lly sententious. Forward! for remember that the needle can only
be threaded through its eye.

The following brief song speaks in praise of the neighbours at Santo
Domingo:--

Por un Espanol doy medio;
Por un Cubano--un doblon;
Y por un Dominicano
iDoy vida y corazon!

in which a Spaniard is estimated at two-pence, a Cuban at a doubloon,
and a Dominican at nothing less than 'life and soul.'

Here is some sage advice for a young lady seeking a husband:--

Chiquilla, si te casaras,
Casate con un 'scribano;
Qu' aunque no tenga dinero,
Siempre con la pluma en mano--

recommending to her notice a hard-working clerk, who, although possibly
deficient in fortune, has the power of earning one with his pen.

A baker is (in song) also considered an eligible match in preference to
a tobacconist, for whereas the latter cannot always provide the
necessaries of life, the former is at least sure of bread, chocolate
(which every Cuban baker manufactures and sells), and a few 'reales,' at
a very early hour of the day; as the original words clearly
demonstrate:--

La mujer del tabaquero
No tiene nada seguro.
La mujer del panadero
Todo lo tiene seguro;
Que a las cinco de la manana
Tiene el pan y el chocolate,
Y los tres reales, seguros.

The following is a specimen of a serenade, which is more remarkable for
its local associations than for its originality:--

No te causas espanto, ne admiracion,
Que los que te cantan, tus amigos son.
Y abrime la puerta, que estoy en la calle;
Que diran la gente?--Que es un desaire!
Cuatro rosas traigo, en cada mano dos,
No te canto mas, porque ya nos vamos.

Fear not, nor marvel greatly; for those who sing at your window are your
truest friends. So, open wide your doors to me, for behold me in the
street. And what will people say, then? Why sure, that you are slighting
me! I bring with me four roses fresh--two in every hand; but I'll sing
to you no more, because--we all must go elsewhere.

Songs similar to those quoted are usually delivered by negroes and
mulattoes at their tertulias or evening gatherings, where, seated on
leather-bottomed chairs, or squatting at the portals of their doors,
they entertain their black and brown divinities. One of the party
accompanies himself upon a guitar, or a primitive instrument formed out
of a square box upon which are arranged slips of flexible iron of
different