, 1888-02-05

Picturesque Out oil Door Scenes in
Cuba's Capital.

alOhS. II ln III IN way AOu HCN lul 0l-
joyment of the delicious trihes that go to
make up any great national fact. 1t is
also the only truly receptive condition.
To enjoy travel with friends, is more in
polite form. But crowds mean dissipation
Of reflective energies. To be seen, go in
crowds. To see, go alone.
In the old fortified city of Mayence,
Germany, | once thought had seen re.
markably narrow streets. | believe there
are narrower ones in this queer, quaint
city. There are surely narrower sidewalks
here. With the exception of the Paseo,
the Prado and the many interesting little
plazas, with their tiny parks in which the
fora of the tropics are seen in delicious
luxuriance, the GALES publicas or public
thoroughfares of Havana are remarkably
narrow. Many are only from twelve to
twenty feet wide. There are a number
but from six to eight. To stroll through
these sinuous passages and build little ro-
mances based on the c%ontiguity of some
fair senorita's alcoba to some persistent
don's quarto, is a delightful experience.
And then one, while lodging the sharp
angles and massive walls, is reminded by
innumerable sound and glimpse of the ex-
quisite interiors behind, where there are
endless beauty, bloom and song.
Nearly all the streets here are well paved
with New England granite, brought here
cheaply by water, and admitted for the
city use free of duty, so that man and
beast have everywhere a solid footing.
Sidewalks, in the American sense, are I'M
known. 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. | have measured some
no wider than fourteen inches; and a for
eigner must be dexterous indeed to always
retain his footing. Custom rules that
foot-passengers take the right-hand way.
All this has certain advantages. No peo-
pie on earth are so courteous in the streets
as the Havanese. There are no crowding
and hustling here. If you have the foot
way and please to saunter leisurely, and
one behind you is in haste, he will step in
TO the street and pass you with a kindly
spoken Con perdon?' or with your
leaye2' So, too, ifone meets you-quite
an unusual thing, for the human tide NOV
ing opposite follows the other side of the
calle-he will deterentially step from the
walk into the roadway, while s%aluting you
with some brief but earnest expression OF
apology. This rule of the right of way
10 W ApAlbAGs AlA III dlNllblNlbD VI EbN~
enlargement. if either CHANGED to be on
foot, would observe it with all the cour-
tesy and exactitude of the less distinguish
cd. There is only one exception. That
is in favor of the ladies. They are held
strictly accountable to this universal po-
likeness and consideration on their own
part; but if occasion come when you can
serve them by getting into the mud, even
for a beggar or bag, and you tail of doing
it, you are esteemcd-nothing
This street usage and right extend also
to public c%onveyances which are inexora-
bly, controlled. The omnibuses here are
called guaguas. The lines bound from
the outskirts to central city points arc
compelled to come into the city on one
street to the right, and return by another
street to the left; and no similar vehicle
is permitted to run in the opposite direc-
tionpon those streets. Only the little VIC
torias each one horse, cochcro or driver,
and all compact enough to drive through
an American dwelling house dOOr-are
allowed to wr'gGle and twist around al
most anywhere. The guagua is so char
acteristic a Havana institution that it
cannot be overlooked. In appearance it
much resembles the first patterns of our
own street cars, set n little higher in the
air, or a very old fashioned dagucrrcotypo
gallery on low gcared wagon wheels. 1t
has an excited and noisy conductor in
gaudy uniform, and an empuiador or dri-
yer who seems IN n perpetual frenzy.
-Four little Cuban ponies are attached to
the affair, and as you see it coming down.
possibly Gale de Disappointing and
crushing ~thunderously through the mar
row thoroughfare-the nags at full gallop,
~
though it would land in some shop front
at every lurch, the driver leaning far
over the wheel team, lashing it with the
lines and cracking his huge whip AT the
leader, the meantime shouting: "Hi-i
hi il' at the top of his voice, while
working with his right knee n tremendous
stationary rubber bellows, that at each
prod emits a lugubrious shrek almost as
hideous rs a seaside fog horn-you feel
you have witnessed one active form of
Cuban danger.
But after all, the guagua is as harmless
and celebrating an affair as you can find
anywhere for the money; while its name
has quite a history. When the first rail
road ever constructed in Cuba was being
built, the ties were imported. duty free,
from the cypress swamps Of Florida. The
next year following, a certain insect raw
aged and nearly destroyed all the orange
groves of Cuba. Scientific investigation
proved that this lively insect had been
brought to the island in these cypress ties.
Soon the term began to be applied to
anything which had been cunningly slip
ped into the country free of import; then
TO shrcwd innovations tbat.chcapCnod cx-
istinC prices and tariffs in any respects;
and when these raging stage-lincs began
to actively compose with railways and
tramways, they fell heir by instant com
mon consent to the name, les. guaguas 80
Indeed, the term came to have a more
widespread and subller use. A shrewd
imposter is a la guagua. A trirkster in
business is a la guagua. Any man OF
canny ways. or woman of uucanny life,
where n certain degree Of wise secrctive
ness mantles suspected shortcomings, is Of
the order of Ia guagua; and society quiz
yes society regarding a delicate and artful
intruder as to how he exists, and with a
graceful shrug society whispers the reply:
Con ~pOsibilidad, a Ia guagual'-"pOssi
bly, by his wits" So that one even STUN
hles into Spanish sociology by observing
tho fiery massage nf an old ramshork L.