s perfectly visible to these spectators of the pavement,
who, consequently, watch the proceedings within, as they would watch an
entertainment at the theatre.

The ladies of the ball are attired in simple muslin dresses of the
grenadine, the tarlatan, or the tulle kind; but no rule is observed with
regard to the cut or shape of their costume. She whom nature has endowed
with a comely figure, adopts the 'decolado,' or low-necked,
short-sleeved fashion, while her less favoured sisters prefer to conceal
their charms behind spotted lace or tulle. In short, the frequenters of
such a ball as that to which I refer are licensed to dress as becomingly
as they please, and only on rare occasions, such as a ball at the
theatre, at the governor's house, or at the mansion of some equally
distinguished person, are the strict rules of French etiquette observed.

The senoritas and their escorts are received in an ante-chamber by nine
of the oldest members of the society, who conduct the ladies to the
dressing-room of the establishment, where a few mulatto girls are in
attendance. Their toilettes being complete, it is considered 'the
correct thing' for one of these nine deputies of the Philharmonic to
offer to escort the lady dancers to the 'salon de bal;' and afterwards
to conduct the non-dancers to a locality set apart for the 'old people,'
for people in a state of mourning, and for those ladies whose lovers do
not approve of their dancing.

The male dancers--the majority of whom are pale-faced gentlemen with
black mustachios, imperials, and cropped hair--appear in ordinary
walking costume, consisting of black frock coats, black or white vests,
and white trousers, and neither they nor their fair partners include
gloves in their toilettes. Fans are used irrespective of sex, as a
creole gentleman considers that such commodities are as indispensable to
him as they are to his lady.

As most of the guests have already secured partners at the Retreta and
elsewhere, and as at all respectable gatherings in Cuba everybody is
supposed to know everybody else, the irksome formalities of introduction
are altogether dispensed with.

'Me hara usted el obsequio de cederme esta danza?' is in Spanish the
politest form for asking a lady 'if you may have the pleasure of dancing
with her.' But should you be on intimate terms with her, you may inform
yourself whether she is willing to 'take a little turn with you,' by
making the inquiry:--

'Quiere u