Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1936-12-24

Dear Mr.. Editor:
Greetings to all at home and best
wishes for merry holidays and the
best of New Years
It is difficult at this moment to
Visualize Christmas and the New
Year even though the window dis
plays are holiday suggestions. It
seems incompatible that we should be
wearing white, basking in the daily
sunshine and delightful breezes.
Roses, HIBISCUS, cannas and most
beautiful of all the. bougainvilla are
a mass of oerese and purple blooms,
So profuse that at times there is not
a visible leaf. The royal and cocoa
nut palms lend artistic beauty to the
humblest habitation. Likewise in the
humblest abode one finds only marble
floors and stairWays and the beautiful
patios of marble and artistically ar
ranged with many tropical plants. In
many of the poores apartment houses,
one and two room family apartments
encircle these patios which are open
to the sky and air and sunshine. On
the upper floors are iron railing en-
closes the patio where frequently the
cook stove stands, and the family
cooking may be viewed by all the
neighbors. They are all very much
interested in Americans and seem
proud that we occasionally pay them
la visit. One scarcely arrives in
Havana before feeling the enchant-
ment of the section known as "Old
Havana" with its architectural re-
NJ nf
and walls recalling the ancient city
founded by Lieutenant Governor Don
Diego Valazquez de Cuellar, twenty
seven years after the discovery of
Cuba by Columbus. ell Template" is
but a stones throw from our hotel
and here at, the foot of leafy tree
near the sea they sang their first
mass. and held the first meeting of the
City Council. Within this little mon
ument called Gel Template" are large
paintings descriptive of these cere-
monies It is at all times open to the
public but on st. Cristopher's Day
many natives come to offer up pray
ers. This ancient part of the city is
typical of the primitive Spanish
towns, such as Sevilla Granada and
Murcia. They typify old Spain so
faithfully I am told, that the moving
picture companies frequently use
them depicting scenes of the mother
country. Here the cobbler has his
shop in the front of his "casa"
(dwelling) with his shoe shining
chairs on one side, his work bench
on the other and in the rear the fam
lily piano. The "Signorita" (his
daughter) has a beautiful voice and
frequently sings for Mr.. Teiser and
myself, while passersby stop to listen.
The sidewalks in this part of old Ha-
vana are very narrow, sometimes
comprising little more than a curb
ing and one must use care not to be
swept by as the street car with its
wide fender and the bus and. auto
comes roaring by in modern fashion.
Naturally these are all one way
streets. Cubans are late sleepers. and
signora seldom does her shopping UNI
til late in the afternoon. In the morn
ing the narrow streets are crowded
mostly with men, talking necessarily
and rapidly and frequently one must
take to the middle of the road to get
by. On one recent occasion two gen
tlemen with hands clasped and in
rapid and intense conversation, SIM
ply raised his hands as in an arch
let me- pass under never stopping for
a second their conversation. In this
part Of old Havana, abound the forts
built during the Spanish occupation,
hardly a town on the island which has
not fort, tower and, barracks. En-
tering Havana in one of the most
beautiful harbors in the world one
passes the most noted forts Of Moro
and Guiana, while The Castle of
Fuerza, Atares and Principe are but.
a. few of the others which 7 pass daily
in my walks. In another letter hope
to- tell a. little Of the new Havana, the
beautiful public parks and the aston
ishing work Of the Chinese colony
here. There will be much merry
making and squealing of pigs in the
coming. Of Christmas but as I wrote
once before the real "Pascuas" or
"Nocl1es Bueno" does not take place
until january 6, 1887, commemorate
ing the Coming of the Three Wise