The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-10-26

bined with their marked odor oil
opium, sandal-wood and warm hui
manity, drove me outside until the
work should be finished.
found at the door a crowd of
natives beside my clerks, who, it
seemed, were candidates for the posi-
tion OF punkero, or coolie, whose duty
it is to keep the fan swinging during
business hours. Considering the
narrowing monotony of the work, his
pay is very low. They were all boys in
various stages Of dirt and nakedness,
except one, whose appearance attracted
my attention.
He was tall, old man, neatly
dressed in snowy shirt and trousers,
with fine, intelligent face. His hair
was nearly white, which indicated a
pretty ripe age, for Filipino's head
seldom shows signs Of grayness before
he is fifty, and never saw one in the
least bald.
''Does that viejo-old fellow-want
to be punkero?" 1 asked Jose, the
chief clerk.
Isl, senor," answered Jose, with a
grin like IN open piano, che says he
does"
"He doesn't look like it" said 1.
"Mira-look here-viejo, canst thou
not find better work?"
"No, senor," he answered, respect
fully. 81 have q wife and crippled
son to support, senior, and L hope I
may be allowed to serve your grace. ="
The old mans Spanish was pure
and good, aud his replies to the few
questions asked betrayed an educa-
tion far superior to that fthe ordinary
native. was puzzled to know why
he should be an applicant for posi-
tion generally considered beneath the
dignity of any one but half-grown
boy from the wilderness; but he was
very reticent in respectful way, and
lodged my questions most diplomatic
ally.
At last I decided to try him, partly
as curiosity, for no other office in the
place was ornamented by punkero of
such yer erable and dignified appear
ance.
So I told the others to su-lu-clear
out-and ordered Jose, much to that
worthys amazement at my choice, to
install Miguel, as he called himself,
in his position as soon as things were
ready. Furthermore, 1 told Jose,
with emphasis, to see that the other
clerks attempted no "skylarking" with
the old man.
When returned found the punka
in place, and Miguel maintaining his
dignity wonderfully on a three-legged
stool, with the cord in his hand, which
he began to pull as 1 entered, filling
the room with refreshing whirlwind.
Thus old Miguel became a fixture
in my office, and performed his lowly
task faithfully and we'll. He was
always at his post when 1 arrived in
the morning to greet me with "Buenos
dias, senorl" He tugged patiently at
his cord till 1 donned my jacket and
riding boots at five o'clock, the signal
for "Buenos noches, senorl" and his
departure.
The old mans one drawback
that only at frst-was persistent
tendency to go to sleep at his post. /
tried to cure him of the habit by saw
ing off one leg of the stool. This kept
him awake an hour or two, but he soon
found that by propping one edge of
the stool against the wall, he could
still take little nap, and 1 was obliged
to have another leg of the stool cut
off. After that l ha no more trouble,
for the effort necessary to balance him
self on the one-legged stool kept the
old man awake.
1t was so unusual to see a man of
his age doing such work that my bust
ness friends used to remark upon "H. S
Punka Methuselah.
Now and then his wife would come
in to see him dear old coffee-col-
ored lady, with brilliantly colored skirt
and starched mantilla, while her white,
frizzly hair was adorned with an i'm
mense horn comb. She was such a
dainty old creature, and the courtesy
with which she always favored me
was SO like that of a duchess of the
last century that 1 could never hesi-
tate to rise and bow with the utmost
gravity, which performance created
the widest hilarity on the part of the
first Englishman who witnessed it,
and had bad time at the club table
that evening.
She would invariably inquire, in