The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-07
Letter from Cuba.
CARDENAs, March 20, 1899.
nrAD DApKER


A metropolitan as well as cosmopolitan
city, thoroughly alive in every quarter.
The regular Spanish houses and stores
with one main front door and barred
windows. Everybody has seen pictures
of these old towns of Spanish origin and
they are all alike in general appearance.
The little narrow streets just wide enough
for teams to pass each other, side walks
about two feet wide, streets in the busi-
ness portion protected from the sun by
| awnings upon wires that reach entirely
across, little Victorias drawn by Cuban
pony beside which my little Roxy would
be large, hurrying as fast as the driver
can urge them on. Drays OF the two
wheeled pattern, the wheels about six
feet high and with one little mule, draw
ing a ton at load, these are humping
along over the stone pavements so very
unevenly constructed, making of course
a deal of racket. The stores are stocked
with American goods, and / was aston
ished to see the stock on hand, of the lat
est style and pattern. Jeweiry, shoes,
gents furnishings, millinery, all remind
ed me of the States. Show windows
tastily arranged, and beside the entrance
the salesman ready and anxious to ex-
plain the EQUALITY and high prices,
with arms and hands akimbo, palms up.
Nearly every store has an English speak
interpreter.
The class of people upon the streets
before S p. m. are beggers, laborers and
business men, but from to 7 is the
promenading and driving of the better
classes. The park or plaza is about two
acres, with fiagstone pavements around
and through it, a flower garden with
roses in bloom between the walks, all
lighted by electricity, and one moving
mass, all out with their best togs on and
wearing their sweetest smiles, sometimes
a smile was all their covering far below
the necklace line. This crowd are boys
in twos and threes, and father or mother
close behind from two to five handsome
daughters, but never the girl and her
lover, or daughters without the parent.
The young man here commences his &C
quaintance without an introduction, by
standing outside and near the barred
window and the senorita inside. If the
friendship is mutual the young lady, af-
ter few visits, gets permission from her
parents for the young man to be admit
ted to the house, but he never can take
his sweetheart driving or to the opera
without the parent, and is not permitted
to call upon her alone until the day of
the wedding, the mother is always pres
ent. | approve of this method as | never
did believe in taking the girls around
very much, and then there is no excuse
for not being acquainted with the mother
in-law before the final step is taken.
The carriages, either private or hired,
are making circuitous trips around the
plaza till about 8 o'clock, when all hands
that have the price congregate in the
coffee houses, cafe and hotel rotundas, to
smoke cigarettes, drink coffee or choco-
late, cate ice cream, or proceed with in
terror decoration which leads to inebria-
ton, after this the opera. We attended
the opera but all | understood about it
was the price of admission. In speak
ing of this seclusion the young ladies
are subjected to, applies only to the bet
ter classes, the easy ones are thick as bees.
1t is an exception to see a man, other
than the laborer, wearing soiled linen,
the high collar, fancy shirt, etc, have
many friends here. Although all kinds
of intoxicating drinks are sold every
where did not see a Cuban or Spaniard
The swell rig is the En-
glish Victoria, one horse, silver trimmed
harness, and coachman in full livery. l
10 not remember seeing surry or God
lard buggy.
Sunday we found an interpreter, char
-ered a sail boat and went out to the
wreck of the Maine, and on to Moro
Castle, entered it by one of the secret
that lead from the waters edge
up, and when we reached the top of the
.urret a beautiful sight greeted us. On
one side the ocean, on the other the city
The dnCGc in front 10 and thrae
storied hotels and business blocks next,
hen the dwellings,, all covered with
brown glazed tile, like our drain pipe cut
in half lengthwise, laid up and down the
roof, two tiers or courses gutter shape,
and the edges Joined by tier crown side
up, and in the distance the green grass
land studded with royal palms, bananas,
and cocoanut trees. We went through
the castle, saw the soldiers rooms, the
prisons, and the one where Senorita
Cisneros was confined. / lighted a news
paper and dropped it into the opening of
one underground cell, and as it blazed up
upon striking the floor it revealed terri
Die sights, human bones, skulls, etc. l
-hink can bump my head against a wall
hard to prevent my being put
in one. Then we stood where the pris-
0ners were lined up to be shot, and the
wall behind has been struck by bullets
ill it looks as though it had been pecked
With hammer. | secured some trophies
rom MORO but was not sharp enough to
Keep them, some Iehu swiped them.
The city as a whole is a clean, healthy
place, and if one enjoys this kind of ex-
,itement he can find his mecca. The
status of affairs and its remedy is some
hing | cannot discuss, it is too deep
problem for two weeks stay to solve.
The Americans are now received with re-
pect because under military rule, but
believe the majority hate us and if the U.
5. should withdraw think | should sail
for somewhere.
Recently the Spanish police were dis
charged and Cubans, we'll uniformed and
Irmed with our regulation SO calibre re-
'olver and billy, installed. The feel
ng against them is acute. viewed the
lot Saturday night in which ten police
we're shot, twelve more fatally wounded,
md about fifty others in the crowd, most
y detectives, injured. A low set of ne
yroes called Nanigoes were set on to
lance their forbidden dance like the can
IAN, and the police in endeavoring to
stop it precipitated the row. l believe a
irm military rule with the expenditure