The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-16


women of free manners. A place of
delusion to many and of amelloration
to few" What Cervantes had to say
of Cuba in his own day applies largely
to the City of Havana in this. But of
course it is not to be interpreted too
literally, for there are many excellent
families in the city.
Havana Is full of surprises for the
man who first visits 1t, no matter from
what part of the earth he halls. Small
as it is, compared with London, the
slums of the east end of that great
Babel cannot match 1t in some things,
for instance, colored children of both
sexes, from the age of 8 and years
down. are permitted to roam the
streets, wander about as they please,
enter bazaars, shops. or stores and
play In groups about the public places
in a state of absolute nudity. In this
respect, as in the matter Of early ring
ing of bells, Havana is unique among
all the cities of the world
The populace of Havana. at least in
times of peace--and this accounts for
It's disquietude in TIMES Of warts es
sentially gay. This accounts for the
number and variety OF the cafes, ca
chas, eating and drinking places,
iouHSIiS pllctS unu RESORTS Oh every
color and complexion calculated TO Of
fer opportunity to idle and lazy men.
a recent visitor to the island, describ
ing the habits of the men and their un-
speakable Incidence, says this of the
towns resorts and their habtues:
The men luXuriate in the cafes or
spend their evenings in worse places.
a brief period of the morning only is
given to business, the rest of the day
and night to meeting and lassitude.
smoking and luxurious ease. Eridenc-
es of safety, languor and dullness, the
weakened capacity for enjoyment, are
sadly conspicuous, the inevitable Sc
quence OF Incidence and vice. The arts
and the sciences seldom disturb the
thoughts of such people. Here, as in
many European cities, Lazarus and
Dives elbow each other, and an orient
al confusion of quarters prevails.
"The Dretentious town house is side
by side with the humble quarters of
the artisan, or even the negro hut.
about which swarm the naked juve-
niles of color half clad slatternly
mother appearing now and then. The
father of this brood, If there be an
acknowledged one, is probably at work
upon some plantation not far away,
while madame takes in linen to wash.
High life and low life are ever present
in strong contrast and in the best of
humor with each other, affording ele-
ments of the picturesque if not of the
beautiful. Neatness must be ignored
where such human conglomeration
exists, and, as we all know, at certain
seasons of the year, like dear, delight
full dirty Naples, Havana is the hot
IA nF h.
atmosphere transforms most of the
street offal into powder, which salutes
nose, eyes, ears and mouth under the
influence of the slightest breeze
Though there are ample bathing facili-
tles in and about the city, the people
or either sex seem to have a prejudice
against their free use. | was told of
ladleS VINO content themselves with
only Wlplng the neck, face and hands
daily on towel saturated with island
rum, and from what is obvious, it is
easy to believe that this Is true"
WELL SUPPLIED WITH PARKS.
Havana is abundantly supplied with
parks, squares and public places The
squares are ornamented with royal
palms, and here and there an orange
and banana tree, and now and then an
Indian laurel. The Plaza de Armas,
fronting the governors palace, and the
Parque de Isabella are two splendid
specimens of Cuban appreciation of the
richness and fertility of the soil and
the rare climate. The Parque de Isa-
bella is picture of gay life in the
evening, and is one of the beauty spots
of Havana.
The cafes are innumerabe and some
of them the equal of the best and most
exclusive restaurants in Europe or
America. The principal playhouse is
the Tacon Theater. Other places of
amusement are Payret theater the AL
bisu theater and the Cicero, Teatro de
Jane. The Casino is place of amuse-
ment and instruction combined, a sort
of atheneum, in which such art as lives
in Havana is fostered and in which
state balls occur
The glory of the new city lies in its
splendid streets and the well-ordered
vegetation that has been cultivated
along their lines. The churches are
without number and are enthusiastic
ally hlled on Sundays and holidays. On
these occasions uuusual demonStra-
tions are INDUCED in in the way of bell
ringing.
No city in the world, with the pos
sible exception of San Francisco, is so
lavishly supplied with food products
as Havana. The earth and the sea
render UP all their best fruit, and living
is cheap.
The great Havana market is where
the visitor opens his eyes An upper
floor and lower open on all sides and
under q roof 1t covers q good sized
block. All Havana is here buying its
dinner and other supplies. There is a
multitude of booths, containing fruits
of the tropics, fish, meats, leather
goods, jewelry and curios such as only
seaport mart can pick up. The hui
man beings who preside here are rep
resentatives of every nation on the
globe.
The hotels are built around a court,
so that every room has direct communi-
cation with the open air. A terrace
often encircles the upper story (the sec
ond), and on it are strawberries and
plants, and maybe a few parrots
There is a most comfortable place to
sit: indeed, the majority of the citi-
zens OF Havana spend their time on
their hous, tops. They dry clothes
there, and use the space for a back
yard.
At the hotels, as at many private
houses, two meals day are served
breakfast in the late morning, and din
ner in the evening. Coffee can be had
shortly after rising, Wine is freely
drank. Candles serve as illumination
when you retire, and cockroaches and
insects peculiar to the bed are violent