Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-11-08
A coURTSHlP IN HAVANA.
Language OF the Fan and the Pedestrian
Eeats of an Infatuated Man.

Language OF the ran ana the Iedebtrian
Teats of an Infatuated Man.
When the sun goes down life begins
for the Havanese. writes a correspond
ent of the New York Sun from Cuba.
Then they come forth to enjoy the
cooler air of the roofs and balconies.
For the stranger it is a pleasure to
watch the constant stream of car
riages, passing and repassing on San
I4azaro street, and to peer at his
neighbors on the balconies or roofs
or standing at their windows.
Here, for instance, is pretty SEN
orita leaning forward from one of the
windows further down the street, fan
in hand. There is a novio who passes
and repasses her window, not once ir
the evening, but scores of times. When
the mother is safe in the background
you may see the senorita as she leans
forward, carelessly counting the sticks
of her fan. He understands that sig
nal and knows that she desires to
speak with him. He approaches and
pauses before the window See, they
are able this time to have quite a con-
versation.
All, now her mother must be COM
ing. He walks outward to the corner
and crosses the street. Certainly,
this young man has enough exercise
in walking. He carries himself grace
fully, with peculiar pose one often
sees here, and you always recognize
him by his walk as he approaches
each evening in the distance.
AS the senorita walks toward the
window from the room tanning her
self he knows she intends to say to
him: This evening l am going out"
OF course he wonders when. She
shuts her fan very slowly and he
knows that she does not leave the
house until quite late; SO there may
be opportunity for further conversa-
ton.
She returns to the window and
holds her fan closed against her right
cheek. She feels sad that she must
go out this evening away from him.
Will her mother never leave the room
and give him another chance to ap-
preach? No, tonight the mother es-
pecially favors the front room.
After while the novio loses hope
of speaking with his sweetheart and
enters a carriage which has already
passed and repassed him three or four
times, with two friends of his. This
coach will be driven past this partic-
ular window not five but 20 times DUR
ing the evening that he may have at
least the pleasure of looking at his
sweetheart. He is untiring-this thing
has been going on for months.
Usually in such a case when a
young man is strongly attracted he
obtains an introduction at dance or
through a friend of her family, and
is invited to call at the house, provid-
ed the mother approves of her daugh-
ter's making his acquaintance. Evil
IDENTIFY in this case the mother does
not approve. but the young lady does
What will be the end of this little
romance? The neighbors all wonder;
and as all mankind loves a lover
they do not feel that they are taking
a liberty in watching this game of
hearts.
See, she opens her fan as it is turned
downward in her hand. She is ask
ing him to write to her Tomorrow
night you will see letter transferred
from one to the other.
You are doing nothing unusual in
watching your neighbors thus closely
AS you walk down the street in the
evening you can see into the interior
of each house. If you see a pair of
lovers in the corner of salon, you
also see the mother nearby with pa
per or embroidery in hand How
would you like that, you American
girl?
Do not make the mistake of think
ing that Cuban senors and senoritas
do not find a way to communicate
their sweet nothings. There is tho
ever-present fan. and moments in the
dance when whisper can TO spoken
that no chaperon can hear.