The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-13


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
or confidence In each others honesty.
"A safe deposit vault might afford secu-
rlty for her property, but any one who
has lived In the Philippine islands and
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 re-
spectacle 10 be a pirate or brigand in
that happy land as 1t is to be church.
man In line of promotion to a bishopric
No housekeeper Is at all astonished on
returning from a walk or a visit to find
her home looted OF everything worth
carrying of. She Is used to 1t. and after
signing regretfully merely goes around
to the nearest merchant and orders a
new stock.
| 1t cannot be said that the women OF
the Philippine islands are intelligent.
Charming ard agreeable and subtle
they may be. but with little capacity for
serious intellectual attainments.
| 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 day,
the sewer working from 8 a. m. Until
$3.50 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 ID
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 oyerlooks the waSur,
where the military band of one OF the
regiments plays for few hours each
night. 1t 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
ciothes-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 ii.
| 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 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 Cinnamon
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 Malaysian. The fathers of the
| church disapprove of John Chinaman
as an irreclaimable pagan. Many of
the Cinnamon 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. Ii himself.
| After 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 pagansm and per-
| soDality 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 .
present. The present Is accepted. and
| 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 a
loan or a gift, that he soon ingratiates
himself into their good graces.
When the family has accepted about
800 or 5000 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. 1t may be added,
he appraises them at the very highest
market value.
AS very few OF the native families
could raise $40 at the most consterna-
tion 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 30 damaged his faith and
trust I'm women's sweetness and affec.
tion that he means to have nothing
more TO do with them. but a broken
hearted Chinaman viii ever after lead
a sad and solitary life. Unless he re-
ceives the value OF the presents. which
he now needs 60 satisfy certain unex-
pected and insportunate creditors, he
will begin q lawsuit ia recover their
value.
After having made this announce
ment the discreet Celestial goes homo
and chuckIes. The next visit IL nnt
with the alleged intention of collecting
his bill. but he pretcnds To melt and be
soma a hat oyspromo nv feroIls~fions az