estra, armed with guitars
and mandolins, had seated themselves upon a bench, barefooted with
their legs crossed, ready to begin. The insufficiency of partners
for the ladies had necessitated letting out most of the prisoners
on parole. A certain young dandy who had been locked up on charge
of murder, was the hero of the hour. While he was dancing, soldiers
with their Remingtons guarded the door. I was induced to try a dance
with Tonio. The hum of music could be heard above the "clack-clack" of
the carpet-slippers tapping on the floor. Then suddenly the _senorita_
swore a white man's oath, and stopped. Her carpet-slipper had come off,
and as she wore no hosiery, the situation was indeed embarrassing. Our
hostess asked us twenty times if everything was satisfactory, and
finally confessed that she had spent almost a year's income for the
refreshments. "Dancee now; _manana_, washie, washie."

I must tell you of Bernarda's party. "We expect you for the eating,"
read the invitation, and when dinner was all ready I was sent for. Then
we sat down to a feast of roast pork, rice, and goat-flesh, with
a rather soggy cake for the dessert. At most balls it is customary
for the ladies to be seated first at the refreshment-table, where the
most substantial articles of diet are boiled ham with sugar frosting,
cakes flavored with the native lime, and lemon soda. Like the coy nun
in Chaucer's "Prologue," she who is most elegant will take care not
to spill the food upon her lap, eat with the fingers, or spit out
the bones. At wedding feasts the gentlemen are given preference at
the table.

When the orchestra arrived--a trifle late after a six-mile hike through
muddy roads and over swollen streams--the company was more delighted
than a nursery. The orchestra began the program with the piece entitled
"Just One Girl," to which the people sang Visayan words. Vivan, the
old clown, in clumsy commissary shoes, skated around the floor to
the amusement of the whole assembly. The chair-dance was announced,
and the most favored _senorita_ occupied a chair set in the middle of
the room. A dozen suitors came in order, bowing low, entreating her
not to reject their plea. One after another they were thrown down,
and retired crestfallen. But at last the right one came, and waltzed
off with the girl triumphantly. There was a salvo of applause, the
more intense because in this case an engagement had been practically
announced. No native ball would be com