Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-28
CUBAN WOMEN DOMESTIC.
Make Model Wives ana Fondest Of
Mothe. No Servant Problem

The Cuban woman Of high class IA
the ideal wife ana mother. No ad-
vanced notions haN- as yet found
their way into the beautiful homes ~
the island although the young women
OF the less aristocratic families have
speedily absorbed thv knowledge W
their ability to compete with their
brothers in the trades and professions
But the grande dame remains delight
fully womauish. Her children
her husband and her home follow each
other in the gamut ~ her affections.
for. above all the cuban woman Is Il
mother, says the New York sun.
The casual visitor to Cuba's capital
does not come into contact with the
women Of position in Havana They
cannot he called women OF fashion NJ
OF society. nor in neither OF these par
ticulars do they shine But in their
houses guarded most exclusively from
promisCuous acquaintance. one is
confronted with an exquisite simpl-
city and sincerity not always associa-
ted with the feminine sex Of other
nations. And these TWO qualities may
be said to constitute their chief
charms.
The liyinE-room ~ the cuban house
is the central court. around which all
the finer houses are built. The court
has q tagged or tiled flooring ana its
roof is the sky. Here a fountain plays
palms tower many feet high. and dur
ing the warm days the cuban senoras
and senoritas enjoy their siestas upon
cuban woman cannot call her indus
trious in the usual deception Of the
term. ScrupulousIy neat and dainty.
the toilet occupies much Of her time.
Then the care OF her children. never
left entirely 10 nurses. ana her house
hold engrOss her. but she delights re
hold engrosS her. but she is delight
full relief from the woman of house
keeping affairs, who gets lines in her
forehead over the silver ANA dish
towel lists.
The Cuban woman knows nothing uf
the servant problem. for the servants
in Cuba are part OF the family, and
sometimes one feeds three generations
in service in one home. They are de-
voted to the interest OF their employ
ars and faithful to death in protect
ing the children Of the house. The
'sNbSili NpIiitit tiit liIt-St StlN ants Win
love; they make requests If them ana
never give orders, and the rule works
admirably there. although it has been
declared a failure in the north.
The visitor in cuba always calls i'll
the afternoon and is at once uShcrci
into the cool courtyard Here the mis-
tresS of the house receives I'LL "A cool
muslin gown with rose in her hair
and rarely, a jewel An American. com
menting upon this bit Of good taste.
was told that AN the fine jewel baskets
IN Havana had gone To defray the
expenses of the war. Sat IL is mere ut
this hour that the cuban woman is az
her best. delightfully."- hospitable ana
informal. Yet high bred To her finger
tips. Frequently she procures and pours
the glass Of cool wine rendered the viSi-
tor and serves the cake herself a thing
surprising To the norfheruer. So used to
our somewhat ostentatious fiunkeyism
lf embroidery or sewing il the task
which occupies her-and the Cuban wo-
man reads little as a rule-she con-
tinues it, Yet it is Impossible not to fe,i
mat thls simple mode Of entertaining
has its charm after the formal call of
New York and other big cities Many
OF the Cuban women are intellectually
gifted: They have their poets. their
musicians and accomplished scholars
but 1t cannot be said that the intel
iectual is the prevalent type.
The Cuban girl in her bringing UP Is
So carefully guarded from contact with
the world that she is singularly child
like, and after her marriage and moth
erhood this trait often remains most
marked. As an example of this the
Cuban womans most precious possession
winch she displays to a visitor as an
American girl athlete will her golf
trophies or Il belle will show her gowns
and jewels. is the baby cabinet. a par
icularly characteristic bit of furniture in
the Cuban household.
II is closet. glass-waled and doored.
similar TO our bric-a-brac cabinets.
ftere, arranged upon the shelves are
the various dainty belongings of the
cuban baby, and few households are
without baby in Cuba. Before its
coming the cabinet is stocked as wom-
en- of the North prepare the bassinet.
or baby basket, but in the. cabinet of
ana caps are not folded demurely but
are displayed as though in a shop win
dow, the dainty lace hounces outSpread
the ribbon bows and roSettes in full evil
dence
The other shelf is given to the chris
tening robe. always pentfully bounced
win rare lace that sometimes has beer
in the family for generations on other
shelves are the small belongings tha
important parsonage in the Cuban
home. This baby cabinet illustrates
the ingenuousness of the young Cuban
matron better than any instance that
could be cited.
While the Cuban women all have the
deep eyes of their Spanish sisters. the,
lack their coquetry and spirit. They
are almost heavy in their seriousness
and pronounced domesticity. The wars
to have Invested them Of any sex friv-
Olity