The times., 1899-04-09
The Palais Royal. AHsNER. G and Eleventh Sts.

the person TO whom he is talking suddenly
retires for private hunt, or smiles to see
the priest in the pulpit reach down to
scratch leg in the midst of prayer or
exhortation.
As for abstinence days in Cuba, the most
carniyorous of mortals could have nothing
to complain of where the encircling seas
are swarming with an infinite variety OF
the very best fish In the world. Havana S
superb fish market-built by the ha pir-
ate, half smuggler. and whole scoundrel,
Aarti-is worth to the bon yiyant. the
naturalist. and the artist, taking a long
voyage merely to look at. But on Palm
Sunday women, at least, may realize that
Lent is penitentiai season. Think of be-
ing compelled to kneel, on hard stone
floor. three hours at a stretch,
The stocks, the pillory and the iron
virgin were as nothing to this pious tor
ture. While some seats are owned by the
privileged few, there are no pews in Cuban
churches, nor chairs and kneeling benches
for hire, as in Europe. The swellest thing
! for ladies to the manner born is to have a
footman, or small black page in gorgeous
liveries, to carry prayer carpet" and
spread II wherever he can find room on
the church floor; and then, when the soft
knees OF his mistress are crooked upon it.
TO drop on one corner behind her for his
own deyotions The men of the congre-
cation stand throughout the services, lean
ing against the walls in solid phalanx. tax
ing things easy after the manner Of the
lazy sex, expecting to get into heaven on
the merits OF their daughters, wives, and
mothers.
lhe women. however, instead of rising
| 10 the feet at intervals, as in other coun-
| tries. keep right on kneeiing from start to
hnish, regardless of bodily torture. reIiey-
| ing the position, when flesh and bones can
endure no more by settling back upon the
heels in kind of capital Y attitude Only
a born Havanese can do it gracefully In
a few minutes the foreigner wobbles side
| ways in demoralized heap and feels a
| good deal more like Cinderella in the
ashes than decorus church communicate.
Palm Sunday.
The Palm Sunday gospel, when read. is
| very long indeed, and thrice longer when
| chanted- To kneel continuously through
out the performance, without the slightest
external support. is, TO the novice an ex
perience which for painfulness throws far
in the shade a walking tour to Mecca
with the dryest OF peas in the tightest of
shoes. Instead OF the sprigs of box or hem
! lock, used in colder countries whose leaves
scatter themselves broadcast before one
can get the blessed branches home, verita-
Die palm leaves are. OF course. distributed
here, such as marked the Saviours en-
trance into Jerusalem. The Cuban ladies.
Taught IN converts are wonderfully in
genious In plating the flexible palm leaves.
Besides the long branches blessed by the
priest and brought from the church, which
all the rest of the year remain twined in
window bars for luck" like the Druids'
mistletoe, ii is the fashion to make little
baskets, crosses, necklaces, bracelets, and
other pretty trifes of palm, have them
duly blessed by some accommodating
priest. and distribute them among ones
friends.
On Maundy Thursday morning the whole
city goes into mourning and silence Flags
are furled, bands cease 10 play, not a bell
rings, not carriage is permitted 10 tray
erse street within the city walls
On Good Friday only business or work
public or private, OF the most imperative
need lis done, and in the houses of the
deyout IL is es II the dearest member OF
the family were lying dead Ladies wear
somber black, disearding all ornament But
one meal il served in the twenty four
hours, and that at midday, of bread, rice.
and bacaiao. The latter is Goldfish but so
compounded with oil and saffron, tomatoes
and peppers that Nantucketer would fail
TO recognize his own. At twilight images
OF the dead Christ. of his sorrowing mo-
ther, OF ST. John and Mary Magdalene. TO-
sether with the instruments Of his passion,
are borne through the streets at the head
OF vast following of clergy, religious or
ders, eonfraternities. charitable assoca-