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Don Pedro Alejandro Paterno y Devera Ygnacio of Santa Cruz, Manila, Filipinas married Doña Luisa Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino of Madrid, Espana at the Santa Maria del Villar church in the ancestral Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino hometown of Ranoa, Coruna, Galicia, Espana on October 1890. It was in the hamlet of Ranoa that the latifundio (extensive lands) of the Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino family was located. In Madrid in 1894, soon after being awarded the prestigious and coveted “Gran Cruz de La Real Orden de Isabel La Catolica” in 1893, Pedro was appointed as the new “Director de Museo–Biblioteca de Filipinas” by Don Antonio Maura, Minister for Overseas Colonies and it was the catalyst for Pedro to finally return to Manila after 23 years in Spain. Luisa joined him on his long–overdue homecoming. Back in Manila, Pedro and Luisa took up residence at his father Capitan Memo’s baronial home in Santa Cruz, Manila. The block–long house bounded by Calle San Roque, Calle Noria, Calle Quiotan, and Calle Carriedo had been rebuilt in the grandest style after the disastrous 1880 earthquake and boasted of modern conveniences like running water and very soon, electricity (the next year 1895). Good food was never an issue, because the family could effortlessly afford the best fresh produce and the finest imported goods at the Escolta and Divisoria. The house had an enfilade of opulent European–style salons and a big household staff which suited Luisa well; Luisa was assigned a “mayordoma” to serve as a personal assistant for her needs. She only complained about the summer heat. During extremely warm days, Luisa was driven by carruaje to the Paterno summerhouse in nearby Santa Ana, by the Rio Pasig, where she could enjoy the river breezes all day long. Pedro and Luisa were reabsorbed into the life of the family when they returned in 1894. Most of the surviving 13 Paterno siblings (with the exception of those who had married and chose to live elsewhere) were still living in the large paternal home and it was the hive of constant activity. His father Capitan Memo was aging at 70 but still active in big business. His 60ish stepmother Tia Loleng was unwell (she would pass away the next year 1895). His jeweler eldest sister Ate Guiday, comely in youth, had become a spinster at 41 years old who still ruled over the household; serious and dutiful Kuya Jose was 39 and was married to Tio Lucas’ eldest daughter Quita (Paterno); jeweler Cobang at 36 was still a glamourous dresser; Dr Antonio was 34 (he would pass away at 35 from appendicitis/peritonitis the next year 1895) and was married to Andrea (Angeles); Dr Minong was 31 and was married to Tia Tinang’s eldest daughter Cion (Zamora); sickly Paz at 27 was painting and winning prizes; 26 year–old Trining was still carefree and had no thoughts of getting married (she eventually did at 34 to Claudio Gabriel in 1902). His young, quiet and unassuming half–brother Nano was 17. His young half–sister Concha was 16 years old and she amused and pestered him no end; Pedro felt great affection for young, playful Concha. Quiet younger brother Ciano was 15; he was fascinated with medicines. His youngest half–sister Adela was a withdrawn 14 year–old and she was another talented artist who liked to draw and paint all day long, she was also very good with a needle. In late January, the Paternos usually attended the opulent fiesta of the Santo Nino in Tondo, where the richest Chinese mestiza matriarch of the district Doña Saturnina Salazar de Abreu (known as “Doña Ninay Supot”; a great financier/banker/moneylender) hosted grand fiesta celebrations one after the other. In April and September, the famous “El Anfitrion” (“host to the gods”) Capitan Joaquin Arnedo and Capitana Maria Sioco of barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga celebrated the two fiestas of “Nuestra Senora de la Soledad” with week–long festivities of regal hospitality which several prominent Manila families like the Paternos, Zamoras, and Roxases regularly attended. Forty days after Easter, it was on to San Pablo de los Montes, Laguna for the extravagant week–long fiesta of “El Senor de la Asencion” at the block–long palace of the Escuderos on the town’s main thoroughfare. The month of May was the time for the pilgrimage to Antipolo, to pray at the sanctuary of the miraculous “Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buenviaje”/Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, the Brown Madonna. It was a tradition for many Filipino families to make the journey and the affluent Paternos were no exception. They rented small houses (“bahay kubo”), donned on country attire, picnicked and bathed at the “Hinulugang Taktak” waterfalls, then danced and gambled at night. For cooler air, they journeyed to faraway Majayjay, Laguna (the Baguio of the Spanish times). They traveled to the Aguas Santas in Los Banos for hot water baths; to faraway Sibul Springs outside San Miguel de Mayumo for cool water baths. Late June, the very social Arnedos feted the Apalit town patron “Apung Iru” San Pedro Apostol and it was another week–long fiesta with exquisite food, nightly “bailes,” high–stakes gambling, and hunting in the nearby marshes. In early December, they trooped to the fiesta of “La Inmaculada Concepcion” in Malolos, Bulacan where the Tanchangcos dispensed their generous hospitality (matriarch Doña Rosenda Mendoza was from Santa Cruz, Manila). Luisa enjoyed the levity and pleasure of it all. The second Sunday of October was the time when all of “de alta sociedad de Manila” (like the Paternos) gathered at the Santo Domingo church in Intramuros for the annual “La Naval de Manila” fiesta celebrations in honor of “Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario” (“Santo Rosario”), a famous and miraculous ivory image weighed down with gold, precious gems, and magnificent vestments attributed with impossible Spanish naval victories over the Dutch in the 1600s and countless contemporary personal miracles (the image of the “Santo Rosario” was far more resplendent than its counterparts in Spain --- “La Macarena” and “Los Desamparados”). “La Naval de Manila” in the 1800s was a religious celebration as much as a social gala, and high society dressed up to the nines as it was also a pretext for several “cenas” and “bailes” after the splendid holy masses and novenas. The third Sunday of October was the fiesta of “Nuestra Senora del Pilar” (Our Lady of the Pillar), the titular patron of Santa Cruz. On that Sunday evening, all the affluent ladies and gentlemen of the Paterno–dominated “arrabal” marched in procession in honor of the Virgin Mary; the ladies drenched in jewels and embroidered pina, and the gentlemen in their formal frocks; several “cenas” and “bailes” in leading houses were given after the church festivities, for Santa Cruz was a rich district. The Christmas season was a wonderful time with many parties/soirees/tertulias, exchanges of gifts, musical concerts, reciprocal visits to family and friends, fiestas, etc. And all year long, there were the convivial Paterno family gatherings in their various residences along Calle San Sebastian and in Santa Cruz --- baptisms, birthday parties, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, even funerals. Pedro enjoyed it all immensely and realized it was what he had missed most during his 23 years in Madrid. And there was certainly no dearth of entertainment for the expatriate Luisa, who took pleasure in it all. As Pedro and Luisa belonged to highest society in Manila --- Luisa being a genuine Spanish aristocrat and Pedro a member of an extremely affluent family --- they were constantly invited to the most select gatherings in the city. There were “almuerzos” (lunches), “cenas” (dinners), and “bailes” (dances) at the Palacio de Malacanan. There were endless parties at the great Spanish mestizo and Chinese mestizo villas by the Rio Pasig in nearby San Miguel de Tanduay. There were equally luxurious fetes given by the biggest and richest businessmen in Binondo. Luisa very much enjoyed socializing with her Spanish compatriots as well as the other Europeans. It was her taste of home. Pedro and Luisa were married for only seven years, four of which were spent in Madrid and three in Manila. Pretty and full–bodied, even voluptuous in youth, Luisa had become corpulent in middle age. She had most likely developed diabetes mellitus. The rigors of the last forced voyage to Spain in September 1896 only to hurriedly return before August 1897 greatly weakened her. Fearing possible death as he crisscrossed Luzon to meet several revolutionary leaders in preparation for peace talks, Pedro executed a mandate and declaration of marital consent (a de facto full power of attorney) in favor of Luisa, giving her sole power over all their properties and possessions, paraphernal and conjugal. This act underscored Pedro’s full understanding of his very difficult mission. During the crucial Biak–na–Bato negotiations from August to December 1897, Luisa was already very ill in Manila but she understood the importance of the peace talks and gave her husband Pedro permission to go off to his mission. Doña Luisa Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino, Sra. de Paterno, passed away in the Paterno summerhouse in Santa Ana, Manila on 28 November 1897. After the passing of Don Pedro Paterno on 27 March 1911 at the age of 54, the Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino family in Madrid, Espana did not express any intention to claim anything from his estate. The marital connection between the Paterno and the Piñeyro de Lugo families gradually faded into history and oblivion.