New-York tribune., 1891-01-30

is supposed to be ready for marriage, and match
IS niade for her by her parents soon as possible
Meanwhile, during the transition stage, she Is
closely watched and not allowed 10 make ac.
QuaiDtance with men. She is kept under guard
during the week. but on Sunday night she Is eA-
hibited 10 all comers. The mothers and chaperonS
accompany the glddy young creatures to the lIaza
and leave them at liberty to stroll up and down
the stone walk IN company with girls of their
aeanaint2nce while they Themselves Ives onn oc,
overlook tie scene and keep their eyes upon
them. The whole town goes out 10 see the show.
For three hours all the young unmarried women
tramp up and down. dressed in their prettest
gowns and displaying their charms. while II IN
drcds Of young men join the procession and eN-
change ances. If not words. with them. Any
thing like an incpent iiratlOn or an indiscretlon
brings the stern mother upon the scene. and the
foolish. saucy girl is DRAGGED homeward pre-
maturcly and kept indoors the following sunday.
Hour after hour the ,promenaders are IN m3'i2n,
girls Of thirteen and fourteen being the belleS
Of the walk, and great cOncourse OF carefully
dressed and profusely powdered men Watching
them with eager interest. 1t is the Cuban vanity
Fair.
From Cienfnegos there are two routes TO
Havana One is by railway, involving an early
start, four changes of cars and fu!l day rae
The other is by steamer to Batabano, requiring
hours journey by rail across the island The
second is preferable on many accounts, anu
especially because the steamer scenes are character
istc of the country and therefore especially lncI
eStLlg 10 strdntcTs Lawn st'"hI,' O"iiIo'
in the lower deck, and motley company OF
Spanish soldiers and noisy Cubans The soldiers
camp out deck, and lie mummied IN their nlah-
kcts while asleep and In the morning
they are fed from kettles, the spoon passing from
man to man very much as the pipe Of peace Is
smoked in an Indian camp They are NOISY
rabbe, shouting, gcsticulating and Singing wnch
they arc not summing themselves on deck WIN
their blankets wrapped obOut their heads NE
CLUMSY hoods The Cubons do not frateri2e
with the soldiers. but remain at the other end
Of The boat singing. gambling in the saloon ana
lingering atectiOnately over their cockt'lls. y
dozen nuns are among them watching the roNstrr-
ing scenes with unaffected interest, and cautiously
retiring TO nuet corner when the uprOor becomes
scandalous As the steamer approaches the wharf
al BatabanO there is a medley of singing shouting
and swearing, with the accompaniment OF acc0r-
dons guitars and flies. Cubans like all Spanish,
excitement. 1t is what makes their life worth
living
A train is already drawn up to carry the pas
scngcrs Of the crowded steamer TO Havana but
il is long. drcary time before il is i'm motion.
There are two engines at hand and switches con
venientiv placed for the rapid making up ot
trains: but neither nor the other is used
\ pair of oxen is employed in hauling one car after
another into rlacc while the engines stand mo-
brought INTO use to facilitate the operation and
10 start the train time the most ingenious
Yankee will he unable to find ont. Possibly II
Is because Columbus used oxen for making mp his
trnins when he first visited Cuba. and the Spanish
ruling class does not favor radical reforms. rs
for the roingstoc 10 be seen on this r1lway,
there can no no question respecting It's identity
II was used in taking the live stock out Of thc Ark
and has ncvcr been painted nor oiled y. F.