The record-union., 1899-03-24

man servant, nor the maid servant, nor
the OK, nor the ass, nor, perforce, the
stranger within the gates. With such
extraordinary Difference to the saints
and angels, this ought to be the most
religious country under the sun; but
unfortunately, after hasty prayers IN
the early morning, the natives employ
the remainder of the feast days in bull
batting, cock-f fighting, the lottery, the
ball, the theater, instead Of attendance
ON heavenly percentages. Sunday Is the
great gala day Of the week, dfstin-
guished by the added brilliancy of ev-
cry street scene in the best clothes OF
the populace, boisterous masquerade
professions, tenfold activity in shops,
saloons and theaters, and noisy persist
ency of lottery vendors. Bull-fghting
is as dear to the native Heart as ever,
though, owing to hard times, the expen-
sive amusement is now confined to
few of the larger cities and certain sea-
sons of the year. But the Cuban vii
lage must be poor indeed which has not
it's several cockpits in full blast at least
one day of seven, wherein crowds OF
men bet their last real on favorite
birds, and go wild with excitement over
the edifying spectacle of two miserable
roosters clawing each other to death.
The inveterate gambling propensity
OF the people also finds vent in domi-
noes, chess, baccarat and a thousand
other games of chance and skill, in
Which women may also indulge in the
privacy of homeland seldom without
stakes. The Cuban female goes into
gambling with the same innocent zest
which distinguishes her sister women
OF Northern villages, who find their
highest ambition realized in the lone
hand' prize of progressive euchre. In
this part Of the world every table in
hotels, barrooms, clubhouses and cafes
is in requisition all day long and far
into the night on Sundays for gaming
purposes. In these January days it
looks odd enough to eyes fresh from the
snowy North to see the marble floors
In all the finest cafes sprinkled with
dampened sawdust, with view to cool
ness, like Bowery beer halls, in the
thirsty days of August.
l have excellent American authority
for the statement that the Cuban bar
keepers Out-Herod Herod in the matter
of manufacturing cocktails with energy
and dispatch. The native compOunder
seizes two glasses-one very large and
heavy, the other small and thin. With
frantic haste he fills the former with
Jumps of ice, the latter with the liquors,
bitters, sweets and whatever else may
be required in the compromising of q
cocktail. Then, with a swinging move
ment which can be acquired only by
long practice, he dashes the ice and
fluids from glass to glass, as if his life
depended on it, clicking the crystal like
a pair of castanets, until all is thor
oughly amalgamated in the big glass.
Then. without losing a second of time,
he filings the mixture through a strainer
into the little glass, which must be eX-
actly even FULL and then the recipient
is expected to dash it down his throat
with the same furious energy, to smack
his lips and say it beats New York
"all hollow andscall for more
HOW A CUBAN DRINKS WATER
The funniest thing in the line of
drinking is to see the Cubans imbibe
water from .monkey-jug. or perone
The vessel, by the way, which is found
in every house and hotel bedroom, is
a delight to the foreigner, not only by
reason of its artistic beauty, but be-
cause it keeps the water cool in a
comparatively iceless country. There
are jugs and jugs, of varying shapes
and sizes-all of gray clay, nodded in
quaint design The commonest are
round and slender, with two holes in
each near the handle, which is on top.
One hole is perhaps an inch in diameter,
through which to pour the water into
=, MI hn oil IN a L w
marks the place, is not larger than the
hollow of a goose-quill. 1t IS the old
story of the bung and the spigot Filled
with water, the jug is hung on peg
or any convenient projection, in a spot
that is draughty The currents Of air
cause the thick, porous clay to per-
spire, like a patient recovering from
Santiago fever" and the result is that
the water is rendered cool and whole
some. The Cuban fashion of drinking
is not to touch the vessel with the lips,
but to open the mouth wide, and, hold
ing the jug up, to tilt it until tiny
stream trickles down the throat, de-
scribing a six-inch curve and striking
square on the root of the tongue.
COURTING IN CUBA.
Apparently the highest social institu-
ton of Cienfuegos is the Sunday even
ing promenade in the plaza, and With
out it | really do not know how the
young people of the aristOcracy would
manage to mate, and marry. During all
the week senoritas of the upper class
are kept under rigid restriction, never
permitted to walk abroad alone and
constantly watched by parents ana
duennas, as if expected to rush to the
bad if allowed the smallest opportunity.
This system of eternal vigilance would
doubtless become as irksome to the
guardians as to the opening buds were
it not soon over. AT the age of IL a
Cuban girl is considered quite old
enough to marry, and her parents hunt
UP son-in-law without delay-unless,
as is more commonly the case, some
sub-rosa lover announces himself or a
match. satisfactory to paterfamilias,
was arranged for her with the son OF
a friend while the pair were yet IN
their cradles. The beauty and charm
of the fair Cubans are as evanescent
as Irresistible while they last Like the
lovely wild flowers of their island, they
mature very early, but fade as rapidly
The prettiest girl will be plain before
she is 80. and a handsome middle-aged
woman is not to be found in Cuba-h
anywhere outside the temperate zone
Cor. Philadelphia Record
Regarding the Proof.