The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-19


leased. Farther down the hill came four
other men, carrying on their shoulders, as
the perspiration fell in great beads from
their brows, the body of a man, Cuban,
who had left behind six orphan children.
Hatless and coatless was this brigade. too,
but clouds of tobacco smoke arose above
the coffin between times that the jargon
and banter ceased. AZ the heels Of The
casket walked a dozen or more men, these,
too. in sleeves. but all putting away for
dear life at the cigarette or cigar.
few hundred feet behind these pail
bearers and ''mourners" came a solitary
man with a white coffin slung under his
arm He wore hat and coat, and while
cigar was stuck in his mouth, it wasn't
burning He talked to himself as he went
along, and had every indication of one who
was sad Right behind him came wo-
man, an old woman, with broken shoes and
wrinkled face, and al her side fastened
with ropes in such way as 70 form a
hand grip, she carried another white cof-
fin-carrled it much as the colored porter
in a hotel would carry a sachel
Another brigade of coatless, hatless, but
not smoSeless, men, with an adult coffin
on their shoulders, and a merry laugh on
their clustering lips, went by and then
came along man and woman, wheeling
IA a wheelbarrow two infant collins, They
meath the uuinscribed coffin lids. The
man rolled cigarette between his fingers,
rolled it nervously, and went along like
one in a dream. on came the hearseiess
dead, one, two, three, now a dozen. and
amid the clang of the mournful bell they
turned into the cemetery, and then fathers
dug the graves of their own children. hus-
bands those of their wives, brothers those
oil their sisters. Not tear, not "a pang!
T. na nj Of
smoke.
These are poorer funerals. The burials
of the rich are attended by long trains of
carriages and the hearse is decorated in
the most astonishing and gaudy colors,
chiefly red and yellow. The driver of the
hearse, with the assistant who sits along
side him, is decked out in scarlet coat and
knickerbockers, and a cooked hat of the
same color. In fact, he looks more like
an English admiral, except for colors than
an undertaken. None of the hearses enter
The cemetery, remaining outside the gates.
the remains being then carried into the
cemetery for half a mile or so at time
by relatives and friends.
They beg every day in the week along
the streets of Havana, but Saturday is the
legal holiday. That is to say, while the
police make no attempt whatever to in
terfere with the mendicants on other days,
by contributing their own mite. 1t is the
most common thing in the world to find a
business man absolutely refuse to give
aims during the first six days of the week,
but on the last day nearly every solicitor
of charity who may visit his store re-
ceives something or other 1t is a strange
custom, and one that reflects great credit
on those people of the island who are able
10 give and who do. The laboring man,
ri All
creature up North goes to and comes from
his work every day during the week with
the exception of Saturday, without being
disturbed by or paying any attention TO
the beggars But on this one day an OBJ
server would lack the sentiment of a New
foundand pup were he to fail to appre-
ciate the delicate touch of goodhearted-
ness that is displayed in the workingman,
with his small store surrounded by half
dozen or even a greater number of rag
ged children. to each of whom he gives at
least couple Of centavos.
Just as impressive is the performance or
the carriage driver who brings his horse
TO a stardstill, jumps down from his box
and runs across the pavement TO the curp-
stone to shove few pennies into some
unfortunate palm. Even the driver of a
hearse. gorgeously equipped, has been seen
to stop in the middle of a funeral process.
sion and twirl a copper at a beggars feet
One priest who came from Barcelona four
years ago is known to give away in char
ity every Saturday four-fifths of his stl-
pend. The fact that one is entertaining
friends at dinner in one of the big hotels
does not prevent an interruption on the
part of the beggar. A bookseller near the
captain generals palace sets apart each
week So which he distributes to the poor
on Saturdays. 81 give for my sins and
can afford TO do it," he explained to an
American acquaintance, 'for l stick on
the price when you foreigners buy" A
practical Illustration of Godsmiths line:
In penance planning sins anew"
The government. too. helps the poor ON
Saturdays, and distributes rice, bread and
sometimes bacon.
There is a strong prejudice against the
English language throughout the island,
and particularly in Havana. English
schools or academies are unknown, or II
known, are merely dragging their weary
length along. Children are forbidden by
their parents to talk English except where
there be some financial prospect In sight.
and they obey the mandate to the very
letter. German is frequently heard on the
street, IN the theaters and about the hotels
and French. which is thought by many 20
be twin tongue 10 Spanish but which
isn't is commonly gossiped everywhere.
! The same may be said OF Italian. But an