The times., 1899-04-02

embarrassingly short from any cause, he
sends his servant to pawnshop to dispose
of bit of the family plate, superfiuous
jewel or other article of value. Ny lady
does the same when pin money is scarce,
| pawning her Jewels her laces, her gowns,
even her mother-of-pearl covered prayer
book, for the wherewithal to buy some
thing that has taken her fancy. OF course,
there are cases of families reduced to
| want, by death or misfortune, who are
compelled to part with their treasures
piece by piece, to keep the wolf from the
door. All intend to redeem the pledges
when times improve, but nine times out of
ten they never do, and in course of time
the articles pass into the hands of stran-
gers The visitor in Havana who does not
make tour of the pawnshops misses the
opportunity of lifetime. Though he may
not buy the heirlooms of proud hidalgos
for song" as they say, he can possess
himself of rare jewels in quaint settings
massive candeabra, toilette articles in sill
yer and gold, wash basins and pitchers in
solid silver, gold mounted opera glasses,
and a thousand beautiful and curious
things for much less than their original
cost.
The level-headed American business
man, after looking over the Cuban held
| concludes that in order to make money
here he must open some new line of trade,
already well established. And he will set
| himself to studying the wants, ideas, and
customs of the people to whom he wishes
! to sell his wares, regardless of what may
be in vogue at the moment in New York
| or Chicago. The Cubans, as a rule, are
not much given to taking up with passing
novelties. They may affect American
styles for time, from an amiable desire
to initiate their new friends, but the last
ing demand will be for those things that
have always been used and the climate re-
| quires; and doubtless Americans who have
come here to live will adopt and retain
many of the Cuban modes of attire.
So far Pennsylvania seems TO be in the
lead in the matter of American money al
ready invested; New York next, and Wis
consin not far behind. 1t was
a New York capitalist who lately
sought the Spanish owners of the
San Jose wharves and warehouses
the most valuable water front in
Havana-and announced that he wanted
TO lease them. But they are not for
rent" replied the owners. They are for
sale. for $4,000, ,000.''
Very WE'LL" replied the shrewd Ameri-
can, Il will buy them for that price," and
he Immediately pulled out his checkbook.
The denizens of this Land of Tomorrow,
where all business transactions involve
lengthy negotiations and much haggling.
the price first stated being always much
more than the seller expects to get-were
simply paralyZed by such unprecedented
promptness and although the sum named
was third more than they had originally
designed to sell for, they backed out OF
the bargain. They evidently reasoned that
parties who were willing to pay an exor-
bitant amount on Sight must have unlim-
tied money on hand and might as well be
pulled" for million or two more. The
sale still hangs fire, but is likely to be
consummated in the near future, when the
SpaniardS realize that the New Yorker is
ready to pay good price for what in
his hands will no doubt prove profitable
| investment, but is not to be swindled out
of a dollar.
Opportunities.
Another New Yorker has recently bough
the match factory at Cslabazar, villag,
twelve miles from Havana, and purpose.
TO make real American cerrillas. In thes,
Latin American countries, where every.
body of the male persuasion" tand man.
of the female) smokes necessarily matche
are as the staff of life, in constant demand
They must not be the long, clumsy woodeI
affairs of the United States, but somethin,
that can be put up neatly and securely il
boxes small enough to carry in the yes
pocket. The factory at Calabazar has lonj
in the world. They would not ignite with
out careful coaxing, meanwhile dripping
greasy wax upon the raIment of the holde
} and burned his fingers before he coul
light his cigarette. So very bad were the
g that in order TO sell them at all tie Cuoal
e manufacturer labeled them America
I matches" which is certainly not a goo
a send-off for our ambitious compatriot Be
sides the vast iron and copper interests O
K Pennsylvanians near Santiago. Which ar
better known in Philadelphia and Pittsbur
y than in Cuba, capitalists from the Key
e stone State have several millions lryeste
I in sugar plantations in the provinces c
a Santa Clara and Matanzas. Since the wa
some Philadelphans have been dealing i
e timber lands-just how extensively nobod
y knows, for their operations have been con
i Quoted with more than the usual con
n servatism of the Quaker City, because som
), Michigan and Wisconsin lumbermen ar
o also exploiting the forests of the inteTio
+ and each party is anxious to get ahead c
L the others. To the disinterested observe
4 it looks like folly to leave untouched IN
= noble forests OF the land of the Stars an
d Stripes TO come down and denude of tree
r this comparatively small speck in th
s ocean, but it may safely be taken fo
v granted that the experienced lumberme
e aforesaid know what they are doing. The
: will find no trouble in getting out thei
d pine, cedar, and mahogany timber. as III
y English capitalists who own the Ccntri
. Railway are about to extend their line
from end to end of the island runnin
along the edge of the forests, and no doul
will be glad to purchase their haldwoo
II ties of these people.
i AS to women's work in reconstruct
e Cuba, that important subject demands
. letter by itself The field is not particu
1, larly inviting, but so far is not oyerGrowd
e ed. No woman should come here seeRin
e employment who has not definite profcs
Is sion at her finger ends, such as Jypewrit
IS ing, dressmaking, boarding house leepipi
e and then not without money enough in he
n pocket to maintain her some weeks Will
IN searching for a situation and 10 pay ht
. passage home if unsuccessful. The ne
II woman" as we know her in the Unite
n States will never find favor in Cuba, an
10 unchaperoned young girls are earnestly AZ
, vised to stay away.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.
i