Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-11
ETCHINCS OF LIFE IN MANILA
Wars Rude Alarms Disturb Not the Gaiety
of Luson's Capital.
PICTURESQUE SCENES ON THE LUNETA
Home Life of Eight Americans Who
Long for Home Comforts-The
First wcdding-1owa's
RegimentaI band.

Freedom, "the Giant OF the orient" as the
proprietors modestly call one of the Ameri-
can dailies published at Manila, celebrated
historic May day with a sixteen-page edi-
tion, specially gotten UP FOR circulation In
the United States" 1t is a genuine boom
edition, wen calculated to excite interest
in the social, political and commercial fife
of Uncle Sans new colonies, and at the
same time divert attention from the an
noyance of a picayune row with oostreper-
Gus natives"
One might read the boom edition of Free
dom from the title page to the poster 'au
at the end without getting a mint OF tne
trouble which experts estimate Will take SO,-
600 troops to successfully arbitrate. Peace
broods over the fair, moist land or laga-
log and civilization is getting in Its work
in the usual way. The swell function re-
Gently given by the peace commissioners,
at which the bellies and beaux OF Manila
white and brown, gathered to chase the
glowing hours with flying feet" Is one OF
many symptoms calculated to prove that
life in Luzon's capital is not seriously dis
turbed by wars rude alarms" In fact, the
populace, native and imported, are enjoy
ing life with all the zest that conditions
hermit and means Justify. A pen picture OF
the Luneta, Manila's boulevard, drawn by
Freedom. gives an entertaining view OF hlgh
life on parade. A striking feature OF the
sketch is the sharp contrast noted IN the
turnouts of the two distinguished American
of1cers-Admiral Dewey and Major General
Otis.
On MnniIa's boulevard.
'rThe Luneta Is the fashionable drive of the
city," says Freedom. ut winds lts way
along the beach facing the harbor ana IN
front OF the Notifications. A park Is located
about midway Of the drive and in the park
is a bandstand from which each evening the
finest bands of the city play their best pieces.
1.-THE driveway is perhaps 200 feet wide,
macadamised and free from dust. Each ait
ernoon from 4 until 6 the avenue Is crowded
with vehicles, from the one-horse quilez OF
the poor to the swell turnout with coachman
and footman of the rich. A Sunday after
noon drive will give a stranger greater
pleasure than can readily be imagined. After
an hour of driving stop your team in front
of the bandstand and while listening to the
| strains of the Marine band from the Olym-
| pia or the Military band from the palace
watch the moving throng. Many are afoot,
but the greater number are IN carriages;
perhaps / 900 are in line. Here comes a
sorry looking native horse dragging slowly
along a quilez of the time of Noah. Next
comes perhaps a fine ~rockaway drawn by
imported horses, a rich German or Swiss
dealer being the happy possessor; following
comes a tandem, a young, stalwart English
blood sitting on his high box with a dimln-
utive tiger in brass buttoned livery and cap,
no doubt barefooted, on his perch. A carriage
| follows that would grace the driyeWayA OF
any city in America drawn by magnificent
bays, silver chains looped and dangling from
the harness OF finest manufacture.
This carriage attracts our attention and
our eyes follow longingly, for l~ounging in
the luxurious cushions are a bevy of young
Spanish women, beauties every one, who
with bewitching black eyes seem to note
our gallantry.
"Now swiftly passing is a gorgeous turnout
with a small, weasened, scraggly bearded,
shrewd looking old gentleman. 1t is the
Chinese minister, followed in we carriages
by his suite. They drive as though on bust
ness bent, but he knows he is out as the
rest are for relaxation from the cares of
office.
1--WE see now approaching the most ele-
CANT Of all equipages thus far seen. 1t is
that of the military governor, General Otis,
who sits erect in his carriage attended by
an aide, the very ideal of an American Off
Ger, the personifcation of American power
officers and soldiers stand at attention and
salute as he passes by.
I'VE see far Town the drive a dropping
Of hats, a suppressed murmur is heard as
though a cheer was being stifed. AS we
become interested there drives slowly by us
a carriage, drawn by ordinary horses, the
driver in coachman's coat and hat, no foot.
man, no grandeur.
Sitting comfortably on the rear seat, tc
his left the captain of the Olympia, Is Ad-
miral Dewey. Instinctively hands raise ant
hats go off. Plain and u~nassuming, with NJ
idea of hero within him, he touches his cap
not to us, not to any one in particular, bu
to the hundreds that are near us. Oul
hearts pulsate, a tremor comes in our voices
he is our hero, we share him with thu
whole people of our land"
"How We Live"
Freedom tells in this style:
"There are eight OF us.
''Our house is large, three stories, room,
and located on one Of the principal street
leading to the Luneta, the fashionable drive
The woods are all hardwood, the floors be
ing of mahogany planks two feet wide. Fac,
side of the house is of framed window
made so as to slide, thus the whole hous
may be thrown open. The windows ar
not glass, but polished shells, which admi
a cool, shaded light, superior in this climat
to glass.
"On the ground floor, to one side In thi
casa, is a tagged court, where our horses
carriage, viz-viz and knock-about guile
are stabbed, with a little 'cubby hole of
house for the 'coacherie.'
ION the first floor are two large sleepin
rooms perhaps 2Ox3O feet in size each;
den, which is now used as a small sized al
mory and for the storage of our campaig
clothing, canteens, etc.
Detached from the building Is tn
kitchen and dining room, both open on tn
west side. Each, for its size, would max
l. the heart OF an American housewife gla'
o the second floor are three large sleeT
b ing rooms and boys quarters; in the res
=, is our bath and shower and closet.
ITO the west, overlooking the city, Is OF
roof garden, where of an evening we 3
20 and smoke, yarn and talk of our futur
If our hopes and ambitions, and, need | say
of our loved ones at home.
"We are like brothers and homesi'
in mood is reSDeCted,