The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-14
HAVANA HOMES.
Their Construction, Interior Arrange
ment and General Effect.


Their Construction, Interior Arrange
ment and General Effect.
Probably the first Impression received
by most strangers on near view OF the
city is the color-or rather colors-that
prevail about the buildings. With a
groundwork of white, the blues and
pinks, and salmons and lilac, and other
delicate shades-they never employ dark
or brilliant GOLDSMITH which the doors
and windows and cornices of the houses
and the columns of the arcades are re-
lieved, have a very pleasing effect, tonin2
down the brightness of the strong lights.
The effect is heightened by the round
arch generally found over doors and win
dows, filled with stained glass.
In speaking of windows it should be
understood that such media for the re-
fraction of light rs we call windows
glazed frames-arc not in use here. The
open spaces serving as windows, and ex-
tending from the floor to the supcrin-
cumbent arch, are closed when desired
by doors opening in the middle, the
upper halves of which consist of nova
Bile blinds, by which heat and light may
be excluded, while the fresh air is ad
mitted Another set OF doors within
these may be closed at night, or whep
necessary.
Generally the windows look out on a
narrow balcony, guarded by light Or
nate iron railing Where the balcony is
not found, the lower part Of the window
is guarded by similar railing, usually
gildcd, and of elaborate and elegant de-
sign, serving really as an ornament to
the house.
The houses are generally low and
deep, frequently of one story only, sci
dom rising above two stories. The walls
are very thick, the calcareous stone
Astounding here being easily worked in
building; the roofs are usually fat or
terraced. and sometimes small, square
tower or observatory on the top, COM
mon feature of the buildings in Cadiz,
Spain The performance of color is an
other feature reminding one of the city
of the Mediterranean.
Within, the houses are constructed on
much the same principle as obtains in
warm countries generally. They arc
massed together in sol d blocks, and
each house is something in the form Of a
hollow square Immense wooden doors
in front open into the square court yard
in the middle of the building. This is
paved with stone or marble. A fountain
occupies the middle, which constitutes
also receptacle and drain for the rain
that falis-for the court is open to the
sky-and, too frequently, for other less
INNOCENT Stops. Broad, marble paved
corriid ors.. supported By pillarud arches,
extend on each story around the court.
Here, IN tubes and earthen pots, flour
ish, in tra4sical luxuriance, shrubs and
flowers unknown to- the North. Doors
glazed with stained glass. hung between
the columns, shut out the excess of sup
or rain.
The ground floor apartments, when
there is more than one story, are usually
reserved for use of servants, horses,
coaches and interior uses generally; the
Each room hassdoors opening on balcony
and court corridor, thus affording con
slant current of air The rooms are very
lofty, and the walls are wainscotcd with
bright coloredH tiles; the floor is paved
with marble, and the ceiling is studded
with wooden Tafters. Dwellings are con-
structed with the object of insurance,
ventilation, GOODNESS and comfort, but in
this aim they also insure health and
cleanliness.
There are no carpets, nor curtains, nor
portieres, nor upholstered chairs and
sofas to collect DUST TO invite vermin,
to harbor the germs of disease. The
outer air has free entrance day and night.
Cane seated chairs and settees are the
only ones seen, though among these
rockers abound, for the Cuban dotes on
q eroeking-c Us much as does his
American Eeighbor.
The bed rooms arc furnished with e,e-
CANT Simplicity. The Cuban bed is a
simple iron or brass frame, light and
ornate, but with no. superftuities of
length or breadth, and not calculated to
support heavy weight. A piece of
stout canvas or a fine wire netting is
stretched across this frame. Over this a
piecc of woven straw mating is spread.
The remaining paraphernalia consists of
two linen sheets and q counterpart
of pink or blue cambria, covered
with sheer muslin and bordered with
lace, canopy of the thinnest muslin,
and two narrow pillows, stuffed with
some vegetable fiber of the country, hard
and unyielding. But all these acccs-
series are of immaterial value to the nov
ice The pillows have been tried singly.
doubly, alternately, cndwise, crosswise,
in every method that wakeful mind
spurred to ingenuity can devise, and are
finally thrown away as impracticable
samples of the depravity of inanir,ate
nature. Long before daylight the tor
tured wight is apt to find himself free
from all incumbrance of bedding, a
martyr stretched upon wire rack. with
body bruised and scarifed and muscles
stiff with unaccustomed exercise.
A point of merit also in these beds not
to be overlooked is, that they achieve
cleanliness as we'll as comfort The YER
min that infest the Northern bedstead
find no refuge here, in fact, Havana
seems singularly free from the insect
pests of warm climates and Southern life
There are mosquitoes. to be sure, that fly
as much by day as night, and that have
no warning note to herald their approach,
but they are of inconsiderable size. while
the common house fly is rara avis
Detroit Neeos.
Punishment in Persia.