The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-04-02

crosses one foot over the other leans
| on his cane, and contemplates mel
charms as long as he pleases. He may
| even call over a friend and the 1--WE
discuss the lady at some length; II
they are very young, they may folio"
her, and without making any effort &C
| tually to approach her, they may seek
in variety of ways to amuse her and
to attract her attention. For exam
pie, one gifted young gallant was seer
to amuse his 'novia' Of the momen,
by running along ahead Of her and
climbing up on some high pedestals IN
tended fof statues. There, with the
fine dramatic feeling which every Latin
possesses, he took variety of poses
He was alternately Diana, venus!
Napoleon on st. Helena, to the great
amusement Of all passers-by.
The Cuban senorita smiles and toler-
ates all this, for she knows she is safe
from any actual affront. A Cuban gen.
tleman seems never to approach a
Cuban lady on the street. 1t simply
isn't done. The visiting American, OBJ
servant Of the smiling and complacent
air with which the native beauty en-
dures his curiosity, very often leaps to
the hasty conclusion that he has made
conquest. Mindful that he is far
from home, with a grand flourish OF
his brand new Panama hat, he sails up
anu utllNtTS VI amateur
Spanish, hastily culled from a vest
pocket dictiQnarH Ten to one the dark
eyed beauty does not resent this. She
never feels self-righteously impelled to
whale him over the head with an UNI
brella tshe does not carry such a
thing anyway nor run him through
with hatpin, or even to call q cop.
She magnificently and completely ig
nores him. without appearing in the
least flustered, He can't understand
it. If she was a nice lady she ought
to have exploded, and II she WASH t
she ought to have acquiesced. Darn
these geeZers, anyhow!
The lady from up north finds the Gu
ban gentleman equally incon prehensi-
BILE. He is gallant, attentive, polished,
but he does not grasp the idea OF pla
tonic friendship, and the long court
ship of American custom is not thing
he can appreciate. On this point the
list in leading hotel is important. She
works in Atlantic City in the summer
and in Havana in the winter. She
makes a lot of money and is a thrifty,
careful business woman. Incidentally,
she goes into society and regards 1t as
a rare misfortune to pay for her own
dinner.
But never go out with these Cuban
guys. Simply impossible! If you so
much as give one of 'em date, he
imagines you just can't resist him. Per-
fectlg foolish, ] say. They want a
very Aigh polish on their finger nails,
just like a woman. Not for me!''
Thus little things make big differ
ences The two kinds of Americans
look at each other with interest across
a gulf of differing social customs and
language. The customs and points of
view might possibly be adjusted II
more North Americans would learn
Spanish, and more Latin Americans
would learn English. An international
ministerod by the Pan America union.
or some similar body for the teaching
of the languages In all American coun-
tries, II ought to be possible to es-
tablish a system OF schools which would
soon become almost or quite self-sup.
porting
A large percentage OF Americans who
come here to make a living, fan be.
cause they cannot speak Spanish. How
they expect to succeed Is a mystery.
II IL hard even to get anything to eat
IN this town without a little Spanish.
Yet many young men come down here
from tR States to look for jobs, who
ca mot speak a word OF Spanish. Such
man should have money enough to
live until he has thoroughly mastered
Spanish. Then he will make a living
with ease. In the local papers, for ex-
aihpitt INtit are always advertisements
for stenographers who can write both
languages, and they are offered from
xl75 to 5000 TO start on. Anyone who
uses both languages really well is sure
OF good job In Havana. Furthermore.
such man or woman Is an unofficial
diplomat, contributing a share to the
future peace of America, by helping
the two great American races TO un-
derstand each other
How would you like to De gas meter