The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-09-30
the oldest inhabitant, whether it be

man or woman. It is not an infrequent
sight to see old women with large bum
dies on their heads going along the
street with big black cigars in their
mouths, while little children scarcely
able to walk will be found putting away
at the fragrant weed, which seems al
most to grow wild. Havana is the CEN
ter of the tobacco industry and Is filled
with cigar factories, in which the ma
ment.
There Is no rafting Of milk cans or
the squawking of peddlers in the
streets to disturb the slumbers Of the
weary. Neither are there any fruit
stands to take up portions Of the side
walks. Everybody, apart from the
storekeepers, who has anything to sell
carries his wares on horseback. It is
not uncommon to see in the early
morning peddlers driving from eight to
ten horses along the streets. The
beasts are covered from head to tail
with farm produce. They are not har-
messed. Each horse a around his
neck a rope which is tied to the tail Of
the animal next ahead. They go
through the streets in this tandem
fashion, hating now and then to al
low the owner to bargain with a pros
pective purchaser. The horses are
sometimes so completely covered that
it is impossible to tell what is carry
ing the load of moving grasses or gar
den truck.
The fruit vendors cover the backs
of their horses with loosely woven
packets filled with fruits, flowers and
vegetables tastefully arranged. Great
stalks Of sugar cane several feet long
will stick out of the ends Of the bas-
kets, while the fruits n flowers are
piled high in the center.
NO WATER IN MILK.
The method of selling milk and poul-
try is the strangest Of all the sights.
Imagine a milkman driving several
COWS before him up to YOU doc and
milking the required amount while o
wait and the cow stands patiently
chewing it's cud! That is the case in
Havana. There is no palming off chalk
and water on the people. They know
the milk is fresh and the chickens have
not been in cold storage for several
months before they are brought out for
ale.
Poultry placed in crates on the backs
of horses is brought to the city every
day. All you have to do is to make
your selection from among the lot, and
they are killed for you. Occasionally
one of the crates will break and the
chickens get out. Then there is a scram-
BILE to capture them. The small boy,
who, like his parents, is lazy, gets some
energy into him.. He leaves his resting
place in some cool, shaded spot and
starts or a chase after the chickens.
but not, sad to relate, for the purpose
of returning them to their owner. The
Cuban boy is fond Of poultry, espe-
cially if he can get it for nothing. When
such an accident does occur, the owner
keeps a closer watch on the small boy
than he does on the chickens.
The peddlers do a thriving business,
and before the sun begins to send down
his scorching rays they have sold out
and are either on their way home or in
some cafe trying their luck at the
gambling table.
HEATHEN CHINEE is THERE.
Another quaint feature of Havana
life is the Chinese merchant. There are
many of them. They go through the
streets carrying large palm leaf bas-
kets suspended from a long pole which
they carry over their shoulders, They
sell their wares, as do the natives, by
going from house to house. Their are
numbers Of Chinese employed in the
large cigar factories and on the plan
tations that dot the surrounding coun-
try.
While Havana has many interesting
sights there are a number to be found
in the country a few miles out. The
valley Of the Yumur is a paradise. It
is situate between two high hills and
is covered with sugar and tobacco PLAN
tations, while in the hills is to be. found
some of the finest iron ore in the world.
The famous Bellamar caves are in the
Yumuri n are we'll worth a visit.
The most comfortable way to. get to
them is in a volante. The road. how
ever, is like many things to be found in
Cuba-it is primitive in the extreme.
An old wood burning locomotive and a
car that saw it's best days many years
g comprise the equipment. To go by
rail means not only a shaking up, but
the chance Of losing an eye or two by
the cinders thrown from the wide
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