The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-12-08
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
FROM ODE NICHOLS

went TO Mania, Is kindly loaned tne
REGISTER by his father, MIR. y. b.
Nichols:
Opposite the Ladrone Islands,
Saturday. Oct. @, 1899.
DEAR MOTHER FATHER BROTHERS
AND SISTERS,
While l am yet more than 1000
miles from Manila, yet will not have
chance to mail this until we pull
into Manila. We sailed from Homo
lulu on the Monday following our ar
rival on Sunday morning. We coaled
at Honolulu and took on stores.
Honolulu lie a city of about 1000
ninety-nine of the boys out of every
hundred fell in love with 1t as town.
1t baving been the seat of govern.
mept during the life OF the islands as
a Kingdom, 1t is of course the aristo-
cratic center of the group. The
"KaDakie" (natives) are peculiar peo-
pie, extremely courteous. All have
more or less education, and contact
with the Caucasian race has taught
them many of our ways. They dress
extravsgantly, yet far from neatly.
The poorer classes dress in the primi-
tive garb of their tribes, yet the mid
die and higher circles are purely
modernized both In dress and habit.
The women in particular are peculiar
in that. from the little girl to the
young woman oftwenty. they dress
neatly, wear excellently fitting gowns
according to the latest fashions de-
cree, bnt at the age Of twenty they
seem to grow stout-very stOut-at
this stage they discard the corset and
the excellent gowns gradually become
empires, empires grow into the
mother hubbards, which in time
evolves into mere piece of cloth with
a hole at the top for the head and two
at the sides for the arms. All women
of all classes and stations whatso-
ever wear the mother hubbard on the
street, driving, calling, to church,
receptions and balls. The poorer
classes invariably 20 bsrefooted and
seem to roll along rather thanwalk No
matter who 1t is pauper or sristocrat,
they have a happy faculty for reach
ing for, and always securing hold
on their loose dresses just ut the
proper place and In the proper way
TO jerk half hitch in 1t that is
W, rthy of a "dOwn south" Dina
When Knakie woman leaves her
carriage, the first act Is to go after her
skirt, "catch as catch can" apparent
ly-but the fact is that il is not,
"catch as catch can" but all do IL
alike. They remind one of an artist
doing the primitive skirt dance.
Then they roll into a store or the
home of friend, and in due time roll
out again and are gone. All the
native women are very cOrpulent.
The men are muscular and athletic
but seldom carry much flesh. The
aristocracy when speaking to each
other on the streets frequently sslute
They smile often and talk constantly.
took ride through the city and
among other things saw the palace of
Queen "Lill." 1t il not 30 palatial as
had expected to find 1t yet it is sur
rounded by one of the most beautiful
plats l have ever seen, royal palms,
cocSanuts, cactl and other trees and
plants, together with hundreds OF
flowers. Few of the houses go higher
than three stories and all have in
Vulnerable porches and windows,
The American nag can be seen in
all directions. From the deck of the
Belgian King, as we lay at anchor, |
counted five. A bout twenty-five per
cent OF the population are Caucaslans
many of them are Americans. Al
the post Office met friend OF mine
Norman Orm, who was mem Der nj
tro)p b, Rough Riders. He is in the
revenue department. Cliff Scott will
know him too. A bout thirty five per
cent of the population Ia Chinese and
Japs and the remainder il pure
Kanakie. The natives and laps have
mixed for years and II is now
hard to distinguish either as purity
think the mountains just behind
Honolulu are the most beautiful
have ever seen.
We landed today, Sunday the 18th
have but moment. want this t.
catch the first mail 80 will mail II
upon gong to camp. Lovingly
ODE,
AFTER REACHING MANILA.
Pasag, p. L., Oct. II, 1899
DEAR ALL:
started out early in life so that
could say that | never had slept II
the ditch, but here / am. 1t il, how