Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-27

children are to receive the first atten
ton and be remembered. Indeed If
this country 1t is the children who
really keep the day and derive the
But in Cuba and other isles of the
West Indies, especially those whose
people cling to the Spanish laws and
traditions Of their ancestors, it is quite
different. There it is the older people
who really celebrate the day and main
tain the true spirit Of the "Pascua'
season. And, indeed, why should II
be otherwise, for after all, the average
native of the West Indies is In reality
but grown child and his simple ideas
and modes of amusement accord more
with the. childish pastimes of the
States, than with what is expected
from the adults Of the descendants OF
Spain.
Preparations for Day.
Weeks before Christmas the latest
herds. dragged to the residence of the
natives and consigned to four or five
feet of stout rope, securely anchored
to heavy stakes driven in the ground q
convenient distance from the kitchen
doors of the shacks to keep them from
entering.
Here the doomed razorbacks under
go rigorous routine of heavy feeding,
and at the same time serve as interest
Youngsters who are left to their own
devices in the busy time of preparing
for the annual festival.
The f1eetest ponies of the island
will receive added care and attention,
put through their daily runs before the
hot topical sun tops the horizon, pre-
paratory to winning divers favors for
their owners and riders in the races
held on Christmas afternoon. The ira
ditional fighting cock Of the West In
dies also undergoes his training for
the pitting of the day. The bird will
be caught and carefully watched
for weeks in advance, in the day time
having the freedom Of the house, and
at night tied to the leg Of his masters
bed. All feathers will be clipped close
to the body except the long tail plumes
ers. The long pointed spurs will be
carefully scraped and sharpened. For
hours at time two birds will be
tied within possible striking distance
of each other until the proper amount
OF antagonism is exhibited on each
side and then the cocks are launched
at each other, neither to win, but as
a preliminary bout to the final match
at which reckless owners stake their
earnings Of months.
Presents Available.
The American will be at complete
loss to select his presents from the
motley stock of an average Cuban
store. Gaudy colored shawls will
doubtless attract his attention upon
entering. Fans Of every conceivable
shape and design are displayed, silk
handkerchiefs and parasols found in
q hnn6onnn 1,y1f orJytb In io ho
older person. The children are appar-
emily forgotten, unless the added
stores to the sweets supply may be
intended in part for the youngsters.
Figs and dates will be present from
Spain and other countries Christmas
bottles of wine in fantastic shapes
which will furnish delightful hours for
old and young. to the old the wine as
q beverage and to the young the bot
Aes as an additional toy to be dragged
around the bare floors, hitched in pairs
by pieces of rags to blocks of wood.
This imitation OK team and cart will
give the same amount of amusement
to the child of Cuba that a toy electric
automobile will to the pampered COM
pick child of the states.
. Get Ready for Feast.
After the sun goes down the night
before Christmas the slaughtering and
arassIng Of d the hogs nsi begins
are collected near the
bank of some neighboring stream.
Here the hogs are led and stuck, and
the bodies hastily sprinkled with
water while yet warm. Then the
palm leaves come into use. They are
lit and the fire applied to all external
parts of the animal, for moment
oy, 1yy. ma a1,nf lvox f,o,, l.,
bards and the hair is scraped clean
from the hide, coming off easily and
rapidly, leaving the skin whole and
entire, for it is the roasted skin that
is considered the greatest delicacy by
your Cuban don. Then high and safe
the hogs are hung to await daybreak
OF the morrow.
Long before sunrise on Christmas
morning the procession of ranchers
ferent families collect for the occa-
sion. Squeaking OK carts wend their
laborious ways over the roads, the gay
young caviliers canter briskly in on
their steaming ponies, arrived in
white linen and many colored neck
cloths, many with their prize game
cocks under their arms, which are
evidently enjoying the ride and display
as much as their masters.
with young Cubans in quest of their
morning cup of black coffee, for your
native West Indian eats no breakfast
until :ov or IL O'clock in the morn
ing, and depends entirely upon his
morning cup of coffee to sustain him
through the morning hours.
Cock Fights in Morning.
The morning is given over entirely
to the men, no women are in evidence,
look where you may The cock fights
are pulled off amid loud betting and
bsostings, the winning mirds caught up
and carefully tended for their wounds,
the dead birds thrown carelessly iato
the nearest vacant lot, where the great
tropical buzzards will take care of
them before you can become interest
ed in the next fight. The women are
busy experimenting me barbecues OF
tho hogs and the great heaps of NAL
anga" and yucca which are being
prepared for the feast at II O'Clock.
The horse races are run, each horse
carrying the colors of his master,
shown by long streamers woven into
the tightly braided tails. and by rib
bons dangling from bridal rosettes