The National tribune., 1900-05-03
MARRIAGE A LA FILIPINO.
What 1t Costs to Keep House in Negros

/ was listener the other evening Will
a Filipino senorita made love to bunki
of mine, writes a correspondent of tn
New York San from Isabella, Negros
skirts of the village. We had a little nipi
lean-to for shelter from the dew anC
were posted there for the night. Thert
was bench in front of the lean-to. Jus
at dark three Filipino maidens sauntere(
out Of the village and came or way. L
was fine moonlight evening and we wert
having May weather. Smithie sings
tongued bird in any language. He hailed
the senoritaS and offered to share tht
bench with them. They accepted and tht
fun began.
The senorita next to Smithie opened the
ball by asking if he had wife in the States
Smithie vowed that he had none.
Then said the bashful maiden, ''pocc
tempo (after awhilel you matrimony Fill
pino? Is it not? How you like me?"
1t came 50 suddenly that it took Smithio
off his guard. Instead of answering with
a compliment he said:
"Oh! I'm only a private. l get only 81
pesos a month. couldn't marry on that
you k-ow."
Thirty pesos," exclaimed Miss Matri.
mony. .'Oh! That mucha dinero! Mucha
money. You canrent mucha granda nipa
hut for one peso month, and for foul
pesos We live much granda."
Smithie took the proposal under consid'
Grafton.
+ l asked Clemente, Senor Holijos' cook
how much man need TO start house
keeping. Clemente scratched his head
Then he said:
''Filipino-10 pesos. No mas (no more).
Americano-mucha granda casa-5C
pesos"
1t doesn't cost much to navigate the
troubled sea of matrimony over here.
Pap" Is a gray-headed old rascal Of a
native who sells the soldiers gin and beno
regardless of military regulations. The
men call him Pap" because he is believed
to be a Papiecio at heart. Pap" has
three women in his household; one old
and two young. At first l took the old
one for his wife and the others for his
discovered my error. All three are his
wives. l tackled the youngest Of the three
for pointers on matrimony the other day
l wanted to know how much it would cost
to live in state of matrimony. Mrs
Pap" chewed her finger nails and sized
me up critically out of the corner of hel
eyes. Finally she asked:
"You drink much gin?"
/ shook my head.
You fight manuck (chicken)" she
asked.
NO"
You play monte?'
"Play pagingi (pitch dukkos)?"
/ assured her that had no bad habits,
but that Of shooting at Filipinos. Mrs.
Pap" called the eldest Mrs. Pap" and
they had whispered conversation. Then
the eldest Mrs. Pap" hurriedly left the
nipa-hut. Ten minutes later she returned.
accompanied by toothless old woman and
four young girls. The old woman was the
mother. The four daughters were II, Ia,
15 and 16 years OF age. Mrs! = "Pap"
beamed triumphantly and chartered in a
whisper with the old hag. Meanwhile
was mystifed. Finally, Mrs. Pap" en-
lightened me. Taking me by the elbow
she waved four fingers toward the girls,
who stood in a semi-circle and chewed
betel. except the eldest, who smoked a
black cigar nine inches long.
"Cuatro! exclaimed Mrs. Pap" with
You pay the mother glock-appolot tS20 Mexi-
Mexican. Give all your dinero to the big
one and she will mucha save. Sil''
Then she went on to tell me in her tumble
Of Spanish and BucayaneSe that since the
papa went to the mountains there was no
priest and that Pap" would perform the
ceremony. 1t is as easy TO get married over
here as it is TO get divorced in the States
When | objected to plural marriage, the
old hag offered me her homeliest daughter
for two pesos. And yet | read in Span
iSh book descriptive of the Philippines
that these people took but one woman to
wife. and that the tie was for life. Some
body's blundered. and | assure you that
I'm not the blunderer.