The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-28
A JOURNEY TO CUBA
By MRS. CHARL ES HENDERSON, President Alabama Fc iteration of WOman's Clubs


 It was an extreme privilege to be enter tained at MT. Flagler's palatial home "Whitehall,' Palm Beach.
 Landing at Key West we went on board the steamer Governor Cobb and sailed to the main port of our travels, Havana. So little desire on the part of the public some years back to visit Cuba was felt, with a certain fear of entering therein, that I am reminded of what was once said by the Spaniards themselves in visit ing some parts of their own country--that by way of preparation, priest was sent fo- to absolve their sins, a doctor to give them medicine and lawyer to make, their wills. Within the past few years, however, conditions have changed, and the things deemed most indispensable for Spanish Cor Cuban) journey today are full purse and reliable guide book. Nine days were spent by our party on this most interesting island, and every day was full of unique pleasure and surprise.
 So much historical interest pervades this country that it is difficult to briefly give an idea of the many places visited by our party.
 Standing out apart from all else was the delightful day spent at Matansas, a Cuban city s miles from Havana. About
 
 automobile, we left the Plaza hotel and from the start feeling of joy and mer- riment pervaded the whole party. The whole journey is replete with scenery that is novel and fascinating. The peculiar richness of the red soil, which is the most productive in the world, ts said, was fully appreciated. and made one cease to doubt how it is possible to gather two and three crops of corn a year, and a practically perpetual crop of cane (we are told cane is planted only once in every Is or 20 years). and without the use of an ounce of fertilizer
 Countless thousands of royal palms are seen on either side or scattered about promiscuously on hiltops or hollows. AL most the entire avenue of our trip was made beautiful by Spanish laurel trees, their healthy, vigorous foliage overlap ing, making a bower under which we passed. On reaching Matansas, refreshing ourselves with a palatabe luncheon, we rode out to Bellama cave. This is said to eclipse in size and wonder our famous Mammoth cave, and it is truly marvellous. Then begun our drive home. and on the way visiting the hermitage of Monserrate and Yumuri valley. The prospect over this immense basin, with the river wind ing through the parti-eolored fields of corn and cane. other vegetables, royal palms. singly or in clumps, dotting the whole
 
 a beautiful sight and one of the most famous in the world
 Of course. nothing is more renowned 1 here than the famous Moro Castle, built l in 1885 at the order of Philip II of Spain The cause of it's construction and the | Spanish history attending it reads like a | romance, Lack of time prevents my speaking in detail about this famous an- cient fortress. Today it has been convert | ed into a military academy. Cabonas, | costing Sl5,O00 900, and Fuerza are other old and historic forts. To the tourist the most interesting part of Havana is the castles which are Qualifications.
 Their great rendezvous of fashionable | life Is the Prado, a promenade two miles l long. In balmy weather, which seems l continuous there. this promenade becomes | sort of open air drawing room and a | charming place for romance. The ladies' as we know. are renowned for their Sban- | ish beauty, intensified by the graceful | mantilla, or scarf. worn by all, and their knowledge of many artificial aids to their natural beauty
 We were shown a most enormous sugar plant. where we witnessed the making of sugar from the first process of crushing l the cane as it comes from the fields to | the final pure white granules.
 | A visit to the Maine, that ship of his- I torical interest to our country, was made. | AS we Ndlhtu ltS WIttked ana | torn walls. being told by our guide much l that was of deep interest to each one a | feeling of sadness came over us, especially when it was said that they would float I 1t far out in the waters and sink it. That | idea has dbeen abandoned, however. and l it will be preserved. We were in Iia- vana at her resurrection, just 13 years l from her sinking, and a memorial service was held in her honor the early morning of the same day.
 1 How l wish I could tell of the many other interesting sights which entertained and instructed us, but I must not fur l ther in pty-I shall desst. Cuba is an utterly foreign world, and yet is sepa- l rated from our own familiar scenes hy the narrowest part of the Gulf stream. The people who reside in Havana live their own life in their own way. and Cuba I is the land of the mana" tomorrow): : l therefore. don't be in a hurry, and on | coming there leave all seriousness be- | hind. and while in Havana do as the Havanians. There fingers decided charm. | found in the narrow streets of the town with the overshadowing balconies. and in 1 all the dim. cool corners of the forts, in dungeons and moat and tower There is a delight in the language strange to the Americans; in the serious eyes of the little Spanish boys who try to understand; in the curious regard of the black eyed woman. half suspicious of foreign people. and in the courteous. hospitable attitude of the men, who assure you that they and all they own Is at your immediate command And there is a new charm development, a charm to which an American is keenly sensible. for 1t ap- peals to him from the smoking chimneys of all the sugar factories, in the rumble and roar of traffic around the Havana custom house. in the open stores and every shop where something's doing" for 1t means that Cuba is awakening from lethargy to new era of commercial and industrial activity.
 Troy. Ala