The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-15


recalled the pleasures Of home or the
trials Of campaigning. In the evening
a small mango tree biazed brightly With
candles and santa Claus had provided
some fool thing for every member pres
emit Later on the native band put In
an appearance and good music Of the
aott, dreamy Spanish sort fairly made
feet fly over the polished foors until
q very late hour.
Not the least interesting Of the even-
ing's entertainment were bolo dances
By some Of the natives, which Ia grace
OF motion and dexterlty in handling the
sword like bolo recalled the feats OF
the Midway at Chicago. Hence It was
CHEEKY soldiers Christmas, and even
II some Of the fellows choked sus-
plclously in their toasts Of home, yet
when hats were on for the ''star-span-
gled Banner" the native band and sol
Cler boys united in the final strains OF
that Inspiring air, and we voted IT one
Of the 1olllest days Of our lives.
One of the pleasant advantages OF
these piping times of comparative peace
Is the opportunity afforded to study tne
natives in a life that is Us yet unat-
fected by American influences. In time
Americans VIII spoil this country. Just
as they have Japan and the continent.
It requires a dIligent search to discover
a SPOT anywhere In the world where
some fool American tourist or other had
not completely turned the natives
heads. But here. IN these mountain dis
trlcts at least, the denlzens haven't be-
gun to drink whisky as yet, nor to crave
shoes, stockings, headgear or other use
less appurtenances. These garrisoned
towns might be called boom" affairs
al present IL the citizens realized what
this variety Of boom" meant. Few va
cant nipa huts can be had in any local.
jty occupied by the Notwithstanding
soldiers, and native markets are filled
to overaowlng with vendors and pur-
chasers during the morning hours.
These markets are one Of the pleasing
curiosities Of Luzon. In the great
SQUARE plaza which invariably fronts
and tanks the church building, a rec
tnnguIar piece OF ground is fenced on
with bamboo pallngs. AT the one rude
gateway Of this inclosure sit probably
two members Of the town presidente's
family, who collect huge copper coin
for each Jar, bundle or basket from
which fruits. sugar. tobacco. FISH or
other articles are TO be sold. Every
day in the year is market day, but
to see the people at their best one must
attend the Sunday market. Before day
light on that day the crowds begin to
come in carabon carts. homemade two
wheeled caramatas, dragged along
somehow by diminutlve native ponies
and on foot. Fair day at Il county seat
In the states never lined the dusty
roadc with a more unique array OF We
hicles or turned greater crowd OF
country folk downward. In a very
prominent position at the church door
stands n church beadie. HIS business
"a to retail candles to all who enter
the church portal. and he sees to It that
but few Of the crowd escape without
paying a copper or so to the church
fund. Depositlng their baskets In rows
along the shady side Of the rambling
church edIlce the womer throw kerr
chief Of some sort over the head, the
men uncover, and with the newly pur-
chased candle In hand they start up the
aisle to where another church official
receives the candles and sets them all
afiame. Kneellng for a moment on the
cold floors seems to complete the cer-
emony, and the journey to the market
Is resumed.
And the Sunday market itself is a
rare delight. I have seen at least 1900
natlyes crowded into the fenced area
which constitutes the mercador OF Ro-
sales, They came from seashore. lake
and mountain. Salt water clans are
thera, carried probably by some old
woman from the coast, nearly thirty
miles distant, to be thankfully disposed
Of to some hungry soldier for eighteen
centaros. about eleven cents, for the
lot. There are scores Of articles spread
about on banana leaves which Amert'
cans never saw before and whose
names are totally unfamiliar. But you
must buy little Of each article for the
pure love OF buying something II for
no other reason. From the distance
many OF these people travel you are
confronted with babe! Of dialects. But
this merely adds to the fun Of shop
ping. Most of the soldiers have a nod
ding acquaintance with Spanish. and
this Is the basic language in which all
business IL negotiated. II the seller be
Tagalog without n knowledge OF Span
ish YOU must search for some other
TaRaIo who does understand Spanish
TO act ms your interpreter.
Perhaps you want to buy something
from a Pampangan. The plot thick
ans, He ''sabes" neither Tagalo nor
snanIsh. SO you finally get hold OF
snmpone whose vocabulary embraces
Moth tne Pampangan and Tagalog dia-
iocts and another fellow who has ac-
nuIred Spanish with his T1galnG. and
between the two interpreters. the ven
dor and yourself you arrive at some
conclusion. The same difficulty some
times arises in making social calls the
soldier il notorious beaux when ne
has nm opportunity to lay aside his
rIfle. And really It is a pleasure to visit
some Of these mestiEo families In whose
homes the American seems always wei
The Spanish element is now almost
rradtcated from these interior towns
owing to the unusual opportunities Of
returning 10 Spain. Hence the mestizo
class has taken their place as the nris-
tocrats Of the island. But perhaps the
senorita YOU fancy most doesn't speak
castiliIan among her other attalnments.
she dances we'll, but when It comes to
conversation you get involved in a
hoDeIess tangle. This gives the chap
aroro n chance Of lifetime. She never