Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1908-04-16
men MAKE GOOD SERVANTS
In DOMESTIC CAPACITIES
Woman Whose Husband Was Absent
Came Out Into the Street to Urge
American Tourists to Accept Hos.
pitality of Her Home.
Special Correspondence.


pino woman is unique among the wo-
men of the Orient. A careful observ-
er will observe her peculiar position
at once. She is equal in every respect
with the Filipino man, and her sex
does not exclude her from all the aims
and opportunities for advancement
that are open to her brothers. This
is in such marked contrast with the
condition of the women of China and
Japan, that one cannot help remark
ing upon it, In many parts of the
country it is customary for the hus-
band to turn over to his wife all his
earnings, for she is the thrifty and
industrious help-mate. Often she not
only manages her own household but
directs the activities of her husband
| had peculiar instance of this when
| asked my washerwoman where l
could obtain a reliable man for some
work l desired done. She said she
would bring her husband to me and he
would do as / desired.
Next morning there appeared at my
door my washerwoman with a man to
whom she began giving minute direc-
tons as to conduct and behavior, and
then she turned him over to me- with
the request that if he did not do ex-
actly as l said in all things, should
report his delinquencies to her, and
she then gave him additional warning
and left him with me. must confess
that he made an excellent servant
but l am sure that it was because he
was more afraid of his wife than OF
anything that l might have been able
to do to him,
Travelling through the Philippines
one really. gets the only idea of how
the people live. On one of my trips
to the interior l came upon a little
settlement, about four hundred miles
from Manila. The tropic night had
just closed in, and from the native
huts along the street came sounds of
the mandolin and gutter, and the vel.
low glimmer of the cocoa, oil lamp
made the outer darkness more i'm
penetrable. We had gone scarce half
way down the street when we were
addressed by an elderly Filipino wo.
man, who said
Good evening, excellencies. Have
you yet had your suppes? Will you
not honor me by feasting and remain
ing in my poor dwelling over n.ght?"i
She explained that she was the wife
OF the president of the settlement, but
that he had gone away on a long
Journey-eighteen miles-to attend
law suit. She then introduced us to
over twenty other villagers who had
gathered to bid the strangers welcome
Ihis simply the custom of the conn.
try and any stranger would have met
with the same welcome. The usual
sanitation to a stranger in, my house
is yours" The natives will scurry
around among their neighbors for
1000, dishes, chairs or anything else
that may be lacking to make the
stranger perfectly comfortable. and
the whole village will do its utmost
to make your stay pleasant. But do
not offer to pay for this courtesy. II
will be taken sa deadly insult. or
course you may give a present to the
children or to the wife, but do not Of.
fer 1t as pay for what you have re.
ceived unless you desire TO be nut
down as one unused to courtesy.
II After we left this village the next
day we struggled along muddy road
for five miles to another village, and
here we became the guests of the
presidente, who welcomed us in his
slippers, having just awakened from
his MONDAY nap. He made us sit
until mouthful Of food could be pre-
pared, and despite our assurances that
we did not want any trouble taken,
when he announced that dinner was
ready We sat down at one of the best
bountiful boards that we found in the
islands. A number of neighbors had
come In to sit with us and emf; u
3spitality of our host. Whez % the
an to prepare for a - ~ 81
tven to understand art =
Re would offend our that 9
ost. b