The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-05-13

sented on the one hand as polished
gentleman, versed in all the arts and
amenities of civilization. One might
well be led to believe that they were a
united people, that they were all di-
ploma graduates, of Chautauqua circles,
and the only use they have for their
bolos, is to pick the ice cream from their
teeth while attending Sunday school
picnics. On the other hand we see him
portrayed clad in a breech clout, and
weafing a ring in his nose, by the
Diamond Dick stories of some imagina-
tive and inventive soldier returned
home to pose as hero before awe
struck mothers and sisters. In reality
he is only little man with an habitual
air of good nature and responsibility
and the impulses of a tiger. While in
Manila on memorial day year ago, a
few American soldiers outside the city
at Binangonan were treacherously MUIR
dered while placing flowers on the
graves of their comrades, and week
later on reaching Cebu, we were told of
the four school teachers, who fresh
from the home land and no doubt inn
bued with feelings of good will to all
men, not needing the protests and ad-
vice Of those who understood the situa-
ton, walked out of town into the foot
hills, armed with only a small revolver
and kodak. Their mutilated remains
were found a few weeks later, grim
evidence Of misplaced confidence. This
is a very quiet locality, but about year
ago / was called out of town a mile to
see a native who was found killed in a
cocoanut grove. He was literally hack
ed to pieces, having thirty one distinct
bolo cuts on his body, the executioner
not taking any chances on the result.
To show the shallow cunning of the
assassin, a soldiers white hat cord with
blood on il was found near the body,
evidently placed there with the inten-
tion of diverting suspicion. But it was
clearly not the work of any white man,
and the matter dropped without any in
vestigation that we are aware of.
The Filipino is essentially man of
leisure, and possesses an innate aversion
to steady work. Fiesta days are com
mon, and under no pretext are they al
lowed to pass uncelebrated. They are
all as a native expressed it recently,
'mucha sports, in their way. Monte
and pingingue are the favori.e card
games, but the national sport is cock
fighting The native who would not
risk his last centavo in the cockpit
would be a rara avis indeed. This sport
is indulged in on fiesta days and Sunday
afternoons after mass.
AS arule they are lovers of music, and
with training some of them make very
good performers, but their ideas of the
eternal fitness of things as we would
see them at times are very vague. The
band always plays at church service,
also at weddings and funerals if the in
terested parties have the necessary funds
to defray the bill. At either of the lat
ter they are just as liable as not to rem
der After the Ball. or Hot Time" both
of which are popular with native bands.
Some no doubt will be inclined to think
that the latter is equally appropriate at
either function.
They are social people. shack no
matter how small, usually being crowd
ed even the family pig frequently being
an inmate. The houses are invariably
built high off the ground, usually about
six feet allowing free circulation of
air below. During the hot season the
native attends to his bathing most
religiously, but on the whole / believe ii
is done more as matter of personal
comfort, than as sanitary measure.
! Statistics and personal observation prove