Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1922-11-01
FILIPINO, GENEROUS
RACE, MRS. HER0LD
WRITES PARENTS
Mr.. and Mrs. E. c. Thomas, POtOsi,
Receive Interesting Letter
From u. s. Possession.
Bangard, Aba, P. l.,
September 2, 1922.


September 2, 1922.
Dear Mamma and Dad:
We received two letters from each
of you yesterday, which contained a
lot of interesting news. We know you
must have had a good time in Madi-
son.
We have just returned from the
market 1t was my first trip there, as
| had been warned that a trip there
would spoil my appetite for several
days. However, my curiosity got the
best of me, so we went. The market
is as large as a small city block sur
rounded with stone walls about ~
feet high, a roof projects inward from
the fence for about 20 feet. The inner
part has no covering except the
branches of an immense tree growing
in the center Any one who has any
thing to sell bring it in round basket
about feet in diameter and inches
deep. Then the person squats down
by his basket and waits for purchas-
ers. Just one basket may contain
bananas, eggs, plants, thread, native
woven blankets, cookies, and a live
chicken with its legs tied together
However, there is some better system
as an attempt is made to have the fish
and meat on one side, the dry goods
on another, tobacco elsewhere with
vegetables and livestock in the CEN
ter
The place was so crowded we
thought we would not be able to get
through But as | was probably the
only American woman who had been
there for a few years, everybody got
out of my way and looked. took one
half of a glance at the meat depart
ment. AS we have no ice here there
is none for the fresh meat. However,
| was fascinated with the dry goods,
Each woman sat on her own individ-
ual floor made of split bamboo, with
her dress materials spread about her,
and also hung on lines behind her. In
all she had brilliant setting
wanted Immediately to spend my
whole salary for beautiful Japanese
silks at 40 cents a yard, or for Filipino
materials at even less cost, and beau
tiful blankets woven in the mountains
by the non-civilized tribes.
Horseback riding is practically the
only recreation we have, but it such
great sport and the mountain trails
are so thrilling and beautiful, that we
do not miss movies, theatres and au
tOmObiles. The natives are exceed
ingIy anxious to rent us their horses,
as 81 day is a great income for them.
Elmer had been able to secure the
best horse in town for me, but has
had little difficulty in securing one
for himself to go well with it. The
Filipinos always know about such
things, so many displayed their horses
and Elmer decided on one. The owner
told us his name and said he lived by
the postmaster. We go riding very
early in the morning, so order our
horses the night before. But we had
forgotten the name Of the owner of
Elmer's horse, however, we sent our
boy to the house next to the pOstmas-
ters to order the horse, but those peo-
rle owned no horse. A Filipino teach
err and his wife were calling on us
that night; so they named several pos
sible owners for the horse, but on go
ing to ask each person our boy said
they were not the person. By that
time it was almost II p. m. AS we
were bound to go riding the next
morning, the only thing for us to do
was to go in search of the horse SO
the Filipino and his wife, our boy, Ell
mer and l started out in the pitch
dark in quest Of a black horse. The
Filipino teacher took the lead through
the dark, narrow, crooked st~oe
many other objections should be sup
plied) to houses where we n ght find
our precious horse AS the natives
go to bed early they were enjoying
peaceful slumber by the time we ar
rived. However the Filipino would
call "Apa" several times ntil he had
awakened someone. Usually the wife
came to window first holding
lighted candle. Then while the Fill