nds dare not press his defense, or inquire
too closely as to his case, lest they, too, should be incarcerated on
suspicion, never again to regain their liberty. A maxim of Spanish law
is that every accused person is guilty, until he proves himself
innocent! As a large majority of the people, in their hearts,
sympathize with the revolutionists, and are revolutionists in secret,
they are liable to say or to do some trifling thing unwittingly, upon
which the lynx-eyed officials seize as evidence of guilt, and their
arrest follows. What fearful stories the dungeons of Moro could reveal
had they tongue with which to speak!

Obispo and O'Riley streets are the principal shopping thoroughfares of
the metropolis, containing many fine stores for the sale of dry goods,
millinery, china, glassware, and jewelry. These shops are generally
quite open in front. Standing at the end, and looking along either of
these thoroughfares, one gets a curious perspective view. The
party-colored awnings often stretch entirely across the narrow
streets, reminding one of a similar effect in Canton, where straw
matting takes the place of canvas, forming a sort of open marquee. The
queer names adopted for the stores never fail to afford a theme of
amusement; the drawling cries of the fruit-dealers and peripatetic
tradesmen giving an added interest. The merchant in Havana does not
designate his establishment by placing his own name upon his sign, but
adopts some fancy title, such as Diana, America, The Star, Virtue, The
Golden Lion, and so on, which titles are paraded in gilt letters over
the door. The Spanish people are always prodigal in names, making the
sun, moon and stars, gods and goddesses, all do duty in designating
their stores, villas, and plantations. Nearly every town on the island
is named after some apostle or saint. The tradesmen are thorough Jews
in their style of dealing with the public, and no one thinks of paying
them the price which they first demand for an article. It is their
practice in naming a price to make allowance for reduction; they
expect to be bargained with, or cheapened at least one half. The
ladies commonly make their purchases late in the afternoon or evening,
stopping in their victorias at the doors of the shops, from whence the
articles they desire are brought by the shopmen and deftly displayed
on the street. When lighted up at night the stores are really
brilliant and attractive, presenting quite a holiday appeara