Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-14
LETTER FROM CUBA.
&. o. Vickery OF Augusta, Writes the Jour-
nal OF Sights There.

Mr. 9. O, Vickery, who is now basking
| on the sunny shores of the island Of
Cuba. in the West Indies, has just written
the Journal very interesting letter,
relative to the peculiar features that one
will see in that land of all sunshine. He
says that life there is like life in Paris.
one continual string of amusements
Sunday is legal holiday and is set apart
as Il day for sports. On his way to Cuba
he met young lawyer from New York,
who had business with one Of tho United
States ministers and they have been
travelling about the island together.
They attended Spanish opera there a
few evenings ago in the smallest opera
house, he said, and the seating capacity
was 2l00 The play started at s o'clock
and at o, or between acts, everybody
leaves the hall for drinks. Then at ten
ont again for refreshments and again at
30 The next time out comes at ~
o'clock, it then being Sunday morning
and the last outing for drinks is at lis
o'clock They have opera every night in
Cuba, Sunday and all.
Mr. Vlcllery says that the churches aJe
old and finely furnished inside. The
Columbus cathedral was one Of the mo
| interesting places that was visited, and
was viewed with more than ordinary III
terost The building is very large and
was erected in memory of the man who
| discovered the Western hemisphere.
| Upon entering all is rapt in darkness and
/ one of the monks lighted candle and
/ they advanced through the gloom to see
the tomb OF the immortal Columbus. He
says that as they stood there and gazcd
upon the spot where this great man rests
! ii did not hardly seem possible, and that
| it carried one s mind back to 400years ago i;
| that you could not help but soliloquize
over thegmany varied changes since the
day upon which this wonderful man first
sighted land.
The tomb is in the side Of the wall. a
new one is now being built in New York,
and it will be oft Spanish marble. The
Fdcsign will he four ladies carrying a coffin
on their shoulders, and he workmanship
will be Of the very finest and mcst ella
borate to | c had.
One Of the most novel sights that Mr..
| VickcIy has seen is the spanish bull
4 fialt. and he says that it is a most brutal
| amusement. At the fight which he saw
| five bulls and two horses were killed, ard
two men very seriously hurt The bull
enters the ring with oolors waving and
| the men start for him with strips Of
colorea cloth Pointed irons are plunged
| into his side and when he becomes very
much exhausted he is killed, the man
Ecnding his life being counted the hero.
Another very amusing feature was the
! cock fiqht, and the natives take very
nearly rs much interest in this as in the
more brutal bull fight. The meals con
sist of coffee and rolls at 5 A. NJ break
fast at 10, and dinner at p. NJ The
city of Havana is filed with soMiers
Spain keeps watchful eye over this is
! land and has two naval vessels in the
harbor The people here do not like to be
called Spanish but Cubians instead
Mr. yickcry says that the girls arc
watched very closely and that when a
young man goes to the house to see the
Young lady he must also see the mother, be-
cause she win not leave the room during
his presence.