Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-06-16

lands, are essentially different in APP
pearanee, language. manners and dress
from the others.
The Negrito women belong to van
ishing race, which is doomed to rapid
extinction. The native women of Malay
origin are much more interesting. They
possess many characteristics in common
with their sisters in more civilized
countries.
In Manila and other cities the native
women are often rich, well educated
and of marked beauty. Even in other
sections where females do not possess
equal advantages beauty is not SO rare
amang them as to be a subject of com
ment Compared with the men the SUI
pefiority of the women of the Philip
pine islands is noteworthy. They show
it in their faces and manners, and the
difference is still more marked in their
speech. They are as a rule modest, in
dustrious, eager to acquire knowledge
and make excellent wives and house
servants. They are almost invariably
expert with the needle. display fine ar
tistic taste and learn music with re-
markable facility.
Some years ago sewing machines
were introduced into the islands, and in
short time the native women learned
to run them as well as their white sis
ters An excellent seamstress can be So
cured for % cents day, and nearly ev-
cry European family has one. They live
in their own homes-little nipa huts,
with two or three rooms-and work
from s a. m. to about 6 p. m. Large
numbers of the native women work al
so in the tobacco factories and other
manufacturing establishments, while
many occupy themselves at home by
making toys, fancy articles and en-
broidery for the shops.
Some of those articles give evidence
Of wonderful delicacy of touch, as also
Of artistic taste, which places them on a
par with the best of the kind produced
by the Chinese or Japanese.
Even the best educated and wealthiest
of the native women pay little regard
to European fashions in dress. They
prefer the simplicity of their own cos
tunes, which are not only more suit
able for the climate, but are really more
artistic The dress of the mestizos, the
offspring of white fathers and native
women, consists of a long skirt of heavy
silk and waist and neckerchief made
of the fibers of the pineapple plant and
embroidered with white silk, linen or
cotton This costume is calculated to
enhance the attractiveness of the face
and neck, and the reputation for beauty
which the mestizo women have is per-
haps partly owing to the manner in
which they are draped.
As in all countries there are of course
marked Emergencies from the highest
type in the Philippine islands. Many
of the women, especially in the lower
ranks of life, are very unattractive.
They have high cheek bones, ugly
brown faces, badly developed figures
aud full, thick lips. The only redeem-
ing feature about these is their eyes,
which are almost invariably expressive
and often beautiful. But even among
the uneducated and undertakes num-
bers of the young men and women are
strikingly handsome. Among the in
ferior grades of society, and not rarely
even among the superior, large families
are quite common.
There are often as many as 30 chill
dren in household, and an average
family contains about 10 boys and girls.
Every family has it's own house, but it
costs little, and for So newly married
couple can provide themselves with d
large and superior bamboo hut, which
is ample for all their requirements and
for their prospective numerous progeny
Clothing costs but little, and little of
it is required, while the tropical lux
uriousness and productiveness of the is
lands supply food with the minimum of
labor.
The people of the Philippine islands
are undoubtedly capable Of attaining a
high degree of civilization They are
imaginative and prone to superstition,
but have intellectual capacity. artistic
procliyitieg and ap eager desire for
knowledge. Nothing Spanish is popular
neither it's rule, language nor dress.
Had western civilization appealed to the
natives through different medium the
result would doubtless be more salutary.
GLADYS LA Tour.