The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-23


was unhappy and terrified when her eyes
encountered the evil lurking in his glance.
Friends warned her that it was the 'con-
cubina,' and boldly repeated all the tales
that had been but vaguely limited to her
before. concerning the mysterious woman of
the hacienda
But what is this Asuang?" she cried in
terror.
She was soon to learn the horrible truth.
Awakening one night she was Mortified to
find her husbands face missing when she
placed her hand upon his pillow. Hastily
striking a light with trembling fingers she
became speeehless with terror at the spec
tacle that met her eyes, half human body
lying in the bed she had just quilted. When
she awakened from her swoon it was day
and her husband was bending over her.
There pity in his merciless eyes
as she cried out:
"Perdigon, my husband, surely I have
been the victim of some horrible night
mare?"
ut was no dream" he sneered with a
devilish. rnirthless. chuckling. 1T was all
true enough. By amounting my body and
incantations to the evil one the spirit with
forth until the growing of the cock fortells
the return of day. when she and Tic-tic re-
enter their abode"
ALLIGATOR AS A FAMILIAR"
That night the wife died. Servants of the
household had overheard the detestable
confession and spread it among the people
OF Capiz, who now Stunned Perdigon. Only
Concilacion de Ruiz had a gentle word and
smile for the unhappy man. About this
time many children died. 1t was averred
that their bodies bore marks of having
been punctured with the sharp, slender
bamboo tubes through which the Asuang
drains the life blood of beautiful children
and women enceinte. Perdigon and the
woman were denounced as the authors of
these vampirish deeds, but no one dare mo-
lest nor punish them. as it is notorious
that if an Asuang is destroyed an avenging
host will terribly punish those who
meddled But by and by Perdigon was
forced to leave Capiz. On his journey to
Iloilo an enormous alligator swan beside
the lorcha. This was said to be the image
Perdigon assumed when absent from the
body, preferring astral form that would
cross seas to the ordinary erabao and dogs
and cats assumed by most of his kind. The
sailors averred he was always talking
to this alligator as it swan along. and one
night Perdigon had disappeared from the
boat The alligator was again gone Next
morning Perdigon appeared for breakfast.
The alligator was following the boat. In
1loilo his career became so dark and
bloody that the Spaniards at last arose and
killed him. Drawing punishment from all
the powers rather than longer endure the
helpless women, but not until number of
beautiful children had been spirited away
to his mountain cave. Summary justice
was also meted out upon the woman who
had been left behind at Capiz.
The adventures of the four merchants
who passed a night in Dumangas, while
not so romantic, were, nevertheless start
ling in the extreme, and the uncannv
events that befell them make the flesh
crawl. The facts are vouched for by yari-
Gus lettered and intelligent Filipinos who
will tell you that these things really hap
pened, and who, when any one displays
incredulity as TO the authenticity of the I'M
happy fate of Senior Perdigon, began re-
counting the history of the merchants of
Dumanga as further and indisputable evil
dence of the reality of Asuang and Tic-tic
STORY OF FOUR MERCHANTS.
-Four merchants of Iloilo, ii is narrated.
came to Dumangas. making the thirty
mile sea voyage in paraos, laden with va
rious commodities from the marts of Iloilo
intending to purchase with the proceeds of
the sale a large quantity of aboga, the
famous cloth of the fiber of the banana
tree, for which Dumangas is justly cele-
brated. There was some delay in the nego-
tiations and they were constrained to re-
main in Dumangas for a night They
lodged at the house of worthy man of
Dumangas. who was in high repute for
justice in his dealings and who was pos
sessed of considerable fortune His wife
was disliked by the people of the town, who
suspected her of being Asuang. OF this fact
the merchants were unaware. Otherwise
you may believe that they would not have
remained under the same roof of nipa
thatch with her, nor have partaken of the
rice and fish placed before the merry party
that squatted about the wicker trays in
the center OF the floor, from which all par
took in common, feeding themselves with
their fingers, nor would they have drank
of the cheering Filipino beverage-tuba,
wine of the cocoanut trees, which runs into
large joints of hollow bamboo, and which.
when taken down from the tree, is highly
refreshing and after fermentation becomes
disastrously intoxicating. 1t is we'll known
that Asuang can sicken those on whom
she has cast an evil eye by making strange
compounds in their food and drink. But
neither of the four merchants was aware of
| the rumors concerning the compact the
! wife of their host had formed with the
| Evil One, and so they ate, drank and were
merry. and after rolling each long cigar
| for himself from fine quality Of leaf to-
bacco they retired for the night. They
were given an apartment next to that of
| their host and hostess, and. spreading their
| sleeping mats upon the floor. were soon
| sleeping peacefully.
"ASUANG' CIRCUMvENTED.
| About midnight one and then another was
| awakened from his dreams by a most un-
| earthly cantanta- 1t arose in a wild and
| piercing wall, that was however, not loud
| enough to be heard in the street. None
| had ever listened to such an awful song be-
| FORE and neither knew what to attribute
| ii to, as they sat and shivered with fear
| Presently there was a long, choking sol
| and then silence. BY and by the merchant: