The times., 1898-05-29
WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Native Fcminfnes Are Pretty and
Fond of Dress.

Fond of Dress.
The native women of the Philippine ISL
ands are. as a rule. exceedingly pretty
and engaging creatures. with supple fig
ures accentuated by the airiness of their
garments. beautiful. languishing eyes
shaded with long Iashes and Iuxuriant
bIue-black hair. This last is the chief
beauty of the island fair ones.
1t is long. rich. thick. made glossy both
by the care bestowed on It and its fire.
quent anointngs with eocoanut OIL Oft
en-. too. it is cleaned and washed with
lemon-juice and oil, which has been made
Pregnant by infusions of odoriferous flow
ers. Some of the women wear il hanging
down their backs. entirely unadorned,
while others. especially the matrons. build
it up in kind of coil. or knot, held By a
golden comb. and ornamented by pins. OK
very frequently adorned BY bright. fra
grant flower
They scorn bonnets are hats. but Of
heads. and If the heat Of the sun is very
intense. carry a parasol for protection
Another admirable feature. nearly all
the women possess. are liquid and Ian
gushing eyes. which are used with tell
ing effect. and their third vanity is their
fineiy-shaped feet, that never know a
stocking. but which are thrust into slip
pers. without heels. tastefuIIy and elab-
orateIy embroidered with gith gold or Sill
yer thread.
The walk Of the women is graceful but
rather coquettish; and when the clog In
donned on wet days they move with a
very peculiar swing. which is quite dis
tinct from the Japanese totter.
The thumb nail Of the right hand is al
lowed to grow very long. which assists
them in playing the guitar. their favorits
instrument.
The dress of the TagaI women consists
of a little skirt made of the famous pima
cloth. having wide short sleeves.
This is worn loose. quite unbound 10
the figure. and reaches TO the waist.
Around it is girt petticoat. called saya.
made Of silk. either striped or checked.
but always OF gay colors- Sometimes IL
is also Of pima cloth: the quality and coll
oring frequently very beautiful and some
times cheap and common.
Out of doors another article or dress,
tapiz. or shawl. is wrapped tightly
around the lOins and waist above the
saya, and generally IL is black or dark
| blue with narrow white stripes A pro-
| fusion Of bracelets and chains and ear
rings. all Of beautifully worked gold or
| silver. usually completes the toilet OF
| Tagal beauty The more OpuIeut possess
! very valuable jewels and often are seen
with necklaces and bracelets Of diamonds
| and pearls.
| Over her neatly-folded neckerchlet the
/ Tagal woman wears a crucifix or a little
bag OF relics suspended by a chain.
Sometimes she viii have a rosary OF coral
or pearls and medals Of copper or gold,
bearing the figure Of our Lady of Mexico
or Of GuadaloUpe. This IS not 70 be won
dered at when it is remembered that the
philippine Islands, discovered by Magel-
Ian IN 152l, were controlled by the monks
and friars, who literally took possession
OF the Islands and islanders, and havs
| had an enormous influence for more than
three centuries They even imported the
Inquisftion from Spain with other delica-
cies OF the same attractive nature
The Philippine women Of all ages-chIl-
dren and old women. as wei as young
girls and matrons, smoke long cigars,
chew the betel nut. dance. swim and ride:
| but the great ambition Of every woman is
TO possess a dress a scarf. OF az least
handkerchief OF the famous pima cloth.
| There IS no more beautiful faDric manu-
/ iactured IN any part OF the world than
/ this. which IS made from the fiber Of the
/ pineapple leaf and Is quite exper sive- a
common shirt costs from 81 20 SO. a whole
dress costs AZ least Sz4; and no less q sum
than SIS has been paid for a single gar
! ment- good average scarf or hand
kerchief. brings from SD u 500 When
embroidered, @ scarf OF pima sometimes
costs as much as $50,
The most important Industry that the
women of the Philippines are engaged in
is tobacco. In the making Of che-oots
none but women are employed and there
are no less than A94l busy in the factories
Of Manila alone Men make the cigaril-
| los. or small cigars. which are smoked by
| the natives; but women only are allowed
| 10 prepare and roll the cigars. Il IS ssti-
mated that 21o00 women ind employment
/ in this business and only I501 men. Each
/ room in the enormous factories contains
/ from $40 TO 1000 women. all of whom are
| seated or rather Squat,ed on the floor
At intervals little round tables ara
| placed. and at every one Of these an
elderly matrOn is stationed 10 keep
watch over the dozen or so younger
| women and girls The noise is abso-
| lutely maddening. as stones are used
| for beating out the leaf y cigarmaker
earns from s. to so a month. which
| is quite sufficient TO provide her with nee
| essary comforts. and leaves a balance for
\ dress.
| The married women whose husbands
| earn their living for them, in the field
| or factory keep house in a primitive
| fashion The patriarchal custom OF
| making the lover serve in the house of
! his intended brides father is universal
! in the Philippines. When the marriage
| takes place there is usually feast OF
| several days. and the bride of fifteen
| years is then taken to the little house
/ which her husband has built with hiY
| own hands.