Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-21
| MIXED POPULATION

A MIXED POPULATION.
A motley throng it is that threads its way
through the narrow broken streets of the
Cuban city. Spaniards, Cubans, Cinnamon,
Turks, Frenchmen and negroes constitute
the permanent population, and as they min
gle indiscriminately together, it becomes
>the task of an expert to distinguish the one
from the other. Only two-ffths of the pop
ulation is black, but the fact that the negro
predominates suggests itself even to the
casual observer.
There is a saying to the effect that "where
the banana grows, men don't grow, unless
thew are black" This saying is foreibly
recalled to the mind when one compares the
small, ,dwarfsh, stooped-shouldered, sunken-
checked Cuban to the huge stalwart, splen-
didly developed African who is universally
healthy and strong, and who basks in the
scorehing rays OF the tropical sun as duck
skins maiestically over the cool surface of
placid lake. He seems born to mingle
with palm, plantain and cane.
Slavery has been done away with in
Cuba. The negro tolls with other laborers
now. He is paid as are the white men who
work by his side. He sends his children to
school. and has his sons taught trade. He
is no longer despised and beaten, but he is
still regarded as little better than an ami
NAL, and in many instances treated in
fnitely worse.
HAPPY AS THE DAY Is LONG.
Nevertheless he is very happy. He sings,
and his song has ali the religious lugubri-
Gus characteristics of his race but it is pa
thetic and sweet, and oftimes weird and
mystic. 1t would be grotesque were it not
so melancholy. A battered guitar or banjo,
or drum is his favorite accompaniment. As
it is second nature for him to sing, so it is
L L. H. A.,
perfection. There may be only rude grace
to his movements, but there is an intense,
not to say poetic, feeling in them.
Nothing perhaps more clearly indicates
the character of the Cubans than their
dwelling places. These structures rather
grew out of the climate than the ingenuity
ST the builders Certain it is, no architect
would care to incur the responsibility of
them. They are usually one or two stories
high, and are of an oriental pattern. Out
side they resemble a huge square box,
painted white, blue or yellow, across the
front of which is erected a portico, sup
ported by tall columns, and surmounted at
the top by an iron railing, forming a sort
of balcony, inasmuch as the upper doors
open upon it. All the windows of the Gu
ban house extend from floor to ceiling, and
consist of bars of iron painted some bright
color in lieu of glass, which would exclude
the air and retain the heat and is never used.
RESEMBLE JAILS.
When awakened on the morning of my
first night in Havana, thought / was in
Jail and found myself actually speculating
in vague way as to how had got in, and
what had been the nature of my offense. OF
course was not long in discovering my
mistake, bit 1t took me a good time to recon-
cile myself to the custom.
l. III Il
houses are marble or brick, and the patio
or square courtyard is indispensable. No
abode is found without il. Round this
square, which stands in the center of the
building, and has no roof other than the
blue sky, are arranged the rooms of the fam
ilv. Through the front door, a wide lofty
opening, heavily barred when closed, the
carriage and horses of the occupants come
and 90 So does the milkman, who drives
in his COW and milks her in full view of the
drawing or bedroom as the case may be.
Milk cannot be kept from turning sour more
than an hour, hence it is very scarce and
extensive and instead of being carted round
in = wagon, is conveyed by its natural con-
dnctor the COW herself. 1t costs nearly 40
cents a quart in American money and 81 in
Spanish paper, but it is exceedingly good
and free from the influence of the pump.
When the family carriage is not in use, Il
is rolled back out of the way under the front
staircase
A TROPICAL DINING ROOM.
The patio is always filed with palms, un-
der which is spread the breakfast table. On
either side Of the wide hall are the marble
paved living rooms, large, high. square and
utterly devoid of ornsmentation. No car
pets or rugs cover the floors. No curtains
grace the windows or hangings the doors.
STUFFED furniture is replaced by cane, will
low and wood. In the center of each apart
ment IS placed two rows of chairs, facing
each other-back against the wall is an
other. The Cuban never changes his ideas,
or ms furniture, and never will. As it stood
century ago 1t stands still and will con-
tinue % stand throughout another decade.
AS there are no chimneys charcoal is used