hrough their means, yet thousands are
impoverished in their mad zeal to purchase tickets, though it cost them
their last medio. The government thus countenances and fosters a taste
for gambling, while any one acquainted at all with the Spanish
character, must know that the people need no prompting in a vice to
which they seem to take intuitively.

The Spaniards receive credit for being a very hospitable people, and to
a certain extent this is due to them; but the stranger soon learns to
regard the extravagant manifestations which too often characterize their
etiquette, as quite empty and heartless. Let a stranger enter the house
of a Cuban for the first time, and the host or hostess of the mansion
says at once, either in such words or their equivalent, "All that we
have is at your service; take what you will, and our right hand with
it." Yet no one thinks of understanding this literally. The family
volante is at your order, or a saddle horse; and in such small
kindnesses they are indeed polite; but when they beg of you to accept a
ring, a book, a valuable toy, because you have happened to praise it,
you are by no means to do so. Another trait of character which suggests
itself in this connection, is their Universal habit of profuse
compliment.[28] The ladies listen to them, as a matter of course, from
their countrymen, or from such Frenchmen as have become domesticated in
the island; but if an American takes occasion to compliment them, they
are at once delighted, for they believe them to be sincere, and the
matter is secretly treasured to be repeated.

The Cuban ladies, with true feminine acuteness, estimate correctly the
high-flown compliments of their countrymen; and the kindred French,
Castilian and Parisian politeness is of about equal value, and means the
same thing,--that is, nothing. To strangers it is very pleasant at
first, but the moment it is apparent that these profuse protestations of
friendship and offers of service are transparent devices, and that if
you take them at their word they are embarrassed, perhaps offended, that
you must be constantly on your guard, and be very careful to consider
every fine phrase as a flower of rhetoric, it becomes positively
disagreeable. Good manners go a great way; and if a person does you a
favor, the pleasure you experience is much enhanced by the grace with
which the obligation is conferred; but there is a vast difference
between true and false politeness. The former