The times., 1899-11-05

the little one TO supernatural aid Is a
poor Woman's COW, or pig, or donkey lost E?
She goes at once to somebody skilled in
whiting, pays a few pesetas to have a
representation Of the animal cut in wood
and gets the priest to bless it and hang il
on the sacred wall and then she knee,s be-
fore it and patiently waits firm in the be-
lief that heavenly hands will guide the
creature home. Those who have more of
this world 5 goods. express their hearts
desires in gold and silver. Does a young
man want a sweetheart a young woman
d lover? Nothing is easier than to have the
silversmith manufacture his or her coun-
terteit presentiment. Perhaps the twain
meet at the altar before their respective
milagros, and the virgin helps them out in
the good old ways approved of lovers since
Father Time was himself a boy At any
rate, the newly-wedded couple always
come TO give the priest bonus, and to Of
fer their mutual thauksgivings at this holy
shrine.
What becomes OF all the milagros. which
in course of years must accumulate by
tons? When the walls become over-crowd-
ed the Oldest are taken down, the wooden
ones are presumably used to cook the
priests dinner and those Of more value are
sold, for the benefit of the church, II the
pawnships Of every Cuban city you may
buy plenty of these secondhand prayers
so to say, for a few pennies each; and the
pTopTietors viii assure you that their viz
tue is undimmed.
From Montserrat chapel the visitor viii
do well TO continue his drive TO the cayerns
Of Bellamar. Descending the heights to the
Old highway known as Belle Vista Beau
tiful View is an experience to be remem-
bered. The prospect is glorious-of tran
gull sea, emerald valleys dotted with palms
Az Il
semi circular sweep of the bay, with its
three rivers running through; but the
shaking up one gets as the reckless Jehu
urges his wiry horses over the powders at
the top Of their speed, threatens 10 dislo-
cate every bone in ones body The bay
road is lined for some distance with hand
some residences, Moorish, Greek and
Italian in architecture, all with elaborate
ly OrEameLted faCades and yerandas facing
the sea. But most of them are now empty
their once wealthy owners being dead or
returned 10 Spain, and silence and decay
brood over all. Right here, Ii seems to
me, is q wonderful opportunity for Ameri-
can capital. Scores of splendid mansions.
some Of them fully furnished may be
bought for tithe Of their value and Ma
tanzas Is sure 10 become again the metro
polls Of Cuba
The melancholy impression produced by
so much departed grandeur is happily dis
PEELED when Belle Vista boulevard abrupt
ly ends at a sharp turn of the shore and a
wide marine view is unfolded Swinging
close TO the surf, the road fairly doubles
upon itself as it climbs the hills, through
the dry bed of a mountain torrent The
ramshacke frame building, erected over a
hole In the ground which leads to the cav
eTns, is guarded by a ChLnaman and his
servants, who act as guides. The former
explains, in excellent Castilian, that the
land round about is his private property,
and that he, himself, discovered the hollow
ness beneath, about thirty years ago.
Flowing his yam patch one day he uImbled
a huge boulder out Of the way, and was
amazed to see it slide through thicket and
sink out of sight with hollow reverbera-
tions from the depths Of the earth Though
considerably scared, curiosity led him TO
investigate. Following the toboggan- slide
made by the rolling stone he came TO an
immense circular chamber, walled as by
art, from which many narrow passages
diverged TO unknown regions in total dark
ness beyond. Every subsequent exploration
disclosed fresh wonders. Miles Of tunnels,
winding in and out among the coral fouu-
dauons Of the island have been marked in
some manner known only to the guides and
without their clew the stranger would
surely lose himself in the labyrinth
There is every reason to believe that only
small portion OF the chain OF caverns has
yet been seen by human eyes. for compar-
atively few OF the passages have been ex-
plored, and fewer followed to their end.