Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-10

Havana, June Havana before the
war and the Havana of this period of re-
construction are as vastly different as
the wet and the dry seasons in Cuba.
The old Havana was as thoroughly Span
ish as the natives could make 1t. They
aped the Spaniards and even those who
hated them the most bitterly, aspired to
be like them. Now they have a new in
SEPARATION and where they once looked to
Spain for suggestions as to the proper
thing in dress and thought, their eyes are
now turned to the United States. 1t
cannot be said hat they have any great
affection for the people who are now try
ing to teach them how to live properly,
but they certainly have a most decided
respect for them. The defeat OF Spain
on both land and sea was enough to make
them look with a certain feeling of awe
upon the country hat could give their
former tyrants such a thrashing, and
when this victory was followed by a
period of systematic law and order in
stead of the assault and robbery that
they had anticipated, they were COM
PEELED to admit that the yankee pigs
We're a race Of people we'll worth emulat-
ing. AS the result the popular effort to-
day is to be American. The language and
thecustoms are being studied and, as far
as possible, they are trying to make their
careless, lazy life harmonize with what
they imagine life in the United States to
be. The result is sometimes extremely
ridiculous.
One of the most striking reminders
that there has been a change from the
old conditions is the fact that all classes
of people are now attempting to master
the mysteries of the English tongue.
Formerly but one or two shops had the
sign, "English Spoken Here" but now
it is seen everywhere. 1t must be ad-
mitted, however, that the English that
is spoken is somewhat of a ~disappOint-
mont 90 r. ic 1S11a11V limited tO q few
stock phrases that are of slight assist
ance in carrying on a conversation. Still
an effort is certainly being made to speak
English end English grammars and text
books are on sale everywhere. Already
the walters at the hotels, cafes and clubs
as well as the cab and bOatmen have sue
ceeding in learning a polyglot tongue that
does excellent service as English and If
the present desire for such Improvement
continues it will not be long before the
use of Spanish in business life will be the
exception instead of the rule.
In one respect. at least, Havana has
changed but little since the war, and that
is in the exclusiveness of it's society. For
several months after the American troops
took possession of the city the society
women scarcely left their homes. but now
have once more taken to p"rOmenadlng In
the square, and nay be seen shopping al
the stores during the evenings. To be
caught shopping during the day in CUBA
is to be found guilty of one Of the great
est of improprieties, but late In the at
ternoon or early in the evening the wo'
men, young and DID,, stroll forth to visi'
the stores. There are no gigantic en-
poriums in Cuba-nO big department
stores, with their miles upon miles Q.
aisles. at every turn of which are to bt
seen the articles that are so ~faScinatinly
bewildering to the female heart. Ther'
are still stores, however, long, marrow
rooms filled with tobacco smoke, for tn
clerks smoke as they wait upon thell
customers, and if there is no attempt q
display, the stock Of goods is so com
plete that almost anything can be pro
duced if called for. Here the wealth
and beauty of the city congregate to dis
cuss the new importations and the lates
style in mantillaS.
An impression has ben created in tn
United States, by writer's Of fertile mag
ination and very small experience. tina
the women of Havana society smoke CT
garettes ceaselessly, that 1T is their de
light to walk the streets with mantllla
covering their heads and thai they ar
regular in their attendance at the sun
day bull fights. All this, however. j
not true. 1t has never been the custom
of respectable women to attend bu
fights, and the smoking OF cigarettes 1
good society in Havana is not nearly a
general as it is in similar society !
New York, or any other large America
city. They may wear mantillas blu
they do not wear them on the street, an
a young woman who was ~serenaded b
her lover would simply be made rldlcuI
GUS in the eyes of her friends. The &C
tual truth is that the Cuban maids an
matrons are Just as womanly as the
Northern sisters, while the rules or socli
etiquette are so strict here that man
things that would pass unnoticed in ar
other country would be regarded as tt
height of udenesS in Havana.
Vrvl,oo %,o Cuban oirl leaves the cor
vent, where she has been educated, an
this education is completed when she
about sixteen years of age, she IS above
to come out in society. She rlst
early every morning to attend mass. a
ways accompanied by her duenna or son
married relative, and in the afternoon 81
may visit some Of her friends. In u
evening she is permitted to attend II
opera or to go to dances, but it is n
considered proper for her to dance mo
than once with the same man. Whf
she is eighteen years old she may recel'