Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-09-29

IL WILL OO lIOAO lliS 4CcO gay OOChuSO JAO
shadow of war has darkened the land
Very few people are aware that Cuba
has its bayle, its dances, its musical
instruments, its music all distinctively
Cuban. There may be memory of old
Spain in them, but it is only that; in
substance they are Cuban.
A bayle is a Cuban ball and is the
joy of the middle or working class. To
understand the character Of the bayle
let the reader in imagination transport
himself to Cuba, to Empalme, small
station in the interior. Fancy it the
month of January, with Cuba at her
best, and invitations out for the bayle
of Maxine, the handsome young bach
elor who has charge of the station bag
gage room.
The ball was given at his sisters
"casa, the entire family moving out
in order to vaoate the two great airy
rooms of the house for the festivities
The bedroom was used as a dressing
room by the senoritas and was literally
supplied with puffs and powder boxes.
The Cuban women powder heavily on
account of the heat, even their hair,
and over their dark skin the powder has
a particularly ghostlike effect.
The ballroom was most beautifully
decorated. 1t was entirely lined with
fresh palms Scarlet natural flowers
were used as rosettes here and there to
pin the palms together. The Spanish
flag, which is very gosge~ss, red aiie-
yellow, waved at the door, and many
were draped inside la military.
For days before great preparations for
the bayle had been going on. Little
cakes called "bunelop were fried in
quantities. They much resemble the
American dougbnuts and are usually
eaten the night before Christmas, when
a supper is served at IL o'clock. For
the bayle another Christmas dish was
served, small pig roasted and called
a flechon q sada. These dainties,
however, formed but small part of
the feast. Ell Campo had been secured
for oranges, pineapples, cocoanuts and
bananas. Of course there were cognac,
wines and sweet liquors, with plenty Of
cigarettes.
Most of the evening was devoted to
the dance, or, as they call it, "the
DANA. !" 1t is in very slow time music,
the steps apparently divided by eight.
In some respects it is like waltz. To
the more active northerner these slow,
languorous dances seem nothing more
than promenade to music never IA
tiguing, as it permits of frequent stop
pages for talk or Irritation.
The zapateado is another dance pc
culiar to the country. It is also termed
the DANA ell pals and is slow jig
danced by man and woman. He
throws large sombrero at her feet, and
she, while dancing, stoops, picks it up
and puts it on her head Then she
throws her small shawl or handkerchief
at his feet, and he ties this around his
waist. They exchange other favors and
dance around each other until she seems
to tire, when with a bow and a smile
to him she waves her hand and takes a
chair. Zapateado means to beat time
with the sole of the shoe, and this little
clapping is made to perfect time and is
part of the dance The music is quite
fascinating, being in minor key and
in perfect rhythm.
Curious, too, are the musical instru-
ments. In this age, when railroads are
at their doors and perfected musical
machines may be bought for a mere
song, it was strange to see musician
handling drum made by drawing an
OK hide over a tub, while another i'm
provises horn out of an earthen bottle,
with hole on the side over which the
hand plays to make the notes. A negro
man had long gourd, from which he
drew weird music by scratching it with
a bone. Maxine, the host, led this
strange orchestra with an accordion, on
which he had attained some skill.
1t seemed like a scene from dream,
the house of palms hung in colored Ian
terms and gorgeous banderos, the de-
lightful summer air in winter, the
wonderful tropical moon in the clear
blue sky. All night the dancers danced
and the singers sang the quaint, weird
songs of their little island. At sunrise
all bade goodby to the still fresh and
smiling host, Some wended their way
on foot across country to their planta-
tions. The wealthier had their convey
ances, and the American visitors steam
ed away in specially chartered freight
car to the next town.
MAY BANKS STACEY.
CEA NiAkAEC