The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-07-26
A hall in Manila.

Our second day in Manila we were all
invited to a first-clasS MeStiZo ball at
the house of the widow Mogez, given by
some gentlemen of the American mer-
chant houses there. Promptly at O'Clock
we drove into the Widows basement;
we ascended the stone stairway, and
scene of splendor, brilliant colors, and
black eyes, burst upon our view. The
Mestiza girls were sitting in row on
one side of the room, about forty OF them;
some decked in gay plumage; yellow,
pink, and green being prominent colors,
others dressed in somber hues; they
were mostly very pretty, with 1.-the
graceful figures, and eyes as black as
coal.
The gentlemen hoyered near the doors
of the grand sala, like hawks eying
chickens; at the first note OF the music
thew all made pounce for partners-as
1 saw that pouncing was the go, made
dive for a pretty yelloW-anu-green,
ratified off sentence from the fifteenth
lesson in Ollendorf, "Will you do ME the
favor to bailar conmigop and started
off on dance / had never seen before,
but which was easy TO learn; 1T was the
Fl Habanera, a sort OF walking embrace to
slow music; you make step to the
| right, rise on your toes, step to
| the left, rise, swing round, step to
the right, rise and so on; then, when you
wish to balance, you wink at some fell
| low, stop in front of him and 60 through
the ladies' chain, then clasp your part
| ner's waist and take the other lady's
right hand; the other fellow does the
same. and now with the music you sway
up to the center, sway back, and reyolve
| in an ecliptic at the same time after the
manner Of the, planets. After swaying
six times you drop the other lady's hand,
and gradually sail OF again with the
step and turn. The girls cling quite
closely, and gaze up occasionally, Span
| ish fashion.
After the dance, we refreshed our part
ners and ourselves with claret-punch or
beef.tea, and then took up my position
among the hawks, who began to circle
| meuts. 1t was principle not to engage
dances ahead, but to keep of for an even
start when the music strikes up. /
spotted bright little girl in white gauze,
and. at the first toot, l made dash for
her. neck and neck with four rivals, but
beat them, and of we flew to a quick
polka, in which they give lively step,
making it faster than the galop. L never
had denjoyed dance as ldldthat dash over
the polished floor. The Mestiza girls
understood no English, and it was fun to
hear the remarks ol the fellows; one flew
past me, and called out: 'Stand clear Of
this planetary systemW and another
cried: "Port your helm, Tommy, don't
YOU see her starry top-lightsw and an
other fellow came dashing down the
room. saving: "Clear the decks! Gang
way for silver-heels!" l passed our
| skipper with shout, burst off vest
button, carried away my collar-band,
1 and, as the music stopped, sank ex-
hausted in chair, and called for bouil-
lon for two. So we kept it up, dance
after dance, and the hail resounded with
shouts Of laughter.
Whenever the couples ran against each
other, the girls sang out with sharp
little "HiP' which was very amusing.
They have a great way of kissing each
other all the evening, and the tanciest
kisses l ever saw; first, both kiss to
starboard, and then both to port. The
first time l noticed 1t, a young damsel
kissed my partner good-by as she start
ed to dance with me. was astonished,
and said we were not going far, which
made them laugh. found that the girls
in contiguous seats kissed good-by be-
fore every dance, as if to say, "You will
elope this time, sure." When the time
Tor supper came, l fell into the line, and
escorted blooming Philippine to the
table. I asked resident American
what should help her to, and he said,
emphaticaily:
| Han and turkeyl Give her plenty OF
ham and turkeyW
4 1 gave her full plate, which she soon
dispatched, and called for more. Every
body ate ham and turkey. The gentle
men acted as walters, and afterward sat
down together. Spaniards are terrible
eaters. And no wonder, on this occa-
sion-for they came to the ball at 8
o'clock, and danced until P. Nj. We
held ourselves IN dancing trim by re-
with us, and deserved great praise.-.'A
MILDLY in Mhnila;" Scrlbner for, August.