Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-04


rule 1t had made the marriage fees so
high that only tine rich could AFFORD a
wedding ceremony. The poor people
mated and lived together without sanction
of authority, civil or ecclesiastical. Since
the rise of American influence a great
change has been effected. The fees have
enreduced, the ceremonies simplified and
marrying is now almost as easy as in the
states Protestant missionaries have de-
voted much time TO educating the people
along this line. Catholic priests from the
United States have revivified many con-
gregations of that faith, and have insti-
tuted many excellent reforms in parochia1
L::ES. dI.,...
The percentage Of illegitimate children
is, therefore, constantly decreasing. Yet
the record is still astonk%..- ely large.
Havana has a peculia~ .sCltution in its
founding asylum. On one of the main
streets of the city, this institution chal-
lenges the attention of the visitor by its
beauty and by the evident happiness of
the children playing in its courtyard. d.
rectly on the street and near the ground
is a square iron door. Behind that door
is blind turn-stile. A mother who wish
es, to abandon her child comes here by
night. There is an electric push button
connecting with bell. She places ths
platform of the turn-stile. Then she
rings the bell. One of the nuns comes
and turns the stile and takes the child.
The nun does not see the mother, the
mother does not see the nun. She has
cast the burden OF responsibility OF moth
erhood upon the shoulders of the mother
church. That is the end of 1t. This in
stitutioh is reckoned to be of such great
benefit TO mankind that Cubans can with
difficulty hell baf in he TTv,fk
it is crime for a mother to insure a
good living for her baby by abandoning
1t. The stigma of illegitimacy does not
rest upon the child in Latin countries so
that good families from all over the ma
ton come to this institution to adopt
children.
Havana does not conceal its vices. II
cannot he said that they are Haunted for
they are not. The government recog-
lizes. licenses and regulates evils that
are forbidden, but vet are winked at, In
American cities. The open frankness OF
this order OF things has led many care
less and superficial Americans into the
error Of condemning the Cubans as an
immoral people.
It would be equally just for foreign
er to judge American morals by what he
sees at midnight on Broadway. The Gu
ban men have no notion of a certain code
of honor which every American man pre-
tends to respect. even if he does not obey
it. Their transgressions are open and
confessed. Yet the vast majority Of Gu
han men are stay-at-homes. whose sole
recreation is found in company with their
wives and children. Cuban women are
schooled in a strict code. and it is adj
hered to. American women of wide ex-
perience who have lived for years in Cuba
declare that the Cuban women are among
the best the noblest and the most unself-
ish of Gods creatures.
Drunkenness is one sin which may not
be charged to the account of the Cuban.
He drinks his one glass of rum and wa
ter. his one bottle of red wine or his one
bottle of beer. and that is the end of II.
The hundreds of cafes welcome him TO
sit as long as he pleases over one glass.
There Is no scurrying waiter to insist
upon another order. There is no bouncer.
A Cuban may spend a whole day in the
SWEETEST cafe in Havana over ten cent
drink. The cafes do not insist upon sell
ing alcohol.
At midnight when Havana Is wide
awake and all alive. the cafes are crowd
cd. But not all the people are drinking
intoxicating beverages Half of them.
perhaps more than ha1. are taxing cones
or chocolate. Chocolate is served in =
dozen forms, and in any OF them 1t Is
revelation Of deliciousness to the man
who has known nothing but the thin.
brown American limitations. talck
Spanish chocolate eaten by dipping long
sweet cakes into the cup and accompa-
MED by water sweetened by dlssolvins
in the glass a cake made of sugar and
whites of eggs, is a midnight supper ft
FOR the gods.
Perhaps the oldest thing in Havana Is
an American institution. A company OF
young Americans, mostly newspaper men,
formed a mess. They took furnished
house. hired servants and live like
princes. The odd thing is the house is
situated at the corner Of Virtudes anc
perseverencla-.Virtu and Perseverance
streets -(Copyright, 1909. by Frederic
Hashin)