The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-27
"A REBELS HEAD.

A REBELS HEAD.
This is not really my own story-it
is my grandfather's. Still, since it is all
in the family, l may as we'll tell it,
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 flag floats over Manila
bay
In the year l842 my grandfather, a
young man Of 30, 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
-four. The voyage was u~neventful, 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 dis
position, looked the city over pretty
we'll, and, believing there were chances
for a wide awake Yankee to make a for
tune in the islands, he quit the ship
and took service with a trading firm OIL
the harbor front. In ten years he was
manager of a business of his own and
q man of influence among the foreign
traders. Tho %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 hclp a
young Filipino named Juan Aguado,
a bright young man, half Spanish, half
Malay, who had formerly been an as
sistant in the packing house. Aguado
possessed polished, courtly manner and
a good education. He had received his
schooling at a monastery, and GRANDPA
Their 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 out hunting one day
in a jungle tract some 10 or Is miles
away from the city, when they were
charged by a maddened buffalo that
dashed out Of a water hole upon them.
They both raj for cover, but GRANDPA
Their by some misstep tripped on a vine
and fell, and before he could regain his
feet the animal was upon him. 1t was
no time to use a gun-they were armed
with nothing but light fowling pieces
for pigeon shooting. When grandfather
fell, Aguado, who was a little behind
him, made a 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 back upon the buffalo
and stabbed it through the neck again
and again with all the dexterity of a
veteran matador. The buffalo fell dead
in his tracks, and grandfather crawled
away with a 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 a man
to be anything but generous to one who
had saved his life.
But it was about the end Of their com
r~adeship. One day a native from up
country called at the warehouse for
Aguado. They retired to a 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, I must
leave you. l am wanted at home, and
it 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 his arrears Of sal
airy, 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 q 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 communioa-
ton with Manila was practically cut
of.
However, as time went on the rebel
lion was crushed, and the insurgents
were scattered or captured. The leader
of the revolution, n Luiz Berceo, was
a man Of considerable generalship and
resources, for without munitions or
money be had held his ground against
the S%paniards for q 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 a
fugitive.
Then 1t was that the governments re.
sorted to an expedient often tried in
Spanish countries for catching those
who will not surrender-a price was set
on Luiz Berceo's head. Placards were
posted in Manila and throughout the