The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-08
'Prc1 UREs or LIFE IN CUBA.
chi Time-What is Said In Havana
About the Maine Experimentation
Work of the Red Cross Society-Death
of Matamoras In Prison.

About the Maine Observation-Disclosures
Work of the Red Cross Society-Death
of Matamoras In Prison.
Especial Correspondence
Havana, Feb. 27.-Carnival time has
come again and the Queen of the An
titles is enjoying herself in the same
old way-all but the suffering thou
sands in hospitals and prisons, the ma
ked and hungry in highways and by
ways mothers whose loved ones are in
the field or among the slain, and the
many in all grades of society and Off
cial position In whose hearts the Sc
cret love of Cuba Libre is burning with
quenchless flame.
The gaiety for which Havana has al
ways been noted is now more than ever
accentuated by the dark shades of the
picture. The unknown hand which
threw the bomb into crowded ball
room the other night, killing a few and
wounding many more, was probably
that of some half-crazed patriot" who
wished to discourage frivolity in these
Gays of tragedy But all the same
masked balls, theaters, bull-fghts and
parades are the order of the hour,
though with far less splendor than
formerly because the people are poorer.
One of the straws which show the way
of the wind is the fact that the pawn
shops are packed with valuable arti-
cles, put up" by impoverished people
to raise money for the seasons festivi-
ties, while the line of secondhand fans
jewelry and ball-gowns is unusually
low.
Every afternoon from my balcony
view the carnival parade, which for
a week takes place between the hours
Of five and seven o'clock Hundreds of
carriages are in the procession, few
of them with liveried coachmen and
footmen, and blooded horses glittering
with gold and silver trappings; but the
large majority are hired hacks, in more
or less advanced stages of dilapida-
ton. Nearly every horse, however,
whether housekeeping steed, or some
poor old Rosfnante designed to end his
days in next Sundays bull-fight, has
gaily colored ribbons, bound above his
eyes, and perked out at the ears in
bows and rosettes of fluttering stream
ers. Here goes a splendid span, gor-
geous in gold-plated harness, with
yards of pink and yellow ribbon inter
twined about their heads; the coach
man in white knee breaches and yell
low Jacket and hugh boutonniere of
pink roses; the ladies in the open Ian
deau disguised (purposely not too welD
in pink gauze doninoes, with tall cone
shaped hats on their heads, surmount-
4 ed by roses and ribbons. Close behind
( joys an old lame white horse, a really
pitiable object under the lash, drawing
a 10 ali lot od cI,
people. The dusky madam, in gowns
of yellow satin and white lace mantil-
las, is bedecked with flowers like a
paschal lamb and waves her fan with
languid dignity, while her lean hus-
band has his hands full to keep the trio
of ebony youngsters on the front seat
from standing on their heads under the
carriage wheels. The driver of this
turn-out-whoN plainly bears the ear
marks of an explanation hand from
cole Virginny," despite his tall silk hat
and white cotton gloves-lashes the
poor beast necessarily to keep it's pain
full hobble UP with the procession Nor
is he the only brute who plies the whip
in this carnival Of pleasure-not by an
overwhelming majority. The sound Of
blows is continually in the air, every
where and at all times in Cuba. Whip!
whip! whip! Whether the wretched
beasts go fast or slow. No matter how
overworked or ready to drop from hun
ger and fatigue, the drivers consider it
a part of their business to apply the
resounding lash without cessation.
The scene of barbarous cruelty to ami
mails which one is continually obliged
to witness makes ones heart ache and
blight the fairest landscape. The local
ear is so accustomed to the sound of
blows that 1t never seems to hear
them; even gentle women give no heed
to the spectacle of some poor beast be-
ing dashed upon a raw and bloody
back, or having fallen from exhaustion
under a too heavy load, being kicked
and pounded by brutes in human form
Oh, for Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals! If Cuba ever does
come under the rules of Uncle Samuel
and such benefcent society is estab-
lished here, 1t will require years of
fines and Imprisonment, and perhaps a
new generation or two, to effect much
change for the better. At present
there is no use IF protesting against
any case Of cruelty. The law says that
a man is absolute owner of his beast
and may kill it by any prolonged tor
& ture If he 50 desires.
Nowadays the better class Of Havan-
ians do not join In the carnival festiv-
tiles. A few Of the bellies and beauties
are out, including all the demi- monde,
in decolette toilettes of white satin,
pink, pale-blue, with uncovered arms
and heads, and matrons In badly fit
4 ting gowns and lace mantillas, a COM
+ paratively small number wearing
masks and dominoes There are many
horsemen in the procession, mostly the
young bloods" of the capital, who ex-
cell as equestrians; and one solitary
senorita in the saddle, in a surprising
Fl habit of sky-blue satin The bull-fght-
ers are out, too, in full force and as
tonishing array, with the great MAJ
zantini-said to be the best Cor rather
the worsD torrieador in the world-at
+ their head. There are several car
rage loads of them, fresh from the
a CORY spot of the bull ring, where every
& Sunday, and every afternoon during
8 the carnival week, twelve worn-out
horses and six wild bulls are butchered
for the amusement of the rabble The
picadores and torriedores-all swarthy
It fellows from the south of Spain, with
Il their back hair" tightly braided over