New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-29


wv San Francisco she carried six bride-eects.
W The dav that she arrived in Manila, Teddy
Baxter Of the Sixtyeghth Iowa Infantry, stationed
at Bacolor got pass for three days leave and was
on the wharf waiting
There were five Others of the bows waiting with
him They didn't appear shy either. Ninety-fve
per cent OF all the unmarried soldiers in the islands
would have given a quarters pay to have been
IN their boots providing the brides had been chosen
from the girls each had left at home. The other
five per cent. didn't count. They accl11nated.
The Youngest prettiest bride in the lot was Ruth
Wavrnan When she sighted Teddy the dock,
she laughed and cried and lost her handkerchief
overheard waving to him They were married by
the chaplain that afternoon, and Teddy took her
home to Baco1or. She was the only pure-white
woman in the place, and Teddy was so proud he
couldn't even talk; only suffered and
grinned at everybody like happy
boy. By
He had fixed up a nest for her,
dollhouse of bamboo, perched up five
feet from the ground, with garden OF palm and
barana-trees around it, and a couple of little
Japanese servants to wait on her. 1t was a bit OF
FARMLAND to Ruth. When one has clerked for four
years at the candy counter IN Sweet & 1affys
ice-crearn emporium at Maquoketa. Iowa, it is
rather startling to find oneself playing princess
among the palms and bamboo.
She packed away her shirt-wastS and let MO
San dress her up in narvels of plna-coth, loose
embroidered marvels like the mest1za girls wore
Manila. She took down her pO1npaQOuI anu
let O Kio San brush her long fair hair and coil 1t
in soft fluffy knot at the 1lape of her neck minus
the po1apadour. And o Kio San would smile and
rlrr ike pleased kitten over the dainty blond
ness Of the bride, and squat mat in front OF
her with bright enraptured eyes, until Mrs Ieddy
Baxter laughed and flushed and wished with all
her heart that some of the folks in Maquokea might
see her state of sovereignty
Teddy strutted proudly. 1t was something to be
the husband Of the only white woman IN town,
even if said town consisted only of a handful OF
bamboo bird-cages and fringe Of nipa huts-
Sometimes when Teddy home they would
stroll on parade through the streets-Ieddy, SIX
feet two, a handsome, ioose-limbed boy IN khaki
and Mrs. Teddy IN one OF her pretty bridal organ
dies with white chiffon parasol over her head
that barely topped the khaki boys shoulder
1t was charming and startling to Bacolor he
natives would come out and watch the show with
eager solemn interest various stages of d1shab1le
some OF the 'kidlets Teddy genially remarked
without even any dishabille He had an 1dea
that the chocolate-dipped crowd thought he mad
captured stray goddess, and bore himself accord
ingly-unti one day they met AntOn1ta
She was coming along the Palm-shaded
street with group of other girls from the market
place opposite the church. a small, slender inquire
in white and geraniurn pink her chin tilted upward
as she balanced a broad fiat basket OF fruits and
vegetables on her head.
Teddy knew her in instant and became pro-
foundlv embarrassed AS they passed, he lifted MS
TT: but there was no sign of recognition from
antonita With one slow, full glance from her
dark ewes she took in the brides ensemble from
the chiffon parasol to the little French-heelea
white-canvas Oxfords; but Teddy was overlooked.
Who is she?" Ruth asked. Isn't she dear!