The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-07-10

| WTeHIneu
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
few, forced to 1t by poverty, have
broken the customs and accepted po-
sitiops. 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 uooks
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 iH a born imitator and
copies to the letter.
The cigarette factories employ a
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 must 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 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
rule, from the American player and
| loves publicity. At the Abisbu Thea
| tre one evening l 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 the 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 9 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 comedian of ability.
The Cuban home is built for cool
ness, and the patio, which is filled
with beautiful plants and often
| adorned with a fountain, is the GEN.
trail feature, and all the rooms open
| on it. 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 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 for
heating the houses. Hot water is a
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 $500
per month, while a most ordinary
4 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 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
inlaid with mother-of-pearl. A mat
tress is not often used, and sleeping
on woven wire springs with only
thin quilt between the sleeper and
the springs is not the most pleasant
| sensation. However, after a few