Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-02-16


is nv grandfather's. Still, since it is
all in the family, 1 may as well tell it,
and, besides, it has special interest
now, when so many people in this land
are looking and long ng across the Pa
cifc to where our flag floats over Ma
Mia bay.
In the year 1912 my grandfather,
young man of 20, shipped as common
sailor on the threemasted 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 Of an investigating
disposition, looked the city over pretty
well, and, believing there were chances
for wide-awake Yankee to make
fortune in the islands, he quilted the
ship and took service with 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. The Spaniards, too
looked up to him and respected him.
As his business grew he was unable
to manage all the details of tue in
creasing trade and so called to his help
5ouag Filipino named Juan Aguado,
a bright young man, half Spanish,
half Malay, who had formerly been an
assistant in the packing house. Aguada
possessed polished, courtly manners
and a good education; he had received
his schooling at monastery, and
grandfather trusted him implicitly for
in the course of time he made him
chief clerk and adviser.
Aguado 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 ont hunting one
day in u jungle tract some ten or fif-
teen miles away from the city when
they were charged by "a maddened buf-
falo that dashed out of water hole
upon them. They both ran for cover,
but grandfather by some misstep
tlipped on vine and fell, and before
he could regain his feet the animal
was upon him. 1t was no time to use
gun-they were armed with nothing
but light fowling pieces for pigeon
shooting: When grandfather fell,
Aguado, who was little behind him,
made leap to one side to pass him;
but he was not thinking of saving
himself Quickly drawing his kris,
which was another mark OF the Malay
in him, he rushed back upon the buf-
falo and stabbed it through the neck
again and again with all the dexterity
of veteran matador. The buffalo fell
dead in its 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 benefactor, and grandfather was
too much of n man to be anything but
generous to one who had saved his
life
But it was about the end of their
comradeship. One day native from
up country called at the warehouse
for Aguado. They retired to dis
tant part of the building and talked
long and quietly together. Then the
stranger went away and the clerk re-
turned to his desk.
That night, when it came time for
closing, Aguado said: ''Senor, l
must leave you. am wanted at home,
and it will be useless to try to detain
me-"
Grandfather was surprised beyond
belief, almost; but he did not try to
dissuade him. He paid his arrears OF
salary, added handsome bonus and
said good bye 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,
communication with Manila was prac-
tically cut off.
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
aman of considerable generalship and
resources, for without munitions or
money he had held his ground against
the Spaniards for long time and haa