The age-herald., 1898-09-11
NATIVE WOMEN OF
 THE PHILIPPINES,
They Are Rather Pretty and Exceedingly Picturesque, but Are Not Over
 burdened With Intellect

more Serviceable than one might im- agine.
 It cannot be said that the women of the Philippine islands are intelligent. Charming and agreeable and subtle they may be, but with little capacity for serious intellectual attachments.
 The foreigners find that the native women make excellent servants. Some years ago sewing machines were intro- duced into the Philippines. and the Ma- lay women showed great aptitude in learning the management of them. They are now, as a rule, excellent seam- stresses. The services of a sewing wo- man can be procured for 20 cents a day, the sewer working from a. m. until 5:30 or o'clock. There are many feast and fast days. however and as the wo- men are intensely religious in their way the real time which they work is only about two-thirds of the year.
 In the evening, after 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 of one of the regiments plays for a few hours each night. It is not particularly hand some promenade, even with it's over- shadowing 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 driv- en slowly along behind sleek horses, the poor on foot happy and contented with their share of worldly good fortune 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 have tiny panes set with slices of oys- ter shell, which makes a poor medium for the transmission of light.
 One often wonders at the woman who marries the slant eyed, pig tailed repre- sentative of the land of Ii Hung Chang. Now, although the thrifty ChinameD are the richest of all the inhabitants of the Philippines, being merchants. bankers, etc., they are not regarded as entitled to social equality with even the poorest Malaysan. The fathers of the church disapprove of John Chinaman as an irrecaimable pagan. Many of the Chinamen in time decide to marry in the land of their adoption, and after selecting an attractive maiden the method of securing her over her own indignant protest and that of her par ents is worthy of the great u him. self.
 After a brief acquaintance the China man usually asks the girls parents for the hand of their daughter. As John probably expected, consent is refused, for not only are his organism and per- sonality objectionable. but no priest will marry one of the faithful to a heather.
 The Chinaman pretends to take the refusal in good part and departs, to return another day with apologies and a present. The present is accepted, and a mild friendship springs up between the family of the object of Johns admira- ton and John himself. He is so oblig- ing, yet humble, so anxious and inter- ested in their welfare, so ready with loan or gift, that he soon ingratiates himself into their good graces.
 When the family has accepted about $100 or $200 worth of presents the China man again sues for the hand of his in- amorata and is again refused. Then he goes placidly home and draws up a bill for all the presents he has bestowed upon the family and, it may be added, he appraises them at the very highest market value.
 As very few of the native families
  ton reigns, especially as most of the gifts, the willy Chinaman has taken care, were such things as were to 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 has so damaged his faith and trust in women's sweetness and affec- tion that he means to have nothing more to do with them, but a broken hearted Chinaman will ever after lead sad and solitary life. Unless he re- ceives the value of the presents, which he now needs to satisfy certain unex- pected and importunate creditors, he will begin a lawsuit to recover their value.
 After having made this announce ment the discreet Celestial goes home and chuckles The next visit is made with the alleged intention of collecting his bill, but he pretends to melt and be somewhat overcome by recollections of their past beautiful friendship as the frenzied family protests it's inability to pay and describes it's general condition of anguish. Finally, as if making a great concession, the Chinaman offers to cancel the debt if the lady of his heart will consent to change her mind. The girl at first declines, but the thought of her parents in a debtors prison does its deadly work, and John, on the case being stated to him, quite amiably agrees to become a Christian if that is all that stands between him and happiness.
 He Is baptized by the village cure, and after being fully received into the church the wedding is properly sol- empized, and ever afterward. as rule, he makes very easy. good natured and generous husband.
 CAROLINE WETHERELL