The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-19
CUBAN FEMI !.
The Topic Another Havana Let.
ter, to the lntclligcncer.
CUBAN WOMEN, TWO CLASSES.
One Of Exclusive Haushtincss, the
Other Which Copies and At the
Same Time ovcrdocs her American
z CousIn-CnbnnD Dwellings are For.
trcsscs-Imprcssions Upon Entering
the Hnrbor orthc City of Havana.

o. i .
Tho ftth and perhaps most interest
Ing letter 10 the 1ntell1gencer from Mrs,
a. II. Patterson, who Is now sojournins
in Havana, is given this morning, and
viii be read with unsalterluS interest
By the Intelligencer's women readers,
for the writer deals this time entirely
with the topics OF home ard feminlnity'
which always appeal. OF course, 10 the
gentle sex.
Special Correspondence OF 1ntelliGencer
HAVANA, Cuba, Jan. 13,-As ono en-
tiers the harbor OF Havana for the first
time, passing under thes shadow of
Moro, sailing along below the frowning
vlne-clad fortress of Cabana, and the
great oriental city IS spread before him,
one Is mystlfied and has the impression
Of the unrcality OF the scene. The lr-
regular houses, painted In bright blue
or terra Gotta or yellow or cream. reach
Ing clear down 10 the waters edge, the
nunbcrless little gardens OF brilliant
flowers, the majestic royal palm trees,
oil compose q scene that first strikes
you as a setting. for an opera from the
anclents; then. as you approach nearer
and the houses grow larger, 1t seems
that PompeiI is before you, not the ST.
lent streets and voicelesS ruins OF to-
day, but Pompeli with all the life and
intensity that thro6bed within Its walls
before the ashes fell and the flames
leapsd up and all was silent. And !nvol-
UNFAIRLY one holds his breath and waits
for the fast! OF the luxurious Actea's
jeweled fan or the perfume OF Nydia's
falling robe as she lifts her slghtless
eyes 10 the gods Of her unqusstionlng
faith. ~.
As far as the architecture Is con-
ccrned this impression Is not dispelled
upon a nearer acquaintance. Tho houses
In design are all built from one school,
ard they are built foc the passing OF the
centuries. Neither the fury of the hur-
ricane nor the baptism Of flame have
any effect upon them. and i doubt very
much IL the bombardmeRt Of Simpsons
fleet would have made q great impress
sion on this c.tS OF fortresses. They are
all low, Ornamental with heavy pillars
In front, usually one story. except in
the new part of the town, where they
are sometimes two storiSs, but build
Ing of three stories is conspicuous af-
fair In Havana.
These houses are made often of n
species of concrete containing very
large stones. Many of them are built
OF marble from Genoa, and the walls are
from three feet In thickness up. The
floors are Of marble or tile. Absolutely
no wood Is used except in the doors or
shutters Three ideas stem TO govern
the builder, TO be safe. to be cool, TO
be exclusive. A Sfaniard's dwelling is n
veritable fortress. No impertlneEt bull
let from passing enemy can disturb
the afternoon siestd OF his household
unless some forgotten shutter has been
left unbarred.
The daughter OF Spain is opposed to
sunlight, to fresh air and 10 water She
Will select. Us q first choice. a. bedroom
withou: window or any opening save
a door upon the inner court yard. room