The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-12-10
SOCIAL LIFE in THE ISLANDS.
Mrs. Luke @. Wright Describes the Customs
in the philippines.

! Sc".,m,.mercial-Appeal ",,. had an interview
18th Mrs. Wright which in part is az
follows: = -.
.,,.tion that expreSs to her honored
husband the love and appreciation his
sI 1sl,ov townsmen, as well as the en-
,;,s . body politio fesl for him, is Mrs.
Wright, who has entered 50 spiritedly
s;nto the great work Gen. Wright has
] Sdone and aided him as only e =eman
] II q, ar perceptions and the adapta-
Ss;l;tv may do under changed and utter.
IL novel conditions.
i II Mrs. Wight when seen by report
i, Of the Jommercial-Appeal was as
Completely charming and'serenely gra.
|.;ous as tt Ugh more than q month had
mt elapsed since she could relax from
Ithe strain of long trip By sea, under
ltbe most exhausting circumstances.
Fresh from the Philippines where
|,be conditions of her life had grown
lto be real and not ct oil out Of the
||usu.l, the recent First Lady Of the
|;,lsuds was q trife dumfounded ct the
|5euorter's proposal that she should
|aye some ideas as TO the real social
conditions Of the Philippines which
lis 60 mooted o question even among
people Of information. :
1T is an utterly mistaken idea,'
laid Mrs. Wright in her gentle but
|eb..miugly animated fashion, "that
|.he Filipinos are . people whose intel
|ligence is below the average OF whose
standards Of refinement aud social ob-
ssrvanoes are not OF the highest. Their
homes are superb and their hospital
ity regal. For the most part the bet
ter classes are educated and shey
Bpesk French as do the French
i!uen born. Their manners are perfec.
lion and they are adaptable to the de-
t5ree that argues we'll for the essential
BBhanges that will be inaugurated under
3he new regime.
"And the jewels worn by the native
$omen Of the highest castel It is al
host impossible to imagine, unless
5ne has seen them, the gorgeousness
II these jeweled ornaments worn by
By the Filipins. Set in the rare work
jranship for which the east is famous,
3hey make the most imposing show,
though the sight is q little dazzling to
bnacoustomed American eyes. To q
plight extent they are beginning to
|esve off the overplus Of finery and
lake up a few European and American
Pustoms with regard to dress. Yet they
Pling tenaciously to their charming
pative dress which isa combination
bf fnery and fascinating negligence.
"Why, in the provinces, and even
|n Manila, they wear the simplest and
'cantiest Of sandals instead Of shoes,
Ind sometimes,' laughed Mrs.
Wright, "they lose them when dam
'ing with the officers. The ensuing
situation is not regarded, either, as
highly embarrassing. Their gowns
re Of the loveliest and what would
be to US the costliest fabrics. They
re enough to create envy in the FOR
'igner's hearts, these frocks Of just,
Is it is called, fabric very like silk
renadine, only softer and ailkier than
anything We are accustomed. to.
Americans realize wherein the Fill
plno has the advantage, and / under
stand that society girls here in Mem
phis have eeveral charming gowns
|ashloned Of the weblike material.
They live luxuriously 2 che oom-
rented, and seem to have reduced the
vt Of enjoyment to- q fine degree Of
Perfection. p. +
Their household system certainly
las its drawbacks to the American
The lower Glasses
''0'k, the women especially, bus they
y 70 not make the very best servants
lnsy have popularity in their
arrangements that strikes
'ns American as exceedingly queer. It
patrla7csl ina wsy, and interesting
! !, Showing ths spirit ofE.sce aud FAM
~. Every household of social i'm
'0''anoe has train Of, sparientes' who.
!. lre the poor relations OF the family
lney work for their maintenance, but
! 'te regarded as equals oesthe family,
"a the premises Of the large, palatial
zones Of the rich are small houses
|, Isde Of 'nipa,' familiarly called 1nipa
'naoks by Americans, which are oo-
'upled BY these parientes. Ours, =
'a'd Mrs. Wright, giving delightful
Pefsonal touch to her narrative, sswera
'oeupied by tna anld;erss rybnss xv.,,n