Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-29
FUNNY F|LL|P|NOS
Described in a RacY Letter by q
Well Known Salem Boy.
He Is Counting a Spanish Girl But
Calls 1t "Darned Uphill
Business"

N. M. Learned, OF East s lem, has
received the following Letter from his
son, who Is private in the Four
teeth Infantry. U. S. A.
MANILA, Oct. 10, 1898.
There is nothing to write in the
way OF news, except that we buried
one man out of ny company last week
he dying Of typhoid fever and this
morning we took another man to the
hospital on stretcher. lie also has
the same fever, aud 1 don't think we
will eyer see him alive again. The one
that died last week, Foster by name,
left wife In Portland, Or. IL will be
sad blow to her. There are now
about two thousand men 10 the differ.
ent hospitals. They are commenci ny
to take better care OF them since the
Red Cross won en- arrived, but there Is
still room for much improvement.
You know what an army hospital Is
at home, Ia the United States, but
one out here In this uncivllized and
barborUus place cannot be imagined
by you at home.
| will now try TO give you descrlr-
ture OF the native Fllllplnos, and will
say in commencing athat the Filii-
pinos are dlYlded into three classes,
viz, 49, rich, Ordinary-well-to-dO, and
the poor. 1t Is the latter that | will
try To describe. They are small race
like the japanese, dark brown skin,
for all the world like the Indians.
They are very prolific, often having all
the way from five TO fifteen children
Ia family, and the father and mother
comparatively young at that. They
do not seem to bother their heads
much about clothing for the "klds'
or themselves either. The children
grow up as best they can, and when
old enough, go 'and get married and
start family OF their own. AS their
chief food is fruit, fish, and rice, and
as the island produces bountlfully Of
all these foods, the cost OF living Is
reduced to minimum. Manila bay
is full OF crabs, tisn, aud oysters, aud
the natives help themselves whenever
they like,
"Kids" from fourteen years down go
naked. while the older males wear u
pair Of trousers, made from white
muslin, and from the waist up are
naked. The females wear shirt
made OF calico, gingham or other
similar stuff. They step into ft, then
draw II uD just above the hips, then
closp It up tightly to their waist, and
turn the back end OF l6 as far around
the waist as IL will 20, and then tuck
the slack end up between their legs
and the first turn OF the skirt. When
thus worn, have 10 take very short
steps. They all go barefOoted, males
and females; sometimes, however, a
wooden soled shoe Is worn. The
females also wear something resem-
bling shawl oyer their shoulders,
but il Is very thin aud porous like
fine lace, or more like II lady's veil.
They 20 bareheaded, aud men and
women ~ bathing ia the surf to-
gether naked, aud not infrequently
are the American and Spanish boys
10 with them. thought it was
horrible aJ first, till became accus-
toned TO IL. NCw | don't pay any
more attention 10 a naked Filipino
woman than / would TO man. IL is
all matter Of bringing up, that is
all,
The wealthy ones have their SER
wants and carriages, and do much the
same as anJ one else. They wear good,
decent, and neat lifting clothes, which
are always made from some light and
thin material. These copy their dress
from the Spanish,
A word now about the Spanish
women They know how to "swell
and put on STYLE" TO perfection. |
am just now paying my respect TO a
young aud beautiful Spanish senorita,
but courting SDanlsh girls amt
courting American girls, not by a
long shot. To court the former one
has TO 20 the house and stand on the
side walk aud talk 20 the girl through
the open window, while her mother
is 10 the same room, ' Tlose observer.
This practice has TO be continue d
until the old lady has confidence
enough 10 you 20 invite you Inside.
When once there you may thencef1rth
understand that II Is the m1thers
wish, and especially the young lady's,
that you continue your visits; one
may draw whatever conclusions he
wishes, but 1t Is a certain fact, that
IL you displeassd the old lady or the
young one during your courtship, you
would never have been invited Inside.
When you step inside the old lady
ushers you into the best room To the
house, when the girl Is awaiting you.