The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-08-16
THE -
IGiant Clam.
A Story Of The Philippines.

BY A. r. HOLT.

living in pair of shells that fire.
quently measure four feet in length,
and weigh four or five hundred
pounds. Its succulent flesh would
provide chowder for a good sized
boarding-house, and no Genealogical
collection is considered complete with
out at least pair of those gigantic
valves, which are also useful rs beni-
tiers, baptismal fonts, fountain basins,
and even infants bath-tubs.
This clam is found only in warm
eastern seas; and particularly in the
Philippines, where it is known as the
taclobo, and eagerly sought by the
native fishermen.
My second character is Sancho, n
sturdy Visayan fisher youth, bright of
eye and 1.-THE of limb, who can swim
or dive like fish, and in his primitive
pirogue, rudely fashioned from log,
can easily outpaddle or outsail any
man in the feet. There is no better
fisherman in the Philippines, with line,
net, or with the sharp -pronged trident
spear.
Malay boys in general are about as
fond of work as other boys, but San
cho was naturally industrious and
ambitious; he knew not the taste
of the Supplying buyo leaf, and cared
nothing for cockfghting, the favorite
Malayan amusement. Moreover, he
was prodigy of learning, for besides
reading and writing little, and
mumbling paternosters, he could count
to thirty without an error.
My third character is an American
professor who will be found in very
disagreeable position when introduced
later and more definitely.
Heavy responsibilities had rested
on Sancho, since, at the age OF 16, he
found himself the principal support of
his invalid father and lis six little
motherless brothers and sisters. Every
day, in fair weather, he sailed alone in
his pirogue with its bamboo out
riggers, tripod mast, and curious mat
sail, eager to take fish. Simply clad
in shirt and trousers, with huge
bowl-shaped salacot or hat to shield
him from the tropical sun, he toiled
from dawn to dusk, visiting his weirs
and traps, capturing small fry with the
cumbrous casting-net, or spearing
monster turtles as they basked lazily
on the surface. The coral reefs yielded
abundance of crabs, mollusks and
edible seaweed, and he carefully
searched the cliffs for the nests of the
esculent swallow. Little that could
be eaten Qr sold escaped the sharp
eyes of Sancho.
One fine day, just at sunset, not
long before Dewey smote Spain in
Manila Bay, Sancho was returning
from a most successful trip, his little
boat laden with fish, and running be-
fore a strong breeze. ORDINARILY this
would have been an occasion for great
rejoicing, but today there was sorl ow
in the heart of Sancho, for misfortune
and disgrace had suddenly descended
upon his household. His beloved
father was a criminal. Not robber-
not murderer; no, thousand times
worse, in the eyes of the Spanish
authorities he was a delinquent tax
payer
The family had been suffering lately
from run of bad luck. First, rice
birds and weevils wrought havoc in
the paddy field, while hordes of flying
foxes feasted nightly on the fruit of
the garden. Then came terrific
hurricane, unroofng the little nipa
hut, stripping the banana plants, and
levelling every stalk of sugar-cane.
Fish was so abundant as to be almost
| nm lolN Ia IN -ak A,
climax n cunning thief had entered
the hut at dead at night, and stolen the
bamboo Joint containing the boarded
silver-the tribute saved for the in
exorable, the taxcollector.
| Last week the cabeZa, or collector
merciless because he himself was held
responsible by the Spanish authorities
for the taxes on some sixty fami les
with squad of cuadrilleros, or bailiffs,
had taken Sancho's father away to
prison. On the morrow the sick man
would be terribly logged in the public
square. Then his property would
be confiscated and he would be
deported to Zamboanga, there
to work out his debt in the miserable
chain gang, or more likely to die of
fever in the pesiilential iungles.
From his bitter reflections Sancho
was suddenly aroused by the wild cry
OF human being in distress. As he
listened, the sound was repeated again
and again, coming family from the
distance, but Enthusiastically a frantic
appeal for help; aud now the youth
could discern, far shoreward, q dark,
moving object on the surface of the
sea. Toward this he promptly sieered.
1t proved to be man, standing
erect upon a submerged reef, wildly
waving his arms and bawling for help.
Drawing nearer, Sancho recognized in
that white-faced, wild-eyed man the
American naturalist who had arrived
on the last steamer from Manila The