The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-15
CHRISTMAS IN MANILA

NJ l\l
Picttresguc Manila, where tho slind-
ows OF the palm are Just as deep In
January Us In juno, Is nj this time OF
year ono OF the gayest, most interest
ing cities In the world. To eat often
drink Il little, smoke a great deal, dance
much and be merry generally is tile
Tilipino,s ideal of life, and I'LL of these
lie gets to his hearts content Mt Pas-
ctin, as the holiday season Is called. All
tho year round tho natives look for
ward to 1t, talk about II and plan for
IT; for everybody and his brother gives
u dance or feast of some Kind IL nc
can possibly afford IL, and if his own
roof Isn't big enough to dance under
he borrows ncighbor's house for the
OCCASION.
There are two words IN tile Spanish
language that every American In Ma
Mia knows, II lie never learns any
more. One 10 "balle." pronounced buy.
Ice, bail, and the other 10 Fiesta" yrfey
are the magic words that excuse the
washerrnan for bringing your laundry
week late, and the sewing woman-for
not appearing Mt all on the day you
needed her most. The delinquent. upon
final arrival, simply looks at you with
III exasperating smile and says fiesta"
and 1t doesn't make any difference how
much you storm and fume. You sim
ply don't understand the custom of the
country. or you wouldn't be 80 foolish
ms to expect any one to work when
there is feast to go to! Apropos, the
writer once showed a picture of the
highest slsyscraper in america to a
wealthy Filipino business man, think
ing he would be Interested in the won
derful structure. But ne merely point
ed to the top floor and said: .'rhnt
would be nice place for dance: cool
UP there"
In Nipn Ifuts.
There is hardly any furniture in
nipa hut. 80 1t isn't much trouble to
clear the floor for Il dance: and Ii one
native. can't afford to give the fiestn
alone, his friends chip in on expenses.
One provides the house, several moro
contribute the Refreshments, and often
the orchestra 10 recruited from among
friends, who play for nothing, except
that they get In frequently on the re.
Rfreshments, including wine and cigars
though, Manila is full OF small orcI,es-
traG that play for n few pesos. The
indios, as the upper class l'lipinos pre-
fer to call the natives, often dance In
sandals Tint are Just flat leather
sole with tip or colored plush TO
hold them on over the toes. The
floors nf the nipa houses are of split
bamboo; they are az slippery as glass.
and the way the natives make their
Randa1s stick on while they whlrl
around would surprise a deryish. SOME
times. though. one does fly off. but II
takes only second to slip the bare
foot into 1t again. The Formally Of
n Filipino woinan's dress isn't deter.
mined by the cut of her clothes, but
by whether or not she has on stock
fngs. An American army officer once
asked n pretty native girl why she AMI
her sister had the reputation OF be-
ing stuck up" The girl replied irnc-
Gently. because. when the Americana
first came here .se wore stockings
every afternoon
Nobody at u native feast pays any
attention to time Life in the Philip.
pines isn't run by the clock. and that
Il. ono of its charms. A feast begins
In the morning ami lasts all day. There
~ no set time for the orchestra to
stop; they keep on playing the same
tune over and over as long as any
one is dancing.
There Arc long streets in Manila that
nrc edged on both sides with these
tiny nipa houses and the vista 10
beautiful on starlight night. when
the CLASSY surface OF the broad, droop-
ing banana leaves reflects the bright
Eight of tho moon. The little nuts are
almost lost to view in the dense folt-
rye. though each Is marked by fancy
colored paper lantern, IN accordance
with law requiring light In front Of
cncl dwelling. The lanterns are not
IF the Japanese variety. but are of
their own make. and look like original
propositions in solid geometry.
The Religious Professions.
A ncver-faling attraction on Christ
mas Day ut Pascua is the religious
procession, OF which there Is one in
ference how many times native has
seen church procession. lie liz just
Nc much Interested In the next one.
Every church has its saints in eft1gy.
and the ceremony. consists In paradtng
these slowly through the streets. The
procession starts at the church door
and Is headed by the priest. Then
conc the eftigies resting on heavy
wooden platforms carried by natives,
whose shoulders bend to a bow under
the great weight. At intervals be-
tween the figures are native bands and
orckestras playing everything from
grand opera TO ragtime. Some OF the
musicians dress In white duck uni
forms, with red or blue trimmings. and
wear pretentious helmets. Others
have on the costume OF che common
natlve-thin white shirt hanging loose
over the trousers and any kind OF O
hat, from straw sailor to derby.
Some are slod In the latest cut in
patent feathers and some are bare
footed.
The most deliberately bedecked OF
the cftigles is the Virgin Mary who is
ablaze with diamonds and other prec-
( tous stones presented to her by wealthy
parishioners. Sometimes these adorn-
1nents are paste. the real stones being,
kept in the church vaults for safety.
But real or paste. they make a brilll-3
ant showing on the gorgeous wax hg-
ure, with her flowing golden lair and
satin robes. The last efigy to appear
is that OF tho Christ, and this Is usu-
ally preceded by a band playing a
dlrge.
The, procession starts about dusk,
and one OF its most picturesque fea-
Z lures is the long line OF men. women
and children that trudge slowly along
on both sides, two or three abreast.
Each one carries lighted candle OF
Il yellowiS Il color and about t1vn feat