Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-02-22
A Philippine Counting
Cross Dog Wins a Heart Where the
World Is T0pside Down.
~ 7TEaIE77TS 49, "a

TIE WAS the ugnest man in the
'Steenth infantry. And he looked
It. So the men called him Cross Dog,
and save on the payrolls he knew no
other name.
Cross Dog was in the prime of life,
butlooked older. He had put in about IL
years in the army and was at that point
in private soldiers career where he
realizes that he has lost the knack of
earning a livelihood in civil life, but
still yearns for Its freedom. For it is
only after about IS years of service and
numerous failures at civil vacations
that the average enlisted man ceases to
VOW that he will never take on again
and settles down to soldering for life.
Cross Dogs temper was peppered
dynamite. He had tbrashed or been
thrashed by nine-tenths of the regi-
ment, and was ready at q seconds no.
ticeto begin again. His tongue matched
his temper, and his face was scanned
with surliness.
There was only one thing in the world
of which Cross Dog was afraid, and
that was woman. "Shure," said Pr
vate Sevenspot, "av Cross Dog liver loved
a woman he'd be scared so he'd cuss her
to death and thin elope with a recruit
ing sergeant" Back in the states it
it had been a fortunate thing for Cross
Dog that he was not susceptible to the
charms Of the fair sex, for his personal
itv was not an attractive one and his
conversation was tumble of cuss-
words and growls. But in the Philip
pines the world is topside down, as
Chinaman calls it, and curious things
happen. And it was in the Philippines,
at the Hacienda de Sevilla, near Isabel
la, Negros, that Cross Dog won a wOm-
ans heart.
A company of the 'Steenth infantry
was stationed at Isabella and detach-
ment of five men, in charge of Private
Sevenspot, was sent to the hacienda TO
protect property in that region from
the raids of Papircio bandits who
swarmed in the nearby mountains.
Cross Dog was one Of the detachment.
The Hacienda de Sevilla consisted of a
big sugar mill, the blackened ruins of
the plantation house burned to the
ground by the Papircios, and six native
nipa-shacks scattered along the west
ern bank Of the river Balinbagan. But
this little hamlet supported a popula-
ton of 300 native amigos, most of whom,
burned out of their homes by the Papir-
clos, camped in the big sugar mill under
the protection of Private Sevenspot's
little detachment. During the day they
worked in the cane fields and at night
huddled together in the mill around
which the six Americans stood guard.
Tulsa, the woman in the case, for girls
of IA are women where the world Is
topside down, lived in q six-by-six nipa-
shack built in the box of a two-wheeled
cart that stood beneath the shelter OF
the sugar mill roof. On the evening
that Sevenspot's detachment arrived at
the hacienda old Pedro was absent.
Old Pedro was Luisa's father. His
crony, old Jose, in the next village up
the river, had received months pay
from Senior Holijos that day and Pedro
had gone to pass the evening with him
and help drink bucket of tuba. At II
o'clock he came sauntering homeward
with unsteady but catlike steps, in bliss
full ignorance of the fact that the Ameri-
canos were in possession of the sugar
mill.
Pedro's brown hide was chock OF
tuba and his soul was filled with great
Joy. In fact, he was so happy that he
yearned to butcher something-an old
woman or q baby or a. lame dog. AS
ne came through the trail in the cane
brake he slashed at the young stalks
and grimaced blissfully as in magma
lion he neatly clipped the leaders OF
unarmed foes with his bolo-sword.
Cross Dog was on post, too, at the
upper entrance to the sugar mill. The
first night on guard at strange posi-
with a small detachment and m a coun-
try swarming with treacherous foes is
a great trial TO mems nerves. Especial
~ so when it is next to Impossible 10
distinguish friend from foe. Moreover
Cross Dog had been unfortunate in his
details for a week back, and had been
marched on an average of is miles each
day through muddy rice fields, which
is equivalent to 40 miles day on an
American highway. Consequently
Cross Dogs temper, usually pepPereo
dynamite, was now saw-edged light
ming. Sevenspot had posted him with
the information that native amigos
were not supposed to be abroad after
nine o'clock, and left the rest to his
discretion.
Cross Dog hacked with his ba! onet
at the dried mud on his leggings anc
stared across the narrow clearing be-
tween the mill md the cane field
There came just the semblance OF
rustic from the cane-brake and Cross
! ~ 4o...,od boo1z;nn ond dr0nn66 sud,