Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-11

who pleaSeS his eye passes him on the PradO
he stops, turns around, crosses one foot over
the other, leans on his cane, and contem-
plates her charms as long as he pleases. He
may even call over a friend and the Two
discuss the lady at some length IL they are
very young, they may follow her, and with
out making any effort actually to approach
her, they may seek in variety of ways to
amuse her and to attract her attention. For
example, one gifted young gallant was seen
to amuse his "novia" of the moment by run
ming along ahead of her and climbing up on
some high pedestals intended for statues.
There, with the fine dramatic feeling which
every Latin possesses, he took variety of
poses. He was alternately Diana, Venus,
Washington crossing the Delaware, and Ma
poleon on st. Helena, to the great amuse-
ment of all passers-by
The Cuban senorita smiles and tolerates
all this, for she knows she is safe from any
actual affront. A Cuban gentleman seems
never to approach a Cuban lady on the
street. 1t simply isn't done. The visiting
American observant of the smiling and
complacent air with which the native beauty
endures his curiosity, very often leaps to the
hasty conclusion that he has made a con-
quest. Mindful that he is far from home,
with grand flourish of his brand-new pan
ANA hat, he sails up and delivers broad
side of amateur Spanish, hastily culled from
a vest pocket dictionary. 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 umbrella (she
does not carry such thing anyway nor to
run him through with hatpin, or even to
call cop. She magnifcently and complete
ly ignores him, without appearing in the
least clustered. He can't understand it. If
she was nice lady she ought to have ex-
ploded, and if she wasn't, she ought to have
acquiesced. Darn these geezers anyhow!
The lady from up north finds the Cuban
gentleman equally incomprehensble. He is
o44 had hut 0 docs IF
grasp the idea of platonic friendship, and the
long courtsbip of American custom is not a
thing he can appreciate. On this point the
testimony of the pretty Irish manicurist in a
leading hotel is important. She works in At
lantic City in the summer and in Habana in
the winter. She makes a lot Of money and
is thrifty, careful business woman. Incl
dentally, she goes into society and regards 1t
as rare misfortune to pay for her own din
ner.
But l 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-perfectly foolish, I say.
They want very high polish on their finger
nails, just like woman. Not for mel"
Thus little things make big differences.
The two kinds of Americans look at each
other with interest across gulf of differ
ing social custom and language. The customs
and points of view might possibly be ADJUST
ed if more North Americans would learn
Spanish, and more Latin Americans would
learn English. An international fund ought
to be established to be administered BY the
Pan-American union, or some similar body
forthe teaching of the languages in all Amer
lean countries. 1t ought to be possible TO es-
tab1ish a system of schools which would
soon become almost or quite self-supportlng.
A large percentage of Americans who come
here to make living, fail because they can
not speak Spanish. How they expect to sue
coed is mystery. It is hard even to get any
thing to eat in this town without little
Spanish. Yet many young men come down
here from the states to look for jobs, who
cannot speak a word of Spanish. Such a
man should have money enough to live I'M
til he has thoroughly mastered Spanish. Then
he will make a living with ease. In the local
papers, for example, there are always adver-
tisements for stenographers who can write
both languages, and they are offered from
$175 to 5000 to start on. Anyone who uses
both languages really well is sure of a good
job in Habana. Furthermore, such a man or
woman is an unofficial diplomat, contributing
share to the future peace Of America, by
helping the two great American races to un-
darStand each other,