The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-12

dwellings OF the common people are
comparatively infreQuent In their
place we see large government build
ings,, and the conventos, churches and
cathedrals of the various religious or
| ders. Here, too, We find the palace OF
the archbishop, who is the real ruler of
the Philippines.
TX some OF the old monasteries could
| speak they might tell us grisly tales.
The Holy Inquisition at one time flour
| ished in the Philippines; and it is an
| open secret that in some of the con-
| VentoS the ancient implements of tor
| ture have since been preserved against
the day of need. They are said to
have been brought cut and put into
| use at the beginning of the present
| revolution.
Massive stone walls with narrow,
heavily barred windows and under
| ground cells opening to the light of
| day by mere Sits through the masonry
| on a level with the sidewalk, give
| things decidedly medieval air. When
we learn that in some of these under
| ground cells devotees live out their
| days in perpetual silence, we wonder
for moment whether we are really in
the nineteenth century, or by some Jug
| glery of fate have been suddenly car
r1ed back into the sixteenth; but the
sudden passage of another Of those
Philadelphia horse cars dfspels the illu-
| sion, while the appearance of the frtars
| whom we meet on the street is so very
| far from being suggestive of asceticism
| that we begin to doubt the stories of
severe penance and VOWS Of silence al
! most as soon as we have heard them.
We are, of course, anxious to see the
interior of one of these mysterious con-
VentOS, and bethink ourselves of a note
of Introduction to Padre S., one Of the
priests at the Ateneo Municipal, or
Jesuit school for boys and young men.
We find the buildings of the Jesuits
less forbidding in their external aspect
than those we have just seen. An
hermano, or lay brother, receives us
at the door and takes our cards and
letter. In moment we are shown up
stairs and seated in reception room,
ornamented with fine old oil paintings
This room looks out on to a hall, which
suddenly fills with students at the
stroke of bell. We survey them with
interest, noting that all are dressed
alike, and that most of them show
plainly that they have more or less
white blood in their veins. They are,
for the most part the children Of
mestlZos and creOles. who can afford
to pay literally for their education. The
boys look rather sickly; but the uproar
Which arises a few minutes later from
the court below serves to convince us
ly neglected They are having a good
lively game Of foot ball.
Padre S. now appears, and we find
ourselves being welcomed by a man
with the bearing and polish OF q we'll
educated gentleman. He takes us
through the museum, and we are much
interested in the display of strange
mammals and beautiful birds which
have been gathered from all over the
archipelago. We are shown a splendid
collection Of chronological material.
There are wicked krises, knives and
lances from the Moro country; wooden
idols, taken from pagan tribes; strange
ornaments and curious utensils, whose
uses we can hardly guess. We begin
to realize that there are a, good many
different peoples in the Philippines, and
that they do not live in the vicinity
Of Manila.
The material shown us has been
gathered by Jesuit missionaries, who
are at present allowed to work only in
Mindanao, Basilan and Sulu, among
the fierce Moslem tribes. Their work Is
often carried on at the risk of their
lives; but it is none the less carried on
unhesitatingly, and in many instances
1t has been productive of good re-
suits.
AS special favor we are invited to
inspect the chapel. Externally 1t Is an
unimposing structure. Once within 1t,
we are simply amazed. 1t is finished
entirely in the magnificent woods Of the
country. Ebony we know but many
of the other woods are not known to us
even by name. The color effects are
very pleasing, but what especially
challenges our admiration is the re-
uarkable excellence Of the carving. We
are especially attracted by q beauti-
fully executed image of the virgin: and
W hariII1 hpliouA
he tells us that not only this image but
all the other carving that we see Is the
work of Philippine natives. We cannot
doubt that there is some good stuff in
MEN who develop such artistic ability.
Padre S. now invites US to drive with
him to the Jesuit observatory, which
is at some little distance; but before
we go he wishes us to meet the Padre
superior of the mission, who proves to
be kindly, grayhaired old veteran,
with a cordial greeting and q pleasant
word for each of us, heretics though
we be. He is gentleness personthed, or
at least, he seems so to us; but as we
come to know more Of Philippine men
and affairs we shall learn that the
head Of any one Of the religious orders
has need Of other qualities than the
gentleness of the dove; the wisdom of
the serpent-must not be lacking. 1t IS
difficult for us to realize that the mild
hammered, kindly old gentleman before
us Is q ruler of men, and that, by Vlr-
tue of his control over a body Of we'll
educated, thoroughly disciplined and
absolutely obedient followers, he is -
very real power In the affairs Of the
colony; but such is the case.
We bid our adieus to the Padre su-
perlOr and a pleasant drive brings us
to the observatory. Here we are es-
pecially interested in the elaborate ap-
paratus for recording the occurrence
direction and duration of the earth
quakes which so frequently visit the
archipelago. We find other apparatus
for the study of terrestrial magnetism,
and very complete set or meteorolog-
ica1 instruments. A special feature of
the work Of the observatory Is the fore
telling Of the approach of the fearful
typhoons which cause such terrible loss
Of life and property In the northern
Philippines and the China sea. Notice
Of the approach OF one or these dread
ed storms is telegraphed in every di-
rection where there are wires to carry
messages, and is cabled to Hong Kong
If 1t is likely to invade the China sea-
Ships have time to seek shelter, and
thus much damage is prevented.
Feeling that we have done enough
for one day. we return to our hotel
and after dinner find the beauty of
the tropical night Irresistible, and go
for drive on the Luneta. A cool breeze
blows In from the bay; excellent mu-
sic, furnished by a native military
band, soothes tired nerves, and we soon
find ourselves so rested and refreshed
that our interest in what Is going on
around us revives. The sight is real
ly worth seeing. We draw UP at one
side of the promenade, and all Manila