Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-08
HAVANA LIFE.
A Town without women.

NONu NltnOut Wotutns
Correspondence London rimos,l
Looked at from social poiat Of view
what Immediately strikes a stranger 4
that Havana, like the Rome Of Romuus
is a city without women. There die an-
Hually, out Of population OF 2Oo.OOt
souls, 3692 white males 10 1901 white
females, while the deaths among the
cslored people are, for the males, 1896
for females, 1899. Thus, while the sex
ual numbers Of the negro and mulatto
population are almost balanced, with re-
spect to the whites the proportion is
something more than three males TO one
female. The fact, however, is self.evi
dent. Hardly any other women than
negresses are 10 be seen about Ladies
with any pretension to youth and
beauty would sooner die than venture
out unprotected, even for their early
mass; and so uncommon IS the sight
Of decent women unattended in the
streets that foreign ladies, unacquainted
with the custom, and sauntering from
shop to shop, become the objects Of q
curiosity not unfrequently degenerating
into impertinence. The causes of these
disproportions between malice and fe
males are not far to seek. Besides the
priests, the soldiers and sailors, and the
public functionaries, whose tenure oi
Office ia extremely precarious, who are
either debarred from marriage or dread
its encumbrances and responsibilities,
there are here thousands of Spanish i'm
migrants of the lower classes attracted
TO the spot by high wages, but looking
upon themselves as birds Of passage
who, consequently, would hardly dream
of sending for women from home, while
their contempt for the native race
seldom allows them to look upon
the Creole women with honorable in
tentions. ! need not dwell upon the OBJ
vious results of this state of things
Suffice it TO say that regard for women il
by no means enhanced by their scarcity
There ensues an exclusive male society.
The charms of cafe and club life, such as
they are, wean the Havana husband from
a home where real feminine accomplish
ments are as unknown as hearth-rugs
aud lire-irons. Housekeeping in the
town, and still more in the suburbs, is
terribly uphill work. Foreign consuls
and other strangers usually try 1t on
their first arrival, but soon learn to look
upon the hotel, with its smells and noises
as haven from domestic storms
Nothing like available free service is to
be obtained in a slave-holding commu
nifty; the laziness and (unless awed by
the lash) the insolence of the negro
bondmen communicate themselves tC
the hired help, whatever be the color
race or sex, working at the same tasl
with him in n common household. Hence
mans life in Havana is wholly out.ot
doors, while for women there is no life
within them. In no town in France or 1t
ally have ever seen so many, or, proper
tionately, such sumptuousan constantly
crowded cafes and restaurants. The
Havana merchant is as eager to make
money as he is ready to squanderit. Bn
the town supplies little besides gross ma
terial enjoyment for his money. A box
at his third-rate opera, drive in hl'
dreary prado, are all the amusements hC
can have in common with his wife anC
daughter. For the rest the women arr
left to NOPE at home, playing bo.peel
with the passers.hy from their window
gratings, or pacing the fat roofs Of thei
houses like so many Sister Annes wait
ing for those who are never coming
With SO little wholesome domestic soci
ETY., it is pleasing to hear the character
universally given for good conduct t.
the Havana women. Few Of them, ever
of the lowest classes, frequent the cock
pit and the bull-ring, and the profligacy
the symptoms of which are everywhere
only too conspicuous, is Of Spanish Oh
American-altogether of foreign impor
tation.