difficult to find one who understands
English.

[Illustration: THE OLD CHURCH.]

The men of the village were mostly engaged, though not very strenuously,
in the rice paddies or in fishing. The women looked after the
housekeeping, washing, tending the stores, etc., and their position of
respect and authority in the homes and in society was in marked contrast
to that of other oriental and even of some European women.

[Illustration: THE MARIVELES PUBLIC SCHOOL.]

A tiny store across the street from where we lived was tended during
most of the day and in the evenings by an attractive young native woman
who seemed to be quite a belle. Every evening, at about dark, a dapper
young native, in an American suit of white, always appeared and seated
himself upon the bench in front of the store, where he could see and
talk to his brunette lady love without interfering with her commercial
duties, which were not heavy. Often several other suitors appeared and,
while it was not possible to understand what was said, since
the conversation was all in Tagalog, from the frequent laughter it was
evident that the girl was as able to entertain several admirers at once
as are some of her blond sisters across the sea. Her voice was softer
and her laugh more attractive than that of many an American belle of
high social standing. In fact the women of this island village were, as
a class, of remarkable dignity and modesty, so that there was probably
less to shock one's modesty here than at many a fashionable American
watering place. Of course ignorance of their language made it impossible
to understand all that was going on, but to judge by their actions and
the tones of their voices it would seem that their family life is as
peaceful and happy as that of the average American family. It is truly
the "simple life" that they lead, and to us it seems a very narrow one;
yet it has its advantages over the "strenuous life" that most of us are
compelled to live. There was little or no drunkenness or quarreling
among the men, whose chief vice seemed to be gambling.

[Illustration: THE TELEGRAPH AND POST OFFICE.]

This gambling instinct is gratified mainly by means of the cockpit. One
of the most familiar sights of the islands is the native man with a
game cock or just a plain rooster under his arm. They pet and fondle
these birds as we do cats or lap-dogs, and on Sundays (alas!) they
gather at the cockpits to match their favorites against each othe