The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-03-16
The Republican Journal, Thursday, March 16, 1899

bowls, or shallow earthen pans, general
ly in cold water, without zap; and after
being well rinsed in more cold water. but
never wiped, they are turned on end to
'drain." And there they remain, in sun
or shower, until required for the next
meal; but somehow they always come to
the table clean and shining. Pantries
and dish cupboards, as we know them in
the United States, are not found in Cuha
though the best houses have splendidlv-
carved china closets in their dining
rooms for keeping the best silver and
show pieces of table ware. Notwithstand-
ing the absence of all those convenences.
which to us seem Indispensable, one sell
dom sees an untidy kitchen in Cuba.
Even the cooking pots, which of necessity
are smoked black whenever used, are kept
as immaculate as cold water and 'elbow
grease can make them.
Every Cuban household has a great
many servants in proportion to the size
of the family, and how they all manage
to occupy themselves is a mystery. In
truth nobody in this land of manana loses
any sleep in worrying after something to
dol Out West they say that Thompson's
colt was such fool that he swan the
Missouri river to get a drink of water;
and one is often reminded of the incident
by the methods of these good people.
Given at least one servant to each member
of the family, besides cooks and hostlers
and gardeners and lavenderas and troops
of hangers on, they fairly tumble over one
another in the business of doing nothing
For example, there is one servant whose
whole duty in life is the washing Of dishes,
with a maid or two to assist her. One of
the maids finds her earthly mission in
polishing the knives, forks, spoons and
trays; and although she has no bath bricks,
patent soaps or whiting, nothing but
pure and unadulterated dirt-you may
see your face in them at all times. She
takes Them out in the back patio, kneels
on tie ground, digs up a little fresh earth.
and holding the article firmly on stone
rubs away at her leisure. Another servant
acts as steward doing he marketing and
bossing the two or three who wait on tho
table Others do the family washing and
ironing, and do it beautifully, too, although
the river serves as a wash tub and the
clothes are never boiled or hung on lines.
Others wash the floors and keep the
house tidy; attend the children; brush the
mistress hair and shake the dust out of
her skirts, which sweep the dirty streets
whenever she walks abroad; and so on to
the end of the chapter. Six dollars
month is considered good salary for the
best cooks, and the others have lit lie but
their food and the cast off clothes of their
employers, being privileged to carry to
their families at night every morsel of
cooked food that is left from the days
supply. AS a rule the servants of Cuba
are the most honest, obliging and simple
hearted folk | ever met, universally pious,
contented and happy. Each wears his or
her precions charm, blessed by the priest,
suspended around the neck by a string,
and tells his rosary beads many times a
day. When troubles press OF dangers
threaten, the prayer, Valga me, Dios!
protect me, God) rises to their lips as
naturally as sparks fly upward. Happy
people, How gladly would most of us
exchange our struggles with the world
and the little knowledge we have gained,
for this unquestioning faith and the con-
tented poverty which aspires to no higher
lot.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.