over any word, line, or
passage which he may deem offensive to Spanish morality or to Spanish
politics. There is no rule attached to this dramatic censorship, and
each censor, in every town throughout the island, has his own way of
passing judgment; thus, what would suit the politics and morality of
Havana, might be considered treasonable and profane at Santiago, and
_vice versa_. A capital comedy is often so mutilated by the Cuban censor
as to be rendered dramatically unfit for representation.

All Cuban buildings are constructed with a provident eye to earthquake
and tropical heat, and the theatre is no exception to the rule. The
means of egress are ample and facile, so that in case of emergency the
audience may, comparatively speaking, step from their places into the
street. On every side are huge open windows and doors, by means of which
perfect ventilation is ensured. Fire is also carefully provided against,
and there is always a small regiment of black 'bomberos,' or firemen,
stationed in readiness within the theatre. There are two tiers of
private boxes, and a gallery. The first tier is but slightly elevated
above the pit, enabling the occupants to converse, as is the fashion,
with friends in the stalls. Both tiers have the appearance of an
ordinary dress circle, with a low partition to distinguish one box from
another. There are wide lobbies at the back, and an ornamental iron
grating in front. Like most houses in Cuba, the theatre is without
drapery, the stall-seats and box-chairs, which are cane-bottomed, not
excepted. The interior of a Cuban theatre is barren as a bull-ring.

Despite my intimacy with El Marquesito del Queso, I pay my money at the
doors, before I enter the theatre at night, like everybody else; for in
this proud country it is considered humiliating in a respectable person
to beg an order or a pass. I accordingly purchase two separate tickets;
one for my admission into the theatre, and one for my seat in it;
otherwise, I should have to stand, like the indigent few, at the back of
the boxes. Tunicu sometimes accompanies me on these occasions, and gives
me the names and occupation of most of the audience, whom he seems to
know personally. For the matter of that, everybody in a Cuban theatre is
on intimate terms with everybody else, and there is much conversation
between the occupants of the boxes, who are, with few exceptions,
ladies, and those of the pit, who are exclusively gentlemen. The
seno