I have seen Mrs. R out here. whom I met so pleasantly in Honolulu. She is the wife of Colonel R—–—, of the Thirteenth Minnesota, who since the “battle” of Manila has been a Brigadier-General. They live just outside the city to the south, and I shall enjoy accepting the kind lady’s invitation to call. General R—— has been appointed Deputy Provost Marshal General, so I frequently catch a glimpse of him in General H ’s offce. Mrs. R reached here three or four weeks ago on a transport which brought some Red Cross nurses. I met her last week walking in the Luneta—the sea drive. I had not realized till then how much we were isolated, for it was the greatest treat to see and talk with an American lady. The really nice-appearing Spanish women persistently turn up their noses in disgust at the Americans, and as I do not fancy the advances of the native dames, I had begun to feel no class socially in spite of myself. You don’t know how it braced me up to receive recognition from a real American lady.
I inclose a license for building. I think it is worth keeping, among other things, for the interesting internal revenue stamp at the top of the paper. My Filipino brought it to me the other day with much pleasure. He had unearthed it somewhere about the building. To-day he came in with some mint slips, also some toothache-plant slips, which he wanted me to plant with my palms. He is very watchful and careful of me, and is vastly pleased when I give him a lift in learning English. He can read and write Spanish rather well, but I fear he has a long road to travel to the English. The other day he was talking on about himself. It seems he is an odd thirty-six years old, is married, and has two girls. He lost a son. He supports himself and family on ten dollars Mexican per month, and is altogether the steadiest and most respected native about here. He hoped last month to get a position at the Palace of the Governor-General for ten dollars a month and keep, and he asked me for a certificate, I wrote him out a good one, but the place has not yet been opened to him. My fees for extra services rendered, which amount to perhaps one dollar or one dollar and a half more per month, make him so devoted in his attentions that it would be hard to drive him away. The highest military court here, “The Military Commission,” is engaged at present on a murder trial. A Filipino Lieutenant was killed by a crowd of Spanish soldiers, and the man up for trial was one of the crowd, and was seen by American soldiers jumping. and stamping on the body of the Lieutenant after the latter had been felled-by a rock in the back of his head. The man will be pretty surely convicted, but the case must go before the President before the Spaniard can be executed. A North Dakota Captain is prosecuting attorney, and an officer from defense. The former appears to know some law, and the latter to be a cheerful and more or less clever bluffer. M, a fellow I know in the Oregon regiment, is orderly, or bailiff, or whatever you choose to call him, for the the Thirteenth Minnesota is counsel for the court.
HUNTINGTON.