Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-11

| than one might imagine.
| 1t may be said of the Philippine wo-
men that If their gems are not rich and
rare they are at least numerous. Any
woman in fair circumstances is loaded
| down with jewelry on every occasion.
| The reason of this is found in the lack
| Of confidence in each others honesty.
| A safe, deposit vault might afford secu-
rity for her property, but any one who
i is aware Of the pilfering character of
| the inhabitants would be inclined to
| doubt even that.
| Pirates, bandits and sneak thieves
| flourish and grow rich. 1t is just as
respectable to be pirate or a brigand
in that happy land as it is to be
churchman in line Of promotion to a
| bishCpric.. No housekeeper is at all as,
! tonished on returning from a walk Or
| visit to find her home looted Of ev
erything worth carrying off. She is
| used to it, and after signing regretfully
merely gees around to the nearest
merchant and orders a new stock.
1t cannot be said that the wCmea of.
the Philippine islands are intelligent
Charming and agreeable and subtle
they may be, but with little capa city
for serious intellectual attain ment
The foreigners 6ld that the native
women make ex-nt servants. Some
years ago sewil Iachines were in,
reduced into then philippines. and tie
Malay women showed great aptitude
in learning the management Of taem.
They are now, as a rule, excellent
seamstresses. The services of a sew
ing woman can be procured for 20
cents a day, the sewer working from 3
a. m. until $3.50 or 6 o'clock There
are many feast and fast days, how
ever, and as the women are intensely
religious in their way the real time
which they work is only aOolt two
thirds Of the year.
In the evening, aftn~ the business. OF
the day is over, in the city Of Manila
the people gather upon the Calzada, a
promenade that overlooks the, water,
where the military band CT one of the
regiments plays for a few hours each
night. 1t is not a particularly hand
some promenade, even with It's over
shadCwing almond trees, but there the
wealth and beauty and fashion of the
island nightly airs its graces and new
clOthes-the rich in their carriages
driven slowly along behind sleek horses
the poor On foot, happy and contented
with their share Of worldly good for
tune or lack of it.
The houses of the Philippines, while
spacious and outwardly picturesque,
have little to recommend them as
abodes. They are dark and poorly ven
tilated. The windows of most Of them
no ttpy caf xutfh clSrap of
ter shell, which makes poor medium
for the transmission of light.
One often wonders at the woman who
marries the slant-eyed, pig-taiied rep
reset Iative Of the land Of Ii Hung
Chang. Now, although the thrifty Chi
namen are the richest CT all the in
habitants Of the Philippines, being mer-
chants, bankers, etc, they are not re-
garded as entitled TO social equality
with even the poorest Malaysian. The
fathers of the church disaDprove of
John Chinaman as an irreclamable pa
gan. Many of the Cinnamon in time
decide to marry in the land of their
adoption, and after selecting an at
traetive maiden the method of securing
her over her cwn indignant protest and
that of her parents is worthy of the
great Ii himself.
After q brief acquaintance the Chi
naman usually asks the girls parents
for the hand Of their daughter. AS
John probably expected. consent is re-
fused. for not only are his paganism
and personality objectionable, but no
priest will marry one Of the faithful
TO heather.
The Chinaman pretends TO take the
IN, RI and fr1artE
return another day with apologies and
a present. The present Is accepted,
and a mild friendship springs up be-
tween the family Of the object Of Johns
admiration. and John himself. He is
so obliging, vet humble, so anxious
and interested in their welfare, so
ready with a loan or a gift, that he
soon ingratiates himself into their
good grsces.
When the family has accepted about
800 or 5000 worth Of presents the Chi
naman again sues for the hand OF MS
inamorata and is again refused. Then
he goes placidly home and draws up
bill for all the presents he pas be-
slowed upon the family, and. may
be added, he apDraises them u the
very highest market value.
Az very few Of the native families
could raise So at the most constsrna
tion reigns, especially as most of}the
gifts, the willy Chinaman has taken
care. were such things as were 10 be
! eaten or worn and are gone, never TO
return. At any rate. John says that he
| does not want the presents back. as his
courtship mas so damaged his faith and
trust In women's sweetness and affee-
| ticn that he means to have nothing
mere 20 do with them. but a broken
! hearted Cninaman will ever after lead
| a sad and solitary life. Unless he re,
ceiyes the value Of the presents, whiet
he now needs to satisfy certain unexj
pected and importunate creditors, he
will begin lawsuit TO recover them
value.
keter having made this ANNOUNCED
| ment the discreet Celestial goes home
i and chuckles. The next visit ia made
with the alleged intention OF collecting
! his blu, but he pretends TO melt and be