Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-04-17

zon the one annual event
around which all others move
Weeks beforehand the Tagalo maScu-
line prepares his Easter wardrobe
The Tagalo feminine does not count
for much. She. too. does her little best
TO dress her part for Easter sunday,
but all the bravery of her attire is
thrown into total eclipse by the SPLEEN
dor of her male countcrpart's holy
week shirt. And thereby hangs a tale.
To Prudencio. house servant and val
ct in Manila. year of our Lord 1900. his
holy week shirt was to he much more
than an ordinary holy week shirt Ii
was TO be also his wedding garment.
and shirt means much 10 Tagalo. for
he wears il outside his trousers. SO that
il is all ever visible TO the eye of man
kind. Easter Monday, unless wicked
hoodoo or an evil eye interviewed. Pru-
dencio was TO take the lovely and he
witching Feliciana. maid Of the Sonora
Americana WSse, to be his bride.
True. Feliciana had erStwhile been
bride TO Senior Jose Carvalho's coach.
man, Agapito. but Agapito had drop
ped out, whether dead or derclict no
body knew. Nobody cared. Feliciana
counted herself widow ana counted
herself well of That was enough.
For the matter of that, Prudencio him
self had been previously bridegroom.
He had wife TO whom, strictly with
in his husbandly rights, he had adj
ministered a good sound beating u few
months previous To the opcningrof this
story. Thereon she had left his bed
Her board she always had earned for
herself. Prudencio accepted the situa-
ton like philosopher. and he. too,
counted himself widowed widowered.
one might say.
He met his second fate. or it may
have been his fourth or fifth, in Felicl.
ana. the beautiful.
There goes the prcttiest Tay-gal in
Manila" quoth n soldier who saw her
passing the American tented camp On
the Luneta. His comrades groancd
down him and his pun alike, but they
accepted It's sentiment.
Feliciana had magnificent purple
black hair. creased TO kill with cocoa
nut oil. Ii was wound in a knot mt the
back of her head and stuck through
with ornamental gilt pins. the gift of
the sonora Americana and the envy Of
every Malay woman who saw Felici-
ana drive bareheaded along the Luneta
In the carriage with her mistress Her
arms and hands were strong and
rounded, her eyes were large for Taga-
10 eyes and SO burning bright that
when once she glanced coquettishly at
Prudencio their electric rays penetrat-
ed his ever susceptible masculine heart
and bowled him over like u ninepln.
Feliciana's fiery red cotton skirt was
at least two inches longer tailed than
those worn by the common run Of Ia
gallo ladies. The tiny pima cloth waist
she wore made no attempt 10 conceal
the full, nobly outlined neck. for itself
was low necked, after the fashion of
bodice of all Tagalo women, whether
plump or shriveled. To the credit of
this fascinating girl it may he said that
her feet, whether bare, as she usually
wore them. or slippered. were generally
fairly clean. Again something rather
teeth were all there
and they were white when not stained
blood red with betel nut chewing. But
blood red teeth We're no Disagreement
in the eyes of the lost in love Pruden.
clio. While the fit was on him he would
have adored his divinity had her teeth
and lips been potato bug green.
Prudenclo was not plump and merry
like Feliciana, but In fine contrast 10