The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-05-12
HOW THEPEOP.LELIVE
DRoWSY EXISTENCE OF THE
CITIZENS OF HAVANA.
Military Display the Only Change in
the Conditions Surrounding the
Place-Cotfee, Siesta, Promenades
and Bull Fights Go On as Usual.
Few Indications of Var.

1
rifcally and completely changed by the
violent upheayals of war, it's chief city
Still sits on the shores of the northern sea,
sunlit and odorous. Havana, too, has TN
sdergone changes, says the New York Her
aid, but the changes are not those of fire
and sword and famine. 1t has become de-
cidedly more military than a few years
ago, but this is all. Its cafes, formerly
haunted by well-dressed crowds of civil
ian Cubans and Spaniards, now clank
with spurs and sabers and ring with brim-
stone gossip Of trochas, of battles and red
routs, where the men who formerly sat
cheek by jowl in the restaurants have met
in deadly conflict.
Havana is full of marching soldiers that
signify nothing but harmless dress pa
rades, relief detachments and the like.
The civil guards still form on the Prado
and sweep down between the trees to the
tune of lively Spanish quickstep, with
rifles at all sorts of angles and their hip
py-hoppy hats cooked over their eyes in a
style that would be considered aggressive
in any other country.
Bit the real life of the city moves on
steadily and quietly, just as it will con-
tlnue to move until the day Of Judgment,
unless stricken by some mighty cataclysm.
Across the blue waters of the bay the low
white houses of Casa Blanca sleep under
the shelter of the bushy hill. Farther
away, beyond the tile-roofed sugar houses
that are empty and deserted now, and on
the high mesa of the palm-dotted prairie
hill, are the sleepy houses of Regia, and
farther still the village of Guanabocoa,
where the insurgents have made things
lively during the past month.
But outside of the bodies of moving
troops you could not discover d sign of
war in Havana's front with microscope
The lovely land conveys no hint of the
savage and bloody exterior. The mule
teers still perambulate the lonely roads
with their enormous pack saddles, Groom
ing to their sun-dreaming animals, while
hammering them downward with their
ragged heels.
"Venga, Moolah AFRICA, Moolahw But
Moolah, wise from experience, only lays
his long ears back in logged resentment,
and plods on in sleepy comfort.
In Havana proper, while business is
comparatively stagnant, there is still
enough to give the usual air of slow and
easy life to the streets. The narrow
thoroughfares are swarming with low
topped carriages. beasts of burden, jost-
ling drivers and negro women with such
nuge pannlerS Oh their heads that the
mind tries i'll vain to grasp the effect of
such burden on the Caucasian brain.
some OF these panniers are filed with
Dread. Others contain fruit and yegeta-
Dies. visitors have seen an Havana ne
gro woman walking along the streets with
basket upon her head the size of bu-
feau, and smoking cigar which for gen
erai size and black suggestions of nco-
tihe mas never been equaled. They are
physlcal wonders, these tropic negresses.
The morning life of Havana is brisk.
Then everything looks dewy and fresh and
bright, and whatever odors there may be
nave not yet risen. Odors are late risers
in Havana. although it may be truthfully
observed that many of them never go to
sleep at all. In the morning come the
peddlers, with their strange wares and
shrill cries. Here and there half dozens
OF asses may be seen waddling along with
full udders of milk. They are attended
by ragged owner, who milks into a
measure whatever you may choose to buy.
This is decidedly comfortable way of
running milk route, and you are sure of
getting the pure article
Said to Be Wholesome.
This asses milk is said to be very whole.
some, too. There is no tuberculosis about
a jackass, except in his heels. On one oe-
casion the writer saw one of these lowlv
and intelligent beasts kick yellow dog
over the counter of casa de cambio," or
money changers" and knock down S1S7
In gold coins that were stacked in the rear.
Only one stack was left standing, and it |