Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-07-26
KEEPING COOL.
How the Cubans Live During the
Hot Season.
Lessons Learned From Life In a Hot
COuntry-EI0w to Dress, Dine,
Drink end Avoid
Overhead.
detroit Free Press


1t mag seem surprising, yet it is none the
less true, that the art Of keeping cool is un-
derstood in Cuba a hundred times better than
here. The very first thing that strikes US
when we get to Cuba is that all humanity
seems to be bent upon keeping cool, and every
thing is directed TO that end.
TIE Cubans have hot weather way Of
managing their business affairs. Let no one
run away with the idea that business in Ha-
vana 6n-s not amount to much. Havana has
long been one of the great seaports and COM
mercial centers Of the world, the head Of the
sugar and tobacco trades and the scat OF an
immense miscellaneous shipping industry.
There are many men and firms as busiiy en-
gagged in making fortunes there as every
where else. To begin with, the business
houses are built to provide GOODNESS by means
of shade and air. They are more open than
what we call an ''open car, yet can be closed
as tight as any Wall street bank. 1t is de-
lightful to visit them. 1t is amazing to see
how cool the men at work in them all keep
themselves The merchants and clerks quit
their beds at $50 o'clock, perhaps earlier, en-
joy bath, dress in leisurely way, take cof
fee, and reach their counters and desks by
Go O'Clock. 1t is cool at that time in the
when they begin work as we are At 1890
or IL O'Clock, under a sunshade or in cab,
they 20 home again to breakfast
Nothing short of the explosion of powder
magazine, which made them forget them
selves few weeks ago could Induces man
or boy among them 10 hurry The only two
hasty or excited movements ! saw in Cuba
We're on the part of young woman and
In a cool, oren-air theater, and was engaged
IN tee-tGm movements, lasting only few
minutes each night, for "A high salary The
boy actually ran in the open sunshine-but
then he had stolen sugar cane in the market
and was afraid he would be caught body
ran after him, you may be sure.
On the way TO breakfast the Havana mer-
chant and clerk do not drink three beers and
a cocktail, and at breakfast they do not de-
molish heavy beefsteak or plate OF chops,
or of liver and bacon, as we do the year
round. On the contrary. they are very par
t;al 10 fruit; fish, boiled, broiled, or baked;
broiied poultry Or small birds, salads, ONE
lets. oatmeal or rice, wine thinned down with
settler; coifee OF tea. They take it easy al
the table
AT i:5o or O'Clock, when the heat Of thu
day is past and the delightful, cool hours OF
evening are Mt hand, the merchant and TIE
clerk close the business places (lll but the
little retail stores, and go home, or to the
restaurant for dinner And do they eat the
solid meats, the stews. the gravies, the pud
dings and pies of our bills of fare in July in
New York! On, no. They wish TO be cool
and healthy and comfortable. They suck
the juice of an orange or two and take lit
tie thin broth or consomme soup, {. little wine
thinned down with cold seltzer or water.
some nice fresh, broiled bird of some kind,
and salad, or slice of some sort of meat,
well done, and then guava paste, or jelly, or
fruit and cheese and coffee. II admit that
the sweetmeats and cheese are bad and there |
is too much coffee-but no one is perfect.
At night comes the recreation; the bill |
lizards, cards, cigars, theatres, parties, car
riase rides, promenaGes, idle hours in the |
parks listening to tie music Of band, |
courtship, companionship sociablity. at 70 |
o'clock, coffee and bed for some, bed without |
coffee for others. But do they not drink.
You ask. Yes, indeed. They are addicted to |
soda water lemonade, cocoanut water. lime.
onade, tamarind water, mineral waters anI |
all other beverages that cool the body by
cooling The blood, and that are slightly laxa.
tive. Among strong drinks, Vermouth is
popular, Spanish wines and French claret,
are in demand, anl the iaboring people drink
gin. Note the nature of these drinks, You
who understand the subject. There is reason
al OF them. All except brandy, / forgot
hat. At night, in the cafes, | saw several
persons drink brandy That is contrary 10
anything else they do 1t is most unwise.
There are many hints in the above general