The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-03
Native Cubans Endeavoring to Learn
the Language.
THEY REALIZE NEW CONDITIONS.
4 knowledge of the Language Has
Now Become a Ncccssity-Othcr Nv
licences of the Ciiangc-Signs Of
Increasing Business Activity

talks French. German. English, spanish
! and Italian indlnorontiy has always neen
| here. Usually hc was wealthy CUBAN,
who had been educated IN Paris, travel
led on the Continent. and passed his
summers with his family at Saratoga.
] If not that. ne was likely 10 be tobac-
/ co-huvcr or drummer for some WeF-
camille house in Europe. The cosm"po-
Titan. however was few IN numpera-
three or four score, perhaps. AFTER MIN
came the German tobacco merchant or
manufacturer. who learned the language
OF the country as a matter OF course
and then because Of business connec-
lions i'm The United States. made him-
self familiar with English. Young Gu
bans Of good family and the clerks III
/ the export and import houses also hheN
English.
AN unknown TONGUE,
In spite of this diffusion OF knowledge,
the mass of the Havana population. par
ticularly the Spanish classes, Knew no.
thing Of the foreign tongue ana cared
nothing for il.
II is the effort Of these classes 70 mas
ter English that SIS tho most pointed PEE
hinder Of a change in the old condi-
uous. Where one shop formerly had the
sign. English Spoken Here. II ts now
seen I'm uozcn PAGES. When tested me
quality of the English does not usually
bear the test. An ambitious clerk who
has mastered a few stock phrases is IKE
~ to bo the medium OF communication.
Ills struggles are amusing. The book
stores have their windows filed with
textbooks and manuals for learning En-
glish and the demand for these is
growing one. The Constitution of the
United States. i'm both Spanish and En-
glish. has fair sale. while the increase
I'm the purchase Of American newspap-
ers and magazines is out Of proportion
10 the increase in the number OF Amer
leans who are here.
There is one bookseller In O'Reilly-st
who stubbOrnly refuses to recognize the
new conditions. lie is an uncompromis-
ing Spaniard. IT was never possible 10
obtain surreptiuously az his place cuban
literature during the Instruction. II IS
equally impossible now TO procure
book or q pamphlet printed in English.
lie still keeps for sale the pamphlets in
which the Yankees were eXcoriated by
loyal Spanish authors. The demand for
this class Of literature which was at one
time quite brisk, has ceased. Probably
the bookseller intends to return to Spain.
His is the only place I'm Havana in which
English books are not on sale.
WATERS ANXIOUS.
The most persistent ones in their cf-
forts 10 learn the tongue of the Ameri-
cans are the walters i'm the hotels and
cafes Formerly their vocabulary was
limited 10 the single phrase. "All right"
When the wrong meats were brought
when cold soup was served and canned
peaches took the place of fresh pine
apples. the only satisfaction the eXas-
perated guest could get would bee the as
surance. All right" Now the walters
I'm addition 10 knowing the names Of the
different dishes. have learned 10 ask,
Whats wrong sir?'
The cocheros, or cab-drvers, were
among the last 20 recognize the Ian
guage of the c0nquerors, but they have
yielded. Their English Is not as idiomatic
as that which is spoken by the New
York cab-drvors. They ask ITO where
instead OF "Where TOP" and sometimes
they put II (Which where2" When the
wrangle arises over the fare they forget
their English and fan back on Spanish.
The bOatmen in the harbor are In adj
vance of both cabmcn and walters They
know how 10 speak q few sentences, ana
they understand what is said 10 them
fairly we'll Americans who have recent
ly come 20 Havana and who think 10
improve the opportunity OF acquiring
Spanish complain that they do not get
the chance one OF the engineer com.
missioncrs has already tried and dis
charged three protested teachers. They
were all trying TO perfect their English
at his expense. \ hotel in one or the
suburbs secures American patronage by
throwing in" lessons in Spanish and
not permitting English 20 be spoken
other evidences of new conditions mall
tply. The "casas Dc Gamble or ex-
change houses. change United States
greenbacks into spanish silver without
having first To make the calculation in
Spanish gold. Generally they do IT with
an extra profit TO themselves and few
cents loss to tho holder Of the green
backs. but as these places are convn-
lent and save the trouble OF carrying
about a large quantity OF either gold or
silver coins the gain IS not hcgrudgcd
them. Trade Is dry goods is not yet
brisk. but 10 is possible now 90 see Wo-
men in the stores shopping or an even
ing. where little while ago there were
no customers. This evening shopping IS
a Havana custom II is a leisurely pro-
coeding, and has no resemblance 10 the
bargain-day rushos so dear 10 the hcNrts
Of American women.
A TWO-FOLD STORY.
In the provision and grocery houses
and the large import warehouses there
is something Ike activity People must
be supplied with food. \ curious devel-
opmcnt is the growth in the handling
Of old furniture and secondhand house
hold goods. The columns of the news
papers are filed with advertisements Of
fering "gangas" or bargains, in this line.
These advertisements tell a twofold
story In many cases the sale means
existence for families who have survived
thus far and who hope 10 tide over the
last and final stage OF distress by part
ing with the bulk of their household ef-
fects And the sign of hope is that they
find purchasers among the refugees who
are returning 10 the city and setting up
housekeeping again. There are also
many purchases by small spectators.
who buy with the expectation of selling
at later period for better price.
The effects OF many battalions OF the
Spanish Army are also advertised for
sale Havana viii be benefited in one
way by these sales, for many OF them
include the horses Of the cavalry regi-
ments. During the blockade the high
prices Of fodder caused the loss Of many
animals, particularly Of the cab horses.
These are now few, and line Of cabs
looks like a skeleton caravan The cav
airy animals have suffered comparative
~ little. and many Of them will soon be
drawing cabs through the streets Of Ha-
vana. II the Spanish battalions had
oxen 20 auction of as well as horses u
would be an immense aid To agrcul-
tural production Unhappily. they help
ed 10 consume the oxen. and few are
Ieft-New York Tribune.