Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-03-16
Letter from Cuba.
HAVANA, CUBA, March

took short walk together Tor pretendeC
that We did(through the central portion o
this city.
Now, if you have no objection, we will
play las the children say that we are TAX
ing another walk, this time in dlfferen
direction. We will make believe that it II
7 o'clock in the morning, and that we are
standing in front of the Havana Cathedral
a massive edifce-grand, gloomy and gro
tesque-grizzly with its two hundred and
five years OF age, but in an almost perfect
state Of preservation. We pause for mo,
ment to think of the thousands of anxious
souls who have bowed before its altar iu
more than two centuries, and of other thou.
sands yet unborn who will follow in theil
Turn.
Leaving the Cathedral, we pass into a
narrow street leading toward the west. In
the distance we see approaching an object
very curious TO behold. 1t is good sized
shock of green grass, moving at a steady
pace and apparently of its own accord. AS
1t approaches nearer we discern a pair OF
dark eyes peeping out of the front part Of
the shock, and the tips of two long ears
protruding from the top. Then we dis.
cover that under the pile of grass there are
four small feet, which belong to diminu-
tive donkey, utilized by its master as a sort
OF hay-carriage and loaded down to such an
extent as to be almost invisible to the casual
observer. The donkey moves with such a
level gait that the shock of grass appears to
be slipping along the street rather than
borne by walking animal. The grass.
covered donkey is met by smart little
pony, bearing huge pair OF saddle-bags,
filled with many cans OF various sizes, and
there is hardly room enough in the narrow
street for the two to pass each other. Seated
on the Hat space between the saddle-bags is
a stout youth with short legs, which men,
bers are In about the same position they
would be il their owner were trying to ride
astride of very wide dinner table. He is
the milk man, making his morning rounds.
Next we encounter washerwoman, who
has knocked at the door OF residence and
deposited her basket ON the pavement while
she awaits an answer. The basket blocks
up the entire sidewalk, and we have TO step
out into the street in order to get by.
Here comes a fellow down the street
chanting a monotonous strain in a nasal
tone of voice. He is a huckster OF fruits
and vegetables, and is announcing to the
public that he has many goods things for
sale. On his head he carries huge basket,
In which there are about dozen small to
matoes, half dozen sweet potatoes, Il couple
OF punches of onions, some over ripe bananas,
q few heads of lettuce, and one OF the lean
est, saddest looking old turkey hens that
ever came down the pike. II We should
pretend that We wished to buy his cargo,
the enterprising huckster would want about
$15 for II, because he knows at a glance that
we are Americans, and all Americans are
supposed To have more money than they
know what to do with. The Spanish authori-
ties accounted for their defeat in the late
war by crediting the Americans with an in.
exhaustible supply OF money and the Cubans
appear TO have accepted the statement as a
fact They charge Americans about double
price for every thing.
Ii is Sunday morning, but all the markets
are open. Here is one Of the largest IN
Havana. Let us go inside and see what is
to be seen We find it quite an interesting
place. The various stands are piled high
with fruits, vegetables and provisions of
every kind. Men are running hlther and
thither, carrying on their heads baskets OF
prodgious size, filled with pine apples,
oranges, cocoanuts, and native fruits OF many
kinds. There is plentiful supply of ocean
fish, but they are not cheap by any means
plenty OF fresh Leef and pork, but the best
cuts are 80 and 40 cents pound eggs
enough, at 40 cents dozen. There are
some appes-plain American apples OF in
ferior quality and partly withered-at III
and 10 cents apiece. Look at the poultry
coops, crowded with chickens, ducks and
turkeys What do you think those sleepy
| looking old hens and sOrrowful "sprlne
| chickens" are worth Just 81 each. Here
| in this land of eternal spring and summer
lean and sad-eyed chicken costs dollar
and a pint of milk a dime. But in this
market it is not necessary TO buy an entire
chicken at one time. They cut them up al
you would cut up beef or hog, and vii
| sell you single leg, a thigh, wing, neck
| OF gizzard, according TO your preference
Here is a dealer who has sold his entire sup
ply, with the exception of half the breast Of
tough old rooster, and he will soon have d
customer for that.
Leaving the market, we step into coffee
house hard by. Everybody drinks coffee
IN this country, and there are coffee houses
on every hand You will observe that the
coffee is very strong, but that there is moi
much of it, as the cups hold less than hall
a gill. You do not enjoy it as you do YOU
cup of coffee at homer No; but you would
| like il better # you were accustomed To 1t.
Observe the three young gentlemen seat
ed at a neighboring table. They are Cubans
| and, from their conversation, were soldiers
during the late instruction. They are mo-
entirely satisfied with the present state o.
affairs political. They are pining Tor wha
they call "independencia," and anxious ioT
the American government to Withdraw It's
authority from this island They want To
have an independent republic-Oi CuDans,
| by Cubans, for Cubans.
Two OF these young gentlemen are quite
| impatient and pessimlstlc. They cannot see
that they are any better of now than they
were under Spanish rule-or at least, they
have so expressed themselves. If they must
belong TO somebody, they say, one master Is
no better and no worse than another. Wha'
they want is liberty, whether there Is any
bread in the pantry or not.
But the third one is less impetuous than
the others. He addresses them in dignl
fed and impressive tone, and says;
"Gentlemen, let us have patience; let US
wait long enough 10 see what these people
intend 10 do; give them time to show their
hands. II In due time they do not do VIVA,
we want them to do, then we will do what
| we ought to do"
We leave the young Cuban gentlemen
wondering what the spokesman means
what he thinks he and the other little tel
| 10 VS. could do, even If they tried. Perhaps
he thinks that they can contend against The
power OF Uncle Sam. If he does-pool
little boy He had better be patient. Il
will doubtless be all right In the end, bu
there is a right sharp gap between this dat
and the time when the Cubans Will be abl'
10 rule themselves. At least, that is my
| opinion
When we have time for an other walk
will try to tell you more about this brancf
OF the subject.
Hasta luego. A. "A ID
Anti Saloon League quarterly
meeting of the Anti Saloon League Of Mont
gomery county will be held at Sandy SprInt
Lyceum on Saturday, March 3lst.