Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-06-27
Cuba's Custom-Fettered
Women and Their Homes.
By Mrs. c. X. MILLER.

was rapidly learning English and pc-
| coming Americanized. One day she
came to my room, her arms full Of
bundles. her eyes dancing with de-
light, and her pretty face wreathed
with smiles. I soon understood that
she wanted me to examine her pur-
chaSes, and SO in true American style
We discussed her bargains.
Before the Spanish-American war
the women Of the higher and middle
classes were never employed outside
their own homes, but since that time
a few, forced to It by poverty, have
broken the customs and accepted po-
sltions. Many, however, even though
they may be pitifully poor, refuse,
and marry in poverty and rear fam
lily under the same conditions. The
native woman makes splendid
dressmaker and does some wonderful
work in copying from fashion books
without the aid of patterns. If by
chance you should give her an old
dress to copy, be sure it is not darned
or patched. for If such be the case
your new gown will be sent patched
or darned in the same identical spot,
even though new goods must be cut
away. She Is a born imitator and
copies to the letter.
The cigarette factories employ a
large number of women, and visit
there will destroy the romantic idea
Of Carmen. These girls arc for the
most part slovenly, rouged beyond all
reason, and many of them smoke as
they work. None of them presents
the trig appearance of the American
working girl. 1t must be taken into
consideration that their hours are
longer and pay less. In the busy 6ea-
son, am told, they sleep sometimes
on chairs at the factory in order to bo
at work early. There Is no child-la-
Dor law in Cuba, and many little girls
who should be at school are employed
in these factories pasting stamps,
packing cigarettes, etc. The fore
man explained that the children
worked from necessity, as they were
orphans, their fathers having been
killed in the late war.
Havana Is a theatre-going town,
and here one finds the Spanish and
Cuban actress. She differs little, as
a rule, from the American player and
loves publicity. At the Abisbu Thea
tre one evening saw two little one
act Spanish plays. They were some
what like the delightful comedies
which made Rosina Vokes famous.
Three of these are given each evening
at this theatre by stock company,
who have been playing there each
night for three consecutive years.
Tickets are sold by the act rather
than for the entire evening, and one
may come to any or all the plays. An
orchestra chair may be obtained for
the sum of fifty cents for each play.
Standing on the lower floor is sold for
thirty cents per act. For the first
play our tickets were blue, and for
the second, when we sat on the oppo-
site side OF tho theatre, they were
pink. These slips were taken up at
the close instead of the beginning Of
the performance. The crowd usually
comes in for the second play. which
begins about 8 o'clock, and In which
Senorita Esperanra Pastor, the star,
usually appears. This lady Is viva
cious and graceful. She dresses a
part well and is a comedian of ability.
The Cuban home Is built for COOL
ness. and the patio, which is filled
with beautiful plants and often
adorned with fountain, Is the CEN
trail feature, and all the rooms open
on 1t. If the house Is two stories
(the majority are one) the living
room is on the lower floor while the
sleeping rooms arc above. If the
family should own an automobile or
carriage it is kept in the front hall.
The horse Is often stabbed in the rear
and adjoining the kitchen. There
are no chimneys on dwellings in
Cuba, and no provision is made foI
heating the houses. Hot water Is
luxury, as the only fire is in the
small charcoal stoves OH which the
cooking is done. All garbage is re-
moved at night, and one Is spared the
nauscating garbage cart SO common
In our cities. Few private houses
have bath rooms. A house on the
Prada will bring from 500 to 5000
per month, while a most ordinary
dwelling in good neighborhood will
rent for $50. The ceilings are very
high--at least fifteen feet. Carpets
are not used, as the floors are of fam
cy tiling, which is kept scrupulously
clean by mopping each day. The
furniture is made of mahogany, with
cane seats, or is of the wicker va
riety and rocking chairs predominate.
Upholstered furniture is never used.
The windows have grilled iron bars,
many of which are fashioned in fancy
designs. Glass panes are rarely
found, but inside shutters are used
to shut out tho sunlight during the
day.
The typical bed in Cuba is Of iron,
and decorated at the head and foot
with medallions Of painted scenery
inlaid with mother-of-pearl. A mat
tress Is not often used, and sleeping
on woven wire springs with only a
thin guilt between the sleeper and
the springs is not the most pleasant
sensation. However, after a few
nights one realizes the comfort Of
cool beds in the tropics. At Santiago
they never use feathers in pillows,
but fill them with species of grass
which bears a small seed. The mice
are fond of these, and one night
was awakened by something moving
under my head. soon discovered