Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-01-14
MANILA ODDS AND ENDS.
Picked Up i'm that Far Away City
by Our Regular Cores
pondenf


by Our Regular Cores
pendent.
1t is December here but the temper.
AZURE is about the same as OF an Idaho
July or August day.
The rainy season is still active and
busy, although it was promised by ''the
oldest inhabitant" that it would take
"lay-ofI'' in October or early Noven-
Der.
Manila may justly be called city Of
frequent showers and easy rains. Being
on the Manila bay and close to the
China sea the corporations have hap
Ply and easy way of going up and CON-
ing down again.
Vegetation in the fields around the
city is totally ignorant Of the cruelty of
death by frosts and freezes. When it
dies it is simply from fulfillment of its
time FROM old age.
The towering of plants here seem
perpetual. They bloom in all seasons
and all the year around. Many of the
flowers are ex9uisitely beautiful but are
not SO fragrant as American flowers.
The frequent rains may be the cause.
The natives are as thinly clad as
when we reached the city in August. A
STRAW hat, thin shirt and short cotton
trousers make up the daily gsro of the
average man, and short shirt and
heelless slippers, Of boy.
Notall natives are honest. The thieves
who hire themselves to Americans can
steal at any hour in the day or night
and before ones eyes. 1t is a sort of
sleight-of-hand art with them. When
one robs his employer he goes to anoth-
er part of the island. He shakes the
dust of the official quarters from his
feet, and the place that knew him that
time win know him no more forever.
The native Filipino is superstitious
makeup. He is guilty of many strange
things. The colonel's cook will not
dress chicken until he removes it's
eyes. He is afraid to look into the eyes
while plucking the feathers.
He is very cruel too, in many respects.
In dressing birds he plunges them alive
into hot water. The other day he
spoiled dinner Of small quail by kill
ing them in that way. When the order
ly told the colonel Of his methods he
lost all appetite for quails, and went
dinnerless to parade.
Many OF the native customs are the
very opposite of American ways. For
instance the women here riding horse
back, ride on the right side of the horse.
All their saddles are made to ride that
way. In driving along the streets they
drive to the left instead OF to the right.
Tie Chinese are the principal dealers
In merchandise 10 Manila; that is they
far out-number all others as trades PEG.
pie. They have all conceivable kinds
OF business, and their coolies are in nc
way choice in their employment. They
will play the part Of a beast Of burden
or they will engage in scavenger work
that would make hog grunt and turn
away.
A Chinese merchant to catch trade
often marries into Filipino family
and 1t is no uncommon thing for one &c
have a Chinese wife and Filipino wife
In the same home.
All natives smoke. The women seem
to prefer the biggest cigars in the mar.
ket They pucker their lips to cover
as much OF the cigar as possible, and
they spit like man. The little BOYS
and girls smoke cigarettes.
The colonel's orderly was shocked the
other day. He had visited cemeter,
and found In the 'bone yard" the re
mains OF an infant that had not beer
dead many weeks. It's parents did no,
have money to pay rent for a crypt ant
Its remains with the flesh barrel,
shrunken were thrown into the heap o
skulls and other bones.
The natives, some OF them, are YER,
treacherous and are capable OF revolt
Ing crimes. They go armed will
deadly knives and do their quick worl
with these weapons. These knives ar.
very sharp and polluted, and wher
thrust with force will penetrate tn,
body OF large man. The knife Is ,
fayorite weapon with these warriors.
In the night time with file knives
the natives have been guilty OF tn,
most fiendish and murderous crimes
They can creep as noiselessly as a super
anuated cat on velvet carpet, and will
spring upon victim with the sudden
ness OF the strike Of a serpent and will
one blow their work is done.
A few American soldiers have bee,
killed in this way by them, but tn,