The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-09-22

some holes in the thick adobe walls
windowless, doorless, dark and destitute
of every convenience, constitute the
culinary department There is neither
table, chair, shelf, nor cupboard. The
dishes are washed on mound of adobe,
out in the open patio, where, if Cuban
customs were strictly followed, they would
be left till wanted, to dry themselves at
leisure in the sun. The o-called range is
an adobe altar, breast high and faced
with broken tiles, with three holes in it,
the size of small plant-pot. In each hole
you build a separate charcoal fire, bottom
side up, SO to say-that is, with the
kindling on top. 1t smokes, of course,
like all possessed while you fan it
vigorously with anything at hand; and by
the time the blaze gets well going" the
charcoal has burned out and you must
begin again. Over these tiny fires all the
cooking is done, there being no oven, no
Gas, no other alternative. As cultivators
OF Christian graceS these Cuban ranges
are without Il parallel; and when one has
50 possessed her soul in patience that She
can prepare three course dinner without
once mslaying her temper, she is surely
ripe for better world.
Our servants match the kitchen to a T.
They are elderly negresses, with families
of their own, and like mother birds, they
l,rlN II,
molsel OF food not carefully locked up in
the wardrobe Their every day costume
is distinctive, if not appropriate. 1t con
sists OF single. voluminous white skirt,
very short i'll front and trailing far behind,
with a low necked bodice and short,
pulled sleeves leaving the skinny arms
bare to the shoulders. The front OF the
corsage is deliberately embroidered and
secured by a string at the top, tied SO
loosely, if tied at all, that a strip OF bare
bronze back stands confessed to the waist
line. The woolly heads, gray with the
weight Of years, are topped with gaudy
turbans; the bare feet are thrust into Slip
peIs of white canvas, and when my Ia lY
walks abroad she covers her gaping back
with bedraggled white silk shawl. Both
women consider themselves monuments
of virtuous industry in conserving to lend
a helping hand 10 las -4ntericdHs-for
could they not, like all their neighbors,
be well fed without work, SO long as
Cuban relief supplies hold out? But
they are not injuring their constitutions
by hard labor When not sitting in the
front windows, smoking cigarettes and
gossiping with friends outside, their aim
less slipshod feet go slapping about the
marble floors. Ike the stars, "unhasting
yet unres-ing." The slow, monotonous
slap, slip, slap, of those heelless slippers
so wears upon the nerves that one in
dulges in strange flights of fancy as to
what might accelerate their movements.
Should the seven angels Of the Apocalypse,
carrying the seven golden walls filled with
Wrath, heralded by trumpet notes and
wrapped about with awful glory, come
knocking some fine day at our front door
slap, slap, would go those same slow feet
to admit them.
My family of nineteen includes Miss
Annie Wheeler, daughter Of ex- Cover
nor Packard of Louisiana, several ladies
from New Orleans, two Cubans from Key
West, and several others from various
parts of the South mostly immunes,
recruited for the work by Mrs. Curtis of
Washington.
AS every moment of time must be spent
to the best advantage, where such an
ocean of suffering is to be staid by a few
frail hands, we breakfast at 80 a. m.
and Immediately afterwards each goes on
her appointed way, to hospital, dispensary
or consultario. The dinner hour is set
for $50; but often it is s or even p. m.
before the tired ladies can leave their
pressing duties to snatch a hasty meal;
and then go straight to bed for few
hours needed rest If your Imagination
is fertile enough, you may perhaps fancy
some of the experiments l have tried by
way OF making cnange IN the daily menu
with the materials at hand ;-essaying
French toast, of bareback soaked in con-
densed milk and fried in bacon fat; hash
of eaansd beef, minus potatoes and a
chopper; cornbread, baked in a frying
pan over an uncertain charcoal fire, and
savory ragouts compounded of all the
odds and ends obtainable Occasionally
ransack the city market in search of
something new, and then my experiences
are indeed varied and entertaining.
On such occasions am accompanied by
one or both, of the elderly hand maidens,
who, in addition to their trailing white