The Portland daily press., 1896-05-02
PRETTY CUBAN sENoRlTAs.
Who Raise Funds in this Country to Help
Along the Insurgents.
(Iampa, Fla, Letter in Philadelphia
Times.

hundreds of pretty little Cuban senori-
bas In this country by the toll of their
dlmpled hands are playing no inconsid-
cradle part in carrying OH the war for
the freedom of their native land. There
is not Cuban colony of dozen house
holds in this republic, whether in the
great cities or in the towns and villages
along the South Atlantic and Gulf States
but there is to be found a club or society
formed Of girls of Cuban parentage for
the purpose of raising funds for the
cause of Cuba. Their names have not
appeared in print, nor have their valiant
services been given publicity or received
that need Of praise they SO richly merit.
For some reason these admirable little
patriots seem to have baen overlooked
by the American press, and, too modest
to parade, too sincere for idle demonstra-
tion, they have simply gone about their
labor with their needles around the
fireside making little articles for sale, or
giving their entertainments of bazars,
singing their songs and dancing with
their castanets to raise money to be sent
to the wounded insurgents who fall in
battle on the unhappy island.
There is world of interest," In the
story which tells of their shining deeds,
just as there has always been fascina-
tion and oharm..to the part woman played
in war. There is pleasing glamour Of
romance lowering over the memory of
the late war between the States that his
tOrianss hands hava pavar ,,iotrrod opd
that is the story of woman's love for the
blue and woman's prayerful faith in
the gray. How the women of the North
and the women of the South toiled at
home for the cause of sthe two opposing
armies; how, with the infinite fervor of
their souls. they went about the task of
administering comfort to the sick and
wounded, can never be fully known till
the record of noble deeds is read beyond
the skies.
So, with these patriotic little senoritas,
who, far from their island home are toll
ing to earn money to buy food and cloth
ing fo1 the army tina is battling for the
freedom of Cuba.
Down along the Florida coast there are
large settlements of Oubans. In Pensaco-
La, Tampa and Key West the population
is largely made up of settlers who came
to this country from the island with the
increasing growth of the cigar BUSINESS.
been built in these cities within the past
few years, and each of these employs
from 100 to 500 Cigar makers all of whom
are Cubans. In this way there has been
rush of Cuban immigration to the
cities of Florida Oh the gulf coast, the
wages being good and the conditions of
lire far more favorable there than in
Cuba, with the ills of Spanish rule COM
planned of for the past few years. In
Tampa SO great is the percentage of Gu
ban population the signs over the stores
for the most part are presented alike in
English and Spanish language. The Gu
bans in these cities are an intelligent
GLASS and make good citizens They are
represented in the city councils and hold
higher offices Of public trust. They have
their schools and colleges, and their
children are growing up with fair advan-
tages for enlightenment and culture
along with the American youth Of mod
ern times.
Since the war in Cuba began the Gu
ban population in this country has been
largely increased, the number of refugees
from Havana being sometimes enormous
with the arrival of every ship. OF course
among the Cubans here the spirit of pa
sriotism runs as high as it does with
their fellow countrymen who remained
behind, and thousands of dollars are sent
from this side by the Cubans here to car
ry on the war. In some of the settle
ments 1t has been determined by the Gu
bans to give ten per cent. of their week.
ly wages to the cause of Cuban rights,
and large funds are thus raised and sent
over constantly to promote the Cuban
side of the controversy with Spain.
All these things are interesting to the
winter tourist on the west coast of Flori-
da, but far more interesting yet are the
customs and faith of thegCuban senoritas
as they go about their part in promoting
the cause for which the insurgents are
fighting on th e island.
Many of the girls are pretty some are
beautiful. All are average types Of the
genuine senorita to be found on the is
land both In point of facial outlines and
dress, they never having lost their fond
ness for the pretty laces and mantillas
worn i'll Cuba since they came to live
among American dress. They are we'll
educated as rule and soma of them
have talents and accomplishments that
many an American girl may we'll envy.
Of the talents common to them music
is chief. Scarce indeed are they who
cannot sing with charming sweetness of
tone, or play with that characteristic
soul-soothing touch the piano, mandolin
and guitar. The senortta who isn't
graceful with her tiny feet is rare.
Nearly all Of them can do the clever
turns of the terpsiohorean art involving
castanets and that peculiar measure of
time that characterize Cuban and Span
ish music; such, for instance, as the IA
miliar airs "La Paloma," "Lelita,"
"Cachuca, Ella Media Noche" and