round him, and exhausts the rest of
his amiability with the ladies. But the priest is not so unconscious of
Don Manuel as that gentleman supposes. Soon he singles the officer out
from the group of males, and bids him follow the bride, and his future
mother-in-law, into an adjacent chamber. But little is required of the
bridegroom besides his signature to a paper, which he does not read; and
when the holy man has addressed something or other to him in the Latin
language, he is politely requested to withdraw. Shortly after Don
Manuel's retirement, the bride and her escort issue from the mysterious
chamber, and, after saluting us all round, take their departure and
drive away. Don Manuel's distinguished position seems to be scarcely
increased by these proceedings; but when his friends congratulate him,
the lights of the chapel are extinguished, and the decorations on the
miserable altar-piece are stowed away, he endeavours to realise the
feelings of a married man. Don Manuel follows his friends as they lead
the way to the bride's parental roof, consoling himself with
newly-rolled cigarettes as he walks along.

It is nearly two A.M. before we reach the scene of the festivities,
where most of the guests are already assembled. A long table has been
tastefully arranged with sweetmeats, cakes, fruit, wine, and other
luxuries, and some of the guests, whose appetites could not be
restrained, have already inaugurated the festivities. Much confusion,
uproar, and struggling after dainties peculiar to a Cuban banquet,
prevail, and it is not without an effort that the young officer
contrives at last to find a place near his bride. Healths are drunk and
responded to incessantly, and often simultaneously; rather, as it would
seem, for the excuse of drinking champagne and English bottled ale, than
from motives of sentiment.

When enough cigarettes have been smoked, and enough wine and beer have
been disposed of, all the company rises with one accord. The ladies
throw light veils across their shoulders, the gentlemen don their
panamas; and the bride and her mother, together with the bridegroom and
all the guests, followed by an army of black domestics, leave Don
Benigno's habitation, and marching in noisy procession along the narrow
streets, arrive at the bride's future home. It is a one-storied dwelling
with marble floors and white-washed walls, and is furnished with
bran-new cane-bottomed chairs and other adornments belonging to a Cuba