bated
breath, as if unfit even for mention.

The besetting evil of the island seemed to be lockjaw. I was told that
the smallest wound or scratch, or even a chill, might produce it. I
distinctly remember having several times felt an unusual stiffness of
the lower jaw, consequent upon a slight check of perspiration.

I cannot imagine a more delightful winter climate than that of Santo
Domingo. Dr. Howe used sometimes to come to my study and ask, "Are you
comfortable?"

"Perfectly comfortable. Why do you ask?"

"Because the thermometer stands at 86 deg. Fahrenheit." A delicious
sea-breeze blew in at the wide open window, and we who sat in it had no
feeling of extreme heat.

I remember a little excursion which we made on horseback to a village
some twelve miles distant from the capital. We started in the very early
morning, wishing to reach the place of our destination before the
approach of noon. It was still quite dark when we mounted our horses,
with a faithful escort of Dominican friends.

"_Sabrosa manana!_" exclaimed the assistant secretary of the treasury,
who rode beside me.

Our road lay through a beautiful bit of forest land. The dawn found us
at a pretty and primitive ferry, which we crossed without dismounting.
The beauty of the scenery was beyond description. The air was refreshed
by a succession of little mountain streamlets, which splashed with a
cool sound about our horses' feet. Arriving at the village we found a
newly erected _bohio_, or hut of palm-wood strips, prepared for us. It
was hung with hammocks and furnished with rockingchairs, with a clean
floor of sand and pebbles. At a neighboring _fonda_ luncheon was served
to our party. We returned to our _bohio_ for a much needed siesta,
reserving the afternoon for a ramble. A service was going on at the
village church. After a late dinner we went to visit the priest. His
servant woman appeared reluctant to admit us. This we understood when
the old gentleman came forward to receive us, dressed like a peasant,
and wearing a handkerchief tied about his head in peasant fashion. To
me, as the senior lady of the party, he offered a cigar.

He took pains to return our visit the next day, but came to our _bohio_
in full canonicals. He was anxious to possess a certain Spanish work on
botany, and offered me a sum of money in prepayment of its price. This I
declined to receive, feeling that the chances were much against my ever
being able to fulfill his co