Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-30


tho houses and take the place Of glass.
I.ut to describe the capital Of Cuba
with its vast and interesting old fortifi-
cations. It's parks and monuments it's
spacious one-story villas OF ornamented
stucco surrounded by fine grounds its
Magnificent royal palms. it's fine old
cathedral and churches and schools and
university and botanical garden, and i'm
mense markets and great seawall and
noble harhor and innunerable cocheros.
Who drive a sort of ono horse victoria
with front axles eight inches shorter
than tho hind axles and who take two
persons for dri"e of a mile for il
crnts American money. or % cents Span
ish haC other objects of interest. is a
larger order than can undertake to I'LL.
Havana is a Spanish city, as Spanish as
Madrid or Seville. I not. briefly some Of
the things which strike an American
stranger on his first visit. One of tho
first, is the uncllzed windows. With
few exceptions the windows in the best
mansions and hotels. as well as in the
humber houses. are simply rectangular
holes in the thick walls. without castings
or glass. or sashcs or screens. or any
t.ing to hinder the free circulation of
air. except that on the ground floors
they are closed by grating or ornamental
erills of iron. Then are insid, blinds or
wooden shutters, one or both. 10 shut out
wind md rain, when necessary. The
Havana mule. which is the chief beast
Of burden. is commonly tie most highly
adorned animal. men and women not ex-
cepted to b. seen. You see them by
thousands attached to ash CT dirt
carts. or garbage wagons. having their
heads draped with scarlet sashcs. har
ness covered with bright brass orna-
mcnts. and great pompons of colored
wool, ~ inches in diameter. rising above
the saddles.
II You happen 10 die in Havana and
wish to have a typical Cuban funeral.
| he hcarse which bears Your remains to
its long home will be as sildel and gOr-
ueo,ls an affair as a circus chariot the
horses will have traprnss of red or yell
low: the driver viii be III a court dress
1T scarlet with cooked hat and knee
brceches: and footman in scarlet uni-
forms will march beside tho hearsc or
precedc the horses. 1t may not re your
long home" to which you are borne.
however. Visiting the great Cuba ccmc-
tcri. We noticed nor who were opening
graves and throwing the skulls ard
bones of their temporary inmates into
gI silly piles and We learned that il
ones surviving relatives are poor or
economical a grave in the cemetery can
| be rented for FIVE years at the end of
which period the grave Is Opered and the
homes are thrown out to be thrown later
into a great bonept, 80 feet deep. within
the cemetery. and the grave is rented to
| another applicant.
| We spent the first Sunday in Lent in
| Havana. The shops were all open TIL ia
| or II o'clock in the morning. and the
afternoon was given up to a grand festa.
or carnival. For -four hours double
proce sson comprising about all the car
riaecs in the city. the onc-horse vehicles
On the right and the tandems four-in-
h-nis and two horse carriages on the
left. miles long circied up and down the
Prado. They were filled. sometimes
| with plain citizens, but Oftener with
masquers in bright colored dominos or
gay dresses of tissue paper. or Fantastic
costumes. The balconies and curbs along
the route were lined With yourg men and
youth armed with coils Of narrow paper
|
in tight nat coils. A skilled throwcr
viii throw one Of these coils. unwirding
as it flies, for 90 or 30 feet. across the lap
IT some gay masauer or around the
shoulders Of n pretty young women in i
carriage Tho women rctaliatc in like
ribbon throwing fashion. and this went
on for hours till the carriages were
trailing miles II paper ribbon behind
them. Each skillful shot was greeted
with cheers and movement by the specta-
tors who thronged the sidewalks. and this
thing won't on till nightfall compelled d
halt The day closed with a grand ball
so crowded with dancers that dancing
was almost impossible. The last Sunda,
before Lent and three l.enten Sundays
are given up. in Havana, to similar
carnivals. do not remember t. have
noticed any similar observance Of Lent
in any New England city.
The Havana hotels swarm with Amer
leans at this time. We have met here
mr. H. C.. Tnkhar, Mr.. Charles Miller
and one or two burlington adies. AIR
John H. Converse and his family. VIII,
are making tour Of the West Indie.
Islands on an excursion steamer an6
other acquaintnnces and friends. The
wea Their for six days past has been de-
lightfully clear and cool enough for entire
comfort. day ard night. and though
some OF our friends have not beer equal
W. favored, we have not been Modesto
by flies fieas, mosquitoes or pests OF
any kind. There are no flies III Havana
anyway, so far as have seen.
We return ia Tampa Tomorrow. by tho
same steamer We came on, and shall
probably not spend more than two week
longer In Florida.
Havana. March II. 1905.
Yours O. r. II.