The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-14

Trains leave from Union Depot. corne
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cient for an exchange of cards. Cubans
arzs tremendously jealous, and do not toll
eraye any Irritation with their fair mann
oratas.
Fencing is one of ths chief points in q
mans education IN Havana. Young men
ana old spend from two to four hours
day practieing with the foils. They are
masters of the art Duels in Havana, I'M
AXE those in France, seldom result with
out some one being seriously injured.
Many brides have been won, SO to speak,
at the point of the sword. The acrea del
Louvre on Central Park, is the rendezvous
for all the swell idlers. These men spend
their time picking up quarrels. With them
dueiing is a pastilne. So many duels were
fought that Augustin Cervantes, who is
considered the champion fenoer of da-
vana, and who has now twenty duels 10
his credit, every six months publishes
book in which each duel, with the names
of the principals and seconds and The issue
of the fight, IS carefully chronicled. This
custom of daelng will be very hard to do
away with and will give american officials
serious trouble.
"A Cuban's fortune is calculated by his
yearly income, which, according to the
price of sugar and tobacco, decreases or
that Havana has ever known was Miguel
Albania He built his palace, which is the
largest house in Havana, at the cost OF
100000. He died in 1857. Mr.. Aldama' IS
yearly income was estimated at $S,00aD2l.
No such fortune exists to-day In Havana.
The richest man in Cuba at the present
time is Tirso Mesa. Has fortune may
possibly reach S2O0,0O0 year.
1.-THE cost of social life in Havana Is
small compared with what it is in New
York. With an income of $4,000 a Cuban
family can afford to figure prominently
in society and needs in no way to be
ashamed of it's entertainments. The rent
OF a house is very small. The principal
items for those who figure in society are
the women's gowns These are all import
ed directly from Paris The opera season
in Havana lasts for about six weeks Dur
| ing that season the small dances given at
| private houses are suspended, for the
| opera is considered of far too great i'm
| portance to be nterfered with by minor
| affairs. The social season comes to an
end about the beginning of May Then
society deserts Havana. Late in NoVem-
| Der. or early in December they return TO
Havana and the social season opens
some old Customs.
"In Havana society, as in all society of
! Spanish or Portuguese origin, the formal
itV of prefiXing a name with MI, Mfs'
| or Miss is done away with. person IS
invariably addressed by his or her hrst
| name. A young bachelor does not hesi-
| rate to call matron whom he has Just
| met nv her Christian name, nor does she
| hesitate to address him in like manner.
! Again, a married woman is invariably
| known by her maiden name. That maiden
name. followed by a small de, which IN us
turn is followed by the husband name
! is printed on her visiting cards, AFTER the
death of the husband the words WIDOW
| Of are printed before his name.
zone of the characters of Havana so
cietv is a well-known miser. He is guar
! alan of two of the richest heiresses on
the island and himself is the possessor OF
| an enormous fortune, accumulated by
| loaning money at the rate of 76 per cent.
per annum This man, who is about 50
| wears old, is a remarkably handsome lei
low. Several years ago he married very
| good-looking girl, who died barely a year
| afterward. Havana society insists that
she was starved to death, 1t is the man
| custom after rising from the table to make
an item of everything left from the meal
| and present it TO the butler, so that the
| dishes may later on be. accounted for.
His house and his stable and his horses
are among the finest in Havana he
dresses very well and is only stingy Wheh
| others besides lllIllSSil nv NSNN
thinks nothing of running iaihiiy ny
| the enormous interest," ne iS9"'Ns W
money advanced.
| "Cubsn cooking is peculiar. While the
| dishes served at hanauets and dinners are
! exclusively French ones, che Cubans have
| their own peculiar cuisine. The banana
| nlays an important part in their meals.
| ruban would no more think Of sitting
5ovn to a meal without his fried banana
| thap an American would think of break
| fasting without butter. Butler, by the
way. is comparatively an unknown article
| on the Cuban table, Owing TO the ELI
mate. 1t is almost impossible TO prevent II
from becoming rancid, and as conse>
ouence. ii is not manufactured on the ISL
| and. but imported in lin cans. The meats
are similar to those used in the United
States"
The Smart set.
A chapter in this wonderful "guide book
| Is devoted 10 1.-THE Boods of Havana"
The following are extracts: The men in
| Havana's smart set, considering the ex-
brilliant prices they have 10 pay, are re-
markedly well dressed Nothing not even
the smallest detail in the way of clothing,
is TO be found ready made in Havana.
The best tailor in the city is an astute
Frenchman, who in the last few years has
| amassed a fortune. His goods are OF the
! best and his fashions always the latest
/ An Englishman IS the recognized boot
| maker, while an American controls the hat
trade. The average Cuban is most simple
in his tastes. His morning costume. as
rule. consists Of a white duck suit.
white shoes ana an English straw hat.