The times., 1888-04-27
PARKS or AAvA,.A.
The whole City Is a Ysiryisnd by Night.
A Great Outdoor Psrior.


The whole City Is a Fsiryisnd by Night.
A Great Outdoor Psrior.
All Havana Is In the parks or cafes or
Z on the housetops at night. As the srn
goes down Il seems as though from every
quarter come thousands for the nightly
outing. Tho streets, plazas and cafes
dazzle with light faring from the quaint
: est OF burners and frames, and the
brilliant colored glass, 50 universally and
richly used In decoration, adds beauty
and charm TO countless pleasing scenes.
There is music everywhere. Here in
a bali lighted, richly decorated balcony
is q group Of men and women chatting
in low, musical tones, or listening to
sweet notes of the guitar. In this en-.
trada, with q court filled with rich lights,
plants, flowers, and Q,aint corridors be-
hind, In an almost oriental background,
are perhaps several families seated half
out upon the street, and among them
somewhere Is music. Here, there and
everywhere upon usc houietops, among
iuxuriant gardens, are merry crowds
singing, playing or dancing. The half
lights OF the aSght hide and reveal.
Sound and light anl shadow mingle until
the ear and sight ore ravished by what
10 heard and seen, and what Is listened
for and heard in thought. Melody in
word, langh and song. and from musical
Instruments OF every mature and in every
place--pothing loud and sonorous, but
everything soft and dreamful--pulses in
harmonious chords abs~e and over and
through the streets ftt'' Ia.
The whole city is as fairyland by
night. 1t is the moro bcwidering to the
beholder. because there are in 1t one
mindednes and oneheartedncss that
mako melody and gayety not only with
the well conditioned, but as truly within
the grimy walls OF the charcoal man g
little stall; down at the waterside among
the swarthy boteros; over there In Reg
Ia with the toll scOurged stevcdores and
lancheross up Balquarte, way among the
labor bent lavenderes; and in every odd
and moldy corner where human life
lasts in layers, it lights up all with face
as free of caro- as ii ever unknown. All
this comes 10 yoo, and you know the
fact. You leave those who like to GUAR
rel over the involved ethics. But aid this
time, when an entire great city has sud-
denly resolved itself into a vast pleasure
garden, 30 completely that its influence
seems even to have touched and trans
formed, without exception, the direst
conditions, the gayer and more restless
elements swarm the paseos and plazas,
and no European city presents moro bril-
liant scenes. But in this one city OF the
werld. this single rich blossom Of the
tropics, all its people, in these hours, are
pleasure givers and pleasure receivers.
and that, too, whatever the individual
condition. There Is none so high and
naughty, or low and listless, as to think,
or dare, refusal of this individual ccnces-
sion, or gift OF word and way, to this
universal something we would be quick
to call among our good selves true evi-
dence of true lightheartedness and Joy.
i do;not believe the world has elsewhere
such a'condition and study.
In these nightly carnivals fully 10000
'cquipages, filled with richly attired and
merry occupants, may be seen. During
the early evening the favorite drive is
along Gale Ancha del Norte, by the sea.
Later the Calzado de In Reina and the
Paseo del Tacon are sought. As the
night advances the great center Of this
brilliant life and luxurious activity is in
the vicinity of the larger city parks, to
which the paseos and the Prado lead,
where military bands discourse the lively
or sensuous airs Of Spain. Here throng
hosts OF pedestrians; but instead of the
irudeness and clamor usual in such con-
courses in other cities, every frequenter
'of the locality only intensifies tho every
where manifest chivalrous courtesy and
consideration that so dis
tinguish them. 1t is Us though here
were q mammoth reception OF the courtli-
est of men and women. Indeed, it is the
great outdoor parlor of great city,
where every city is q noble guest. In
the pauses of the music promenading is
continuous. 1t would not then be uncom-
mon for youto gee at one time, and in
the one place on the globe where that is
possible, 10000 women OF surprising
beauty. of wonderful winsomeness of S
marvellous grace. 1t Is not until some 4
time after midnight that The crowds seem
to diminish; for Mt some hour of the
evening every gentleman and every
sonora and senorita in the city makesit
social obligation or pleasure to be present.
But from midnight until morning, by an
law, the parks and paseos are
In possession OF less dense gatherings,
though on intenser and far more ques-
ionahlscharacter.o of pleasure seekers
Edcror II Walyoxx~ar -. No,x. Uo~l- Mil