Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-09

tiN nauONs us itilklouh ahl5NN
and general character as shown IN the
islands come from three centuries Of
Spanish rule, but It's coloring and To-
cal ceremonies are Malay In varying de-
gree In Manila, Ioilo. Cebu and the
other cities the observance Of the feast
Is very much the same as In the small
towns OF Spain. Mexico or Cuba. In the
native cities and towns there are
gllmpses OF the sayagery which prevail
ed when Legaspi first landed upon the
shores, while In the sparsely settled
country districts, and particularly
where the Tagal and the Igorote meet
and blend the day is as barbarous and
strange as II was In the dark ages Of
European history Civilization in the
Philippines nuds rs summit in Manila
and thence slopes downward and passes
into sayagery among the Aetas, Cad
danes, ltavls, Negrtos and other eth
mic types
In the cities It Is very much like any
one Of the great saints days. Work is
set aside, the streets are filed with well
dressed crowds, the churches are
thronged with women and children the
chimes toll from every institution and
every now and then a brightly colored
and gay looking religious procession
moves along a principal street. Some
times church follower carries a
little statue Of the Christ Child,
sometimes he holds the figure OF
ST. Joseph From a wealthy church the
procession is large, and over the figure
carried Is a beautiful canopy rich in
carved woods. gold and tinsel. The de-
vout fall upon their knees as the pro-
cessions pass, and Protestant and Cath
ole alike remove their hats to render
courtesy 10 the great faith Of the world.
Through December II is warm, and ev-
erybody Is dressed in his or her best.
The men are attired In white linen
SUITS with white manila hats, or else in
black coats and white trousers with
black hats. To the American eye there
Is one very funny feature In that nearly
every man wears his shirt on the out
side of his trousers.
The better educated Tagals follow the
example Of European fashions but, on
the other hand, the poor Spaniards and
half breeds take after the Fillpinos. II
Is funniest OF all when a young Tagal
blood wears a little French derby hat,
pair Of black alpaca trousers and a
magnificent linen shirt which comes
down almost to his knees. He struts by
as proud as the proveFbial peacock and
looks down upon the more simply dress
ed representatives Of foreign lands
When evening comes. every house Is
bright with lights. and In every door
way Is hanging lamp or a gaudy Jap
anese lantern. The Chinese merchants
Initiate the Spaniards and Malays and
have lanterns and lights at every coign
Of vantage. Sometimes those who have
been converted or who yield lip service
10 Christianity celebrate the day with
countless multitude % firecrackers
Amid the noise and the lights one can
easily see how queer a mixture Is OBJ
tanned by joining together three antag-
onistic civilizations and races. With
nightfall music is heard everywhere.
The Filipino, whether Tagal, Vsaya or
lgorotte. loves music and learns 10
play all % the simpler instruments Ey-
cry regiment has a band and almost
every club and theater its own brown
orchestra. Besides these there are num-
berless professionals who can be hired
for mere song and who find Christmas
day one Of the best In their commercial
year. The piano in one house echoes
the violin in the next and the flute In
your neighbours across the street gets
eutangled with the cornet few doors
below and the trombone a few doors
above.
But in the country ! found a freer
ard broader life at Christmas Nature
Is less trammeled and the savage
shows through the veneer Of ciylliza-
ton. Here are men In white shirts and
with bare feet, women with boleros and
sarongs which give a generous view OF
their many physical charms. In every
town art religious professions and on
every thoroughfare peddlers unknown
10 the United States. They carry sus-
pended from the neck a box, large or
small, on which Is written IN large let
tiers in both the Spanish language and
the native dialects the name Of the
relic, curlo or attraction contained
within. A square window covered with
glass allows the devout 10 look through
and gaze upon the treasure inside. This
Is sometimes a bone or tooth o. saint
nail or fragment Of wood from the
true cross an ancient idol rechristened
after e saint, a handkerchief blessed by
some dead bishop or archbishop. or q
fetch that has come down from dead
Tagal ancestors.
The patron pays a small price. never
more than cent and az little as IN,
f.e-twentieth part OF our cent. Aftel
ieSstlng the eyes upon the obiec
he or she Kisses the little glass window
snd departs In happier and wiser mood
There are Thousands q these peddlers
and the only wcader 70 how they al
get a living.
At nlghtiall there are social gather
,ngs called catapuan They are sur
rivals OF barbarism and still disclose
much Of their primitive nature. The!
begin with eating and drinking. an,
keep this mp until the last participant
has gone home It is not the simpl
fare Of everyday NE, but a rich die
of meats fruits and vegetables cooke,
in many ways Some Of the dishes u.s.
parts OF the animal which are discardel
by civilized society, but which are ap
preciated by savages 30 other lands
They bear a strange resemblance to IN
hngeis which IS served at the dinner
~ the ST. Andrews society Tbon thor