Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-19

in the old mansion is quaint and interesting as
THIS The noOrs are OF large brick tiles with Occa-
sionai centerpieces from the rare old spanish
potter1es. The walls are like snow; the ceilings
are blue as the sky above, save where stretch
the mahogany or cedar beams rich In generations
OF coioring; the beds of brass and iron ana rose
wood are vast and canopied; the cupboards and
dres5ers and chifioniers are stately and SHINING
ana tail: the rocking chairs are fabulous in num-
Der. heignt ana deep, low sweep, and the Egyptian
ewers, standing everywhere With their glistening
drops upon their porous sides, suggest the sudden
apparition OF Rebecca at the we'll
DAILY ROUTINE
II there are toll and onerous daily duties about
these old plantations could not discover them
something must be allowed for the cheer In the re-
turn OF one score OF years absent and that one q
cuban refugee who had amassed wealth and gained
sa,,1i IN AtneriSa as was true OF my host Don
Manuel But after FEW days OF this, normal con-
oltlons returned, and all lived lust as all always
i've IN THIS transcendently beautiful and luxurious
tanu- everybody, even TO the humblest OF the
horde OF blacks, seemed TO awaken in the morning
when the songs OF the little mountain stream be-
mn nlnd the house and OF the birds about and above
Tue house make sleep no longer possible. Between
and O'Clock 'conee, I" the universal cuban fore
runner OF late breakfast, is served. long table
household come at will. There will be found
every manner OF tropical fruit, good bread,
sweet butter and coffee. All OF these things
ure You see and hear little OF your friends, coli
iectlve y, Tor few hours, and may watch the lazy
os nT4se or the iazier negro staoemen
smong the orange groves; wander up and down
the stream studying soil and rocks and nora; have
bout with the countless saucy birds which wh1rl
ana cnatter and carol among the grasses, flowers,
ana yerdure; but between IL and II O'Clock desay-
nno or breakfast Is called and the first greetings
OF tne day are made. Again this splendid tropical
Irult Is served In bewfldering variety; coffee again
appears In floods: bread, made OF mixed wheat
ana yuca; wild and domestic fowls fried to
goiden brown; eggs In all manner OF edible form;
delicious chtcharOneS pork scraps done to tooth
some ana brittle tendernesS-all appear at q meal
which Is Invariably extended over an hour or more
vi PHEASANT Chatter dalliance, and badinage.
THE sIksTA.
Between this time and conida or dinner the
ladies OF the household are invisible It Is a De-
riod In well-to do homes throughout Cuba Of abso-
lutte siesta and rest The odor-laden breezes dis
III and watt TO the most vigorous frame and spir-
ed intellect the Sirenic spell and thrall of indlf
ference, llstleSSneSS and languorous dreams The
household Is silent within. The birds are quiet
WItnout- IroD1cal sea and land and sky are
nushed and still But from dinner, at five there
Is cheery awakening. The breezes return. The
Women, men, beasts and fowls are alive again.
Inc dinner Is brilliant with flowers and quaint old
table services, and rarer aces, and wonderful fans
and courtly ways The evening glows and grows
as the wondrouS stars above. The tropic night
with It's odOrs and balms, beauties and OreezeS is
an lntoxicant- A dainty "tea" is taken at nine
Here, there, and all about the place is the thrum
OF guitar the twang of bandurta, the silvery echo
OF Oandolin, mingled with the strange and thrill
Ing minors OF Spanish song, from paror to "Quar-
ters and 1t Is midnight before the myriadS oil fire
HES whlrl aud swirl in their waverlng WITCH
dances through sllenceS around this old planta-
tOn-hone EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.