The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-08
III DMgse's Life
eVD im De Orient.

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WASHINGTON. April T. (Special1 =
One OF the first white women to reach
IIoilo, on the remote island OF Panay
SoO miles south of Manila, IS a Philadel-
phian. Miss A. M. Mackareth Her let
tiers TO friend in the East are an in
terestlng narrative of a nurses life in
the Orient and Of a bright woman's de-
scrlption Of the unfamiliar scenes Wis
lted by the travellers on their way to the
DaItlenelds. Miss Mackareth states in
her latest message from Iloilo:
There are few white women here
and we are novelty. Besides, we are
the only unmarried ones In the group.
This Is funny old place. 1t was burn
ed during the war, and it was hard for
the Americans to find quarters. Our hos
pltal is improvised In three dingy. aged
buildings Hitherto it has been cared for
only by hospital corps men, and the
wards were In dreadful condition when
we came. I have charge of the operat
ing room and small surgical ward at
tached. We have no rush of operations
but many finger amputatIons
We have to keep lighted lantern in
front OF our house at night so that the
guards may know who are Americans
provost mayor OF the town has told us
that We must not be surprised If the ma
ttVeS occasionally seek diversion by
throwing stones at us through our win
dows. They drive In little two-wheeled
carriages, which are entered from the
back. and have seats facing each other.
l saw one Of these drawn by q sacred
bull, which looked just like our unhal-
lowed cows. Some Filipino ladies were
in the vehicle. Water buffaloes are har-
messed to the quaint old carts that con-
vey merchandise.
THUMP THE CLOTHES.
Monkeys run wild on most of the ISL
ands, but there are not so many here
as We encountered elsewhere The flow
ers closely resemble those Of Cuba The
natives have the queerest way of wash
ing clothes They carry them to the bay
or river lay them on large fiat stones
and then pound them clean. Our cooks
matrimony, as he calls his wife, does not
Iaunder, and 80 we have to let our gowns
be thumped.
Our living rooms are better here than
at any time since we entered the army.
We have two-story frame building and
two Filipino servants. On the ground
floor live some natives, and in the front
Is barber shop. We have to go through
the side yard to reach our stairway, suite
of nine rooms and the balconies from
which we can see the bay in front or
back Of the house. When the tide Is
high the water comes within a few feet
of the garden. Sitting at our dining ia
bic, we can look through the cocoanut
and banana trees to the mountains be-
yond.
"Our walls are made Of large sliding
windows. which we open at night. Our
furniture is native-big, comfortable
rockers and rich hand-carved chairs"
With Miss Mackareth are three other
nurses and a Maj. Cardwell and his wife,
who was a trained nurse. These latter
live just few doors below the ceterie
''Iloilo is the next largest Filipino town
to Manila, Of which the most attractive
part is the walled city, but none of it Is
as pretty as Havana" continues Miss
Mackareth. THE dress Of the women is
the most striking difference. They never
wear any headgear. Their little fiat
slippers, with just a sole and g. tip over
the toes. have to be slid In to be kept
On. The costume Is skirt, a. square
black apron, sometimes worn in the back
and sometimes front; a chemise. and
over that a. thin low-necked waist with
large sleeves.
ga Spanish palace is the nurses home
at Manila. 1t was owned by Admiral
Montojo, and g. few of the handsomely
carved ebony chairs that belonged to the
admiral remain
WORLDS WICKEDEST CITY.
1.-THE wickedest city in the world"
Miss Mackareth has found to be Port
Said, Egypt. ''It Is the ugliest, too"
she writes. ''The men wear skirts; the
women glide along in black gowns cover
ing the head with wells hanging from
below the eyes. But few women are
seen on the streets. We were surround
ed by beggars thrusting out their hands
for money during our entire tour of the
city. 1t required Iegerdemain to put any
change into ones pocketboolS after pay
ing the guide. Going through Suez ca
nal, we saw herds Of camels carrying
Egyptians and Arabs with their long
slaves. They followed us for miles, div
ing into the bullrushes and the sea for
oranges that we threw them.
ION the transport we lived regular ho-
tel nfe-good meals and nothing to do
except lounge, read, sew or write from
dusk until dawn. At Malta the American
consul came aboard with his daughter,
Miss Grout, who invited the nurses to
her home and accompanied them to the
catacombs. An American woman owns
the finest residence in Malta. and at her
house the white-capped party were enter
tanned. We are learning each day to ap-
preciate more and more our privilege In
being permitted to travel" says Miss
Mackareth.
1.-THE driver Of our carriage threaten