Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-28

away. he Is no mechanic. II a breakdown CO
~ complete desperation talks a. all over" runs
away atoSether, or commits suicide from sheer
ABOUT as hrh as s1sens . sss AT tresns Is
handled IN the yards and transferred much as
lower mississippi River steamboat Is "wooded,
dismal songs or by the unwieldy bull-carts with
tneir picturesque caretoneros so common 70 the
s.,ess OF Havana There are also some odd regu-
are closed nve minutes before departure OF trains;
ahu II one thus tails OF securing ticket one-thrd
s,x,u, 70 regular fare Is exscted for the nrst
v,sision over which your route may lay lou are
aioMeu 70 carry Tree only hat box or medium
Size yailse; but n your train does not make sched-
and get YOUR entrs stp a1ns srs Us ~
coior are allowed In iirst-ciass cars though game
,,v, IN baskets are; and you attempted 70 ride
seat you would be immediateIy turned over 10 the
guaruia civil. whose members ride on trains be-
.ween stations 10 nirt with fair senoritas and 70
eonSsn's ehiore the TACT that spain owns CUBA
THREE CLASSES OF PAssEsGERS
As IN most European countries there are three
grsoes OF passenger coaches, and all are modelled
ON tne American plan. The third-grade cars have
only sold-wood seats; the second are very plain,
. Du. sne seats are OF ''cane;" the frst are very
prettily-enough decorated, the woven cane seats
taxing the place OF our plush cushions on account
un,s snr atnersnce In climate The conductor is
unnormeo as with US and Is the busiest man on
earth e for the amount of business he translates.
he Is at everybody every nve minutes Tor rex.
ANIMATION OF tickets, and a pompeus guardia
CIVIL soldier or one OF the three class Sf inili
tary IN the island. Is forever at his heAls glarng
nnpuoenlly Into faces, demanding with madden
q foreigner. and especially 80 N An tme,Sc, m
whom tine Spaniard loathes and Searching Your
person or even a lady's reticule, If the whim
SEXES MIN Inere Is no chance for comfort or
pleasure under this regime You are arranred
ana righted and adjusted and watched and slared
~ anu pulled hundred times day. AS under
no other circumstances In Cuba, one hates him
self for being an American, for the pusiIlapimity
Oh ms Government which permits this bloodless
uttie bantam or spanish mlsrule such Insulting
and barbarouS existence within the vary wayes
washings OF our own shores
THE BEGGARs.
On this train there happened TO be lust three
coaches; one OF each class In the thlrd-class car
were score OF negroes Chinese, mestizos or half
breeds, aud beggars The treatment OF the latter
class IN CUBA gives them certain naturalization
and character. Evidently most az them ouickly
sake placs as genuine public chars tiers permitted
with consideration 10 ask aims and il detected in
imposition are instantly subjected TO severe pun
isnment so those who are tolerated are most sym-
patneticaiy treated. While this Is an ODD social
condition, IL is stl more odd thai the beggar does
not became oVerbold and insolent. But the recog-
nlzed mendlgo Is not only permitted, but en-
at the church doors; give him the sidewalk on the
principal thoroughfares; see that he has a COM
Portable seat In the cabin OF the ferries walk all
cafes and shops; defer TO his being agreeably To-
Gated In the parks and plazas; give hun the pleas
ATTEST corner beside your potro In the entrada OF
your owellng; and, IL you are not In a mood or
condition TO give him aims, you would be socially
damned II you did not at least humbly respond TO
MS request with, "perdon por Dios!" Pardon
me, Tor GODS Sake.0 There were six Of these OF
the neither aristocracy OF Cuba aboard this train
and though none had paid centavo OF fare, ali
the consideration shown any body by the conductor
was bestowed upon them
IN THE sEcoSp-cI, ss Gan
IN the second-class car were from thirty to forty
OF all colorS shades, and conditions from the big
eyed guaJiro, startled at every sound of bell or
whistle or lurch OF train; the matr1le or butcher
half-dozen detalistas or Havana retailers setting
forth Tor small consignments OF produce: some
comlortably-dressed stieros or small farmers from
the interior; Few smart clerks from the Havana
shops; any number or well-clad mulatto giris and
women, each one an eXhauStleSs reservoir OF ex-
ploslve giggies; and a rude and roaring party OF
american sea captains from their sailing craft In
havana harbor, on their hilarious way 70 Matanzas
lor 'charters" or cargoes OF sugar. enlivening the
Ties. with songs or sea brayafo and female con-
quest ashore, whose flavor and slaves were louder
IMAM The rattling or the train and with such good
round oathS against ryIhipg spanish as would
have consigned them all TO the black holes OF Moro
Castle had they been understood In the rrst-class
car were my friend and myself; a party OF grave
dignined planters or our south before the war: a
squad or the guarda civil, proceeding TO some mu-
nlcipanty 10 relieve the squad there stationed,
which would In turn relieve that OF another VII
iage, which system keeps this branch OF the SPAN
fsh soldiery in Cuba constantly on the move:
one or Two American commercial travellers,
through the forceful logic OF conditions re-
pressed into most demure and humble
personages; party OF the Spanish Bank OF Ha-
vaha eLnpioyes on tours OF agency-inspection; a
pale, gray friar who never removed his eyes from
the thumb-nails OF his crossed hands; TO me fas-
cinatingly interesting object In the person OF the
gigantic Matagas, the noted Cuban 6rigand. who
a mo flv
aboard at Jaruco, LEFT the train at Colon, and.
utterly bland In his consciousness OF my own eau.
tion and secrecy, ignored me and my previous
meeting with him, account OF which. and this eel
ebrated outlaws relations to some strange con-
ditions In Cuba, shall give In a subsequent paper
ages and grades OF beauty-for there was not one.
Old or young, who lacked the quality OF beauty az
least In degree.
THE HANDSOME cuBANAs
Ana az the r1sk OF making a short journey long.
few facts and observations regarding these
handsome Cubanas may prove OF interest In
travelling tney dress precisely as n for a prone
made on the Prado, or an airing along Gale Anche
and extravaganza. Jewelry is profusely worn |.
and the splendid Spanish ian and the CHARMING
manllIa, which American women should wear IN
the summer and on dress occasions In lieu OF their
rldculousiy grotesQue head-gear, intensity the
fascination OF their superb figures and faces
Twelve hours uninterrupted study OF anybody
dlscioses much. So with these women. They
are positively heroic In the unchangeableness OF
position and features. So rar as ewes could see
during this entire day, they were marble figures
save as 10 their eloquent eyes and almost as elo.
Quent fans No other women living can ana an
parently all unconsciously, do the maddening
things with a fan which a spanish or Cuban
woman never can help doing. And as 10 her eyes
mere words altogether falL They are the Very
apotheosis OF Dewitching yet innocent invita-
uon, languid oalliance, tender reproach and ex-
alted slren1c contemplation. quality TOO pleas
ant to know and be near, is one OF self-uncon-
seriousness, II that term may be used Most Amer
lean women In public places assume an attitude OF
aggressive Ser-conSciousness that seems 10 say:
II would nave you know. Sir, or Madam, that
am female, woman and lady. Doubt that
and Shall glare you into extinctionl- These
women seem 10 have somewhere and somehow
gained the knowledge that all that without argu-
ment Is admitted by men, and even by women.
AN OLD woMAN's sSREzE
Two other Incidents illustrating sociological
peculiarities occurred upon this journey. An old
sonora sneezed. Instantly, and reverently, a
score Of passengers responded: 'Dios &c gudrdid"
("God guard thee.'D She sneezed again. This
time the concerted ejaculation was: "Marid- She
chorus OF voices with: "Jose." IL Is a universal
cuban custom, and In its motive reminds forcibly
OF the quite as universal German custom, when
one sneezes, OF expressing kindly concern by re-
spending with the unctious and expressive Secs
undheig" Again, young fellow, passing a
way out OF the car doed his hat stood straight and
tall before the couple he had never before seen,
and with the dignity OF a veritable Don Quixote
said in spanish: ''Old woman, keep that daughter
OF heavenly beauty for the unworthy one before
your Then he strobe away and nobody assaulted
will faithfully keep herr" Possibly the lair
Senora,s fan moved a little more ranfdly Of tha