Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

where every other tree planted declines to
grow. The streets of this, as we'll az
of all Cuban cities, are as busy as Babel and
as narrow as the path to paradise If two
people meet on the sidewalk, as in the nat
urai course of events they are likely to do,
one or the other must step into the gutter.
If it happens to be a wet day this is not
pleasant, for the cutters OF Cuban cities are
small rivers, boasting neither sewers, nor to
my knowledge, drainage OF any kind.
THE oUBAN's PRIDE.
As cab fare is very cheap, and as a lady
of the tropics cannot, in conformity with
the rigid laws of etiquette, walk step,
whether she feels inclined to do so or not,
the consequence is that everyone, excepting
''los negros,'' rides. The necessity for
manual labor is considered q disgrace
in this land of the pineapple and
banana. Only the blacks are per
mitted to exert themselves. They
are supposed to see that the duties OF every
day life are done, but that is all. To do
those duties would be menial, degrading.
Inc pride of the Cuban is eomnlendable, II
only Tor its fervor. He may lose his wealth,
his position, all that he holds dear, but he
Will never lower his dignity so much as to
seek to repair his fallen fortunes. To think
IS folly, to act crime, as far as the social
world is concerned. A young man Of great
family connections here recently loskall his
money. In his extremity to meet certain
demands made upon him he found pur.
chaser for valuable piece of land, the last
acre, in fact, left of the vast estate of which
he had been the sole possessor. Re
turning home, his purse filed with
gold, he somehow or other pulled
it accidentally from his pocket. It
fell with a heavy thud upon the ground.
Several passers-by hastened to inform him
of the fact, of which he was already ac-
quainted, but he waved them aside with
lofty scorn, saying:
81 never stoop to pick up anything, least
of all that which falls behind me-"
BEGGARY PREFERRED TO WORK.
With this speech he fastened away, IeaY-
ing his last penny to be seized by
the hungry beggars who had clustered
around the spot. He was a fool, you will
say. But you are mistaken. He was a
herol Or so the Cuban who glories in this
kind of pride will tell you. 1t is far more
reputable to beg than to work in his estima-
ton; but to enjoy himself is better than ALL
Tropical happiness eonsistsin avoiding heat,
worry, work and perspiration. The gilded
youth employ their time in smoking cigar
minutive persons. Foppery is universal.
Clothing is light and airy. Smiles, easy
glances, small talk, batteries and coquet-
teries help to pass the languid hours
away So far as I have been able to
observe, the Cuban is expert in only
two things. One of these is smoking paper
cigars; the other is making love. Every
man smokes in Havana. When he is not
smoking he is love making. He is present
ed to you at the midday breakfast and if
you happen to be an American or a woman
with any attractiveness at all, he will have
told you he sis crazy about you; that he
adores you; that he will cutta his heart
outa to show you it is true" before the hour
for o'clock dinner comes around.
ALL SEASONS FOR MAKING LOVE.
1t won't matter in the least that your
mother or your sisters be present. The
Cuban is accustomed to make love in the
presence of the family, and is in nowise
abashed by them. Indeed. his social code
prohibits his ever speaking to the lady, or
rather ladies (for he does not by any means
confine himself to the singular number in
this respect), alone.
The Cuban shares with the
Spaniard the felicity of being considered
white, but he gives you the idea at first
sight of being anything between a mulatto
and an Indian. He is all eyes, hair and
shirt collar. If he has feet of height
he has more than the average number of
inches usually allotted his countrymen. Be-
tween him and his compatriot, the Span
lard, exists as much i'll feeling as is COM
patible with the law and order of land
where street brawls and midnight murders
still occur, and where mysterious disap-
pearances are so common as to excite neither
surprise nor indignation.
LILLIAN SPENCER.