The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-08

vtll ecfvk 4 master satisfactorily Tor years
and then suddenly nbscond. or COM
NIT some \such crime az connivinR with
band OF brieands to pillaRe the house and
murder the family. A friend OF the author
who had lived In the colony about hait CEN
tury. had servant with him Tor nearly lofty
years. The masters son came back from q
Journey. bringing with him portmhnteau
containing 81. 900 The old servant cut 1t open
and extracted between $40 and $50. Charged
with the offence. he Acknowledged II. IL ap-
pears that when q previously faithful servant
is demonstrated with for committing a crime he
IL accustomed to account for the TACT oy saying:
"senor. my head was hot" When caught In
tho act on -hia first venture upon highway
robbery or murder natives invariaple e&-
cuse is that he is not q scoundrel himseii, out
was invited "by relation or compadret 10 )oln
the company. He will never come frankly and
openly forward to make n clean breast OF
fault committed, or even pardonnble acci-
dent, but will hide IL until 1t is found out. III
he be in want Of n trivial thing. which he could
readily obtain by asking for 1t. he will come
with long tale, begin by telling lie. scratch
his head. beat about the bush until he evcntu-
ally comes to the point with supplicatinR
tone and sanity countenance. 1t Is an
other anomalous trait OF the Phiiippine
Islander that you cannot win him bV kihahess'
An act OF generosity or OF voluntary con-
cession OF Justice Is regarded as sign OF
weakness. When European makes voluntary
gifts to the natives he 10 considered
fool; they conceive a contempt for him. which
develops into intolerable impertinence. The
lowest classes never give to each other. unso-
licited. cents worth. We are told that, II ono
pays a native twenty cents for service per.
formed. and that be exactly the customary re-
Enumeration. he will say nothing: buth feel
ing OF compassion impels ono TO pay thirty
cents. the recipient will loudly protest that he
ought to be paid more. In the Island OF Luz
zon. the native is able to say THANK you IN
his mother tongue, but 1t appears that In the
south. among the Visayas. there 10 no way OF
expressing thanks in the native dialect to
donor. Owing to this inability OF the Islanders
to appreciate Kindness. the experienced Eu-
ropean is com PEELED to be moro harsh than his
own nature dictates.
II would naturally be Inferred from the
habitual mendacity OF the Philippine Islander
that he Is untrust worthy In contracts and
cowardly. Here however. We encounter some
of the anomalies in his character. He may
never pay q debt, but he will never repudate
1t. and tho result is that son hired out to
labor az security for money lent to his father
will remain a slave all his life About the
physical bravery OF the native there is no dis
pute. He fears no consequences when with or
against his equals. or IL led by his superiors:
his contem pit for timidity is at the root OF his
dis1ain for the Chinese. Under good European
officers the natives Of those islands make ex-
cellent soldiers although. il their leader falls.
they are apt to become demorslized. Some
years ago n contingent Of Philippine troops
was sent to assist the French in Tonauin.
where they rendered very valuable service.
Speaking from his own observation. Mr. For
man says they will ride any horse bareback
without fear. and are utterly careless about
jumping into the sea among the sharks. which
they will sometimes deliberately attack with
knives There are natives. he says. who even
venture to dive for the caiman and rip 1t up
Besides courage. Mr.. Foreman enumerates
some other qualities Of the Philippine Islander
which 20 far to make amends for his short
comngs He is patient and forbearing in tho
extreme. remarkably sober. and pattern OF
cleanliness in his person and his dwelling.
The native in general will go without food for
many hours at q time without grumbling and
when European is travelling he never needs to
trouble about when and whore his servant will
eat or sleep. Under the eye o! . master who
knows how to treat him. he is tho most tracta-
BILE of human beings. He never. like China
man. insists upon doing things MS own way
but tries to do Just as he is told. whether it bs
right or wrong. 1t Is true that. II made the
recipient OF kindness according to European
notions. he Is ruined. but. II treated with uni
form though not excessive rigor. he will fol-
low his employer like a faithful dog. Like a
dog he must not be left too long beyond the
reach Of his masters eye. II he is. he will do
all sorts OF imprudent things from sheer want
OF reflection on the consequences. or. as he
puts 1t. because his head Is hot.