Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-12


the day. was desirous to bathe imme
diately, bnt my careful duenna assured me
it was better to wait until had finished
breakfast and had rested an hour.
learned during my sojourn that water is
rarely used by the Cuban ladies'. Indeed,
they neper wash their faces, but apply a
little rum on a towel to their eyes and lips,
then put on cosmetic made from the
membranous skins and whites of eggs,
adding rouge to the cheeks. They finish
with penciling the eyebrows, and turn out
perfect beauties at the opera or on a ride
through the Paseo, dressed in white or
pink satin or silks Their dress on such
occasions is very decolletee, displaying n
great deal of the neck and arms.
My first experience of eating in Spanish
style was at breakfast, at table ordinarte
Such a potpourri of dishes never saw
before. Everything is handed, and you
help yourself. Plates are changed every
two minutes, and the garlic and grease
accompanying each dish is not savory to
either nostril or palate of Americans.
seized my pan tresca and looked around
for butter. Mantiquilla" l asked
timidly. "Si Senora," and white,
strong smelling. salvy lump was placed
before me. l shivered. and had recourse
to claret, with which the table was abun-
dainty supplied, and made very light
breakfast on bread and wine. To the
attentive cooIie who piled me with dishes
and mesSes innumerable, shook my head
energetically, which caused surprise and
long-drawled - No-o-o!" The chatter.
ing around mo equaled the parrots abber-
ing, and the smoke of the cigars almost
stifled me.
l regretted leaving my maid at the
Europa, but the change to the San Carlos
with its marble floors and wide corridors
was most agreeable. The eating here is
on the English plan, and individuals or
parties are served Mt separate tables. |
was put to my trumps for Ep1gnol for,
though there are English servants, one
can never get hold of one without trouble.
The embarrassment of not knowing the
language is great, because you cannot be
well served unless you know it; but these
are troubles more easily got rid of than
the heas which infest every quarter.
The riding is done in the early morning,
after cup of coffee and roll Break.
fast is ready when you return at 9 or 10
o'clock. Siesta follows at and dinner at
4 in the afternoon. Then comes the ride
on the Paseo-a long open thoroughfare
from which you can diverge to the Cerro,
where the weathiest Cubans reside in
marble palaces, some of which are colored
blue! The houses are mostly white, how
ever, and in the midst of tropical groves
form striking landscapes.
As you drive through the city you pass
the governors palace, fronting the Plaza
lie Armas, and about which are the mas
sive stone barracks of the Spanish army.
The squire is surrounded by an iron rail
ing and divided into beautiful walks plant
ed on either side with flowers and shad-
owed with oranges and palms. A grateful
air of cooness is difflsed by the playing
nf IA copious fountain into a large stone
basin, surmounted by marble statue of
King Ferdinand of Spain. The governors
military band performs usually from to
9 o'clock, The Creoles call it the "poor
mans OPERA" it being free to all. Every
class resorts hither, and even the ladies,
leaving their volantes and carriages, some
times walk with husband or brother with
in the precincts of the Plaza.
The feet of the Havana ladies are made
for ornament and dancing, and are seldom
known to touch the dirty. narrow streets.
There are no sidewalks, unless narrow
lines of hegstones, which are level with
the surface of the street, may be so called,
Indeed, the people have little use for
walking, as they drive about town almost
universally. The only women who are
noticed on foot are the fruit women with
their baskets richly laden, on their heads,
crying the names of their burdens in the
long, drawlng, Spanish manner.
The donkeys also are noticeable
feature, with their large panniers so pack
ed with bananas and fruit of all kinds that
nothing but head and tail can be seen in
the moving spectacle.
The architecture of the city houses is
especially heavy, giving them an appear
ance Of great age. They are universally
constructed so as to form open squares in
their centers, and these are the only yards
they can have. Upon these the lofty
arches of the corridors look down. The
lower story is always occupied as store
room, kitchen and stable. Think of a
suite of drawing rooms over a stable!
Every mans house is literally his castle
here, and each window is barricaded with
iron bars. The women are seen behind
them coquetting with the caballeros out
side. No carpets are used, rs the heat of
the climate would render them insupport-
able, The marble and jasper of various
colors with which the floors are laid are
brought from the Isle of Pines, which lies
off the western shore of Cuba.
Just outside :the city one can enjoy a
charming morning walk in the botanical
gardens. Through the centre runs an
avenue of stately palms growing to the
hight of sixty feet. So smooth and round
are the trunks they put one in mind of
granite columns upholding the roof of
some vast cathedral. The grounds are
somewhat neglected, and the flowers bloom
in wild profusion. The hibiscus at this
season is in its scarlet glory, and the
Spanish jessamine scents the air with its
snicv odOr