
garden furniture. Would some
one please tell me the advantages
Of redwood against metal, consid-
ering comfort. durability and up
keep. I am thinking of a chaise
lounge and a table. I would also
like to know if it would be better