The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-12
IN SUNNY CUBA.
The Americans Have
Troubles of Their
Own.
TRIALS OF SHOPPERS.
A Gentlemanly Robber Who
Remembers Cervera's
Fleet.
TRIALS OF SHOPPERS.

All is not lovely for the American
woman in Cuba, according to a letter
a correspondent sends to the New York
Sun.
They have all the trials of the stern
er sex, and in addition perfect host
of others to which they are peculiarly
liable by reason of the limitations with
which petticoats are hedged about, she
says. The men have their work to do.
They have the freedom to knock about
the city, but the women must sit at
home during the day, while their male
protectors are at work, for if in the
daytime women go on the streets alone
they attract as much attention as
circus parade in country town. What
ever may be said of the polish in man
ner to which Cubans lay claim with
such insistence, it is certain that they
are simply offensive in their behavior
toward women on the street.
In a city which arouses the disguised
protest of men even, the American
women go about with hands uplifted in
horror at the sloVenliness which will
make the same towel mop a floor and
wipe a glass. If, perchance, in a burst
of industry and loyalty to her husband,
whose resources she would conserve by
escaping from hotel, good American
spouse determines to undertake house
| keeping, she finds slowly that she has
but jumped from the frying pan into
the fire.
She finds herself surrounded by a
crowd Of thieving servants. who,
through her ignorance of the Spanish
language, force her to pay two prices
for all her foodstuffs, netting a tidy
sum for themselves. Protest is I'M
awaiting.
An interpreter is a snare and a delu-
sion. He stands in with the butcher
and the grocer, who look upon all Am
orleans as legitimate prey, and who
| add pesetas to the cost of all their
! wares with brazen recklessness
| which knows no mercy. The servants
| also are filthy and the housewife
! finds that to be able to eat at all she
must keep out of the kitchen in order
that she may not become too intimate
ly acquainted with the culinary ways
| of her cocinero.
| And then shopping in Cuba is not
shopping in New York. The Spaniard
who controls most of the stores here is
a gentlemanly robber but he is a rob-
Der none the less.
When he sees an American woman
enter his store, he remembers Ger
Vera's feet and the Philippines with a
vengeance, and prices shoot up until
| the 1S-foot ceilings tremble on their
supports. The medium of exchange
changes instantly from Spanish silver
! to American gold, which is at a % pei
cent. premium, and the luckless shop
per finds herself being asked prices that
shock her into a comatose condition
! Perchance, if she be particularly
strong minded and strong nerved, and
succeeds in mastering strength enough
to enter protest, she is answered with a
bunch % shrugs and lifting of eyebrows
that make her feel like a plugged
peseta.
And the gentlemanly clerk proceeds
to lay all the blame on the custom
house. The tariff in Cuba is fearfully
and wonderfully made, and if there
were any infant industries to protect
down here it could do it with both
hands tied behind its back. But it is
not by any means as bad as the Spanish
merchants would make their American
customers believe
When American women first begir
shopping here, although invariably
shocked at the prices asked in the
stores, they generally pay without pro
test but a few lessons teach them thai
| every dEIlCle Cney guy must De naSSlSC
over. There is no such thing as a one
price store in Havana They ask yor
all they think you will pay, and you
when you have experience, offer What
you know they won't take.
Then after a heated argument, which
; melts your clothing and your spirits ir
a most alarming way, you and the
shopkeeper get nearer and nearer to-
gether, until a sale is accomplished
When one hears the sad tales of Ameri-
can women upon returning from g
shopping tour, it is quite matter OF
surprise that one does not hear means
i of anguish arising from all over the
shopping districts as the invaders are
being plucked.
4 This is the sad story of an American
woman. Unfortunately for those who
are there their number is so small thai
they cannot find much consolation in
one another's society. There are nc
theatres to distract them, except one
opera i'll Spanish, and as they can't
comprehend it, this isn't much fun. The
upshot of the whole business, from q
feminine point of view, is that Cuba
is dirty, stupid, miserable place, and
mighty good one to stay away from