The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-27
A REBELS HEAD.

is my grandfather's. Still, since it is all
in the family. may as well tell 1t.
and, besides. 1t has special interest
now, when so many people in this land
are looking and longing across the Pa
cific to where our flag floats over Manila
bay
In the year 1912 my grandfather, II
young man of 90, shipped as common
sailor ON the three masted ship Polly
Ann of New Bedford, bound from New
York to the Philippines with a cargo Of
flour. The voyage was uneventful, and
1876 days after passing Sandy Hook the
Polly Ann dropped anchor in Pasig
river Manila,
During the ships stay there grand
father, who was Gf an investigating dis
position. looked the city over pretty
we'll, and, believing there were chances
for wide awake Yankee to make a for
tune in the islands, he quit the ship
and took service with a trading firm on
the harbor front. In ten years he was
manager of business Of his own and
a man of influence among the foreign
traders. This Spaniards, too, looked up
to him and respected him.
AS his business grew he was unable
to manage all the details of the increas-
ing trade, and so called to his help
young Filipino named Juan Aguado,
a bright young man, half Spanish, half
Malay, who had formerly been an as
sistnnt in the packing house Aguado
! possessed polished. courtly manners and
good education He had received his
schooling at a monastery, and GRANDPA
ther trusted him implicitly, for in the
course of time he made him chief clerk
| and adviser.
| Agundo was absolutely fearless-that
was where his Malay blood showed out,
grandfather would remark when he
| himself had occasion to refer TO the
| story. They were out hunting one day
/ in jungle tract some 10 or Is miles
| away from the city, when they were
charged by maddened buffalo that
/ dashed out of water hole upon them.
| They both ran for cover, hut graudfa
ther by some misstep tripped ON "a vine
and fell. and before he could regain his
/ feet the animal was upon him. Ii was
no time to use guu-they We're armed
with nothing but light fowling pieces
for pigeon shooting, When grandfather
fell, Aguado, who was little behind
him, but he was not thinking of saving
himself. Quickly drawing his creese.
which was another mark of the Malay in
| him. he rushed back upon the buffalo
and stabbed il through the neck again
and again with all the dexterity of a
veteran matador, The buffalo fell dead
i'll his tracks, and grandfather crawled
away with broken arm.
/ From that time on the two men were
| like brothers. Juan seemed glad that
he had had an opportunity to show his
regard for his employer and benefaotor,
and grandfather was too much of man
to be anything but generous to one who
! had saved his life.
But it was about the end of their com.
radeship. One day a native from up
country called at the warehouse for
Aguado. They retired to distant part
of the building and talked long and
quietly together. Then the stranger
went away and the clerk returned to his
desk
That night, when it came time for
closing, Aguado said; "Senor, | must
leave you. am wanted at home, and
1t VIII be useless to try to detain me-"
Grandfather was surprised beyond be-
lief almost. but he did not try to dis,
suade him. He paid his arrears of sal.
ary, added a handsome bonus and said
goodby to the only man in the east of
whom he was truly fond.
Two years passed and not word
came from Aguado, but that was not
very strange, for the province where he
lived had been in open revolt for some
time, and as the fighting ON both sides
was constant and relentless communica-
tion with Manila was practically cut
OIL
However, as time went on the rebel.
lion was crushed, and the insurgents
were scattered or captured. The leader
of the revolution, one Luiz Berceo, was
man of considerable generalship and
resources, for without munitions or
money he had held his ground against
the Spaniards for long time and had
intrigued successfully among the native
troops sent TO oppose him. But he could
not hold out forever, and he, too, was
fugitive.
Then 1t was that the government re-
sorted to an eNpedient often tried in
Spanish countries for catching those
who will not surrender-a price was set
ON Luiz Berceo's head. Plaoards We're
posted in Mauila and throughout the
islands wherever Spanish authority was
recognized. proclaiming reward of
40, 600 Mexican dollars to the one who
weuld bring the head of the insurgent
leader to the authorities.
Ny grandfather had frequently seen
these announcements and wondered
what sort of man it was who caused
the captain general so much annoyance.
Both the captain general and himself
were soon to know.
One afternoon the captain general sat
alone in his office He was in n COM