The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-12
HOME FROM MANILA.
An Ottawa Woman Back From a seven
Years stay.

Ottawa. Kan, July 12.-In October,
1893. an Ottawa girl, Miss Ethel Tuck
or, left home for the long trip to the
Philippines to join her lover there.
After seven years residence in the
orient Mrs Ethel Tucker Todd is at
home for q visit The seven years
q great familiarity with Spanish, but
at the expense of her English-which
she now speaks with some difficulty
1t was trip which many a girl
the majority, no doubrZWould nave
taken most reluctantly to cross the
thousands of miles of water and to
enter a strange land but Miss Tuck
er took it bravely and in December
1899, she was married to Irwin TODD,
In small Presbyterian mission
church Miss Tucker was the first
Presbyterian bride in the Philippine
islands.
Irwin TODD had gone TO Manila two
years before with the Twentieth kan
sas. Irwin foods home is near Wells
VILE and he and Miss Tucker had met
at college here. When Mr.. TODD De
cided not to return TO America with
his regiment. but to try for his fortune
in the new country, he sent for MISS
Tucker. who left Ottawa the 18th Of
October, 1899, and arrived at Mania
December 8
W0liE MI. QUQ AdE III AAA- t-- A.-f
and away from Manila, Mrs Todd
taught school in a boys convent ana
later in kindergarten After two
wears Mr.. Todd returned to Manila
and took a position in the civil ser
vice He is now an Inspector IN the
internal revenue department.
Mrs Todd would not have returned
from Manila had it not been for her
health. she had been in a hospital
for month before she left for
America. The trip from Manila TO me
United states cost Mrs Todd S4OO-
China. and came down the coast by
way Of Alaska. She was five weeks on
since her return to the United states
Mrs. Todd has had great Difficulty IN
talking English. as she had TAXED
Spanish for four years and sometimes
never speaking English for year she
has also had trouble in keeping warm
as the temperature in Manila is always
100 degrees or more
The houses are made of nippa. klnd
of bark. the floors of bamboo and the
walls and partitions of mating, such as
are used mere on the floors.
The streets instead Of being paved
with brick are paved with blocks OF
wood Of about the same size as brlckS.
Manila is a great society city There
are over g 900 American people there ana
during the summer months. April, May
and June the men only work from f;5V
70 1890, and the rest of the time is spent
ct ball games. card parties and dances.
The American people seem to enjoy ii
more and go more at Manila than they
did in the United States. They do not
mix with the natives except on bust
ness. The natives hold as good if not
better positions than the men from this
country The Filipinos are noted for
being fine artists and pianists, but none
Of them sing. The natives are very sell
dom healthy. this probably being due
to the fact that they eat nothing but
rice and fish Everything is a good deal
more expensive In Manila. but salaries
are also high. clerks and stenographers
always receiving from 500 to $50 a
month.
Mrs. Todd made I'VE trips to Hong
Kong China, during four years. It is
only ffty-two hours ride but the places
are entirely different Mrs. Todd says
that Hong Kong. in her opinion, is the
most beautiful place in the world A.
present she does not intend to return
to Manila. but may later if Mr. Todd
does not return to the United States.
Mrs. Todd is the guest Of her parents
Mr. and Mrs. c. L. Tucker