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Thursday, June 1st, 1899

Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo

Early this morning I awoke with a dull headache, which has a clung to me up to the present moment. My opinion is that it is a nervous headache caused by too much work & travel.

Wrote a letter & copied it to Capt. Ver Post, 1139 Market St. San Francisco, Cal. the S.A headquarter’s stenographer. He wrote me for Philippine photos offering to pay for them. Sent him 15 Kodak prints & charged $2, U.S. coin. Directed him to pay the same into the Philippine fund at S.F. for the good of the work generally.

Remained at home all day until 4 p.m. (about) to rest myself. Read portions of Pepy’s Diary, also looked over my diaries for 1897 & 98 to note what I have been doing & where I have been during the past two years. Traveled so much that scenes, places & work have faded largely from my memory. Life is a curious thing – a patch-work, quite often varied events.

Looked thro’ some Texas railroad maps. Read the daily “American”.

Brother Devine (Landon) came over this forenoon & remained several hours. He is badly run down in health. Availed himself of the quietness of No. 2 to rest his nerves. Although there is noise, my place is not like a barrack.

Capt. Morrison came around to see Owens his face wreathed in smiles. Sold his ship “Vigilant” to Spaniards form $10,840 Mex. Rev. Owens went to Col. Pope & secured consent to return to the United States on the s.s. “Newport”. Capts. Morrison & Crow expect to return on the same vessel. Crow lately had his ship the “Selkirk” wrecked on Mindoro island. The 4 sailors too who are living at our expense are in better spirits. They are to leave on the transport “Hancock” in a few days, Gen. Otis concluded to sent them back. No. 2 will appear lonely after all these people depart.

I took street car to the post office & rec’d one paper. Could purchase us supplies because the stores were closed. A holiday. Feast of Corpus Christi, I think is the name. This evening I noticed a stick projecting from over back window. My curiosity was excited. A rope tied to the stick held a bamboo frame on which hung an assortment of fruits etc. and a chicken. On one side of our backyard stand a temporary shrine covered with cloth. Inside was an altar. On front of the altar stand a picture of the Virgin Mary surrounded by children. A picture of the interior of a R. Catholic church above the altar relieved the blank. After dark a procession of Filipino children accompanied by women & holding lighted tapers filed into the yard. Kneeling at the shrine as many as could get in repeated in concert their pater nosters. Then there was a search for something about the yard, all joining. By and bye our Filipino boy, who acts as servant for Rev. Owens & keep my floor clean, straddled the rear window & lowered the frame supporting the fruit within the reach of the small people. A sudden scramble for the fruit followed. This disposed of ceremony ended & a Filipino woman stripped the shrine of its adornments & covering.

News in this evening point to an aggressive campaign on the South line. Two men off the hospital boat “Relief” were drifted ashore Decoration Day near Paranaque. One was killed & the other carried away prisoner by Insurrectos. Word also came that 2, 14th Infantry men have been captured by Filipinos & that the 2d Oregon Inf. is under marching orders to the South line for battle.

Rev. Owens hinted to me this evening that the would like to sell me his furniture for half cost-price, which would be about $30 Mex., the rent due me by him to be subtracted.

This morning read a chapter in Numbers, also a psalm. Prayed. Cooked breakfast and supper. Filled my lamp.