lp to empty the capacious bread-basket. Further up
the street they go, picking up more crumbs at rich mansions, whose
owners occasionally vary their entertainment by providing for their
vagrant visitors a little 'ajiaco,' or native soup.

Cuban people are not fond of bestowing their charity through the medium
of a public institution. The only place of the kind in that part of Cuba
which I am describing is called the Beneficencia, or almshouse, which is
under the superintendence of the Sisters of Charity. Wealthy ladies
contribute largely towards the support of this establishment, but, in
order to provide funds, public raffles are indispensable. Nothing
succeeds in Cuba so well as something in which chance or luck, combined
with amusement, is the inducement of the venture, and a raffle in aid of
funds for the famished is always popular.

Dona Mercedes, the most benevolent of ladies, tells me that she and the
prosperous Senoras already referred to have in project a grand bazaar
for the benefit of the poor, to which everybody is expected to
contribute. The articles received for the purposes of the bazaar are to
be exhibited in one of the big saloons of the Governor's house, which
overlooks the Plaza de Armas, and they will be raffled for during three
special evenings. For weeks Dona Mercedes and her charitable sisters are
busy collecting and numbering the contributions as they arrive, or
twisting the paper chances into the form of cigar lights.

The military square presents an animated scene on the evenings of the
raffle. Twelve tables, bearing rich cloths and silver candelabra, are
distributed about the broad promenade of the plaza. Around each table
are seated a score of the fairest of Cuba's daughters, elegantly
attired in evening costume, without any head-covering, and with only a
scarf or shawl lightly protecting their fair shoulders. Dona Mercedes
looks charming in a pink grenadine dress, and with her luxuriant black
hair tastefully arranged, as a Cuban Senora alone knows how. Each lady
adopts her most insinuating manner in order to dispose of her twisted
tickets, the greater portion of which contain, of course, blanks, or a
consolatory couplet, like a motto in a cracker, for the gratification of
the unsuccessful purchaser. There is loud cheering when a prize is
drawn, especially if it happen to be of importance, like the 'grand
prize,' which consists of a prettily worked purse containing six golden
onzas (twenty p