The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-11-25
AVERY INTERESTING LETTER
n e~5aLIo9o98a, I'D. E5e 49,

Nanannlo, Cuba. oct. 25-It seems quite a long time since I wrote
INV last letter ON board the Roumanian mot RoumaDa, as 1 wroteA and itI.
seems much longer since have heard from home, YETI am not COMPLAIN
ing. nor ava J. honescE. but perfectly well aad happy. Icomd not be with
amue perfect gentleman, or more charming one than Capt Young
Every dy b.. eadsls Htnse; to my heart more and more. He is SO soic-
tous about everyone comfort and welfare and does everything to make us
happy and feel perfectly alt home Ihaye been quite busy since my lastI
writing wording hard every day and way into the night, The shipI
was oy entirely unoaaed today, it uayng taken an entire week to gee thel
fesAto4 with gang ol from soyeatg-iFe to l5oGa2ms at work every
day aad for the last two nights
Wen, will speak later Of tms, and begin where left Off in my last
letter.
Tuesday. oct Is, one week ago to-day Capt Young gave me orders to
20 ashore and suportntend the unloading Of our property, which had been
taken from the Roumaniano on lighters, as She could not get nearer than
about mile from shore. came in the launch Fabo Rodriguez she tow
ing in the lighter Angela. When we landed there was a motley crowd toI
meet us, men, women and children. Thought at frstit was through curtI
osiy, but learned aterwad it was the poor people who were after aims.
Twas delighted with the place the moment touched terra fima and my
first impressions have remained as they were received. The town reminds
me of the Mexican quarter of San Antonio. Tex. The houses are all built
in compact styles no yards or gardens between then" one being buuJa against
the other. TIE houses are mostly onestoy structures of brick, stone, etc
There are no buildings of lumber, as that article is worth from $40 to SEQ
Der 1000 feet here. Most Of the houses have the appearance Of having been
formerly built by wealthy people, Twill give you a meager description OIL
the house we live in Chat is, Capt Youg's clerks lii a mtxtureof stone
and mortar, one story, with large hall in front, about the size Of our largest
rooms. This we Use for our reception room. It's a beautiful room, with
tile flooring and a ceiling about eighteen feet high. 70 the right sa sleep
ing room occupied by viii Walsh aud Burns Vert; behind their room isl
mine. and just back Of the hall is the DINING room with beautifully coored
glass folding doors separating the nan FROM Ohe mmhg ROOM ana oosfucb7
ing tile view Of the curious Cubans. On the left. leading out from the din
ing room is the sleeping room Of Mr. Converse. and opposite his foomtis the
one used 10y Charlie Magee. Thus you sea we have four sleeping depart
ments, one reception hall, dining room and kitchen. The oven in the
kitchen is built like a bakers oven. Theawe have a l~oyelEIitte court inl
the rear Of the house, surrounded by asone Walaabout ten. feet high; inI
this place is eur bath room and showeEbatb We have eishrnF water and
dpump attached which forces the waterinto the spryof te shower bath
The yard i laid with brck, as every yard seems to Ne here There are
no houses built with glass windows. and inther place arg strong iron bars
forming kind Of bay window, extending theentTe heISht q me mousse
n when I first landed and saw the iron bars in front ofthehouse2 | thought
the buildings were prisons ,.
Capt Young and MI. Thomas have another house for Sleeping apart
nents but mess at our house, They have a funny custom hereof allowing
children to run about the streets nakedt children anywheresfr1m babies UP
to Six years Of age. We will get somesnapshos q them Whsn we get
e 4EJ, E#W a~F
s"en was real amusing to see me Hy to make the gang Of natives Obout
r. ffJ III NUMBER that L had under me. understand what 1 wanted Them To-
d5 Whe unloading the lighters and carqngthg supplies ~ he@aFehouseA
d~r,1frat9eE rolling them from the piers ~Peha9dseafs They@e9a. Y be nat
$t3F1h st1id M. very INDECENT also, ad they Notwithstanding what l
t1aaf55fefa vcantb y signs, ltB remarkable that we got along as wel.asWe did.
OIfffhaoohey sworth sL6ofo dollar in Spanish silver but / think after te
fsE6fNoyombe We viii get ~wospauish dollars for an Amaicando.ar, as
IA Porto Rice aud Santiago. The pincp}5dEhh are eoaee qaGge wines
'slb#a Kind Of lemonade made Of lines. nngorthese you can get for five
cents III our money. The cofeei quite good, butyery strong, ana ora pecu-
Star aavor. the wines are not good, but t6demdnade is very nice Milk
butter eggs and chickens are very scare. In fact fthey have no butter.
Eggs sel for i've cents each, and clickensfron$I to $3.50 each, Spanish
money. Ibeieve some enterprising person could get rich OIL cargo " ouC'
ter, chickens and eggs. was disappointed IN not having Iounaa gou 4
gar here yet. They are mostly made Of cheap naIRe NOsHo "' ''"'
fr,m FIVE cents each down to three for five cents, Spanish money
The most principal things they have here thatl have been ane Y aus
co,or ,na aea mosauftos and poor people The city however is very
nrettv and stretches out over a large territory, In te center OF Ie uo"l
jsa beautiful plaza, Of which any city may well be proud rms plaza y
surrounded by almonds trees, casting splendid shade; ana places LOT PRONE
uading and %benchesf for resting are - abundance A. n Lr, w. 49, ~ -
nromenades about the plaza, and when the regimental oand pays mere y"
.an a,ar,elv walk for the crowds The Cubans are very friendly 70 Un
Americans They have many beautiful customs and are very courteous
Bems closing their houses for the evening they viii tell VaE heishoor
nss tsh+ 800 ~ are usually greeted from all sides, as we are Away
IN last n t5e bnsk to retire. The society ladies do not come OUT u NJ
day lime. only at night, and only when accompanied by a. SCOTT ~
AVS M yery hot. but tie nights are more pleasant than az homei "a icO
to9 eodl. owing 70 the contrast Yet the houses ae on1 NT 0m@
q M remafns indoors they do not noticethe heat much. inc meFcnant
have discovered the ubenity Of the Americans ana nave ''H0i "o ~"
On LINUS INV. ~ NJ !%@c classes Of society here and almost three diReTen
,ooass. MAJ The Cubans, then the Spanish, and lastly the casslian' The