“If I say twelve, may the señora say a prayer that I may not be dismissed by my mistress.”
“I am Protestante. I think each person must say their own prayers.”
“The señora is wise and good. She will give me eleven and a half.”
And so on, and so on. Before we had done, I was the kindest, wisest, most humane, and beautiful and polite woman the sun ever shone on; I was blessed by all the Saints in turn—but I paid nine pesos for a roll of blue piña, and the old woman said she would come any day and sell me any amount more at the same price.
LETTER XXXV.
DECLARATION DAY—THE CULT OF THE FLAG—A PROCESSION, FESTIVITIES, AND A BALL
Iloilo, July 4.
This is a tremendous day here, and a universal public holiday—Declaration Day, you know; the anniversary of the day when the States declared themselves independent of the Mother Country. All the town is gay with palm-branches and myriads of Stars and Stripes, while the fun began at sunrise this morning by a great letting-off of Chinese crackers, and Americans coming out on their balconies in pyjamas and firing pistols into the air.