The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-01

I
looked darkly gloomy and deserted, and |
Americans thought il possible that the |
old chap had left the river country for his /
big mountain ranch, where dwell many Of
his slaves and such women of his house !
hold as are not kept at COttobato. A call |
proved this to be not so Inside the house
a most interesting sight claimed the gaze
Of the intruders In the center of the big
room OF state, which was hung about
with rugs and rare old Oriental tapes
tries. upon pillows and divans almost in
Vulnerable, lay Uttu. evidently wOoing
Morpheus in a manner all his own. \
toothess crOne whispered warningiy in
tolerably fair Spanish that the mighty
one was suffering from headache. Two
dark skinned beauties were tanning the
chief with fans of peacock pumes- An
other young wife was burning some hOr-
rid smelling incense near his griZzled
| head 4 pretty young lass with eyes as
| beautiful as could be found in Washing
ton was gently sprinkling perfume on the
PROSTATE datto. Two other treasures OF
the harem we're sitting one on either side
of the old chap, face TO face rubbing his
! head and patting his shoulders in rhythm
to music hummed so low as TO be scarce
! distinguishable.
Interview with the Princess.
On a raised divan close at hand sat La
/ Princessa," =" supervising ALL yet speaking
no word, clothed with an impenetrable
/ hauteur and calm which become her well.
| The American visitors were about TO
withdraw as silently as possible, fearing
J they had intruded beyond even the scope
of the old rascals hypocritical hospitah-
", when they were Joined by the erone,
] who had warned them to be quiet. ana
! who informed them that the princess
would have speech with them in the re-
ception chamber Thither she conducted
/ them and i'm a few moments the chleI
wife appeared, accompanied by the emma
man who had acted as interpreter since
the arrival of the Americans. He spoke
the Moro tongue like native, and his
English was comparatively easy 10 un-
derstand.
Through the Chinaman the princess
asked many questions about American
women and their habits and customs She
| expressed the hope that some day CItu
would permit the American OihcerS wives
| 10 visit the house with as much freedom
&C tho officers themselves. He seemed,
| she said to have 10 fear OF the men, put
! Was inficxible in his determination 10
I
| To the men he showed hospitality because
he could not well do otherwise; especially
as he is interested in a percentage OF the
| revenues Of Mindanao. So the visitors
/ iudeed that la PTincessa" would not
| have her wish gratified soon. 1t was
! some time before she could be induced 10
! talk of herself and surroundings. The
Court of Tttu, it was learned after much
| nuestioninC. had had intrigueS, as nave
all other courts. The most notaDIe PROV
! ably was that furthered by Datto Flais,
| a Chinaman, raised TO power by Uttu'
| and the ardent friend and well wisher OF
| his master. and also interpreter. Much
| caucA has Irttu TO curse the day the Celes-
| tials invaded his domain. This Pians'
! trusted servant ard friend, was the tool
used tv Spain to deprive the old man OF
much OF his Old-time power and greatness
| The princess finally told interesting
| tales of haIem life one OF whlch, IN par
ticular made her hearers marvel, II
seemed so like the fanciful creations OF
the novelists. Still, many things point 10
its truth ard probability. 1t ran some
what as follows:
ATaIe Told by the Princess.
7, was of the Gays when Spain was In
mower in Mindanae. The Spanish, she
said. were somewhat different from Amer
| leans She had been told no American
could buy or own slave, but the Span
iards did. so our customs, she salo' must
be much different Many OF the soldlers
Of Alfonso had owned Moro girls. One
girl lived on the ranch OF the dalto baqui
~ Calagnanan. down near the river 5
nouth She was fair, not dark, like Moro
girls. for her father was a Spaniard. He
died. as did her mother, while she was
vAt a child. Osamo, a faithful subject OF
, | the datto Baqui was her foster father.
From, childhood she was Of different mold
from Moro girls about her. NapaTrah,
| tho name by which this mestiZa (half-
: hreeD sirl was called. was beautiful of
face and of form.
One day the Spanish governor or Min
danao called on the Sultan at Calagnanan,
; attended by soldiers of his army. one
} was a bugler-tall, dark, and handsome.
During the conference he spoke to Napar-
, rah. asking her TO sell him her silk ma
, lung'' or skirt He had served long enough
: in NIindanao 10 have a fair mastery of the
Moro tongue Naparrah was a weaver OF
I renown among her people, and, being
a struck with the fierce swarthy beauty OF
Y the Spaniard, worked hard al her loom
and made many 'malungs," which she
: bugler. They met often. They were not
, happy long. for Osamo learned why she
: Went so much to town and why she Wis
:. tied so much with Guiambangan's wives
. for Guiambangan lived only a stones
y throw from the Spanish "cuartel," or bar
| racks She was brought before the date
\ Raoui and condemned TO secret death fOl
; loving an iniidel, but pleaded pitifully fol
a her life.
/ Now U-ttu had heard OF the fairness Of
. the girl, and offered TO take her 10 hi:
> harem. in settlement of a dispute between
:. | Rao,i and himself over the ownership O
three caraboa, or water buffalo, thel
being valued at 100 pesos. So Baqui be
: thought him To accept this offer and Ma
:, parrah was sent to Gttu haIem; Ther'
Il onnortunity 10 occasionally meet th'
e bugler, though these meetings wert
| fraueht with danger She would go eaci
| Monday TO the "tiangui.' or market festi
< Val ostensibly to sell the needlewOrk, bu
- in reality To meet the Spaniard.
J. Death of the Lovers.
a Meantime. having but thirty pesos an,
r desiring 100. with which he thought h.
might purchase the girl. he gambled. Bu
Is the bugler was Unlucky and lost his all
a One Monday NapaTrah took a turban 4
n the "tiangui' and sold II 10 a purchase
e for 10 pesos. These she sent 10 the Span
Is lard by an old CrOne who had d stand il
,f The market The soldier went al once L
II the gaming table. Naparrah hoyeIed nea
)r | a stand OF silks. hoping 10 get speech o
e him Suddenly the bugler left the gam
" and made straightway 10 the girl he loved
re Rystanders heard him begin 10 tell her O
1. having won a hundred pesos and more
ID Her face liz up with JOY. but an Instan
Ee later froZe with horror. for behind IN
m Spaniard steslthily crept the Moro VII
Il | had lost the money.
n AS he came, he drew his kris, Q
d ANGosrrRA BITrERs %, eaIy al.llnsal.A ihsH