Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-22

'"mhat Between sturdy Blacksmith
and a Filipino.

''ib '''V DVuHtA news.
H. j. Armstrong went to the Philippines
hot 10 nght, but TO tack shoes on the feet
u lhe reg1mental horses supposed TO ac-
company the LIST Colorado. Judging from
'he SCARED and battered appearance Of that
gentleman 1t is presumed that he, saw
more lighting than horseshoeing during his
stay abroad.
Among the volunteers who returned WAS
Armstrong. He marched I'm one of the com.
panles. but with the conclusion of the well
coming ceremonies FASTENED to his home
ana there donned civilian dress, in which
ne wandered down town to shake hands
with his numerous friends. In reply 10 a
question from one of them as to whether
OF not he had seen any fighting he pointed
with some pride TO his right eye over which
Is TO be seen scar fully an inch long.
That is a relic Of one of my tights"
said he. land this Is another" Al the
same time he rolled up the sleeve covering
his left arm, displaying what was once a
deep cash about three inches in length on
his forearm
The worthy man of Drawn went on 10
relate that the strip of white skin taking
the place of his right eyebrow came as the
result of one of the regiments early on
gagements. His place was in the rear
where he would be accessible should his
services be needed for the tightening or re-
moving of any of the shoes belonging to
the ofncerS' horses. a Mauser bullet hap
pened TO fly high in the air and to return
TO the earth in Armstrong; immediate vi
clnlty. Had he not thrown his head back
suddenly just al the moment that the ball
Whizzed by he would not have returned.
As it was he lost his eyebrow.
1t was the forearm scar that elected the
better story. Armstrong was following the
regiment on one OF its active days when
Irving Hale still colonel and in COM
mand. The coloners horse was sent back
to have 4 shoe frightened, and the regi-
mental sheer dismounted from the steed
which he was riding leaving his sabar
against the back OF a bamboo shack near
which he had stopped. Taking his hammer
and nails and pincers he went after the
refractory shoe to the tune of a little Irish
profanity, but had proceeded only a little
way with his task when he was startled
to see 2oo-pound Filipino, almost naked
and brandishing heavy saber. coming
toward him in a war-like attitude. Arm
strong took In the whole situation at a
glance. The native was between him and
his horse. where his pistol had been left,
and his saber stood some feet distant on
the other side. As quick as thought and
Just as the Filipino was about TO strike q
heavy blow, the Colorado man hurled his
hammer in the direction of his foe and
bounded toward the shack to recover his
saber- The hammer did not hit the mark
at which IL aimed, but the Filipino's
weapon did 1t struck the horseshoer on
the left forearm. cutting to the bone. This
did not deter the American from making
things interesting for his adversary. how
ever, for soon he could unsheath his
trusty steel he was brandiShing il I'm the
face of the black man. The battle that
followed in that dismal solitude was fierce
and to the death. When both combatants
had been worn almost to exhaustion Arm
strong struck the Filipino a blow that split
his skull from forehead to neck.
Then he frightened the coloners horses
shoe. The orderly had TO wait for few
minutes when he returned for the steed,
but Armstrong made no excuse for the
delay.