The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-16
A Filipino on America.

~ ~
Geroni Mono. Felix. Alcantara and Mrs
Alcautara are three native Filipinos now
ar Madison Square Garden, says the New
York Evening Post. who ride In the Wild
West Show, and appear 70 enjoy the hiss
ing which always greets them as thor
oughly as the others do the noisy dem
onstration Of approval When the audi
ence Kisses the brown faces OF the Fiji
pinos light up in smiles. which display
rows OF white teeth. They rarely have
heard applause. The two men wear bag
gy. striped linen knee brooches. loose
white shirts. bowl-Shaped bamboo hats.
and straw sandals, Aleantara carries the
battle flag OF the insurgents" a dirgy
red and blue, in design not unlike the Gu
ban banner. but not so bright in color.
Mrs. AIcantara, or susan" as she :
called for short. rides astride Ike a man
She wears a gown Of purple and white
with flowing sleeves and fun skirts The
waist is bedecked with generous display
of cheap jewelry. Neither Of the three
shows rare horsemanship. and even the
stolid faces Of the Indians breaks into
smiles as the quaint figures so hoooing BY
Mono. Alcantara. and the missus are
natives OF the island OF Luzon, and were
inhabitants Of the city OF Manila; but II
they are insurgents or have sympathy
with the insurgents, they will not admit
it. They speak a mixture OF spanish and
their native tongue. GerOni. the most IN
telligent Of the three. speaks a little Eng
lish. Ernest Cooke, who brought them 10
New York, said he left Manila or the last
Of February with them. During his trip.
he said. his charges were continually see
ing so many new and strange sights that
he could hardly get them 10 sleep. A.
san Francisco they looked upon Ameri-
cans with awe, and when they began the
Journey across the continent their wonder
knew no bounds. The railroads, the
bridges, the cities, their size and NUM-
Der, astonished the simple folk, but when
they reached New York and saw the ca
ble-cars the buzZing automobiles, the
elevated trains. and the tall buildings.
they were speeches. with amszement.
They can't quite comprehend the ca
Bile cars and horseless carriages" said
Mr.. Cooke. Despite what I tel them.
and despite their Roman Catholic faith.
they believe there is magic in the power
I that propels them"
Last night q reporter for this newspa-
per was taken 10 the dressing room or the
! FIipinos to talk with them. Mono and
AIacantara were getting into their white
uniforms to represent Spanish soldiers IN
the assault on San Juan Hill susan
was gossiping with two dusky Hawaiian
bellies seated on pile Of grain-hags IN a
vacant stable. Mono seemed the boss
OF the outfit" He Is tail ard straight
clean shaven and has an intelligent face
The color of all is light brown-''like col
ored men who have washed themselves,
they look" a boy said-and their hair Is
straight Mono talked in broken son
| fences, using his hands and arms in ges-
lures TO help out his words. When he
spoke his face lit Up with intelligence.
| and his dark eyes flashed brightly. When
not talking his countenance relaxed into
stolidity.
MY countrymen peaceful" he said.
Eve no like to fight Fighting makes no
/ business. In Manila we ike business
! Spaniards see TO it we no make muca.
They always make more" Here the FIJI
Pine tried to explain that his people dion I
care about either Spaniards or Americans
being in the islands; that they would Go
more business without either. ending.
nevertheless, with the sentence: "Ameri-
| cans all right, though"
HE looking out for himself" declared
| the Islander of Aguinaldo. out OF Ma
Mia, way off, my countrymen think DIFF
! ferent. But they don't think hard. They
simple. Aguinalde he fool them. lie
! promises land, houses money, II they
fight Americans for him. They want 20
make rule. They fight all the time. New
or stop. He tell them American soldiers
like Chinese-no fight like big gunboats.
Save? Ffuplnos afraid Of big man Dew
ey. Aguinaldo say Americans on land
weaker than Spanish. Simple folks be
lieye him. They don't know Americans
You great people. Build tall houses.
Move cars with no smoke. Make wagon
90 without horses Pretty women