The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
EYE FEARED IN CUBA.
SCPERsTITIONS STILL STRON0 ON
LONELY PLANTATIONS.

SCPERsTITIONs Still STRON0 ON
LONELY PLANTATIONS.
Amuiets Common Among Rich and Poor
American citizenship a Charm Against
Bandits In the Old Dsys-Alnrm Caused by
q Goat-A Bandits superstitions.
There Is probably more superstition among
the country people OF Cuba than those OF almost
any other West Indian island. This IL owing
In part To the largs importations of Africans
for working the tracts Of sugar, coffee and to-
baoco land. and also In part TO the strain Of
Arabic lore that comes with Spanish blood In
the laborer's hut is TO be found not only the
suspended horseshoe and cows horn, but also
a dry gourd containing animals teeth, "a cord
with a peculiar knot, a rabbits foot and bones
of other wild animals. dried herbs and flowers
innumerable. The well-to-do store away in
wardrobe drawers the supposed lucky numbers
OF the lottery. sauandering perhaps all the avail
able revenue in this fancy. worn around throats
and wrists are chains containing a certain num-
Der Of beads. or a single chain may bear a rare
amulet of jet. coral or ainethl II. There is a
special reverence for Jet, The narrow life led
by the women fosters such lurking v~agartes.
which are further aided by old wives tales Of
witchcraft,
NuDdll IltutduOil 1 II sduly lu'hlHk III nONNIbl
or ex element and the one time exciting phase Of
constantly expecting bandits il now notice
ably absent. When the wealthy planter now
starts from his home in the cool morning hours
To ride for his mail or to look after shipments or
10 inspect his estates, his family may indulge
In the comfortable reflection that he may re-
turn alive, which possibly would not have been
the case q few years ago. The senoras. as they
at apI rn,k einpipu tbnir .nfYaa mr. ,,frssco
and tanning themselves YEARLY find the hours
long drawn out. Except for sewing. they do
1.-THE work and no reading, 50 that the easiest
way to be entertained is 10 listen 70 some old
orone's tules OF Africa, while the bees buzz IN
the tuberose at the window and the grinding
OF tho canebreaker. drums monotonously
upon thu ear.
1t is a long time since the sudden cry Of
-Bdnd,dosi- broke in on this lethsrgy. Just
before the recent Instruction a planter was
sometimes seized by bandits In hroad d daylight
and carried of 10 a mountain or cave. and there
held for ransom. the ransom varying with the
reputed wealth OF his family. Often il was the
eldest son thus abducted and even little children
were cruelty detained. a Cuban bandit was
never known TO tear save two things. the evil
eye and an American citizen il requires at
least one generation TO eilace the tendencies
which come through certain strains. Fetish
worship superstition and hero worship have
descended upon the gudyirO with the force
ful bondage OF three or four centuries. The
benefit OF the public schools OF New York
aud other large cities Of the United States has
already had it's ~salutary effect, but, as "A rule,
superstition is more tenacious than religion or
education and often i 80 l~nt"rwONen rs 10 be
scarcely dsllngUl-Aablc IRON one or The other.
Inc I lDll nus alNuAS preferred ne vocation
Of planter to that of tTadcN!Ian us Ueins moro
In keeping with the easN HE and the dignity
Of "a gentleman. Some OF Their hacienda, are
handsomely ilttcd out as I" carriages ana horses.
turultur" and such things. but most OF them
are necessarily Isolated. A large family rs
desirable and an Enormous Tetlnuc Of domestic
servants has ever been one 81 the requisites
10 comfort, ease and safety,
Along IN the sos some Americans had an
interesting experience on ono ol these large
haciendus. The mistress pI tbs estate, a ma
tive Creole. had bepn educated Ia q wcll-kuuNn
Institution of America, but had married the
love OF her youth and returned 10 her native
pdrOiso Ipuradlsei and was -utertHluln, some
old sChoOlmates IN her secluded plantation
home. These scAoolmates were genuine an
known To be- nearby oily lent iddI-
tiuuA lest to the pleasure 81 no
guests. The Americans all expressed them
selves as lust dying TO sce a real bandit
TIM native women took a moro serious view
Of bandits. On the occasion referred 10 tho
MASCULINE ami protective element was re-
uUCtu " tlS I'klO NbOh anu AAA' " N"'
owner Ol the place having gone 10 a neighbor-
ing town not 10 return Till about midnight
and having taken alol| the other men from
the house,
Twilight is short, but ineNably tender and
beautiful IN cuba Alter ia" dny's heat and
glaze there Is q sigh Of relitl from AL nniu!',
II seems. Bird and beast allNo mIrluuT a
hymn Of rest from labor. one Is tempted 10
~ ont into the wide eNLallsc OF sky from un-
der any other shelter and drink in the refresh
ing evening dew. Bat this IL not permissible.
for the gentle dew 10 said to ts poisonous. J here
fore oil openings IN the ioru Of doors ~ win
doW~ ar, closed al dusk. and Vet those who are
Obliged TO keep out and work ~ the dew are
tho most healthy. Mt only are the doors ard
windows closed a. dusk on plantations but on
this particular evctiue tie iron nar or ir0nro
bracod each oIr, Tor the lord aud master be-
Ing absent tie butler recognized h, duty, no
dwelling was but one story high, as Is usual in
countr, houses, and bult around a court
Every one had gathered iuto the central
SCid TO sip cofe., when n sudden loud Knock
came II the entrance. II WINS too early Tor Tie
outing party 20 return 80 the butler was or
drred not Ia open until he discovered who was
demanding entrance. The pounding on the
door was so UnccremouiouSlv loud ana IN
caseant that all decided II could not he either
the parish pTlc-t or Il visitor, besides no one
Went about after dark. Whispered commands
followed suppressed shrieks from within, but
outside No voice replied to any question The
butler called out in his most wheedlrg tone, j.
that YOU, ma.tcr?" Not a reply came but the
most violent knock NJ the door. A. # with the
butt of a club or a musket Even The faces
VI Wv N'iAi'' "''N - 49,
time,
Give me something 20 shoot with" exclaimed
one "a gun or a pistol and | shall kill some one. "
Then in reply TO a whisper IRON the hostess.
one OF the guests cried What. no gun or
frcarm IN the house"
At this the butler. who was trembling hke
an aspen leaf, suggested that some one should
call out: American citizens here ms was
done in chorus in tones possibly Ike those
used by The Christian martyrs. All at onco
IL seemed To act like n charm and a sudden
calm prevailed without. Gradually o1uaninl-
itv was restored within. But there was 10
retiring for the might after this. 20 the wholn
party kept vigil 10y the dim light OF "A taIer
until the wee small hours. when the lord Of the
manor drew up before the doorway, aCcompail-
led by his suite, among whom we're two Pnnrd'ns
Tor the safe conduct Of the party. The difficulty
now wa, to gain adrnittanCc. but after many
secret signals from without To his wife. who
recogniy"d certain pet words, the master AT
last gained abundance 10 his house, not how
ever. until he had nearly broken his neck over
a bulky obstruction IN the doorway. TINS
obstruction was carefully inspected and then
new confusion broke ont.
The OWL eye take him 10 hades'" exclaimed
the butler rs he realized the source Of the pre-
viouS alarm and then he made a dash ~ II to
murder-the children's pet goat
Don't dare call up the evil eve" exclaimed
sha 81. ,Au. a1nr..al f1r n pApv raagnp q nd