The Delta independent., 1899-05-05
A REBELS HEAD.


and. besides. it has special interest
now. when SO many people in this land
are looking and longing across the Pa
cific to where our dag noats over Manila
bay
In the year IS43 my grandfather, q
younR man of 20. shipped ~ common
sailor on the three msssed ship Polly
Ann of New Bedford. bound from New
York to the Philippines with cargo Of
-four. The voyage was uneveutful. and
1856 days after passing Sandy Hook the
Polly Ann dropped anchor In Pasig
river, Manila.
During the ships stay there grand
father. who was Of an investigating die
position, locked the city over pretty
we'll. and. believing there were chances
for q wide awake Yankee to make for
tune in the islands. he quit the ship
and took service with trading A1m OF
the harbor front. In ten years he vas
manager Of business Of his own and
. man Of influence among the foreign
traders. The Spaniards. too. looked up
TO him and respected him.
AS his business grew no was uaab1e
to manage all the details Of the iscseas-
ing trade. and 20 called TO his help .
young Filipino named Juan Aguado.
q bright young man, half Spanish. half
Malay, who had formerly been m as
sistsnt in the packing house. Aguado
possessed polished. courtly manners and
. good education. He had received his
schooling at o monastery. and graodfA.
ther trusted him implicitly. for in the
course Of time he made him chief clerk
and adviser.
Agua6o was absolutely feaIleM-ynat
was where his Malay blood showed out,
grandfather would remark. When he
himself had occasion to refer 70 the
story. They we're out hunting oos day
in jingle tract come 10 or Is miles
away from the city, whom they Wefe
charged by . maddened buffalo that
dashed ont OF . water hole upou sbsfn
They both ran for cover, but srasdfs-
ther by some misstep tripped On . vine
and fell, and before be could ssgaln his
feet the animal was upon him II we
no time to uss Run-they were srDsd
with nothing bot light fowiins piec-s
for pigeoa sbooting. When grasdfssnf!
fell. ARuado. Who was . little behind
him, made leap TO one side TO pass
him, but he was not thinking Of saving
himself. Quickly drawing his creese,
which was another mark Of the Malay in
him, he rushed hack upon the buffalo
and stabbed il through the neck again
and again with all the deIterity CT .
veteran matadoF. The buffalo fell dead
In his tracks. and grandfather crawled
away " ith broken am.
From that time on the two men were
like brothers. Juan seemed clad that
he had had nm opportunity TO show bis
regard for his employer and benefnctor.
and grandfather wss too much Of man
to be anything but generous to one who
had saved his life.
But it was shout the end Of their COM
radesbip. One day n native from up
country called At the warehouse for
Aeuado. They retired TO distant part
of the building and talked long and
quistly together. Then the stranger
went away and the clerk returned to his
desk.
rlat night. when IL came time for
closing, ARuadn said: "Scnof, I must
leave you. am wanted ss home, and
1t will 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 bis arrears Of sal
ary, added handsome bonus and said
goodby 10 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
nff.
However. rs 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 generalsbip aud
resources for without munitions or
money he bad beld 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 foreve-. and he. too, was q |
fugitive.
Then 10 was that the government re-
eorted to sn expediens often tried In |
Spanish countries for cstcbing thoso
who will not surrender-a price was set
on Luiz Berceo's head. PIacsrds wers 1
posted in Msuils and throughous the
islands wherever Spanish authority wss /
recognized. psoclaimins . reward of
40. 900 Mexican dollars to the one who
wouit bring tho head of tie ipsuraeut
leader to the authorities.
Ny grandfather had frequsntly .ecn
these wDnouncements eod wooSjerrd /
whst SORT Of . msu u VS. who cspsed
the captain general % nsch snuoyspce.
Both the captain sessral and btuseIf
were sooa 70 know. ..s
One sftssnono shs saDaaia SsosssI -
alone 10 his Once. He wns = \ c>.