oist, into something which resembles the human leg
divine, is the work of a few moments. To fix them firmly to the wooden
plinth, and prop over them the incomplete torso by means of laths
cunningly concealed, occupies little more than an hour and a half. A
coat of thick white paint administered below, completes the operation,
and Parmentier is erect again, and apparently none the worse for his
disaster. One more layer of paint early next morning, and the statue is
faultless, and ready for being borne triumphantly from our studio to
its destination. There it is placed in its niche, and no one suspects
the mishap. Evening approaches, and with it come crowds of Cuban
dilettanti and others who have been invited. The ceremony of blessing
the new undertaking is solemnised according to custom by a priest, and
an assistant who sprinkles holy-water from a small hand-broom upon
everything and everybody, while a short prayer in Latin is chanted. Then
the guests proceed to examine the various embellishments of this
singular shop, pausing to refresh themselves from the sumptuous repast
which the chemist has provided for his guests and patrons in an
adjoining chamber.

The statues form a subject for wonder with everybody, and no one will
believe that they are constructed of other than solid material. Even the
credulous, who are permitted to tap one of Parmentier's boots as a
convincing test, cannot help sharing the popular delusion.

But our friend the shoemaker is not so easily deceived. From certain
signs, known only to himself, he recognises in the statue's painted
extremities his own appropriated goods. We swear him to secrecy, and
offer to pay him liberally for the loss he has sustained; and it pleases
him to discover that in the pursuit of the fine arts--and as regards
statue-making in the West Indies we echo the sentiment--there is nothing
like leather!

The chemist's shop is scarcely disposed of, when application is again
made to us for another important undertaking.

The Captain-General of Havana has signified his intention to honour our
town with a visit, and preparations for his reception must accordingly
be made. The good people of Cuba have not a superabundance of affection
for their distinguished chief: possibly because captains-general are not
as a rule all that their subjects might desire. But a visit from his
excellency is such an unusual event (for our captain-general is rarely
absent from his comfortable palace