Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-15
FILIPINO LAUNDRY WORK.
One of the Problems of Living in Our
New POssessiOnS

New POssessiOns.
Manila Correspondence Chicago Record
Here in the Philippines are new dift1cul-
ties in connection with the laundry prob
lem. And to illustrate this assertion an in
cldent that happened to troop of the 4th
Cavalry is told. 1t is told as the soldier
told it-with certain parts eliminated
The laundryman?" the trooper queried.
on, his name was Pedro. On the first day
when the top sergeant asked him his name
ne only grinned. exposing to view two
rows OF betel-stained teeth of assorted
sizes. The sergeant asked him again, and
Pedro answered him, No sabby' The ser
geant was not up on Spanish and took the
expression for the name. So the pass was
nlied out, Pedro Nosaby, wash gentleman
1t became fixture, that name did, in the
did also the native.
The guards had strict orders to allow no
natives OF vendors on the grounds. But
Pedro was an exception. Pedro did wash
ing Tor the soldiers, and he did it on the
1aW-bone plan That's the credit PLAN
And then the first sergeant had given Pedro
pass, ostensibly as favor to Pedro, in
reality to insure the return of his clean
khakis. What Pedro's former vocation had
been no one knew, or cared, for that mat
ter; but one thing was certain-Pedro as a
laundryman was fiat failure. Clothes in
VarlaDly returned minus several buttons.
No one would ever suspect that they had
been treated to a bath were it not for the
iact that they were scrupulously folded and
ironed when delivered. There was a sense
OF importance and an air of superiority
about this swarthy Individual that seemed
to defy criticism. and a severe reprimand
was usually followed by an apology. Per-
maps the hearts Of the men were touched
at the sight of the wan, pinched faces and
toothpick legs Of the large assortment of
pickaninnieS who trailed at Papa Pedros
shirt tails and struggled to balance big
bundles of clothes on their wee heads. Pc
dro never carried bundles. Besides, he wore
derby hat of the German comedian var
iety. and 1t was suspected that he wore it
for the sole purpose of lodging the carry
act.
Sometimes the bundles would be re-
turned to their respective owners in the
course Of few days. But more often a
week or ten days would slip by, and the
trooper. reduced to his last clean garment.
would loudly threaten Pedro with immed-
late and barbarous punishment Pedro
would smile blandly and gather up the re-
mainder of the troopers wearing apparel
in utter disregard of the fact that the
trooper would then be reduced to the cloth
ing he had on his back.
Saturday and muster day came Pedro
had been missing for a week. and with him
almost every dress khaki suit in the troop
At o'clock there was an inspection. The
inspecting officer was known to be a strict
d1scipiinarian. The guns and equipments
were slick as pins. and the troop barber had
been busy with the faces Of the men since
early in the morning. At S:45 the bugle
sounded assembly. At S:45 Pedro was still
missing. The air was blue with titles af-
fixed to Pedro's name. The sergeant APP
trousers and ordered the men to fall in
Just as the inspection officer arrived the
troop lined up clad in the most astonishing
costumes ever witnessed on inspection day.