The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-06-30

there were six stoves-one for each courlD
-and their cost being only twenty-five
cents apiece. it was a simple matter to
keep half-a-do1en spare ranges on hand
In the bread-closet. And. speaking Of
bread. no Manila cook ever made his own
loaf. but always went across the street 20
the little "tienda'' and bought from a
Chinaman what was needed for the
household. The quality of bread being
uncertain. toast was in general favor with
the foreign residents. and was to be found
on every table at every meal Ice was
cheap and llenty, and for the small sum
Of s. per month the wagon would leave
a piece weighing ten pounds at your gate
every day In the week.
Good servants in Manila get eight to
InoI II 'QluoW lad sIsIIop ueoIxsN us,
to five in American gold. My head boy got
six dollars. was married. had two child
rem. and bought all his own food out OF
this modest stipend; and don't think he
stole from me. though he may have done
so from somebody else now and then To
be sure. he besought advances on his
salary to bury a sister or brother. as he
said. and it was not until he asked me to
pay for burying the same member OF his
flock twice that l saw the necessity OF
tabulating his family and checking OF
such as were defunct.
Although servants are cheap. 1t is ne
a certain given few shall be awake when
wanted. 1t is always easier to get up
from ones chair. ring bell on the centre
table. and let boy come to fetch you
a book from the next room than II Is
to step across the threshold yourself. In
fact. 1 have even known a young foreign
err whose beard was no heavier than
school-boy's to take with him a barber
to keep his face clean-Shaven during some
provincial trip.
Ones washing bill in Manila is absurdly
cheap and for two dollars per month as
many clothes can be thrown into the
hampers as one cares to use. TWO full
suits of clothes of no mean dimensions.
and yet the laundryman turns up each
week with his basket full. and perfectly
satisfied with his remuneration. Then.
too he washes well. and although, when
you see him standing knee-deep In the
river whanging your trousers from over
his shoulder down on to a nat stone. you
fear for the seams and buttons. nothing
ever appears TO suffer. Although he
builds a small bonfire in a brass f1at-iron.
that looks like a warming pan. and runs
it over your white COASTAL blazing as
it is-the result is excellent, and scorched
spots are conspicuous only by their alb
Sence.
One more peculiar institution in the Phi
lippines is the regulation bed. And 10
rig and construction make il command
good deal of interest. if not respect. 1t
is a four-poster with the posts extending
high enough to support light roof. from
whose caves hang cOpiOus folds OF cheap
lace. The bed-frame is strung tightly
across with regular chair-bottom cane
and the only other fittings are piece
of straw mating spread over the cane
a pillow and a surrounding wall Of mos
quito netting. that drops down from the
roof and is tucked in under the mating.
How to get into enc of these cages Is
the first question that presents itself to
the new arrival.and what TO do with
yourself after you have got there. the
second. 1t took me half an hour to make
I'D my mind as to the proper mode of
entrance when I was. for the first time
alone with a Philippine bed. and
couldn't make out whether you got in
through the roof or the bottom or the
sides After finally pulling away the net
ting I found the hard cane bottom about
as soft as the teak floor and looked In
vain for blankets, sheets. and mattresses.
In fact, it seemed as ii l had got into an
unfurnished house. and the more
thought about it the longer l stayed
awake At last l cut my way out of the
peculiar arrangement. dressed ana spent
the night in long cane chair, prererring
not 10 experiment further with the sleep
ing-machine until l found out how 1t
worked.
Later on I joined the ranks of those
who think none is so comfortable for hot
weather as a hard Manila bed. with no.
thing but its pillow and its piece OF straw
mating and for nights after leaving the
islands l failed to appreciate the return
to soft mattresses and woven springs.
In fact, such is the change of life all
around after sailing away from LuZon.
that for days and weeks one longs for
the peculiar conditions that make life
easy in its capital