Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-19
PAWNsHOP BARGAINS IN CUBA
Things Found in Dingy Havana Es-
taSlishnents.

Havana letter in New York Times.
Were any one to suggest to an
American woman in a city in the
United States that she spend an after
noon visiting the pawn shops, she
would be much surprised, doubtless,
and refuse at once. When she comes
here she changes. And yet Cuban
ladies do not set her the example.
They never enter them. For some
reason those in Havana have a great
attraction for American women. All
OF them visit them more or less
frequently in search of bargains.
Dirty, dingy places most of them are,
too.
How the custom started l do not
know, but it has existed since the
arrival of the army of occupation
perhaps before. At various times the
scare has been for various things.
First rings were sought; every one
who had $50, $40, or $50 to spare
hunted for a ring in which to invest
Some Of those bought were very great
bargains indeed; all of the pawn
shops were filed with rings set in
stones more or less precious.
Then came an epidemic of furniture
hunting, which has reaDpeared from
time to time. There is plenty Of
furniture in the pawn shops, hanging
overhead and crowded against walls
Much Of it is painted black. and it is
hard to imagine that beneath such a
hOmely exterior there can be any
thing attractive. Yet such is the case
Often mahogany is covered in this
way, the black paint having been put
On when the family went into mourn
ing. When the period of mourning is
over, the painted furniture was sold
This is custom in Cuba.
Americans who are furnishing their
houses go about in these shops and
find many odd bits Of furniture, chairs
OF old mahogany, desks of the same
wood, and curious sewing tables
There have been found some beauti
full round mahogany dining tables, and
these are proudly exhibited by their
! owners, who had them polished and
put in excellent order A Cuban
would never think of furnishing his
house in such a way; he would take
pains to see that he had new fur
niture, and that imported
There was a period when every one
must have a plate. The dark Jays
which have fallen upon so many Of
Cuba's families, have sent to the
pawnshops many articles which would
not have found their way there other
wise. Among these are beautiful sets
Of china, bearing the crests and mono
grams Of various old families One,
in particular was very beautiful The
crest, large and placed in the center
was of scarlet and gold, and the mon
Ogram was in the same cOlors. There
were dozens Of plates, platters, and
dishes of various shapes and sizes
These were much in demand, although
the prices were high-$3 for a single
plate. Some beautiful old blue china
has been found and bought for a song
A platter, large enough to hold large
turkey, was bought for less than 30
cents. Vases of Canton china, new to
all appearances, have been bought
for 81 or so.
During all the time Americans have
bought candlesticks. The supply of
these seemed eXhaustless, which leads
one to believe that all of Cuba must
have been Illuminated by caAdlelight.
There are hundreds Of altar candle
sticks and strong susDici0y, is aroused
that they were stolen from churches.
There are vast numbers of smaller
candlesticks. Many of these are hid
den among heaps of old rubbish, and
when brought out are most unattrac-
tive.
| should have said that they were
hidden under rubbish at first; later,
when it became known that Ameri-
cans were hunting for them, they
were in the most conspicuous place
in the shop One brought out from a
mass of rubbish, and sold for Is cents,
was cleaned and found to be of pure
silver, with images of saints at the
four corners In another a gold we'd
ding ring was found wedged tight.
The candlesticks are of brass for the
most part, and, as they cost only /
trife, this epidemic has harmed peck
etbooks very little The silver can
delabra are different matter: howeve~,
their price kept them from becoming
a fad among Americans. There are
almost as many of them in the old