The Dolores star., 1906-03-02
M Mg22 e ss}s
Scene on Plaza One
to Delight Tourists !
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Especial Correspondence

All roads In Cuba lead to the plaza,
OF public square, and a town without
its plaza would be like an egg without
salt, or beauty minus a mirror.
But, then, no town is without its
plaza and most of them can boast
Of series. Each of the larger town
has its municipal band, and upon at
least one evening OF each week 1t
plays in the principal plaza. Then the
plaza is gala sight. worth going
many mile to witness.
1t is then that the houses, SO jeal-
ously closed by day. open wide their
1oors and from them step sonora and
the senoritas. her daughters. all bend
ing their steps in the one direction.
unless, indeed, they belong to the
wealthy classes and own carriage, or
perhaps hire one for the promenade"
as it is called. 1t is gay then, the
plaza. with its neat walks, where the
electric lights twinkle merry well
come. where the fountains splash
softly and the royal palms toss their
scornful heads in the cool breeze of
evening.
The picture is pretty one. whether
one sees it from the slow and stately
procession of open carriages moving
about the outside of the square, or
joins the throng sitting on the numer-
Gus benches or promenading up and
down In gay knots upon the walks.
where the lights cast wonderful wav-
ing shadows of huge, graceful palm
leaves.
n,A Actr~ hot h. IL. L., ,I,o
ed by church. graceful bulk now
against the dark blue velvet sky by
day, splendid pile of color, for it is
usually old. sometimes with a history
centuries long. and bears traces of
wind and weather on its soft-hued
walls.
All in Gala Attire.
The people reach the plaza early;
Senior in his suit of immaculate white,
with his hair and boots shining beau
tifrlly and his cigarette alight; SEN
ora in the black, which was until
very recently the uniform of the Gu
ban woman when she was afoot: seao-
rita is splendid splash of color. her
airy gown is of vivid pink, blue.
mauve or red, with perhaps general
preference in any gathering for pink,
the color of girlish dreams. She has
also abandoned her mantilla, save in
the country districts, or perhaps for
church wear; but she retains the rose
or carnatiOn set high in her dusky
hair above the left ear, That flower
is Indispensable. and poor indeed
would be the girl who could not afford
one at least for band night" One
san only guess at the coquettish care
given to the place of the vivid bios
som ere senorita is ready to leave her
fathers house.
One thing Is strange here to Ameri-
can eyes on these gala evenings, and
that is the isolation of the sexes. One
sees the girls in brilliant groups. each
one a symphony of color, or walking
demurely by the side. of duenna, but
there are no absorbed young couples
strolling together, unchaperoned and
unnoticed. And yet let no one i'm
agine that no winged shafts of Cupid
are let loose tonight; for the eye is
eloquent in Cuba and the most demurc
of senoritas must sometimes lift her
own from the ground.
Plaza in Daylight.
Nor is the plaza neglected BY day.
Here sit or loiter many picturesque
group-old men past their work, gay
ly clad nurses with children, servants
waiting to be hired. each with small