Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-08-02

his powers ef diplomacy. Although
sixty years of age, he was still agile,
and the scars of combat, which COW
cred him from head to foot, We're evl.
dence of his years of experience. He
had learned that to evade blow was
far better policy than to met it. He
saw the deadly CLEAN of his assail-
ants eye and the evil intent it bore
before the kris was fairly on It's way!
By o clever duck of his head he es-
capped what seemed for a moment to be
certain death. The weapon fell, but
its razor-edge missed the Datto, cut
lowing closely behind him, and added
third to the list Of It's victims. An
other stroke of the cruel kris ended
the life Of one of the Oatto's hench-
men who stood In the path of the mur-
derous Moro's escape. So suddenly
was the whole affair concluded tina.
scarcely another weapon was drawn
before the list of deaths to be credited
to the kris with the plain handle had
been swelled to four.
In cutting his way through the
crowd, most of whom had made wild
ak-away from the affair, no fewer
than five of his fellow-townsmen were
wounded by the renegade. Incredible
as it may seem. the fleeing Moro
gained the farther edge OF the crowd
| and obtained good start, unscathed,
| before the Datto's warriors had gath
cred their scattered wits and given
chase. A shot was fired at the re-
treating figure; but the Moros are no
marksmen, and he stood in no danger
from their guns.
1t seemed for the moment as though
the man might make good his escape
Indeed, such might have been the
outcome had not the desire to take
human life been so strong within him.
As he was running down the road he
met an aged and infrm Moro who
happened to be passing, and although
the old man was too weak to prove a
fit antagonist for mere child, the
murderer ceased his flight long enough
to bury the kris with the plain han
die from the crown to chin, straight
through ne head of the old patriarch
of the village. :. &.
The blow that robbed the old man Of
his life, however, proved the indirect
means OF the assassin's death. Be-
fore the maddened Moro had time
again to raise the dripping blade the
campilans and krlses of the avengers
had struck deep into his head, neck,
Ciln a,,I- rr
left his mangled body before he could
emit single groan. -.,..
When l arrived at the depot q mo.
ment later the kris with the wooden
handle was lying unnoticed in the long
grass few yards from the corpse of
its former owner. 1 picked it up, and
subsequently obtained the permission
of Datto Baqui to keep it as a souve-
mir OF the lurid event. 49,.
All this went on in the very midst of
the town, and alaQst within a stones
throw Of the American troops as they
were lounging about their quarters,
When the Moros scattered in every di-
rect!on, crying Eel Moro, Ell Morow at
the top Of their lungs, Captain Gillen-
water, the commander, drew his COM
pahy Quickly and quietly into line, not
aware Of the nature of the excitement,
but resolved to be prepared to meet
whatever developments might ensue.
The whole affair was over, however,
in fer less time than 1t has taken to
tell it, and the Americans breathed a
sigh of relief when they learned that
the Moro who ran amok" would run
no more.
That is the story Of the kris with the
wooden handle which now forms the
gem OF my friend Feldmans collec-
uor.--The World Wide Magazine.