Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-07
IN OTHER LANDS.


 IN OTHER LANDS.
 Tho Lowly Folks of Cuba-One-Th1rd
 of the People 1n the Cities Living
 Without LabOr-Their JnlY Occupa-
 ton the Effort to Ward Of Starva-
 tion-A Breezy Consideration of
 Fascinating Theme.
 HAVANA, Cuba, April 9. To the Editor of the JeURNAI. AND COURIER:
 There are but two classes in Cuba. They are the high and the low. A study of the latter, more is the pity, comprehends con sideration of tremendous majority of Gu ban people The greater portion of the is- lands population las, since the extinction of slavery, sbecome sorry host within the great cities. Fully one third of the entire popula- tion of these cities comprise those who prae- tically do no tabor. They are beegars and petty thieves, and lottery ticket peddlers and what-not. They would all freeze or starve in our land, but here they need neither fuel nor clothing (there is not stove nor the need of one in the whole island.) All effort of this effortless horde is therefore confined simply to securing enough food to satisfy hunger. While filthy, sodden, soulless mass es of ignorant humans breed and grow out of these conditions, the singular fact remains that crime is not largely predominant. And in this lies a most striking proof that crime among the lowest classes is more largely product of necessity than viciousness. But among the Cuban lowly, between these God forsaksn blacks and mestizos, or half breeds, and the aristooraoy, are vast number who plod along with good deal of sunny brave ry and cheery resolve, all the more adnaira- ble for the few realizations beyond birth, toll and death in these lowliest vacations and surroundings.
 GuiIlslmo, who cares for my apartment in the hotel, has always upon his face smile which lights and dances like silver nipples upon the bay; yet he is one of a class of white mezos, sirvientes who are subject to treatment from their white superiors in Cuba worse than even brutal Americans bestow upon brutes.
 THE CUBAN CABMAN.
 The Cuban eochero or cabman is such a marvellous contrast to the American hackman that his deserts are beyond the power of my pen. But he is also such an unmitigated non- entity that he deserves ignominy. You pay but forty cents in Spanish paper, equivalent to only sixteen cents in gold, for "journey'' or ride in his little victoria from one point within the city to any other. He seldom o exchanges customer. In the American mind this fact would preclude the possibility that he possesses brains. Whether so or not, the oochero when unemployed sleeps on> his box, his little nag meanwhile sleeping in the shafts, and when awake he is good d-natured, greasy and silent. He does as he is bid, and for the rest relies upon your honor, provi- dence and the police. He seldom rises to the tremendous height of proprietorship, but rents his shabby outfit of a company which short of fodder The cochsro has no home eats at the cheap cafe; sleeps in the stable loft or his own carriage-box; and makes love anywhere.
 THE HUcKsTER.
 The regatonear or huckster is usually the guajiro or peasant himself, direct from his little patch of tierra arrendada or truck farm, or he may have two or half dozen doleful Rosinantes loaded with packs and While he remains in town you can never es- cape the roar of his voice. Huckster, horses and all have most sociable habits of walking clear into shops and residences to talk and look matters over. But have come to think good deal of this fellow as I manage to se- cure a daily bargain from him of a dozen l luscious oranges for the modest sum of five cents in paper, or two cents in good money. His grin is as large as his voice is loud; and | in his devices and diversions he brings to the gloom of the narrow calles much of the sum ! shine from beyond the environiug, embattled l hills.
 THE SHOEMAKER.
 The zapatero is he shoemaker, whether in l the quaint old shop where they all live and | use tools and belongings you will find in the | remotest villages ef the Tyrol, or whether he be the wandering philosopher of the street. The latter will most entertain you. He is 8 | queer, grimy old fellow whe slides his bench | on his back, slides it off again when he comes to corner of his liking, slides him. | self back upon his rawhide seat and imme- | diatsly slides into an established trade. have asked good many why they moved | about so frequently when there was never a scarcity of business at the old stand None of them could tell, but all were will. l ing to whistle for me a rollicking Cuban l contradanza and change the subject. They | are pitiably afraid to have it known, but 1 I have found many genuine gitanos o1 l Spanish gipsies among these swsrthy and musical zapateros of the street.
 l THE sTABLEMAN.
 | The caballerizaeros or stablemen are dis l tinct class, and there are thousands of them l in Havana. as all the nags for the six thou | sand victorias, all the mules and oxen for the | quite as many carts, and most of the private | horses of the city, are cared for at huge ca ballerizas or stables Their usual costume l consists of skin-tight linen brooches and round little caps betokening the Spanish pro. vince from which they are descended. II you wish to see them in the most interesting part of their labor walk along the sea at the l head of Calle Anche del Norte at from six to I eight in the morning. At this time thou l sands of horses are being bathed in the ocean, They are brought in droves of 6 | dozen or so, tied nose-and-tail together and turned loose upon the beach into the water. l Frequently these stablemen, who are expert swimmers, ride the leaders and guide the
 movement of the groups. But all the horses show evidences of great enjoyment and sport, blow and frolic like an excited school of DOT. peisss I have counted over thousand horses in the sea at one time. On Sunday l mornings, when the greatest numbers are to be seen, the ocean is alive with them for ( ! Mile along the beach and for 6 distance of ( fourth of a mile off shore. The only other scene which is anything like 8 parallel to thii is the occasional frolickings in the seq of tht l wild "banker" or bank ponies have watched with equal interest off our North Carolini
 coast.
 THE MMKMAN.
 The lechero or milkman and his system here are worthy of magazine illustration
 Milk for the markets and hotels is brough into the city by immense ex-earts in can ] having the appearance of diminutive cyliH ..lu Fl