The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-06-27
Cuba's Custom-Fettered
Women and Their Homes.
By Mrs. c. r. MILLER.

TED In converts and retain their old |
spanish customs. II by chance one
marries an American of the right sort J
these ideas OF seclusion vanish and
the real woman comes to the surface.
saw an evidence of this in the inter-
lor or the Island where met n
charming Cuban girl, the bride OF a
rev months. Her husband was the
typical American business man-de-
voted to her and his business. She
was rapidly learning English and be-
coming Americanized. One day she
came to my room, her arms full of
bundles, her eyes dancing with de-
light, and her pretty face wreatbed
with smiles. l 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 wa,
the women of the higher and middle
classes were never employed outside
their own homes, but since that time
few. forced to 1t by poverty. have
broken the customs and accepted no.
sltions. Many, however, even though
they may be pitifully poor, refuse.
and marry in poverty and rear a fam.
lily under the same conditions. The
native woman makes q 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 1t is not darned
or patched, for II 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 n
large number of women, and a visit
there will destroy the romantic idea
OF Carmen. These girls are 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 mG5t be taken into
consideration that their hours are
longer and pay less. In the busy sea-
son, l am told, they sleep sometimes
on chairs at the factory in order to be
at work carly. 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
rule, from the American player and
loves publicity. At the Abisbu Thea
ire one evening 1 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 a stock company,
VINO 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
thlrty cents per act. For the first
play our tickets were blue, and for
the second, when we sat on the oppo-
site side OF the theatre they were
pink. These slips were taken IN 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 E viva.
clous 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.
tral 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 are above. If the
family should own an automobile or
carriage 1t is kept in the front hall.
The horse is often stabbed in the rear
and adjoining the kitchen. There
are no chimneys on dwellings I'm
Cuba, and no provision is made for
heating the houses. Hot water is n
luxury, as the only fire is in the
small charcoal stoves on which the
cooking is done. All garbage is re-
moved at night, and one is spared the
nauseating 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 fan
cy tiling, which is kept scrupulousIy
clean by mopping each day. The
furniture is made of mahogany, with
cane seats, or is of the wicker va
riety and rocking chairs predominant.
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 the sunlight during the
day.
The typical bed in Cuba is of iron,
and decorated at the head and foot
with medallions of painted scenery
inlatd with mother-of- A mat