ice is dropped into it. The beer drinker may imagine
the rest. The natives do not use much of the beer, but are satisfied
with the black coffee and wine.

"The money question has not assumed any large proportions in Porto Rico.
Very little money is in circulation on the island. The better class of
the natives who are supposed to have some money, spend most of their
time and money in Spain, and the stores and merchants, as a result, do
not get much of their money. These stores are plentifully supplied with
goods, but there is no one to buy them. As soon as the United States
soldiers arrived on the island the shopkeepers saw visions of money
rolling into their pockets. The price on every article in the stores was
increased, and what a native would buy for ten cents the American would
be compelled to pay one dollar for the same article. The fare on the
railroad running from Ponce to Playo, a distance of about three miles,
is one dollar for an excursion trip. The natives make the same trip for
twelve cents. Every scheme that can be thought of is practiced by the
natives in order to get money from the Americans. In the street and at
the entrances to the hotels numerous beggars can be found, all asking
for money. Nearly all the inhabitants seemed to be engaged in this sort
of work, and the sight of them lounging around, even inside the hotels,
is disgusting, says Mr. Morrisey. It is a hard matter to get them to
work, and their appearance in scarcely any clothes on the streets is a
sight.

"The women go about the roads and plantations smoking large cigars, and
are not affected in any manner by the weed. Children of both sexes up to
the age of twelve years are permitted to roam about the streets naked,
while their parents are not much better off. Nothing but a skirt is
worn by the women and the men wear ragged shirts and trousers. Shoes are
rarely seen in Porto Rico and a native who is lucky enough to have them
is the cynosure of all eyes. The women do not know what silks and satins
are, and, it seems, are not desirous of knowing. When night comes the
men prepare themselves for bed. This is not hard work, and takes very
little time. They tie their heads up in large towels to protect them
from the sting of the mosquito, and then lie down in the streets or
roads and sleep. These people live mainly on the milk from the cocoanut.
Bread is a stranger to them, and very little food is consumed by them,
except the wild fruits and vege