Page:The Pacific Monthly volumes 1-3.djvu/218

 wealthy planter, a spacious mansion, and was attended only by the president and his staff, the local officials and their families, a few visitors from Manila and our party of four. The people generally were having festivities of their own at other houses. In every respect the ball was such as would be given at the home of a wealthy and refined American fam- ily. Aguinaldo and his staff and the American officers were in uniform. Other gentlemen were in black evening dress. The ladies were attired in costumes of embroidered silk and pina cloth, made in the Filipino style, and decorated with diamonds. In all my similar experiences I have never seen such a display of diamonds as was made on this occasion. There were finger rings, ear-rings, brooches, pins, hair ornaments and watches studded with them, soltaires and clusters. But there was no vulgar ostentation. The taste

for bright colors was evident, but harmony of color and artistic effect were characteristic of every costume. The native dress consists of a somewhat narrow skirt of silk, with a long train, a waist of pina cloth, with very wide sleeves and a collar piece of the same material, covering the shoulders, reaching half way down the back and in front the ends fastened together with a brooch just above the waist. Pina cloth is as fine as silk, but quite stiff, and is of native manufacture from the fibre of the pine palm. Its stiffness causes the rolled collar to stand out from the neck and the large sleeves to stand entirely free from the arms, thus promoting the comfort of the wearer. In compliment to our hosts the lady of our party wore one of these costumes, and was justly complimented for her beauty and radiant appearance. President Aguinaldo especially expressed his pleasure at the