The Iola register., 1901-03-01

Y Co.. Binghamtor, N. Y.
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in that light and while the other
waddled along to the finish the rider
OF the obstinate animal that cost me a
good dinner, was working overtime
with bamboo slat on the hide of the
racer that wouldn't run. Thus it was
that | learned much ahou. this partic-
ular class of races.
An archery contest was in progress
at the far side of the plaza. Some
natives, professional cocoanut gath
erers, were seen on the left edge of the
crowd trying to climb a creased papia
pole. This is a trick put upon them
by he.American soldiers and it breaks
the heart of a professional cocoanut
gatherer that the thing exists that
bafllesihis skill to ascend. have
heard it said that these fellows can
climb any sort OF CREASED lightning
that would dare come close enough to
earth.to permit them to take hold of it
and certainly they are remarkable
climbers. But in this pole exercise
they have learned that they had been
reckoning without their host" An
American soldier with a bucketful of
oil and a barked papia pole can furn-
ish an obstacle for climbers, compared
with which streak OF creased light
ming is spiral stair, carpeted and
sandpapered.
Many women and girls with large
baskets on their heads, filled with
bananas, oranges, tobacco and cocoa
nuts were passing through the crowd.
Small nude and semi-nude boys
pitched copper pieces of money at a
pebble. They we're gambling, but af-
ter having.watched them many times
/ am unable to figure out who, if any
body, wins, or what particular feature
decides the thing. Old men and young
men stroll the plaza and neighboring
streets with a game sack in their arms
petting and admiring it. But there
are no fights allowed in this province,
owing to an order issued by General
Young in October. Nevertheless these
people cling to the bunch of fighting
feathers, and it is sport indeed for
both old and young to get together,
each with his brag bird, somewhere in
the shade where they talk it over from
the time the sun rises until it sets, with
anioccasional relief in the monotony
of two of them taking their chickens
by tie tails and 'sicking' them onto
each other. They sometimes let them
pick each others eyes out just as a
diversion, when they are taken in
arms again as an American
mother would hold her first born.
Once in this haven of absolute pro-
lection both birdscrow as though each
had vanquished the other in bona fide
fight. A wit among the soldiers once
remarked that Filipino would catch
cold if he failed to wear rooster on
his arm.
The sun is sinking now and many
small ponies are flying around race
track which bounds the plaza and re-
sembles the make believe circus ring"
that have helped build many times
before had arrived at the dignified
age when could wear a pair of sus-
penders and own a pocket in my
trousers Tor money that did not own.
Their races usually concluded the pro.
gram, that is the daylight part of it,
but there is more to come, for always
on the evenings following a holiday
or Fiesta" there is ball given which
is attended by municipal officers, army
officers and their friends. The men
here do not trouble themselves to see
that the ladies have way and means
of getting there, but they get there just
the same. The crowd begins to as
semble about 1880 p, m, A bunch of
five or six men enters the room which
is usually the largest room in the
'Presidencia" with polished mahog-
any floor, Directly a half dozen
bare-ankled, sandal-footed girls APP
pear and drop into the most conven-
lent seats. The orchestra, which in
this instance, consisted of about twen-
ty pieces, the greater number being
reed instruments, take seats at the end
of the hall. No one is introduced o
any one, that Is waste of time in this
country. The orchestra plays n wal
and you single out girl that looks
IDnutinuad nm nn 90 fnurI