The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-02-14
Altslel la1Ien11s.
CARNIVAL DAY IN CUBA.
MANNER OF FEAST MAKING IN THF.
QUEEN OF THE ANTILLES. ..-

Dancing Until Broad Daylight, Even on .
in Good Looks to Their American Sig
ters-One PelI Nell Rush.
Carnival day in Cuba is great event,
and the holiday season in the United
States is tame in comparison with it. 1t
is celebrated as sort of church festival.
1t seemed strange in this Catholi3coun-
try to awaken Sunday morning and find
the whole city on the qui vive of eXpec-
tation and of busy preparation for
carnival. The day was beautiful, the
heat of tropical sun being tempered
10y fresh breeze, and the weather not
uncomfortable until midday. The stores
were open, the cafes were swSrming
with people, and there was an air of
general enjoyment all over the place. A
little after o'clock in the afternoon
word was passed that the procession was
coming, and, occupying a seat overlook
ling the beautiful plaza, we remained for
three hours watching the merry makers
Us they passed. All classes and condi-
lions mingled in the parading throng:
inen, women and children, the high and
low, the rich and poor, all seemed
equally intent upon having sport. There
was no particular attempt at masquer-
nde. A few ladies wore dominoes and
masks. The great bulk of women sat
in open carriages, bonnetless and dressed
I'm full evening attire.
The procession was a queer one. Fol
lowing one another there were mag.
hifcent four-in-hand, owned by a ricl
planter; carriage seating two, which
could be hired for the occasion for Il
couple of dollars; magnificent tandem;
h splendid horse hitched singly to an Gle
Iyant carriage, all resembling the better
Elass of turnouts you have in the United
States, and horses, harness and vehicles
hll coming from there.
The Spanish women are said to be
beautiful. l fail to see it when they are
compared with American women. They
tre slight of frame, with sallow COM
blexions and covered beyond recognition
with powder and paint. The effort OF
Spanish ladies seems to be to make their
artificial adornments as conspicuous as
types of beauty that were unexception-
hble. Yet after three hours gazing upon
the high and low, the elite, middle class
hnd common people, the percentages of
women that would strike the American
EYE as comparing favorably with the
fresh, vigorous, natural womanly beauty
bf Uncle Sans daughters were exceed
fngly small.
If there were hustle, gayety and revelry
among the people of this Cuban metropo
Fis in the day time, what can be said OF
khe night? In the sunlight there was a
stream of fashion, wealth and poverty
That mingled gin the procession, which
bewildered and perplexed one who re-
vered the Sabbath. The night cannot be
described. None OF those who partici-
bated in the parade seemed to have gone
home atnight. When the gas was lighted
TT flashed upon a beautiful scene of ladies
i'm full dress driving about the plaza, OF
sitting quietly in their carriages listening
Ito the strains of music that issued from
a hundred places Where dancing and
Gollity ruled the hour. Men, women and
children swarmed the streets and plazas,
hll vying with each other in unseemly
struggles to enjoy themselves. The Tacon
theatre, the fourth largest opera house
fn the world, was fCored over, and this,
bn Sunday night, was given over to the
Hemi monde, who crowded in and out
upon its spacious floor, enjoying the las
bivious DANA, or supping wine or coffee
i'm the adjoining cafes. Not one hundred
rods away the wealth and style of Havana
gathered in the Casino, the swell club OF
the place, and there danced and reveled
until after day dawned. Strains of music
pouring from the windows of almost
every hall in the city told of other private
balls.
Over the finest cafe in Havana, not
Ione hundred feet from the Tacon theatre,
the native Cubans of low degree grasped
leach other and danced until breathless
with excitement or f2tigue. Further
down the street a few negro servants
enjoyed themselves in a like manner.
People here seem to dance for enjoy
|ment. They do it with ease and grace,
resting at intervals, and never INDUCING
i'm the hurly-burly waltz around the room,
las they do in the United States. Look
ling at the native dance from all the
points of view of society and morals,
could not help but wonder what our
american mothers would say if they
could witness the merry spectacle of
Cuban ball, whether the participants be
high or low. l spent several hours in
Ivestigating all the phases of society as
seen in Cuba on this festive occasion,
land the affair was kept up long after /
had tired of what l had seen. l wish /
had noticed more to commend, but ]
must confess that society, like every
thing else in Cuba, seems to be democrat
Iized. 1t seems to me to be one pell nell
rush, regardless of proprieties or reli-
lgious obligations.
Here the church has all power. 1t is
Ia part of the state, and levies its taxes
upon the people and enforces the collec-
tion of the same by law. 1t is said that
ten thousand priests and church at
pendants are quartered upon this mill
ion and a half of people, and yet re-
ligion seems to sit more lightly upon
these volatile southerners than any other
race of which have knowledge. Noone
here save the women appears to have
much respect for their religious obliga-
tions. Even the number of women who
worship on Sunday is very small. Yet
you find the church in keeping with the
same pomp and power seen in Spain.
Churches are numerous, and there are u
great number of private chapels.
Monday morning broke after carnival
day to find the festivities still in progress;
10 find 1oncarc still II, tbo 11r,
mazes of the waltz, keeping time to
strange music. When they tired and
rested do not know. Seven o'clock
came and the city looked as busy, with
people fresh and moving about, as though
thew had slumhered for twentv-fnnr