The Republican journal., 1899-01-19
christmas in Cuba.

.tfaast de Years in Cuban Homes.
Neeu's "a the Nacimiento. Religious
Po''a' in The Valley of Trinidad.
FF'' .rr.<pundence of The journal.
caba Dec. p, 1898. The
a.. Of which l write occurred four
tl' .1t is the customs of rural
i''s -...fueed little in four centuries,
''' t say that similar scenes will
' .a, meeting of the years. in
"' t.at BONES throughout the island
oq ~s 80, and as long as Span
r,,ao5 IDEAS prevail in Cuba.
Christmas in question found us in
trinidad the very heart and
1t the island. The Irene
.-tHe Valley. city and bay of the
1919 called in local parlance,
.....ei at all i'll the late war, and
comparatively unknown to
btlt the time is at hand,
.u occupation, when the
. Heagnized as one of the
nj valuable in the west
....... Trinidad city, faced by
+ ut the seward edge of
.. I'd Santa Clara province
III the centre of the
island. You may reach
oiug around the eastern
hy water; or by railway
...-. ud thence 80 miles by
..-. E,ld by rail to Batabano,
, uft of Habana province,
....- surely cruise of a hundred
among innumerable Gays
...... .aN rate, you are certain
Frinidads by sea, as
md route thereto from
....- tne island. Very proper
..U. has a trinity ofs ports
.-t $500 rivers that empty into
tile inlet called Casilda.
... stIef IS so shallow that yes
.ed by means of lighters
..n.- ..4 as luiekly as possible, to
..-e- ttst on the sandy bottom.
n. .aee is lined with extensive
ar.r... .r Uuehouses and there is
n, .pot for the railway which
.e. -... sumo thirty miles, connect
..-a.l villages ami bringing the
.ld.t. many rich plantations down
ms.-mr
... three miles inland-or
-r .-H4 nom Casilda, is reached
g HE picturesque town,
ga legu lie Velasquez christen-
DE Holy Trinity as early as
l4 oldest in Cuba, found
r- rat later than Santiago and
qe... 4tler Santo Domingo, the
ie of the world. Though
-l BOW a. days of this region
ato stirring and romantic.
NtS the famous battle
1. tar British men Of war
luiagds under Don Luis
Nhigh the English were de-
Lice days fighting. Two
l1mdad city was continu-
II p!rates and buccaneers,
q ouce was entirely DESTROY
O- When every house was
srr lngdsh corsair, Grant. It is
many proud families now
stfe IN the Vale of Trini-
4eues to piratical grand
piracy went ont of fash
robbers turned respecta
".-ll vast plantations with
ans, gave large sums to
dissolution, and became
l md State, Jealous in all
utcularly in the matter of
10 account
g.. hoes not mind climbing finds
wst delightful place. Its
' sss and palm shaded gardens
e of Villa mountain, 500
bay. Its unpaved streets
-he narrowest in Spanish
nod the business quarter
nJ dream of an universal
tAtag awnings stretched across
"a. IA uninterrupted series,
p.cte shelter from rain and
- Illus The houses are of stone
-e tiles, and many are i'm
S-- "'I stucco facades resem-
marble, and high sound
DO .-' aNNe the doors. They differ
''l ''e Isles n Habana in not having
"~ between the rooms; only
'.'tfn 4nd sleeping apartments be-
Hed half way to the ceiling.
'i series of open arohes-vast,
aalSee attording free circulation of
maya acent perspectives of marble
uN1ed panels, rich frescoes
of. -1@t lrnishings.
'+s ID ne of these beautiful casas,
Na the brow of hill overlooking
','h' | passed the eventful Christ
guest Of senior and Sonora Jacinto
VITO are among the wealth
'"n-rs in Cuba. Their estate,
@'n Antonio,' was once the
u ''' 'i the Marquis de Calrazeo, and
'7A.an'S are as proud and exclu-
N'i aVer their titled ancestors in
'Nu... .......,..,. ~,