Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/124

Rh bottom, in its usages and forms. As, for instance, ladies, and even gentlemen who are strangers, will not be allowed to pay for their own purchases at fancy-shops, in eating-houses, confectioners' shops, and such like, or for their tickets at the theatres; and yet, neither the lady nor the stranger-gentleman will have any idea to whom it is that he is obliged for this politeness. Suppose, now, that you go to a perfumer's to purchase a bottle of eau-de-rose, or to a confectioner's for un libro de dulces (Cuba dulces, or sweetmeats, are very celebrated), and you are about to pay for them. You take out your pesos, but they are returned to you with a polite bow, and “It costs you nothing, signora!” And it will do no good though you should remonstrate, neither is it worth while. Some gentleman has been, or is then among the purchasers, perhaps unknown to you, but well-known to the people of the shop, and he has given a secret sign or nod, which has expressed, “I shall pay for her!” and then has left the shop, or goes on reading his newspaper, and you never know to whom you are obliged for this polite attention. Two of my lady acquaintances at Havanna told me that they were annoyed and distressed by continual politeness of this kind, and which laid them under silent obligations which they had no means of discharging; and I can very well understand that the thing may have its annoyances, but it is very polite nevertheless; and towards a foreigner and a stranger it is a politeness which is both beautiful and noble, when it declines the possibility of thanks.

But to return to the negro banquet and ball.

A banquet, arranged with flowers, lamps, and ornaments, occupied the lower part of the dancing hall. The dancers amounted to between two and three hundred persons. The black ladies were, for the most part, well dressed, after the French mode, and many of them very fine. Some couples danced, with great dignity and precision, some exceedingly tiresome minuets. What a foolish dance it is