The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-07-05
OUR ARCHIPELAGO POSSESSIONS.
A Bates County Boy Writes Interest
ingly of the Customs and Mann
OF Beings in the Philippines.
MANILA. p. IL
L L - 4 4
EIIroR TIMES ::

May 10. 1900.
EIIroR TINES: /
Having been in the Philippine Is
lands almost two Years: doing duty
on several islands: seeing the Filipino
in every phase OF his life. feel that
am in a position To describe him a.
civilian aud insurrectionist
4 Filipino is a small individual.
brown skinned. high cheek bones,
large black eyes. hair Jet black and as
coarse as a wild boar's bristles He
wears few clothing of any kind. his
chief garment being a sort of waist
band or breech clout.
Men, women and children are invet-
crate cigarette smokers and they |
learn to smoke the same day they |
learn to walk.
They all look alike and are crude |
in their laws, manners and customs.
and are distinctly an original people.
clinging to customs handed down to
them by their forefathers rather than
adopt modern customs. So We find
the Filipino OF to-day, in native hut
made of bamboo. with a matched
roof: cOcOanut shells for vessels, and
| earthenware Jars, manufactured by
| himself. bark and wood utensils. oil
| lamp, or cocOanut oil in cOcoanut
shell from which extends IA wirk-his
home "A ruin. his coat a rag Just as
Magellan found him when he made
his voyage to unknown seas and saw
age lands.
The Filipino is superstitiOus be
yond notwithstanding possible
stands for an i'll omen aud he Is half
afraid of ghosts from childhood to
old age.
All OF them chew fruit called beetle
nut which makes a red saliva and
paints their teeth carmine and also
hastens early decay, and as ii natural
consequence good teeth among IL
middle-aged is rarely.
They are lazy, indolent. filthy and
are degenerating each year. They
do not want much of this world
goods-a few pounds of rice and ii
pack of cigarettes Is all.
They do not draw the line at any
thing to eat-anything that walks
crawls, runs, jumps. flies or swims is
edible and the longer dead the moro
savory. All sorts OF reptiles are CON
tribes dog meat is allowed to beeaten
onlyon feast days, as it is conside red
as food savory enough for idols.
The noted philosopher, Darwin, ev-
identity had in mind the Filipino when
he advanced the theory that man
, was the missing link to the monkey.
Picture to your minds eye "a small,
s.rawny man with red or brown
complexion, carmine teeth, Jet black
bristly hair and wearing a breech
clOut, toe and finger nails an inch
long, climbing trees like an animal
running as fleet as Il deer, swimming
and diving like fish, uttering shrieks
and cultural sounds in imitation O
birds. beasts and reptiles, running
wild among the mountain fastnesse:
of this land where food and raiment
grows on trees-where nature has ex
pended a lavish hand and flowers
clothe every vale and mountain side
niche and Granny
Here too. the woods are filed Will
monkevs-drOves of a thousand anC
upward They scoff and scold "a
:, they leap from branch to branch o
the cocOanut. orange. banana, lem
on, chico-pomegranite and brea'
fruit trees. or as they take a mOrnln:
plunge in some mountain stream
whose water is as clear as crystal
Here and there, seated upon som
- smooth stone. a mother monkey /
: bathing and Gliding her young, VIII
: twists and quarrels because its fon'
mother desires TO wash it and max
it presentable at the monkey part.
> where the little denizens of the flores
m play hide and seek in the coffee. mag
a nolia and cottonwood trees.
rs Here the mountain lion, iaguar
RS bear. dear, wild hogs. horses, cattl
~ and the boa constructor have thei
1T lairs and eat each other with an an
Is NAL relish. Here. too. the birds {
Id rich and rareplumage, weird and far
ne ciful voices burst forth in melodiOu