Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-17
HAvANA,s NARROW STREETS.
Walking on Q Fourteen Inch Sidewalk.
 Elaborate Politcnesa

Walking on a Fourteen Inch Sidewalk.
 Elaborate Politcnesa
 With the exception of the Paseo and Prado, and the many interesting little plaEas, with their tiny parks in which tbe flors of the tropics are seen in delicious luxuriance, the calles pubiicas or public thoroughfares of Havana are remarkably narrow. Many are only from twelve 10 twenty feet wide. There are a number but from six 10 eight To stroll through these sinuous passages and build little romancas based on the contingency of some fair senorita's alcoba to some per- sistent don's quarto, is a delightful ex- rerience. And then one, while dodging the sharp angles and massive walls, is re- minded by innumerable sounds and glimpses of the exquisite interiors behind, where there are endless beauty, bloom and song. Sidewalks, in the American sense, are unknown. A narrow, raised footway of granite, averaging a no greater width than two feet, is all you will find to keep you out of the street. I have meas ured some no wider than fourteen inches. Custom rules that foot pas sengers take the right hand way. No people on earth are so courteous in the streets as the Havanese. There are no crowding and hustling here. If you have the footway and please to saunter leis- urely, and one behind you is in haste, be will step into the street and pass you with a kindly spoken ''Con perion," or 'tBy your leave" So, too. if one meets you- quite an unusual thing, for the human tide moving opposite follows the other side of the calle-he will deferentially step from the walk into the roadway, while saluting yc.l with some brief but earnest expression of apology. This rule of the right of way is inviolable, and the archbishop or governor general, if either chanced to be on foot, would observe it with all the courtesy and exactitude of the less distinguished. There is only one ex- ceptioL. That is in favor of the ladies. They are held strictly accountable to this universal politeness and consideration on their own part; but if occasion come when you can serve them by getting into the mud, even for beggsr or bag, and you fail of doing it you are esteemed-nothing.
 This street usage and right extend also to public conveyances, which are ipexor- ably controlled. The omnibuses here are called guaguas. The lines bound from the outskirts to central city points are compelled to come into the city on one street to the right ard return by another street to the left; and no similar vehicle is permitted to run in the opposite direc- tion on those streets. Only the little vic torias-cach one, horse, oochero. or driver, and ell, compact enough to drive through an American dwelling house door-are allowed to wriggle and twist around almost everywhere. The gusgua is % characteristic Havana institution that it cannot bs overlooked. In appearances it much resembles the first patserns of our own street cara. get c little higher In the air or very old fashioned daguerreotype gallery on low geared wagon wheels- IL has n excited and noisy conductor in RApdy nltAEyn, and an epnpu3ad0, oe dssts Nse ttm6ig b P1ssua GUS6