Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-09-08
INTERIOR OF CUBA.
VERY DIFFERENT FROM TIE
SEACOAST CITY VIEW.
Daughters Sold by Parents-The BurIa,
Customs Seem ShockingIy Brief and
ColdbloodeG to American-Ha-
vana's Highly Ornate Hearse.


but two cities on the island. Such is
not the case, however, for some of the
provinces especially the western PROV
inceS. are densely settled, says the
Washington Post The province OF
Havana alone has nearly a hundred
large towns. Those who have visited
only the seacoast towns have seen the
worst, and in fact a very small por-
| ton, Of Cuba. Over two-thirds of the
island is just as healthy, even during
the summer months, as any part of the
| world. Two distinct classes of people
live in Cuba. The people who live in
the seacoast towns may be placed in
| one class. while those living in the
interior towns form distinct and very
| different type. These people differ
| greatly in their ways and customs. The
| coast people are more enlightened. the
| reason, perhaps. being that they inter
| mingle with Other classes of people.
which partly proves that one great
| need of Cuba is the immigration 10 its
| shores OF other races who will import
vitality and enterprise. Naturally the
Seac0ast towns have developed more
rapidly. and the laws of civilization
are more readily Obeyed. IN the in
terror towns, where other races Of peo-
pie have seldom been, the people in
| general are very ignorant. All classes
of people in the interior are early ris-
| ers. Early to bed and early TO rise"
being their motto. AS soon as dark
ness comes every place is closed up and
| quiet prevails. At 6 o'clock in the
| morning all the places are opened and
| business is resumed. They have not
yet learned that Sunday is day Of rest
and worship. All business PAGES are
kept open all day, and as many tran
sactions take place as on any other
day. Cuban men rarely go to church.
But OF the women it may be affirmed
that they are very devOut. and early
in the morning they FIJI the churches.
What strikes one fOrcibly is the great
spirit of democracy that exists in the
| Cuban churches. Many of the re-
groes are very devout. and they go to
church regularly. They are not reie-
| Sdltu " likt Sdllt4 IS VI q 4CW DttN L
seats. but may go anywhere. Il is not
an unusual sight 10 see a beautiful
| girl of naughty Cas;ilian features tell
ing her beads beside rough-loOking
negro with only dirty. everyday shirt
| between himself and the outer world.
In the interior Of Cuba the marriage
laws need much mending. Few Gu
bans are lawfully married and many
of them have seven or eight wives.
This is not only tolerated, but rather
encouraged. Men will go around brag-
ging about the number of mojers
(wives) they have and as the Cuban
marriage laws are worse than the Nor
mon laws of Utah there is nothing 70
prevent man from having as many
wives as he wants. CourtEhips. as a
rule. are OF short duration, many not
lasting longer than a week or ten days
Girls marry very young. Many are
wives when they have attained the age
CT u or -. and some even marry at
10. When they marry so young it is
not always their desire TO do So but
because they have been sold by thei
parents. Like our Indians, the Cubans.
especially those living in the noun
tains, believe in selling their daugh-
I tiers. Whenever Cuban children are
baptized the name OF both parents are
used. If Juan Rodriguez m2rries Ma
ria Lopez and they have child-Say 4
boy-when he is christened they choose
for him the name of Francisco. then
his full name will be Francisco ROdri-
suez Lopez. the mothers maiden name
being added. which explains the cause
OF so many long names among the Gu
bans.
Hearses in Cuba are very rare. Dur
ing all my travel l saw but one ard
that was in Havana. 1t is a magnifi-
4 cent affair. drawn by six jet-black
horses. Two men in red uniforms
trimmed with yellow sit on the box
Such gay uniforms at one of cur fu-
nerals would perhaps be regarded 4
out OF place The well-polished braea
that adocns its sides, and the kneei-
ing angel on the very top, seemingly
so eager to fly, greatly enhance the
|
Six men. three on either side, in black
uniforms trimmed with yellow and
wearing red-top boots, act as body
guard. Every time this hearse turns
out the owner receives $3.50. so il can
be seen that only those belonging TO
the upper ten can afford to be driven
to their graves in hearse- The lower
class makes use of all kinds of We
hicleS to convey their dead to the Gem
| etery. | have seen a coffin laid across
a heavy-wheeled cart, drawn by -four
oxen, off to the burying ground. Now
we get to the interior where little or
nothing is known of civilized customs.
Bodies are often buried when they are
still warm All kinds of rough boards
are used to make collins The old
boards of battered blockhouse near
a little mountain town furnished sew
eral collins during my stay there. Yet
coffin made OF Old boards is better
than none. Some of the natives bury
their dead in their back yards without
even putting them into a box. But
this is an exception to the rule, as is
done by people living in the mountains,
| where there are no cemeteries. Every
town has one or more grayeyardS, but
a queer custom prevails. Lots are not
| sold, as in our cemeteries. but instead
| oro roptod ~ bo voar af 4bo cOd