THE CUBA REVIEW 



13 



Drinking from a "Parron" 



It is a little difficult for an American to 

 drink from a jug having a hole the size of 

 a lead pencil pierced through the side. 

 But should 3'ou chance to be (as I have 

 been ) in a town hall and see an elderly 

 gentleman, evidently a municipal ofiticial, 

 arise from his desk, step to a stand before 

 an open window, pick up an odd-looking 

 earthenware receptacle, raise it and with 

 unerrini?- aim have the stream of water 

 tha issues from a small orifice enter his 

 mouth, then lower the thing and without 

 even glancing around to see who witnessed 

 the feat, as you intuitively expect him to 

 do, soberly take his kerchief and wipe his 

 lips, adjust his glasses and proceed with 

 his work, you would doubtless be enlight- 

 ened as well as astonished and amused. 



This receptacle, called a "parron" (liter- 

 ally "for rum") by the Cubans, has a large 

 opening for use in filling which is kept 

 corked, so that the small opening is the 

 only possible means for dust to enter. It 

 has a ring-shaped handle in the center, by 

 which it may be suspended in a breezy 

 place, and as it porous, evaporation from 

 the outside keeps it cool. Being both cool 

 and sanitary, this device undoubtedly fills 

 a place in Cuba that remains to be filled 

 in the States. However, it reciuires consid- 

 erable practice to be able to use it without 

 mishap, and this, together with the ludi- 

 crous appearance (to an American) of the 

 "pairon" in use, would probably render it 

 as inadaptable as the Greek tunic, or the 

 sandal, in spite of its exc^llent qualities. 

 — E. B. Brand (Felton, Oriente, Cuba) in 

 the IValertoivn (X. Y.) Standard. 



Alethodists \M11 Spend $30,000 



Ground for the new Candler College, to 

 be erected by the ^lethodist Church just 

 outside of Havana, will be broken some- 

 time in January. 



The church proposes to erect spacious 

 dormitories and college buildings having 

 an administration building. This calls for an 

 outlay of nearly $.30,000 to start with. Ac- 

 commodations will be given to 100 stu- 

 dents. Architects are busy preparing 

 plans. 



The ]\Iethodist Church is rounding out 

 its eleventh year of work in Cuba. 



A Flight from Cuba 



Arrangements may be made for an 

 aeroplane flight across the Florida Straits 

 from Havana to Key West, probably the 

 first week in December. The distance is 

 over ninety miles, but conditions for fly- 

 ing, it is said, will be unusually favorable 

 at that season. ^- 



Bcbiendo dc iin parron. 



Drinking from the "parron," the water-jug of 

 Cuba. 



The Havana Post has ofi^ered a prize 

 of $.5,000, and it is expected that Glenn 

 H. Curtis, Mars, Ely and Baldwin will 

 go to Cuba for the contest, which has 

 aroused the greatest interest there. 



The weather in Cuba at this time of the 

 year is ideal for flying. The storm sea- 

 son has. ended, and the winds are steady 

 and mild. 



Flying m.achines have never been seen 

 in Cuba, and the government is enthusi- 

 astic over the proposal to have flights 

 there. 



