The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-23

places at one moment. But there is no deception
IN M inns charming Improvement Of getting up mag
ladies' IN their open poante in full dress, as is the
custom OF an afternoon on the Paseo Low dress
es, short sleeves, no bonnets, a graceful manila
supplies ITS place. fans in their hands, roses in their
hair, fre IN their eyes, mischief in their glances,
smiling soft recognitons to friends and acquaint-
ances How could such things be # their toes were
cold, and sharp wind was making havoc with
their noses! tell you the air is balmy, the sky
serene as good wOman's conscience, and the
warmth iansuldiy oppressive and it is the 10Th day
OF February, 1871. Now put away your increduli-
ty, Taerese and believe that all is profit in IIa
vana, and that one must travel not merely to dance
and get glory, but to and feel that which can't
be seen or felt elsewhere.
On the midway between the vehicles are groups
OF horsemen, who ride badly enough, enlivened by
officers in military attire, giving relief and ANNA
ton to the rest The horses, for the most part, are
sorry Iades Mules are in great requiston for the
| voLantes, and are little adapted for the work The
native horse is small, but strong and flat, with enor
| nous chests and flowing tails. Such is the "iull
dress" of fashionable horse in these parts. They
are pretty headed and brght-eyed, and would look
well in Autograph. II you would have grown tired
of the up and down driving of the Paseo Wen fol
low the crowd to the Tacon Garden, some very
pretty laid-out grounds enclosing the summer resi-
| dence of the captain governor, couple of miles
| from town My first visit was rather amusing
! We had descended from the v0lante for a walk; a
} beautiful moonlight night, we sauntered down an
alice, that looked too inviting to resist; we pursued
| we wandered wondering and delighted At every
| turn and agreeable surprise; jet d'eau; a
gurgling waterfall, with It's moss and groitos; we
assembled terraces, sat down IN arbors, wound
through thick-eaved groves, and whilst astonshed
at our presumptuous intrusion, we wondered if 1t
had an owner, as we saw no house, heard no keep
ers or servants, nor the barking Of some vigilant
dog--all was silent and enchantingy lovely on the
bright moonlight. After wandering around and
about till we were tired, | sat down half awed by
the mysterious quiet that pervaded everything |
had ,dn rhArA hot hoy
private property, at what distance from the city,
and now we had even lost the way out to our
rolantes. Perhaps, thinks ], We have been decoy.
ed into fairy domain and when the leaves uttered
in the evening breeze looked round for little
| elf to summon me before her queen. thought Of
| the magical gardens in the arabian Nightsapd all
the droll things and queer tricks practised on the
| fairy Adventures into those unknown precincts,
and really began TO feel quite uneasy; such is the
effect of imagination. | started to find my way
out, and had not gone twenty PAGES before sudden
turn brought us upon gay group OF ladies and gen.
temen, who stared at US quite strangely. passed
on as they bowed, and got out at length, to find
had been making so tree with the captan-gene
rails gardens The road that connects these grounds
with the Paseo is laid out with great pretention-
fine trees stone benches but is fallen into sad con-
ditlon, and for an odd reason; it constructed
by George Tacon, who seems to have taken Hava-
nah up by the arm and jumped into another cen
fury. He has conferred nesmable benefits on the
place, adorned it with noble edfces; embellished
it with gardens, squares and fountains; gave secu
assassins; and promoted its health, comfort and
convenience in a thousand ways; and, sad to say,
as is too often the with benefactors, public
and private, hated for his pains ] mean not to re-
fleet the want OF generosity of native character
that prevents them acknowledging these great ben
efs, but it seems Tacon was ,disliked for his high
handed energy that lrnpelled him so far to make
him undertake and accomplish whatever seemed
useful or good unto him. Query, would he have
done anv good had he acted differently? How often
true friend is forced to oblige us against will;
fully, and am persuaded the Havanecos will yet
erect marble monument to Tacon, who has laid
them under such deep obligation.
But here we are back on the Paseo again, and
though nine at night, we find the scene still gay
the walks animated by groups in merry chat, the
cigars OF the men outshlning the sparkling eyes of
the fair danes, the incessant rattle Of whose CO.
quettish fans gives notice, like the generous rattle
in the pale of their fascination. Really it is plea
SAINT thus a soft, bright night in June--no, Feb
ruary-to Toll in voiante and be slowly cntrainfe
up and down this delightful promenade amidst
lights, and music, and waterfalls, and lively throngs;
but the drive home again is a great treat. The
houses here drol fantastic things, certainly; of
all colors. fashions and sIZes; but most of them
seem constructed to crafty the curiosity of
strangers for what with immense windows with
out sashes or glass; and wider DOORS it must be an
immense effort of good breeding that prevents you
seeing what the family are about within. II is the
fashion, observe, to arrange six or eight chairs in
the middle OF the room near the window, facing
each other when all the company sit with great
gravity talking with and gazing at each other. In
Vulnerable groups of this kind observes on
passing. In other houses the family will be grouped
round a table; elsewhere dancing; often discour-
sing through lron-bars, that protect the windows
from don't know what, with acquaintances stand
ing in the street This is the case usually between
the young unmarried, who are kept apart in this
bar-bar-ous way as under better moral restraint
Another oddity Is the doorway, or porte, between
which is almost nvaribly the coach-house, for
here stands the treasure, the idol of the house. the
Usldnte And when these great doors open into the
principal room OF the house the poldnte has the best
corner In 1t. There 1t is, with its head up and
shafts down, with quiet, compacen look las though
conscious of It's value with the family group around
under levee, and lawfully protected from soil or
touch. The stable usually is in the court yard of
the house, one side of which is furnished with a
manager and sometimes covering, for in this de-
lightfu cline the latter is not Indispensable This
is thus very close neighborhood and disagree
able one on many accounts, between the inmates
OF the house and the stable But the natives care
nothing for this the horse, or mule is as necessa-
ry as the uolante, and both are equally favoured
| am speaking now only of the smaller domciles |
OF homely cots. There are in Havanah many man.
slons OF an extent and cplendor that would arrest
your notice IN the first capitals of Europe the |
house of the Marquis d'Alcos, of Don Montalos, |
Counts de Penavec and de la Recencon, &c, are !
striking for their gardens as admirable for their
style. But of this another time. You must be |
tired, Therese, after your "drlve on the Paseo,"
that you must fancy you have taken with me, and
will spare you my chatter till another day.
went on Tuesday to see the Spanish company
perform as they do three times a-week at the
Salon Theatre There good ortises
among them, imported by the interchangeable Don
Marie from the mother country In his manage
mai lists you lind drttstes of different qualities
and varieties as you do acqualntances in his real
ones. Which he makes most of, the object of all
his enterprises, don't know but which ne is most
in harmony with, do know. The play was in
terestlng, and warmer in its action than expected
Spanish drama to be; they are mostly cold and
stiff and too Cas,iiian in their gravity but this
called forth the passions of the a,tstes gave scope
to the expression of feeling, and effective, dra-
matte, and exciting. One real incident of a dis
tressng kird called forth the painful sympathies of
the audience. An actress Of superior merit, the
heroine OF the piece, whose acting had greatly eu-
gagged, had the misfortune in the energy of her
movements TO overbalance, and she fell with great
violence on the stage She was instantly nick ed