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


Islands como from throc centuries Of
spaniHh rifle. but It's coiorlng and To-
cal ceremonies arc Malay In varying de-
gree In Manila. iloilo. cebu and the
other cities the Observance uf the feast
IL very much the same as In the small
towns OF Spain. Mexico or Cuba. In the
native cities and towns there are
giimpses OF the saNakery which prevail
ed when Leenspi FIRST landed upon the
shores. while In the Hparsely settled
country districts. and particularly
where the Tngal and the Igurrotc meet
and blend. the day Is aa barbaroua and
strange as II was In the dark ages u
European history. Civilization In the
Philippines finds It's summit IN Manila
and thence slopes downward and passes
into aavagory among the ActaH. Cad
danes. Itayls, Nosritos and other eth
mic types.
In the cities II IL very much like any
one Of the great saints days. Work IL
set aside. the streets are nllcd with well
dressed crowds. the churches are
throngcd with women and children, the
chimes toll from every institution and
every now ana then a brightly colorcd
and gay looking religious procession
moves along principal street. Some
times church follower carries a
little statue Of the Christ child.
sometimes he holds the figure OF
81. Joseph. From wealthy church the
procession IL large. and over the figure
carried II beautiful canopy rich In
carved woods. gold and tinsei. The de-
vout fall upon their knees ms the pro-
ceHsions pass, ana Protestant and Cath
Ollie alike remove their hats TO render
courtesy to the great faith Of the world.
Through December II IL warm. and ov-
crybody IL dressed In his or her best.
The men are attlred In white linen
suits. with white manila hats. or else In
black coats and white trousers with
black hats. To the American eye there
IN one very funny feature In that nearly
every man wears his shirt on the out
side OF his trousers.
The better educated Tngals follow the
example OF European fashions. but. on
the other hand, the poor spanlards and
half breeds take after the Fiiipinos. II
II funniest OF all when young Tagal
blood wears a little French derby hat.
pair Of blnck alpaca trousers and u
magnificent linen shirt which comes
down almost to his knees. He struts by
IN proud as the proverblai peacock and
looks down upon the more simply dress
ed representatives Of foreign lands,
when evening comes every house "a
bright with lights. ana In every door
way In hanging lamp or a Eaudy Jap
nnese lantern. The chinese merchants
initiate the spanlnrda and Malnys and
have lanterns and lights at every culgn
OF vantage. Sometimes those who have
been converted or who yield lip service
to Christianity celebrate the day with
countless multitude ~ nrecrnckcrs.
Amid the noise and the lights one can
easily sec how queer n mixture II OBJ
tnlned by joining together three nntng-
onlstic civilizations and races. with
nlghtfnll music ~ heard everywhere.
The Filipino, whether Tagnl visaya or
igorottc. loves music. and learns to
play all % the simpler instruments. Ey-
cry regiment has a band, and almost
every club ana thcater IL own brown
orchestra. Besides these. there are num-
berloss professionals who can be hired
day one OF the best In their commercial
year. The piano In one house echoes
the violin In the next. and the ilute In
your neighbora across the street gets
entangicd with the cornet a few DOOR
below aud the trombone few doors
above.
hut In the country I found a frcci
ana broader life nj Christmas. Mature
In less trammclcd and the savage
shows through the veneer ~ civiliza-
tion. Here are men In white shirts and
with bare feet, women with boloros and
saronga which give a generous view OF
their many physical charms. In every
town are religious professions and of
every thoroughfarc pcddlcrs unknown
10 the United States. They carry sus,
pended from the neck q box, large OF
small. on which Is written In large let
tiers In both the spanish language nnt
the native dialects the name of tn
relic, ourlo or attraction contane,
within. \ squire window covered viii
glass allows the dovout to look through
and gaze upon the treasure Inside. Thi
ls sometimes n bone or tooth ~ "a saint
nail or fragment Of wood from tn
true cross. an ancient Idol rechriHtenc,
after saint, a handkerchief blessed b!
some dead bishop or archbishop. or
fetlch that has come down from dcal
Tngal ancestors.
The patron pays n small price. nevc
sore than n cent and ns little az IN
r5c-twentieth part Of our cent. Ate
isasting the eyes upon the objec
Ne or she kisses the little glass windo,
snd departs In Happier and wiser muot
There are thouaaDda u these peddleri
and the only wonder la how thew "a