The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05
PRETTY CUBAN REFUG EEs.
failing with Gen. Lee About Their Return TO
Havana.
From The Boston Evening Transcript.

From the Boston Erenfng Transcript.
TAMPA. May 3d. wished very much last
night that ! had had q photograph of ~irst-ratc
recording power; and also that photography
were capable of reproducing a scene by a light
which was a combination of moonlight and cleo
tricity. and that n camera were at hand. On
the broad western veranda of the hotel sat Gen.
Fitzhugh Lee in a large rocking chair. He was
ono figure in a seated group. arranged in a per.
feet oval, of about sixteen people, only one other
OF whom was II man. All tho rest were exceed
ingly pretty Cuban girls and young women.
most OF whom were talking gayly In spanish at
the top OF thcir, voices. giving Gen. Leo a chance
to get in n word now and then. The girls were
nearly all members of the Havana refugee group
now established in Tampa, awaiting as early II
They were putting the General to his stumps in
laugh at his Spanish. and this he was taking in
the greatest good huuor.
Whatever may be his temper toward Span
ia rds. Gen. Lees good humoT toward this party
is a man OF the utmost bonhommie anyway. but
no one could have done otherwise than take
n group as this. ! doubt II the equal OF it could
have beer. produced outside, OF Cuba. Tho
beauty OF these girls. at the girl age. be It. under
stood. is something almost inefYable. They have
great black eyes, which shoot innocent light.
nings all around. Their compilations are not
1t = that poudre de rz seems to be al! right and
proper on such a complexion, and not to degrade
As SAo UNIV " bbl " ShcaAiA 6NA oNAN ~
without .poudre de ri2; but ANYWAY her COM
pleXion. for some inscrutable reason, seems to
be lovely with IT.. ! have decided that while
face powder should never be used by any one
else, 1t may be used quite freely by Cuban girls.
In their ways these lovely Cubans are a shade
coquettish, perhaps, but they are also perfectly
highbred and proper. 1t Is the same with re-
dc riz; it seems TO be a perfectly normal and I'M
eXceptionable part of their equipment. Nearly
every night these, Cuban girls arc at the Tampa
bay Hotel, and they are always chattcring In
Spanish ut the most Incredible rate OF speed,
and are always laughing unsteady and show
ing rows OF poarly teeth, and shooting those
glances OF lightning about them, There are
sundrY duennas, as n rule, with them, but tho
duennas seem to be of slight consequence.
Moreover, they seem TO he very little needed.
The Cuban girls are as good as they are pretty,
which is saying a great deal.
This evening they were giving Gen. Lee a sort
OF Spanish rehearsal. anu he was meeting the
test in excellent style. To he able to stand such
perfect GOODNESS, calmnoss, and the utmost good
nature, proves that a man possesses great quail
Is good. but tho girls, nevertheless, derived
much amusement from IL. However,, they de-
rive amusement from everything. On the even
Ing OF bis arrival these young ladies ware among
tho very first to greet him. and they immedi-
ately asked him when he WAS going back to Ha-
Vanh; and they were amused at the somewhat
evRsive and way in which he
answered them. He asked them when they
were going back themselves, and they matt
that they were only waiting for him; that they
couldn't think OF going without him.. Then
they laughed that merry ana ripping pdlIn-loRi-
in'the'bree2e sort OF laugh OF theirs, which is
not to be dRunted by war or hardship or exile.
Hardship. at least. relatively to their ordinary
circumstances these Havana peuplc OF wealth
may be wrecked or coniscatod in their abaence,
and when they go back. II IL is 10 Il free Cuba,
In life from those they left. But they are al
| ways, men and women, as gay as they can bo.