Unofficial letters of an official's wife [by] Edith Moses.

AN OFFICIAL'S WIFE

the invitations were the words " rigorosa etiqucta,"
meaning that no one would be admitted who did not
wear a dress suit. This was explained to me by
one of the managers, who said that whenever they
gave a ball, about supper time a crowd of Americans, I confess it with mortification, were in the
habit of coming in uninvited in khaki suits, making themselves disagreeable by their disregard of
the common rules of politeness. Isn't it a pity that
a few rude boors can so disgrace the country?
I think our people are too offhand with the Filipinos. Many quite nice Americans will take liberties in the way of going with friends to houses
where they are unbidden. The other evening I saw
a number of persons who " just came along with
the crowd," as they openly confessed, and in consequence the champagne fell short, and the master of
ceremonies, whom I knew quite well, was covered
with confusion, for it was too late at night to get
any more. " Sefiora," he said in excuse for apparent inhospitality, " there are nearly fifty guests
here to-night who were not invited." These are
unimportant facts, but they might possibly help to
throw light on the statement so often made by
Americans returning home, " that the Filipinos do
not like us."
The Americans celebrated Washington's birthday
with the Amateur Racing Association. There were
mule races, and pony races, and very bad hurdle
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