The Red Cloud chief., 1899-09-15
INTERIOR OF CUBA.
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE
SEACOAST CITY VIEW.
daughters Sold by Parents The Burla,
Customs Seem shockingly BrIef and
Coidbiooded to an A~mcrican--na-
vsna's Highly ornate uearsc.

80
said of other large towns. the impress
sion has been conveyed that there are
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 q hundred
large towns. Those who have visited
only the seacoast towns have seen the
worst, AMI in fact n 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 a 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 to its
shores OF other races who will import
vitality and enterprise. Naturally the
seacoast towns have developed more
rapidly, and the laws OF civilization
are more readily obeyed. In the in
Hble 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
aess 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 a 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 II may be affirmed
that they are very devout, and earl,
in the morning they fll the churches
What strikes one forcibly Is the grea
spirit OF democracy that exists In thu
Cuban churches. Many OF the ne
groes are very devout, and they go tt
church regularly. They are not rele
gated to the galleries or a few bacl
seats, but may 90 anywhere. 1t Is no
? an unusual sight to see a beautiful
girl OF naughty Castilian features tell
ing her beads beside q rough-lookini
negro with only q dirty, everyday shir
, between himself and the outer world
In the interior OF Cuba the marriag'
; laws need much mending. Few Gu
bans are lawfully married and man!
Z of them have seven or eight wives
This Ia not only tolerated, but rathe
encouraged. Men will go around brag
cling about the number OF mojer
(wives) they have, and as the Cubai
marriage laws are worse than the MOI
. mon laws OF Utah there is nothing t
prevent a man from having as man.
wives as he wants. C~ourtships, as
. rule, are OF short duration, many no
F. lasting longer than a week or ten days
: Girls marry very young. Many ar
wives when they have attained the az
OF IL or 10, and some even marry a
10. When they marry so young 1t !
Q not always their desire to do so, bu
because they have been sold by thei
4 parents. Like our Indians, the Cuban!
4 esl, c!ally those living In the noun
tains. believe in selling their daugf
ters. Whenever Cuban csndEen ar
baptized the name Of both parents ar
used. II Juan Rodriguez marries Ms
ria Lopez and they have a child-say
boy-when he is christened they choos
> for him the name OF Francisco, the
his full name will be Francisco Rodr
guez Lopez, the mothers maiden nam
J. being added, which explains the caus
n OF SO many long names among the CT
bans.
3 Hearses in Cuba are very rare. DuI
Q ing all my travel l saw but n an
that was In Havana. II Is a magnii
cent affair. drawn by six jet-blac
horses. Two men In red uniform
trimmed with yellow sit on the bo
u Such gay uniforms at of our II
: nerals would perhaps be regarded
7" out Of place. The well-polished bra
that adorns Its sides, and the knee
ing angel on the very. top. seeming
a so eager to fly, greatly enhance II
spectacular appearance OF the hears
Six men, three on either side, In blat
~ uniforms trimmed with yellow ar
"A wearing red-top boots, act as a boo
A guard. Every time this hearse turf
y, out the owner receives $3.50, so 1t ca
be seen that only those Belonging
1. the upper ten can afford to b, drive
to their graves in a hearse. The low
class makes use Of all kinds OF v
hicles to convey their dead to the cen
d etery. have seen a coffin laid aero
ne a heavy-wheeled cart, drawn by 70,
a oxen, of to the burying ground. No
1t we get to the interior where little
IS nothing is known OF civilized custom
Bodies are often buried when they a,
still warm. All kinds OF rough boar
-. I A. II