Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-03-31
IN OTHER LANDS.

Cuphn FlllAges OF pU0Olos nave always liz
terested me deeply. They are of little i'm
portance as we measure things. There is
nothing about them in architecture or hu-
man activities to make them worthy of ac-
count. They are seldom populous and are
never busy. In thena and between them en-
terprise, rivalry, aspiration are unknown.
But on this great earth are not other spots SO
full of simplicity and effertless rest.
THE QUIET OF CUBAN VILLAGES.
There are just enough people in them to
make human presence an agreeable conscious
ness. There is never any labor done in any
way that tires. Nobody hurries. There is
no fretting or fuming about anything. No
one is supposed to be in haste. Nor could
any such notion ever come to surprise and
annoy the mind. Every animate or inaDi-
mate object seems at rest. If you desire to
set Cuban village in an uproar of indignans
wonderment you have only to hint of doing,
or of desiring something done quickly. Even
the winds that blow move in soft and sooth-
ing breezes, eloquent Of listless dreanful-
ness. The birds sing in subdued notes if
half asleep. Universal siesta rests upon
everything. The very air wings narcotic and
pulses balm to the sense and soul. Despite
your own contempt for Cuban inanition, af-
ter little your best efforts are overcome;
you yield to the insensible sirens OF scene
and scent and sound; and the enthrallment
possesses you wholly.
Not one of these Cuban villages ever knows
an American tourist. In that fact lies inf
mite charm; for where that all-diseovering
individual has not been are land and people
all ones own for enjoyment and study. I
relished this reflection keenly as nay compan-
ion, kindly old don, and myself rode slow
ly from the winding mountain calzada into
this winsome little village of San Francisco
de Paula, romantic in situation and prized
for beautiful women and good bread, both
worth travelling distance in any country to
enjoy. 3.
The village nestles within narrow gorge
the main street being formed by the calza-
da itself-and then truantly straggles on
either side to cockpit on the one height
and to queer old church on the other. But
down below, along the street and about the
ways and paths between the houses, are bow
ers OF roses, splashing fountains and pretty
girls innumerable. It seemed a very hiding
place for these Cuban beauties, and as we
turned our ponies over to stout negress at
the restful inn the landlord, the don and my
self seemed the only male portion of the
population.
The don remarked upon the fact, dryly in
deed, in pleasant prophecy, as our landlord
informed US that baths were in waiting.
This delicious treat after hot and dusty ride
upon the calzada was taken in baths hewn
out of solid stone in the precipitous rock be-
hind the inn, and water from everything
springs splashed and showered upon us.
The hostelry was a posada = fonda, grocery,
a confectionery and bakery combined; and
it is here the celebrated pan de Paula or Pau
la bread. so noted throughout Cuba, is made.
a delightful little breakfast was served
Among the dishes were aiiaco, the national
| Cuban dish of meats and vegetables, which,
| told in the fewest English words, would be
known as Cuban all-sorts; pan de cascade OF
cascade bread, made of the roots of the yuca
| grated, formed with milk into thin paste
pattes on paste and unhavored, dried quick
| ly, though not baked, in ovens; and a Cuban
country cheese, similar to the German
schmeerkase or our own cottage cheese, but
| compressed, partially dried and possessing a
delicate flavor. Many Cubans add syrup to
| this cheese as dressing, spreading the mix
ture upon bread in the place of butter.
Sauntering about the lovely place, we
climbed the mountain to inspect the old
church, which in this peculiar atmosphere
seemed to us from the valley below tre-
mendeus structure looming against the STEEL
blue sky, but which on approaching dwin-
died to q little old pile of century eaten
stone, with no windows, with but one door,
l L L. IL a.
bells our American cows rattle half-muttted
in clover at the flies in the. meadows. But
the climbing showed US where there were
more enhancing studies than the quaintest
of old churches. Every home in this village
nest was like bit of old Doric Salem set in
g frame of honeysuekle, jasmine and rose;
and every pillared portico, wide and big as
the house itself, was scene for artist and
student of simple toll and glowing beauty
Here too was delightful surprise in the
pleasing discovery that the delicate beauty,
the Cuban woman, could do something in
the nature of work. These were the sweet
est of Cubans and everyone was as lazily
busy as pretty. And what bright, engaging
grouping they were IS we passed, making
our admiration as plain in our eyes and loi-
terings, as they all showed US in their own
eyes and bushes they were glad that they
pleased.
WITH SOME sENoRITAS.
You must know we were chivalrous ca
balleros the don and myself, and that no
good women are Indifferent to true interest
and admiration in any country. So it was
with no rudeness on our part, nor alarm
on theirs, that we soon found a group of
some twenty senoritas and ninas, presided
over by two or three pleasant yet grave
and serious senoras, picturesquely bestowed
upon a great flewer-embowered portico,
singing dainty snatches of Spanish ballads,
hoe bor TO
and full as the vines of blossoms of the
alert aggressions and repulses of budding
womanhood San Francisco de Paula's
homes are all diminutive factories of the
cool, light hat known in our country as the
sspalm Leaf" the same being a leading ar
ticle of export from Yucatan to the States,
though it is said the Americans are only
sent the inferior grades; and here these
fair maids, in setting of architecture, of
quaint environment and blossoms prettier
than ever given us on the operatic stage,
were making their dainty and deft fingers
fly marvelousfy. The ninas, or little girls,
split the leaf of the already bleached palma
guiana or fan palm with thin bladed knives,
each little one true and dexterous in her
work and rarely making a wrong stroke or
destroying slender strand.
We set the entire coterie in Hutter by
contracting for the making for each one of
us hat, the dicker being gravely conducted
and no two men were ever put in pleasanter
waiting than we during those tive sunny Gu
ban hours. With the delicious hospitality
of these Cubans everywhere we must needs
| be made as comfortable as royal guests, and
while the stately don was placed in great
rocking chair near the fair girl whose nimble
| hands were already weaving the snow-white
strands of his sombrero, without any ado
| must accept plaited-grass hammock swung
| by the side of the enhancing >senorita whose
dexterous fingers huttered among the rustling
| palm-strands with the rapidity of the swift
coming and going of the bushes upon the
| perfect face. The old senoras beamed; the
young senoritas kept up an undertone of gay
salliss interspersed with gurgles of laughter;
the little ninas giggled hysterically; crowd
of fat negroes looked on grinninely; the don
rocked benignly to and fro in his oapscious
chair; swung leisurely in my plated ham,.
mock; and pledge you that, looking lazily
through our curling cigarette smoke. as the
old senoras smoked with us, saw such 70
nance and situations in the real scene and
surroundings of this one Cuban portico as
the comedy-opera makers might utilize with
exquisite pleasure and delight.
| SAN JOSIE DE T.As VEGAS