Show new leafs in manila to occidental eyes new year s day in manila is a strange olla podrida ol 01 christmas easter and fourth of july says the new york pres the day la ushered in with early mass ce lebrat ed in the cathedral which Is attended by all the women attired in old clothes and the poorer class barefoot ed and the wealthy in somber with black mantillas or shawls shrouding their reads but immediate ly after breakfast everybody begins to prink and preen for callers raven locks are plastered into elaborate coiffures with cocoanut oil and crowned with red or yellow blossoms or in the case of a maiden who expects her lover to pay his respects to her the new year with the sweet stir flowers of the jessamine which are ailed throughout the island the flow rs of san paquita who is the pation saint of lovers stiff trailing skirts of gay brocade and antebellum cut are donned wide flowing sleeves of em broidered pina gauze and ample neck erchie ts of the same filmy material are adjusted and there is a tinkling of many bangle bracelets as the fair ones seat themselves to wait the arrival of the first caller his entrance is the signal for the iam pot to be brought in this takes the place of the steaming punch bowl of other lands and Is passed from hand to hand each one taking a spoonful no more and everybody using the same spoon it would be considered an unpardonable breach ot etiquette to refuse to partake the jam Is followed by coffee which Is bened very black and strong and 1 half sugar strong black cigars are next prod iced and everybody lights up including the hostess it Is a shock to the occidental mind to see young girls of 15 or 16 puffing away at long cigars but every one smokes in the philippines the spanish women usually confine themselves to cigar ettes many of the callers bring their gut tars or mandolins and Is al ways a little music some of the con vent bred girls are really excellent performers on the harp or piano but pianos are always out of tune owing to the damp climate impromptu con aerts are organized and occasionally there Is skirt dancing in which the fillipino women excel many elderly dames who are heavy weights executing the difficult native dances a grace agility and ease which would turn a new york or london music hall artist green with envy |