The courier., 1901-03-23
THE COURIER.

most unusual thing, Tor the Filipino
has acquired such . reputation for
treachery and dishonesty that il is rare
indeed to find any one, even his own
countrymen, willing to take the respon-
sibility Of recommending him for any
position. In this case | am bound to
say in justice to both that we never had
cause to complain. Federico was about
forty years old, very quiet, dignified and
uncommunicativs. No doubt bis email
salary was eked out by many little COM
missions. for the marketing was left
entirely to him. He was required to
bring US An itemized list Of his pur-
chases every day but as We we're CON-
pletely ignorant OF the actual prices
and had no way OF knowing what they
were, we were none the wiser / once
insisted upon going to market With him
but placing me behind booth in charge
of a pretty Filipina friend with whom
he seemed to have an excellent under
standing. he excused himself for mom-
ent and saw nothing more Of him
until he cane to tell me he was ready to
60 home. However, believe him to
have teen honest as he understood it.
In any case. it would have cost US NOR,
to have done the marketing ourselves.
for where he received one commission
We should have paid two. Through
Federico we engaged house boy, Por-
tunato, about sixteen, graceful. smiling
and with burning ambition to wear
white suit and speak English. His
satisfaction was unbounded when he
was able to say, Dinner ees serv.'
And so one day our baggage, our boys
and ourselves formed in procession for
the little house in Ermita and a new
experience was initiated. OF course
there were bitches, but in the main,
everything went very smoothly. i soon
found it expedient to Iengthen the in.
tervals between my excursions into the
culinary department. where it was evil
dent my presence occasioned considera-
bic surprise and was neither expected
nor desired. At last completely per-
meate1 by climatic indifference and ut
terly regardless Of heredity and training
l retired altogether, content to act on
the principle that "What the eye doth
not see the heart doth not rue" Upon
the table by my chair stood little bell
which I tinklei when habit got the bet
ter of apathy, and somewhere from the
depths below would family sound,
Sonora" and a scurry Of bare feet.
Soon bata would come running up the
stair two steps at time pulling on his
coat meanwhile, to ind out what was
wanted; but alas! the filling of my order
was matter of more deliberation, for
the very air in Manila is saturated with
"Manana." We are told that hurry and
worry in the tropics are suicidal; this
being 30 it is evident that Providence
has provided we'll for her soas Of that
region for these are qualities absolutely
wanting in their physical and menta.
makeup.
There was little variety in our daily
ARE and it contained few things that
we're new to US except as to fish, which
vas always perfectly fresh, OF fine favor
md deliciously cooked. Tiny sardines
we're fried in punches OF four or five,
Ipread out like fan. their tails pinched
ogether to form the handle, and garn.
shed with slices of lemons about the
ize of walnut with green rinds and
range yellow centres; cold fried boea
lulce (sweet mouth) was served in
,innanf Eranch dreeainp with chnnned