Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-18

AS a rule they all keep their bodies
and clothing very clean, but their
houses are little better than a pig
pen.
In all this great group of islands
you can't find native house with a
-tove in it. All the cooking is done
outdoors over a fire built on the
ground, and in the average family a
couple of earthen pots is all the cook
ing utensils they possess, and il you
should ask them to eat off of a table
you would scare them. Ali their wit
ties" are put in the center of the floor
and everybody sits down around them,
and then, as our soldiers say, dive
! in" All eat with their fingers and it
| is amusing to watch them; they seem
to be trying to see how full they can
keep their mouths.
! / believe their dress is different from
any other people. The men wear
pair of light trousers Of any color, ana
a kind of shirt that opens all the way
down in front and it is worn outside
OF their trousers; only one in ten
wears shoes. And the women-wen,
will not attempt to describe their
dress.
Everybody smokes. You will SEQ
little children five and six years old
smoking cigars that are almost as
large as they are, and the women all
chew beetle nut, which makes their
teeth and lips look like they were
bleeding
/ One Of the greatest and pretCiest
sights in Manila is the native markets.
| To a person going to one for the first
time it is enough to turn their st0m~
achs. One of the worst things is the
way they handle fresh meat. They
have no ice chests, and all the meat Is
cut and hung up on small hooks In
4 the sun. Every native that buys a
piece of meat handles every piece in
the market before buying
! Everybody who has a stand in the
market eats and sleeps In that stand,
and usually use their bamboo bed for
counter.
1t is a sight to see the people 60
ing and coming from market. The
women do most Of the marketing; they
carry everything on their heads. YOlt
will see an old, decrepit woman come
from the market with "chaw" for the
day. She will have small piece OF
very fat meat, a few cracked eggs,
bunch of stale, sour bananas, and
several different kinds Of vegetables
! II l don't know the name of; and if
it IS Sunday she may have few fish.
You can always tell when one is COM
ing, for you can smell them block.
| am sure It is the duty of the United
States to hold these islands, for in a
few years there will be the greatest
opening for American capital and
! labor that we have ever had.
The resOurceso the islands in tim
! Der and mineral are untold. Men who
have been over the different islands
tel me that there are millions and
millions of acres of the finest mahog-
any and rosewood that have neve"
! been touched Mahogany is cheaper
here now than black walnut is in the
I States.
And there is plenty Of gold AMI
silver here also, and mining experts
say that in a short time the finest
copper ore in the world will be found
here. 1t is claimed that there is lots
of good coal in this island Ouzon).
| About the only enjoyment we SOL
diers in Manila have is our band con-
certs on the Lunetta drive~every even
! ing that it does not rain. A band
plays from 80 to s, and you can see
Manila's 400; you will also see the
soldier with his Filipino sweetheart,
Spanish soldiers, American officers,
and, above all, that beautiful creature
called the American woman, but they
are very scarce in Manila.
In the entire group Of islands there
are sixty-five different tribes, and
every tribe has a different language.
They are organizing schools in all
parts of the islands to teach both
Spanish and English, and it is won
derful how quick these people learn
and the interest they are taking in
| the schools in Manila. We have five
night schools for adults, with an aver
age attendance of 500. Isn't that do
ing we'll?
Well, it is almost supper time, so
will have to close, Hoping you will
answer soon and with love to all,
remain,
| Your loving brother,
ARCHIBALD G. SLEGAR.
! Private, Battery A, Sixth artillery,
| Nonilo