The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-07

night cannot be described. None of those
who partic patei in the parade seemed TO
have gone home at night. When the gas
was lighted it flashed upon a beautiful
scene OF ladies in full dress driving about
the plaza or sitting quietly in their carriages
listening to the strains OF music that issued
from hundred places where dancing and
jOllity ruled the hour. Men, women, and
children sTarmed the streets and p.aZas, all
vying with each other in unseemly strug-
gies to enjoy themselves.
The Iacon theater, the fourth largest
opera house in the world, was hOOred over,
and this, on Sunday night, was given over
to the demi-monde, who crowded IN ard out
upon its spacious door, enjoying the lascivi-
Gus DANA, or supping wine or coffee in the
adjoining cafes. Not 100 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 dawn. Strains of music pour
ing from the windows of almost every
hall in the Cay told Of other private
balls. Over the finest cafe in Havana, not
one hundred feet from the TacJn theater,
the native Cubans of low degree grasped
each other and danced till breathless with
excitemenkor fatigue. Further down the
street few negro servants enjoyed them
selves in Ike manner. People here seem
to dance for enjoyment. They do it with
ease and grace, resting at tervals and
never indulging in the hurly-burly waltz
around the room, as they do in the United
States.
Looking at the native lnce from all the
points of view of society and morals, | could
not help but wonder what cur American
mothers would say if they could witness the
merry spectacle of a Cuban IL, whether
the participants be high or low. do not
know place in America where more de-
morallZlng scene can be witnessed than at a
Spanish ball on a carnival night. | spent
several hours investigating all the phases Of
society as seen in Cuba on this festive occa-
sion, and the affair was kept up long after l
had tired of what had seen. / wish | hai
noticed more to commend, but l must con-
fess that society, like everything else in
Cuba, seems to be demoralized. 1t seems to
me to be one pell nell rush, regardless of
proprletles or religious obligations. One
thing, however, struck me with being ex-
ceedingly singular, and that is | never saw a
drunken man in Cuba.
Here the church has all power. 1t is a
part of the state, and levieS its taxes upon
the people and enforces the collection of the
same by law. 1t is said that 10000 priests
and church attendants are quartered upon
this million and a half of people, and YET
religion seems to sit more lightly upon these
volatile SouthernerS than any other race of
which | have a knowle lge. No one here.
save the women, appears to have much re-
spect for religious obligations. 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 a great number of private
chapels.
Monday morning broke after carnival
day to find the festivities still in progress;
to find dancers still whirling in the giddy
mazes OF the waltz, keeping time to strange
music. When they tired and rested | do
not know. Seven o'clock came and the
city 10 ked as busy, with people fresh and
moving about, as though they had slum-
oered for twenty-four hours.
FRANK A. BURR.