The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1899-08-26

front I'm the heart of the city, wher,
4. formerly at eventide the band played
, and fountains gave forth their cool
ing sprays, flowers, such rs are seer
, nowhere else, lent their fragrance tt
, enhance the surrounding charms
| pedestrians by the thousand, and
by prancing ponies, passed in review
of this scene, and where, at times,
, and many times at that, luckless
} cOnspiratOrs against the cruel rule of
the Don were led out upon this
famous wall, and, in the presence of
those who cared To- see, were shot to
death by plat Ons of Spanish soldiers.
Here at sunset one can see the slow
moving water-buffalo as he draws
hOmeward his burden and his Chino
master, who, together, have earned
their daily wage; the lazy, lOunging
Spaniard, as he puff5 jOyOusly away
at his fragrant PerfectO; the Jap,
clad i'm his spOtlcs5 white duck suit,
looking as naughty and thieving as his
nature really Is; the flexible Ameri-
can disposition Is here taking in
everything that passes with an I'M
derstanding not limited to his
knowledge of the various languages;
the astute Englishman, looking and
wondering, but, like his capacity for
approaching joke, not understand
ing until later, and the American
soldier recently converted into an
oriental policeman, slowly twirling
his club and improving every oppOr-
tunity to tlirt with anything that
wears petticoat-how natural.
That part of Manila known as the
"Walled City," and surrounded by a
broad, deep moat, was the only part
occupied by the Spapiards when our
soldiers rescued them from the in.
surgents, and is really very small
part of Manila. 1t was the site Sc
lected by the founders, and this inn
mense wall was built to protect the
| inhabitants from the frequent invas-
! ions of pirate kings and freebooters of
the 18th century. 1t il still very
formidable protection and capable of
standing quite Il deal of hamnering.
Manila is provided with street cars
such as they are--drawn by ponies,
of the most unfed and detected va
riety, and one feels much more like
donating his ten cents MEX" for
forage for these poor brutes than to-
wards fattening the purses OF those
who own and do not care for them.
The most popular mode of travel
here is by the regulation two wheeled
curt, drawn bypOnies, bettergroomed
than their unfortunate brothers of
the car line. The fare is twenty
cents for the first hour and ten cents
an hour for each hour thereafter,
American money, or twice that
amount in Mexican. This is the
legal rate, but they always ask you
anything they think you will be lib
eral enough or ignorant enough to
pay. So the best way is to calculate
your time and regulate Jour fee ac-
cordingly, pay him when you need
his services no longer and leave him
looking longingly after you and, no
doubt, saying cu5S words in Tagal,
OF which you understand not SEN
tence, but then you always have an
equal advantage of treating him
likewise in English.
With the expenditure, Of a few
thousand dollars Manila could be
made one of the most beautiful cities
in the world, and this will no doubt
be done when quiet reigns and things
are on Il working basis. With the
restoration Of peace will come the
construction of railroads to the in
terror, opening up fertile valleys and
timbered lands, and mountains, rich
in the most precious metals, making
its value as a national possession
almost incalcuable. 1t is my belief
that the city and the island as well
have been grossly maligned by writers
of travel and newspaper correspond ,
ents. They all tell OF the enormous
and very numerous snakes; of the
small mosquito that can creep
through the meshes of any net put
up as a protection against him; OF the
fearful rains, and the sultry and I'M
hideous rats, lizards, bats and bugs,
and of legions of other "critters"
uncanny and repulsive.
have seen one snake only, and
that small water snake la the
harbor. Mosquitoes are not more
numerous than In any of the States,
of the Southern States.
Ants are here in abundance, that
seem to have the power of seeming
sweets Il distance of many miles(?).
You rarely see them unless you have
stored away box Of candy, jar of
preserves or can of vegetables and
then in few minutes they seem to
come from under you, around you,
every where until the article you
desire to preserve is simply covered.
AS to the other ,"critters" | have
like the snakes and
are no more numerous
than at home In Gods country. The