Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-20
Remnle Lira Maxann.


Correspondence New York Express,l
After sunset the Grand Plaza is
crowded with galaxy of beauty. II is
at that particular place the youth and
beauty Of Havana resort and ladies of
the darkest hue TO the lightest blonde Of
the North are seated in their yolantes"
listening TO the beautiful music of the
Marine Band, which discourses sweet
music every evening, or chatting with
some young gent, or perhaps prone
nading on the plaza with some lady
friend, followed closely by her parents
or brother. Speaking Of this anti-Amer-
lean custom reminds me of the Circas-
sian mode of treatment of females, and /
fancy that if Susan B. Anthony and her
satellites of the Sorosis Club had a taste
of Cuban life, their tongues would be for
ever sealed as to the privileges in the
States. Ladies are absolutely prisoners
here. To appear on the street without
an escort, even in the daytime, is sure
to bring the Kisses Of crowd, and per
haps an insult; the ladies Of Havana,
| therefore, have to conform to Gus
tom--either stay indoors, or employ
| carriage to take them, if only few
! blocks distant, and when attending q
party, picnic or ball, always be accom-
panied by their mothers. This close
watching Of females is not productive of
good, and the result is that they are not
as healthy and robust as they might be,
and by close confinement their offspring
is puny and sickly, and in a moral point
Of view it is equally disastrous. If it
was not for the healthy robust Spanish
ladies that emigrate here, this race would
in century or two become extinct.
One may see here conglomeration of
nearly all races known The Chinese
and African, the African and Spanish,
the Cuban and African, and in fact every
conceivable form of marriage, is in
dulged in, as to the result Of which |
leave you to your own conclusion. Their
mode of living, is equally interesting.
A lady of this Island is never supposed
to be able to do anything except to eat
and sleep, with slaves and servants TO do
her bidding. In the morning it is first a
bath, soap not being used. but in
its stead a wash of aquadente,"
similar to our bay rum, made from
sugar cane. after which they take
their coffee, and at ten a. m. their break
fast, which is composed generally of
rolls of sour bread, made of -four and
yeast, together with omelet, jerkedsbee
and fruit They seldom indulge in the
luxury of butter, as that made on the
island is strong enough to knock you
down. The best butter from the States
brings one dollar per pound. A dish
very much rehshed by natives is made
of dry Goldfish, sweet oil, tomatoes and
Spanish peppers, with q sprinkling of
native fruits to flavor; this sometimes is
INDUCED in with coffee alone for break
fast. Dinner at four or five pm, is
made ON claret and peculiar soups, with
the same detestable rolls, jerked beef,
mutton, and kidney or liver stews; and
the only redeeming features of the
meal is the dessert, which generally con-
sists of Guava jellies or paste preserved
cocoa and peculiar creamy custard
made from native fruit; those who
like other desserts, such as pies, pud-
dings, ETC., cannot have them, as they
seem to be unknown to the inhabitants