The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-26


think the bride slipped off one of her own and
handed it to the minister. The wedding break
fast was laid in the housekeepers room, for my
establishment was not grand enough to boast q
servants hall, and as l had furnished the cake
and the wedding gown / was asked to glass Of
wine. When entered the room the whole party
rose. and felt for moment quite like an arts
tocrat among my retainers. There must have
been half dozen of them. besides the guests
But fear the match was not happy one, for
all this splendor l used to hear that the BRIDE
groom beat the BRIDE though she never COM
planned to me.
Twice spent Christmas iu Cuba. One Christ
mas eve passed with an American lady married
to Spanish merchant and went through the
ceremonies of Cuban dinner, with its wretched
attendance, its coarse but not altogether unn-
viting menu its high favored fish and hgh-sea-
soneo soup, It's messes OF garlic and minced
meats its luscious fruits and heavy red wine; its
genuine hospitality splicing all the unfamiliar and
sometimes distasteful viands. Seated at Christ
mas dinner in a long saloon, comedor, they call
It, with doors and windows all thrown open to
let In every breath of air; the palms in the We
randa helping to cool the atmosphere; the black
servants all in white costumes for their own
comfort as we'll as your satisfaction the pow
dered Spanish beauties helping one 1t he
stumbled in his Castilan; the men all in frock
coats though the dinner was ceremonious-I
could hardly realize that was keeping the holt
day of my childhood, or of more temperate, that
is, moro frigid zones.
After dinner one or two Americans strolled
out to see how the people celebrated Christmas
The streets were brilliantly lighted and full Of
men, mostly of the middle sort, but many we'll
dressed, and used evidently to certain restraint
of manner; students and shop keepers, even
young merchants and lawyers, though not, per-
haps the most distinguished of their class
Blacks and Chinese mingled with the throug,
and negresses and mulatto girls not few but
hardly white woman could be seen. If here
IDENTIFY of the poorest sort, but not offensive in
manner. Towards midnight the dancing in the
streets began. There at least hundred
different groups, with hundred men in each,
forming a crowd around two three young
fellows. Some wild instrument, tambourine or
castanet, or other with which / was entirely
unfamiliar, was played, and drum was always
beat; the dancers threw off their Jackets, and
In their frilled shirts, and sometimes fanciful
and even spangled trousers. performed with
wonderful grace and untring zeal. Often
negroes danced with the white men-huge
barbarans who looked like African chiefs, with
petticoats of feathers and variegated cloth and
head dresses like those in the picture books. It
seemed to be a match which should outlast the
other. The performers were the object of in
tense interest, and were loudly applauded at
their finest feats, higher jump, longer leap,
more adroit or athletic twist or turn.
From these at midnight we turned to the
Cathedral, for the Growing of the cock. or the
early mass The great building was crowded.
mostly with inferior worshipers though there
were many women of the better sort under the
protection of fathers and husbands; all without
oonnets; only the mantila, and often not even
that for head gear. There are no chairs except
those the worshipers take with them, in tho
Cathedral and all the women were kneeling on
the pavement They made up the mass of the
congregation at the center and were devoutly
attentive; but a still greater throng in the outer
aisles was necessarily moving, talking, laugh
ing, with no shadow of regard for the service;
only gazing at the lights or the people, or once in
while at the ceremonies or the vestments when
the procession or the movement around the
altar was more attractive than usual The
priests and aco!ytes were very numerous, and
the celebration very long, and the BOYS bearing
the huge candles got very tired. They played
with each other, and made faces at the nearest
worshipers when the priests backs were turned,
and some of them almost fell asleep on their
knees, once or twice they came near setting the
ornaments on fire. The negresses were the
most devout of ALL Some of them crawled very
close TO the railing of the altar. and as they knelt
or lay on the steps seemed to gaze in sort of
religious trance but for the rest the celebration
was more of feast than solemnity. Not a
few eating nuts bon bons and w
more than one man on the outskirts of the
crowd with lighted cigar The music did not
seem to me any better than usual; and at last
some one in the organ loft initiated the Growing
Of a cock. Then the bells rang in the choir, tri-
angles tangled all sorts of noisy demonstrations
called music followed, cannons were fred in the
streets, the host was elevated, aud it was Christ
mas.
People walked home through the streets to
supper, and the boys who held the candles were
doubtless glad it was over; not to say some of
the priests, for few seemed to me very irrev
erent and tired
On Christmas day dined with the Governor
general. His wife, a sumptuous beauty and
thorough woman of the world, presided there
were one or two other Spanish ladies present
but none of the Cuban party in politics, for feel
ing ran high and creoles refused to enter official
society The palace is stately building with
large marble halls, all opening the street or
the inner courts, and palms and huge shrubs
placed around The rooms were rather bare in
furniture. but not unhandsome in effect, the
windows wide open for GOODNESS, tho lights blaz
ing, the people stiff aud i'll at ease except the
host and hostess and one or two of their init
mates. But the company was interesting. and
spent many pleasant hour with the Governor
general of Cuba and the Marquesa de Vittoria
de las Tunas.
My last important Christmas was sad one
indeed. In 1885, | was staying at General
Grants house to help him in the preparation of
his memoirs. went to him in October but be-
fore Christmas it was certain that he could not
recover from the cancer which had developed
itself. Still the family hardly spoke to each
other OF the certainty of the calamity, ard the
truth was never admitted in conversation with
the sufferer. But all felt that tho shadow hung
over the house. think the attempt to keep up
4 cheerful tone WAS more distressing than the
reality of despair when 1t came. But there was
Christmas dinner; the little grandchildren had
their Christmas presents, and came to the table
at lunch time. Everyone. tried to be gay and
to forget what was impending, as Well as what
had already occurred. The General laughed
with the babies, though doubt not his heart
! felt the hollowness. and Mrs. Grant who was
very brave, pretended to be happy
At that same terrible Christmas time came
| she news that creditors were about to seize the
trophies of which General Grant and his family
were 30 proud, and the correspondence with Mr..
Vanderbilt followed, SO creditable to the great
millionaire, who saved at least to the Nation what
had been earned in the Nations service But
all that season was one of bitter modification
and suffering to the man who had won the tro-
plies. The approaching close of all his earthly
glories, the deprivation of fortune, the anxiety
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