The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-05-09

AN oAy AVA SAS ASoSy
nor, perforce, the stranger within the
gates. AS everywhere in Spanish
America, Sunday is the gala day of the
week, distinguished by the universal
donning of good clothes, added brill
fancy to the coloring Of every street
scene, increased activity of billiard sa-
looms, b~olsterousneSs of masquerade
professions, and noisy persistency Of
lottery ticket vendors; everybody re-
llglouSly begins the festive day with
matln and mass; but the accommodate
ing clergy get through with all that
by 10 a. m, leaving plenty Of time for
promenadlng in the plaza, horse-rac-
Ing, c~ock-fghting, the theater, balls
and other gayeties.
The chief social institution of Cuba
is the Sunday evening promenade in
the plaza, and without it I really do not
know how the young people would
manage to mate and marry. During all
the week the Senoritas of the better
class are lever permitted to walk
abroad alone, but are kept under rigid
restrictions, constantly watched as if
expected to rush to the bad if allowed
the slightest opportunity, and always
accompanied by q duenna or elderly
relative whenever they go out of the
house. This system of eternal vigil
lance would doubtless become irksome
enough to the mothers and guardians
of the opening buds, was it not soon
over, for at the age OF Is a Cuban girl is
considered quite old enough to be mar
rled and her parents hunt up a hus-
band for her without delay, unless, as
is more likely to be the case, a match
satisfactory to pater familias, was ar
ranged for her with the son of some
friend, while the precious pair were
both in their cradles.
During the tadpole stage a girl is
not allowed to make the acquaintance
OF any men whatever except her priest
or nearest kin; and even after she is
formally betrothed her fiance can see
her only in the conventional sala of
her fathers house, in the presence Of
other members of the family and al
ways under watchful supervision. But
though the giddy creature is thus kept
under guard all the week custom reg
ulates that she may be trotted out on
Sunday night and exhibited to all
comers. Her mother and chaperon &C
company her to the plaza and leave her
at liberty to stroll up and down the
walk in company with other girls of
her acquaintance, while they (the eld-
ers) sit upon the stone benches that
line the pathway, or the cane-seated
rocking chairs which are arranged in
long rows for hire at 10 cents each
where they can keep watchful ewes
upon every movement of the promenad-
ers.
The whole city comes out to see the
show, and for three mortal hours, SAYS
the New York Advertiser, while the
band plays, all the unmarried women
tramp up and down, displaying their
charms and prettiest gowns, while hun
dreds of young men-and some bald
heads and ~gray-beards, too-all care
fully dressed, pomaded, perfumed,
toothpick-toed and excessively high
heeled, watch them with eager atten-
ton. The ladies are all bare-headed.
exceptafew wearing the graceful man
tilla, and every one carries a fan which
she knows we'll how to use in the Ian
guage of coquetry.
Girls of 13 and IA are the bellies of
the walk-old maids past 20 being
passe and quite out of the running.
The miniature women are short in
stature, plump and w~ell-rounded in
figure, graceful: in movement and with
wonderfully fine eyes-large, l~ustrous,
black as ebony, that flash at night and
melt by day. But the beauty and
charm Of Cuban females is as evanes-
cent as it is irresistible while it lasts.
Like the lovely wild flowers of their
own forests, they mature very early
but fade as rapidly. The prettiest girl
will be plain long before she is 30, and
handsome middle-aged women are not
found in Cuba, if anywhere outside the
temperate 3one.
Should n OF these daughters of the
island aristocracy be guilty of any in
discretion in Vanity Fair-such, for
example, as the exchanging of words
with one Of the admiring lookers-on
or smiling upon some would-be lover.
the stern mamma appears at once upon
the scene, and leads my little lady
home, and perhaps, if the offense is
particularly fragrant, she inficts con-
dign punishment by keeping her in on
the following Sunday-and what could
be worse?
In all the mountain regions of
the eastern district, the roads are in
tested with banditti, who plumber both
natives and foreigners. There are
many instances, even within the last
few years, where travellers have been
captured by the banditti and held for
ransom, and terrible tales are told of
torture inflicted upon those whose
friends failed to pay over the sum de-
manded, eliminating in the murder of
the victims. In some parts of the
island it is to this day necessary to go
well armed for self-defense on any road