The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-07-20

Of the fire companies are composed of lib
elite of the city.
Justice in Habana in the past has no
dealt harshly with the "gentlemen." III
r was allowed with impunity to do things
| that would surely land poor man in Jail
Such trihes as drunken brawl, or The
smashing and wreckng of Il cafe by gen
llemeu" occurred nightly, but the cases
never reach the Police Court. Murder it.
self often has been committed by mel
with large incomes, and, barring pubica'
ton of the fact in the papers, no further
attention was paid to the matter.
The opera is the feature in the Habana
season. The boxes are nearly all owned
by the principal families, who purchased
them when the theatre was built, and they
have since passed from father 10 son as
Il sort of heirloom. The entrance 10 the
TacOn Theatre is on the Prado. a long
strip of carpet is stretched from the
marble steps to the sidewalk, and on
either side of this carpet the young men
in society awaited the arrival of their
friends. This custom was dangerous, for
rarely does an opera night PASS that Il
duel does not spring from it, A look or
glance is sufficient for an exchange of
cards. Cubans are tremendously jealous
and do not tolerate any Irritation with
their fair inamoratas.
Fencing is one Of the chief points in
man : education in Habana. Young men
and old spend from two to four hours Il
day practcing with the foils. They are
masters of the art. Ducls in Habana, un-
like those in France, seldom result with
out some one being seriously injured.
Many brides have been won, so to speak
at the point Of the sword. The acrea del
Louvre, or Central Park, is the rendez-
yOus for all the swell idlers. These
men spend their time picking up quarrels.
With them dueling is a pastime. SO
many duels were fought that Augustin |
Cervantes, who is considered the cham
pion fencer of Habana ana who has now |
twenty dueIs to his credit, every six |
months publishes a book, in which each !
duel, with the names of the principals /
and seconds and the issue of the fight |
is carefully chronicled. This custom of !
dueling will be very hard to do away with |
and will give American officials serious
trouble.
Cuban's fortune is calculated by his
yearly Income, which, according to the
price of sugar and tobacco, decreases or
increases annually. The wealthiest man
that Habana has ever known was Miguel
ALBANIA. He built his palace, which is
The largest house in Habana, at the cost
Of $4,000 He died in 1881. Mr. Aida
mas yearly income was estimated at about
F3,OOO,O00 No such fortune exists to-day
n Habana. The richest man in Cuba at
he present time is Mr.. 1'irso Mesa. His
'ortune may possibly reach 5000, 900 a .
lcar.
The cost of social life in Habana is .
mall compared with what it is in New
York. With an income of $2j, 900 a Cuban
amily can afford to figure prominently
II society, and needs in no way to be :
shamed of its entertainments. The rent =.
# house is very small. The principal \
TENS for those who figure in society are -
he wOmen's gowns. These are all i'm !
'orted directly from Paris. The opera
eason in Habana lasts for about six
'eeks. During that season the small
ances given at private houses are sus- =
ended, for the opera is considered of far
90 great Importance to be interfercd
18th by minor affairs. The social season
ONES to an end about the beginning of o
lay Then society deserts lIabana. Late =
l November or early in December they u
eturn to Habana, and the social season t,
pens. {
Gambling is the Cubans principal pas ~
me. He loves game of chance. Many W
large fortune has been lost on rouge eft d.
Dir, and the turn of card. Baccarat is st
e iavorite card game. At no other y,
ace in the world, in comparison with Hi
size, barring Monte Carlo, does so al
uch gambling daily occur rs in Ha- az
ma. Few, if any, OF the men in society !"
'rk. They are nearly all lawyers, but ST,
rely practice. The majority Of them tn
landlords or planters. They all have pa
rritorious (oaicers), to which they make -