The times., 1898-07-05
prom the Atlanta Journal.N }

(From the Atlanta Journal)
Santiago. the Cuban city that is being
attacked today by the American army.
is by far the oldest city in North Ameri-
ca. and & is as quaint and medieval as
its age would indicate barring the ad-
vancement Of modern times.
1t has long been a disputed fact whether
Columbus landed first at San Salvador
or Santiago de Cuba However that may
be. ST. Jago. as the Spanish call it, is far
older than any city in North America.
The peculiar narrow streets and the IA
cades Of the houses remind one of some
OF the old towns in Italy, but there the
resemblance ceases. for the houses of
Santiago are nearly all built around
court. or patio. as they are in most Span
ish towns. With their high barred win
dows and glariug plastered walls, on the
outside they look more like prisons than
like the American idea of dwelling
houses. But so inside the patio and ev
erything is different There are palms
and shrubs and flowers. and in
some Of the richer houses even fountains.
Meals are often served in the patio in
pleasant weather.
IN san -iago. as well as in other Cuban
cities the proprietors of most of the
shops and warehouses live in the same
building in which their business is con-
Quoted. The shops open about 9 O'Clock
In the morning and remain open till about
noon. when they close up. and everybody
goes TO the midday meal After that ey-
eryb0dy takes a nap I'm the heat of the
day. The shops open up again about ?
o'clock in the afternoon and remain open
till half past or 6. Go to an office in
Santiago at half past in the morning
and nobody will be up; go again at half
past Y and everybody will be eating; go
again at half past and everybody viii
be asleep
In the evening the people SIT around and
take life easy, and smoke, of course, for
In Santiago everybody smokes, men. wom-
en- and cs.ldren. Even the walters in
the hotels and cafes pull oat a cigarette
and smoke between the courses. The
pOrters and cabmen smoke at all times
and seasons. The stevedores on the
Wharves smoke at their work, and even
the clerks in the dry goods stores roll a
cigarette and take a puff between two
customers. The senOrita blows cloud OF
smoke from under the lace of her tasci-
mating. mysterious mantilla, while ne
gresses walk along the streets putting
away at huge cigars. Children Of eight
and ten may often be seen with cigarettes
On their mouths. and II is no uncommon
sight to see men and women smoking in
church.
The country houses around Santiago
are infested with mice and lizards The
latter are very alert and active and quite
unlike the sluggish lizards seen in north
eru climates. There is a curious kind OF
mOuser whose presence is rather encour-
aged about Cuban country houses. These
mousers are not cats, as one might sup
p0se, but large black snakes AS they
are quite harmless. nobody thinks OF be
ang afraid of them, and they come and
20 as they please. unmolested.
All the young bloods IN Santiago wear
white duck suits and straw hats. and they
may be seen l0unging around the city and
the Club de San Carlos. looking cool and
comfortable and smoking. of course. fOI
that goes without saying in Santiago. A.
the Club de san Carlos. which is The
Union League of Santiago. the Spanish
officers from Morro Castle and the gildeC
youths Of the city make their idling head
quarters Ii is a pleasant place in which
10 loaf. drink cooling beverages, smoke
and gossip The club house Is only on,
story high like most Of the buildings IL
the city, and in front of little gardeT
with a fountain and flowers.
Opposite the Club de San Carlos is tbs
Cafe Venus. where, an enthusiastic trav
eler declares. as good meal can be haC
as at DelmOnicO's. There is less win,
drunk in Cuba than in most Latin coun
tries: but there is a native rum, called
bacardi, which is made from molasses
and which, well mixed with water anC
cooled with ice, makes a very smootl
sort Of beverage and a somewhat inSidi
Gus one. A quart bottle Of this rum cost
only fifty cents. and as a good deal o
II is usually drunk at the midday meal
is not 10 be wondered at that a nap imme
diately follows it.
AT all places in Santiago where drink
are Sold as well as in the telegraph of
fees and postofice one always finds LOT
tery tickets on sale. and men and boy
peddle them about the streets. Thes
tickets vary in price from 10 cents TO 81
and even more.
OF all the cities Of Cuba, Santiago, wit
its 480G) Inhabitants, is by far the mos
picturesque and interesting. 1t is man
years older than ST. Augustine, and afte
walking for an hour or two through it
medieval looking streets the most mat
1er-Of-facJ American is ready TO beliey
any romantic story about the place whic
may be told him, except. perhaps, III
story Of the immense chain stretchin
from MORO Castle to huge staple in III
wall Of rock on the opposite shore, ift
yards away, which can be hove up by
caps;au till it is level with the water, 5
as to form an insurmountable obstacle [
any attempt TO force an entrance in tim
Of war. II he is familiar with the lar
euage the Spanish prOverb -Hablo {
buev di 10 bu-' (''He speaks and says
too''). used I'm referring 10 people who tai
very big" may occur to him, and h
viii be inclined to doubt the story of tn
chain till Schley and Sampson settle III
,,4f+ar or,ga for a