Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-23

w tlEu GAiOiAS NY ~ w ~ CIV IAb0
Absurd Boasts OF the Boyish
officers of the Spanish Army
the Sober Minded at Last Are
Calculating the Cost of War.
sta correspondence of the Associated
Press
Havana. March 17.-Unless history
and poetry alike mistake, There was
sonnd Of revelry'' in Brussels on the
eve of Waterloo. Paris, TOO, just be-
FIRE that big ARRAY. was in a whirl of
halls and fotes. Havana is very gay
,o.day-strange so for Lent, and
nore strangely still when the losses
RI. its well-to-do and the dire poverty
nj IDS proletariat are considered. OF
course The presence of the warships
with their large complement of hand
s,r,e. intelligent, courteous officers.
has much to do with the festivities
prevailing. Then, too, there are cen
turies of custom and scores of prov
o~bs similar to the familiar "To-mor-
rov will be another day." and these
fond toward inducing somewhat mer-
cnrial people 10 forget the sad things
while they may, in singing, dancing.
and all the rest that goes to make up
social rounds.
But there are many serious ones
who if they join in the laugh, drop
INTO other moods than joyous when
left alone. You can see these frown at
,be absurd caricatures of Uncle Sam
and his minions with which the comic
n9p4rs of Madrid and Havana TEEN.
ynu can see them snecr at the superb
fleets of formidable war vessels pic
flred in the magazines and illustrated
journals. and labeled, Part of SPANS
great navy" You can hear them
laugh sardonically at the foolish acts
nj the boyish officers when they say
las the writer heard one say to-day:
We'll land our army at Key West,
march straight inland to Washington.
md in a week from landing will cap
ture Mckinley and all his ministers,
unless they run away.
AS CALLED RECENTLY,
Havana has at last awakened TO what
lis people regard as the probability OF
4 war with the United States, and the
sober-minded are counting the COST,
some whom the government assumes
10 be the most extreme conservatives
are counting that cost with satlslac-
lion They are anneXationists now,
no matter what they were year OF
less ago and in their number are edl-
tors lawyers, bankers, merchants,
,,apufacturers, officials and even
priests.
Deep is the interest felt in the attl-
tude of the European powers IN regard
10 intervention and loud are the ac-
claims of delight over published cable
grams purporting to give words OF aid
and comfort from the German En-
peror. French minister or. Italian dep
ufv. But the liveliest time came al
The mention of possible alliance be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States, and great anxiety was mani
tested by Secretary Congosto to inter
view the British representative here,
and even our Gen. Lee, and learn the
truth or falsity of the story that the
Prince of Wales has said British fleet
would support the United States in put
ting an end to the war in Cuba. OF
course all the above is from the point
Of view of the lookeron in Havana.
We know marvelously little here
thigh government circles eXcepted) of
What is really going on in the great
world Of American and continental
statecraft.
Through all the wondering the beg
of 1aT or.
groan as time or the occasion serves.
4 merry lot and careless, fat withal,
and not unpicturesque in their scanty
linen, dirty calico or homemade al
paca Three years ago there were
more than 1.7G0 beggars. mostly chill
dren in Havana. known to the police
and endured as necessary evil. That
number has increased By the troublous
times and lack of work The young
boys and girls ply their trade in all
the most frequented places, net only
with absolute freedom, but generally
sure OF the courteous answer from
Spaniard or Cuban, In Gods name,
pardon me- This courtesy even in
refusal breeds impudence, and perth
nacity past all belief. They cling to
the garments or run by the carriages
OF the Americans, who, when newly
come, are an easy prey. While some
are repulsive-made more so by beg
gars' arts-and
NEARLY ALL ARE ANNOYING,
few among the children are so pretty,
NAIVE and jolly that they reap copper,
even silver harvest daily. Take
1ouT-year-old Josefa, who has become
meAdicant in ordinary TO the corps OF
correspondents. Her plump little fig
dre, bronze skin, deep, melting eyes
and flowing head dress of dingy silk
are attractive in their way but pale
their Intellectual fires before the jolly
sunshine of her smile and the con-
Scious certainty of her demand for
Una peseta" go cents). She scorns
centayo (penny), and that child's in
come must be growing burdensome.
Nhe has mother, however and seven
brothers and sisters, all fat, so the
Iour-year-old family mainstay can
stand pretty big receipts.
Another picture, and a sadder: Sew
eral days ago your correspondent,
Walking on Obispo street, near Vile
gas heard a low song from a door
way, and looking in saw a lad of or
IT. years, to whom was clinging very
dl0m Of baby as to size and weight,
though from its eyes and face 1t must
nave been eighteen months old. The
iad stopped his singing and looked up
as the correspondent stopped, but did
pot by voice or gesture crave aims. The
Two had three garments between them,
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