The Iola register., 1901-03-01

causes the masses to stand, fixed
and in awe. These are not the
breech clothed people of the Pam
panga valley or the head hunters of
Baler. They are not the raw, dog
eating, live frog eating element of this
much mixed people, but are to a sur
prising degree, intellectual ambitious,
aspiring and just.
| shall try and take you with me
through the observance of Thanksgiv-
ing day, 1900. | was stationed at that
time at, San Nicolas, this province a
town of 20, 200 people, was on the
verge of saying beings, but that
wouldn't do for / saw at once that
dogs would come under that head and
when | realized that the grand total
under that head would probably run
up to 100000 l decided to say
people, in any town in this country
"when the dogs go on parade" there
kis no room for the people in the
streets.
| CHANGED to be in command at San
Nicolas on the day preceding Thanks
giving, having recently arrived in this
province from the dense dirty Wilder
ness of woes in the Pampanga valley,
when the President (or Mayor as
we say in America came and asked
permission to have the band play at
the un-Christian hour of 4 O'Clock a.
m. on the following day. l did not
see any particular reason why the
band should not play, if it could, and
| said so. All during this day l had
heard drums. There seemed to be
many of them and all seemed to be
working over time at the hands of
strong men who seemed to be at outs
with the world at large and were TAX
it out on the dry Canbou hide stretched
over the head of drum that very
much resembled kraut barrel.
Many times during the day one or
more of these drummers passed my
shack and did not shoot, for | sup
posed as a matter of course that there
was a reason for it and / found out
afterwards that l had made good |
guess for | asked the President dur
ing the afternoon and he told me that
1t was the custom that whenever there |
was a day to be celebrated, to put |
their drummers out on the day previ-
Gus to lpatrol the town beating
their drums so as to keep the matter
concerning the morrow fresh in the
minds of the people. Well, they did
1t with vengeance; and the only sur
prising feature to me is that while
keeping the matter fresh they did not
at the same time breed murder in the
heart of some fellow who was inclined
to look upon life as joke. But some
how they didn't, which fact permitted
them to finish their days work then
sleep for few hours so as to be
stronger for the duties of the follow
ing day which called them from their
homes just prior to O'Clock and sent
them out with their ponderous drums
TO give the peaceful, slumbering in
habitants nightmare of the first
There never was a time
when | could lead myself to believe
hat | was ready to get up, neither
was | on this morning. Butwhen one
is placed in II position where he is
responsible for the holding of gar
rison he is apt to be more alert. So
Il was with me, and it seemed that |
had scarcely fallen asleep when San
Nicolas was attacked from the south.
tried while buckling on my pistol
and working the loading bolt Of my
to estimate the probable
number of the enemy, but / had come
% but one conclusion so far and that
vas that they were shelling the town
With light artillery and | bolted down
he ladder and plumb into one of
hose large drums supported by a
native who had come to my house to
'emind me that This is the day we
He was not alone. He
lad help, plenty of it, and at close
'ange, six of them-and the town
hadn't been attacked at all-it was
Thanksgiving day. And while / was
iguring on whether 1 ought to kill
i've or six native drummers or invite
hem to take a rap at me with their
ticks for my lack of familiarity with
of the town in which [ held
he honored position of Com
nandante," the band approached,
'laying- and it wasn't bad attempt
ither-"The Stars and Stripes For
ver, and the celebration was "on. a."
Dhe drummers lost themselves in the
darkness nall directions, butthe sound
If theirdiscordant instruments kept on
reminding" me. | climbed my lad
Ter, dressed and sent a box of cigars
lown to the members Of the band.
They were too many for me, however,
md | had In send anotba, 10 ho,,o