The age-herald., 1898-07-21
SOME CUSTOMS OF
 MANILA AND MADRID
nY ANNIn KrNpRrck wALkrR

AsA ANNIE hENDRICK WALKER.
 The customs of the Philippine capital, Manila, are not as picturesque or as in teresting as those of other capitals. There may be similar irredescent record of gaieties, but they are not of so fashionable a nature
 Europeans, Americans, or any new-com- CTS do not go in for ultra swelldom They follow the beaten path.
 A famous custom of Manila is it's improvi- dent credit system. No one in Manila ever pays cash for anything he buys, bank notes are unknown, and the Mexican si- yer dollar is the basis of all the circulating medium.
 The tropical climate necessitates uniform clothing. The men wear suits of strong white sheeting. Eighteen of these suits is regarded as fair outfit. The dress of the women fo rthe most part is brilliant caaco skirt with a long train, which is tucked under the belt, a short white Saist with immense sleeves that show the arms and costly handkerchief folded diagonaly around the neck. The cost of living is extremely low in Manila. Good servants can be secured at from eight to ten Mex ican dollars a month. The immense num- Der of white suits worn in Manila would oi 6 uc idl SC lduHuty DlllS, yet the reverse lS true, which is probably due to the fact that . the laundryman does the laundering in the river and bangs the clothing against flat rocks in the most enterprising manner
 A house of three bedrooms parlor and tiled floor, diningroom, a hallway, read ing room kitchen, bathroom, garden and an iron fence to keep out the burglars, rents in Manila for a similar amount that ia cbarOad for ho1 ,,, New York
 In the gay capital of Madrid. where all the wealth of Spain is accumulated. there has recently been a scene enacted that could not possibly be reproduced in this country.
 It seeems that from time to time the civil governor has used the voluntary con- tributions and the fines imposed on gam- bling clubs for the purpose of establishing something like a free kitchen for the poor He would announce through the press that on a certain day tickets of relief could be obtained at his official residence For a long time these tickets amounted to some hundreds in each case, but it was reported that not long ago as many as 5000 had ap- piled for a meal. The governor thinking it must be an exaggeration, decided to at- tend to the next distribution in person. The scene of poverty is thus described:
 The place for the gathering was at Fl Asilo de Santa Cristino, recently built to the northwest of Madrid on a sloping hill above the fine park of Moncloa, well plant ed with trees and shrubs and flowers, whose rich hues, under a lovely evenings sun. formed a strange contrast to the motley and hungry crowd of human beings hudded up like starving animals, pressing and crush ing forward toward the tables and baskets, from which small roll of bread and a little parcel containing piece of pork some potatoes and broad beans were given to each bearer of a ticket. The number or people present was certainly over double the number of tickets distributed The poor, starving wretches had been taking up their places in turn since early morning, through burning sun, down to D. nl, when the distribution took place. The civil governor in person, accompanied by some sisters Of charity and servants of the institution Of Santa Cristina, began the distribution at other charitable persons served out the ra- tions at other tables in rows at the bot tom of the sloping grounds. Both police and civic guards tried to form and keep in order the straight lines from the rising ground down toward each table, but the mass of men, women and children, all strugglingto be first became so unruly that 1t was found necessary for the mounted civic guards to use their kind persuasions, and even the bodies of their quiet horses, to prevent the tables, sisters of charity and the civil governor himself from being crushed by the noisy, struggling masses.