The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25

horse IN his stable, not a thoroughbred with q
long pedigree. but one OF your creole horses.
than mis- mastcr's.' His horse IL tho Cuban's pet
ornamcntcd saddle and bridie, blinking silver
spurs, whose cruolly large rowols are misleading,
for the intelligent tan animal ma y !, seldom ?. y, b made 10 e, t e.
poor Cuban's ambitious dreams. But, alnsl tho
horse has a rival, tho, pugnacious gamecock.
ing; It Is MS ruinous and far moro exciting. The
crowd 81, the cockpit act like madnen; they
coward hrd that shows the white feather, ap-
plaud and encourage tho brave. champion as
f fnSly @ %nd fur hS%" when SemS the ehe BIRDS pGs'' are Sr we'll
matched. l have known n victorious cock to be
carried through the streets, all bleeding and
a band OF, music end escorted BY q crowd Of
shouting admirers, No hero from the battlefield
/ must say, however, that the crowd was not
composed exclusively of Cubans, but comprised
There arc queer, and sometimes touching. SUI.
perstitious practices in the island, One that l
witnessed in Santiago de Cuba-I do not know
IL II obtains in other parts Of the country-isp POI
etic in Its weird senilmentality. Tho dead are
carried in an uncovered, coffin to the graveyard.
but at tho funeral of a child there Is no sign OF
mourning. The little corpse is clad IN some
young children, the companions Of The doeoasedi,,
HrS dressed in white: with bows q
small basket filled with shredded. petals OF
flowers, which they, from time TO time, throw
falling like raindrops around the little corpse.
Musicians blazing lively airs preeede the coffin.
w Sar ib is i s1niass aSi fSrF Il an by oh hssd ret Ths Gsopfl TO
heaven. which should give cause for rejoicing,
not for g%rievipg,, 4 rather too realistic %illustra.
dead asSS q shi iS's s Ss;0, w S%S i E'4sn open Snsf Sy s so%oc s@S
%trivancc, its cheeks and lips rougcd, and q pair
In the yueita do Abajo. at the annual agri-
cultural fair. every tobacco grower used to carry
a acHnfh ,e oa SoSa enS G EayIH q or mameyn; made as a np q o.
fering. to. the Virgin Mary. It was called Ia
mdnQja dc Ia rir0sn. and the donors viod with
cach other as to who should present the best as
TO quality and to make up. AT the closing of
the fair the n,anojds were sold for the benefit OF
general diversion;. every evening there was a
bale. whero gray.hcaded men danced with as
M MaSt ns'' in nnd 1881 sSsi}oS the s ss ais 'S ofies spn'ii little As
dreamed that these men they saw whirling in
the mnzes OF Ia Guiana, their national dance. as
IL they hud not II caro- on their mind, were con-
spirators who had planned for the next day but
one an outbreak. which. but for Its untfmcly
discovery, would have changed The fair grounds
Illiter1cy is not SO widespread as might be
weiif.to.do are adverse to having their s tns
brought up under the influence of Spanish meth
DDS, and, particularly since the middle OF this
inaugurated by tho Inflated Gen. Narciso Lopez.
many young Cubans arc sent. to the United
obdltb " 10 uNd III uhDllb vi ITeeQOnn.
American ideas arc thus represented In tho
island to-day by quite a large class of well.in-
formed, patriotic men in the prime of life. This
fact, probably, Is not without its influence on
tho successes of the present struggle.
Cnba has produced many poets and musicians
Of note and writers of no small merit in the vari-
GUS fields OF literature. / do not know that she
has given a painter to the world Of art. Lawyers
and physicians, In great number and Of real
talent. she counts among her sons.
The Cuban gentleman possesses an affable dig
nifty OF manner, very different from the pompouB
conccit of the hidalgo Of the old country, while
in the most ignorant countryman we find q
native courtesy seldom mot elsewhere. The
Cubans are n handsome race. The ladies show
n charminH vivacity allied with a gentle, loving
disposition; many are beautiful. all are attrac-
tive. Luxuriant black tresses, sparkling eyes,
and small hands and feet Hre traits common to
the high-born %seforita and her humble sister OF
the vegas. They are intelligent. capable of
great devotion, though from their light.hearted
ways ono might think them frivolous. Past
middle age they have the tendency to obesity,
remarkable in women of the Spanish race, and
due probably to their inactive life.
have tried to describe the Cubans at home,
as / have known them in the days gone by, II
! have dealt lightly with their faults, 1t Is that
they arc individual faults. born principally OF
the system Of oppression under which they live.
Their redeeming qualities show them worthy of
the sympathy OF a great people to whom they
look. not only for assistance, but also as the en-
bodiment OF those principles OF liberty in which
their hopes OF the future rest.
PAUL, +. DE GouRSAy