Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-10-05
WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINES.
Something of Their Customs as Seen
by Americans.

by Americans.
The Philippines and the Fl!ipinos are
an interesting topic to Americans, and
when looked at through the eyes Of a
Southern officer in the United States
army, the topic grows in interest.
Such an officer it has been my pleas
ure to talk with recently, and he told
charmingly of the customs over there.
Surigao Is a seaport on the extreme
point of the island Of Mindanao with a
population Of two or three thousand.
When the Fortieth regiment landed
there 1t surrendered at once without
the firing of a gun. The natives. on
the contrary, crowded the wharves and
cheered as the soldiers landed, while a
brass band played with full force in
honor Of the occasion.
Major General Bates and staff. es-
corted by Company B, were then taken
to the Spanish resident to meet the
general in command Of the Filipino
forces, and to arrange the terms of
the surrender. This was accomplished
in one hour, and thus our poor old rag
ged, sorefooted, hungry company was
marched away to the headquarters of
the Filipino general. The Filipino flag
was Immediately pulled down and the
stars and stripes hoisted in its stead.
mid the firing Of guns from the war
vessels and the cheering of the soldiers
as the band played 1.-THE Star Spangled
Banner"
The people Of Surigao were never fol-
lowers Of Aguinaldo. so for that reason
II was much easier to assume control
of the city and people. A force Of ma
tive police was at once organized,
which did valuable service in preserv-
ing order.
The people of Surigao were very
friendly to the Americans, and even
went so far as to assist them in seve-
raj skirmishes WITH the insurgents,
who on all occasions attacked the town
and murdered it's inhabitants. They
also made desperate efforts to enter
tain the American soldiers, and they
really did," says one. ut broke the
monotony to go calling sometimes on
the senoritas. and anyhow, 1t was d.
verting If nothing else."
Christmas, 1900, was indeed a gala
day" in Surigao. The soldiers had for
their Christmas dinner chicken, fried
potatoes, onions, cake and sliced pota-
to pie. Quite a contrast to the daily
hard tack, bacon, beef, rice and coffee.
The natives gave all kinds Of enter
tainments during the week and the
soldiers were in great demand. They
gave a party" too. that Is, they. fur
nished the edibles and the natives the
"senoritas" and music. OF course,
dancing was one of the chief amuse-
ments, and when the music started the
soldier would walk over to "senori-
ta," offer his arm and together they
would glide away. Words were not
needed, for actions speak louder
and as neither could understand the
others language they would have been
useless. They do not waltz as we
Americans do, but have something like
a "two-step" dancing round and round
until you get so dizzy you are obliged
to stop. A most amusing but most
trying feature of their dancing is that
the senorita has to stop every few min
utes to put on her slipper. The slipper
has no heel, only strap across the toes,
and when they dance away would go
the slippers" and the dancing would
have to stop until they were recovered.
The senoritas try very hard to dress
like the American women. "and 1t
would tickle you to see how they act
when dressed that way" They wear
a plain waist, with huge puff sleeves
and a skirt, or, more properly speak
ing, a straight piece Of cloth wrapped
around them once and pinned. Their
shoes are nothing but sandals and
they wear no stockings. 1t seems they
cannot bear to wear many clothes on
account Of the heat, and when they
put on a dress. shoes. stockings and
everything that an American girl usu-
ally wears they look like stuffed
frogs"
The shoes and stockings seem to
worry them more than anything else.
If you are walking along with one and
her stocking comes down, she will stop
right there and fix it.
The senoritas are all extremely fond
of "taffy" and are always expecting
you to compliment them. If they are