Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-23
SCENES IN SANTIAGO.
What American Woman Tells of Life in Cuba-Ball at Country House

What American Woman Tells of Life 1 in Cuba-Ball at Country House.
 There is no hotel in Santiago, so we 1 took a house, a bit outside the city and overlooking the beautiful harbor. Santiago is most picturesque city, full of brilliant coloring, for the houses are painted in the brightest col ors, pink and blue and saffron and orange, and all have red-tiled roofs Our house was painted the brightest blue you can imagine. In some way, however, all this kaleidescopic color ing seems appropriate and harmonious there, set off by the tropical foliage, and we soon became used to it.
 The houses, as a rule, are huddled very close together, but ours, being outside the city had extensive ground and q beautiful avenue of royal palms leading to the portico. While we were there my brother gave a ball, which, 1t was said, was one. of the prettiest ever given in the city. The palm ave- nue was thickly hung with Japanese lanterns, and pavilion. erected for dancing. was covered with the branch es of the cocoanut palm and outlined with lights. The verandah, likewise, was hung with lanterns and banked with the palm branches, and we were l told afterward it was the prettiest sight seen from the harbor with all the lights twinllling so gayly on the hill. The army officers stationed in I Santiago were all at the ball, as were most of the American colony and many Cubans
 I. There is q vast difference between Santiago of to-day and Santiago as it was before the American invasion. In the old days there was absolutely no system of sewage, and the only street cleaners were the yultures, which car Tied off the carrion thrown into the streets. All the sewage flowed through the center of the street Now. how ever, all that is changed, and the city is ir very sanitary condition. It seems odd, but it is nevertheless true that many of the inhabitants fail ut terly to recognize that the Americans have conferred any good upon the city When we point to all the improvements in sanitation that have been wrought they shrug their shoulders and say: "Oh we'll we were contented though and all right before you came" Of course, some of them appreciate the new advantages, but many. even we'll educated folk, do not. As for the Spaniards we met, they are punctiI- iously polite and courteous to Ameri- cans, but it is easy to see that they feel, naturally enough. that we are invaders and have no business there.
 Santiago of course, is full of spots Inf hfcfn i1,4n most of them. We went thrcsgh Mor- TO castle saw Hobson's dungeon. and were pointed to the spot where he sunk his boat. Partsof our time was spent at Daiqueri, twenty miles from Santia- go, and still higher in the mountains. We went to Siboney, saw El Clancy and San Juan Hill, and went by boat to Cienfugos, passing the wrecks of Cervera's feet
 From Cienfugos we went by rail to Havana, a most interesting journey. It took us twenty-four hours to travel 120 miles, but they way was through sugar plantations and cocoanut groves. and the road went through tracks of country covered with the most beauti- full tropical vegetation, so that the journey was deIighful.i
 N, large as Milwaukee, though it doesn't cover so much ground. It is much more modern than Santiago, where there are no hotels and no street cars.
 Havana, on the contrary, has many modern conveniences. The streets present a brilliant appearance often times, and one sees some very beauti- ful women driving about in their car riages, most of them without any head covering. Many of them are we'll gowned. but I did not see anything in that line to justify Havanas title of the Paris of the west While we were there we met the beauty of Havana chosen as such last year. She is 2
 Miss Alfonso, and q strikingly beauti- full girl. We attended a brilliant hall given in honor of the officers of a
 German cruiser which was in the har-
 Dor at the time. A French cruiser
 was also stationed there, and her off.
 cers were likewise at the ball. as well as all the American officers in the city.
 many American civilians and the flow CT of Cuban and Spanish society. It
 was a very pretty ball.
 It is bit difficult to become used i, to the food down there. One has to
 learn to do without butter for there , IS almost none to be had We had . some butter occasionally It came s from France in little fin cans and was usually not eatable. The food is , cooked in oil, when fat of any sort is desired. The morning meal consists or coffee and dry bread. At noon they have their breakfast" and this t IS regular dinner, with soup, salad ana several kinds of meat. It is re-
 markable what quantities of meat l they eat. Supper is another hearty } meal of many courses and much meat. Desserts are not usual.