St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-11-29

u
teous enough to drive the Fifteenth
Cazadores from line of earthworks
mat mad been constructed with much
nara labor, and which had been held
'mpregnable. No doubt one of these
soldiers, discovering the secret of the
cox, would appropriate its contents
aIter the universal custom of soldiers.
Private Clifford, U. S. ". strobe into
the San Fernando church one day with
the serenely independent air that be-
trays the western man wherever he
goes. He looked with covetous eyes
ttheancient banners of Spain hanging
from the rafters of the church-for he
had taste for antiauities-and noted
with a pang that there was no way OF
appropriating them unobserved. When
his eyes rested on the wooden lady his
admiration found vent in an audible
murmur, which aroused Pedro from his
siesta. The murmur was succeeded by
heavy sigh of regret. The war with
Spain was over, and even had there
been that chance the figure was too
bulky bit of loot for private to han
die. Noticing Pedro. who was watch
ing him with suppressed rage, Clifford
said: Pretty figure, isn't it? Who is,
she, anyway" .u, ....sz. =,
II don't know" Pedro replied quiet
~.
We'll, she is the prettiest woman in
Manila" said the American with a
smile, land will come to see her often.
if it is permitted"
Pedro shrugged his shoulders.
There are many pretty women in
| Manila not of wood. Why does not the
Senior Soidado seek the acquaintance
of some of them?"
1 "Oh, wooden lady is safer, replied
Clifford, with laugh. ''She will not
lead one into trouble
j "Quien sabe?" said Pedro, raising
his eyebrows. -s4 81
/ After that Clifford often visited the
church and spent hours watching the
| figure and talking to Pedro, whose ha.
| tired for him grew daily more intense.
He was surprised that Clifford did not
seem to care for money-for many
worshipers deposited their offerings in
his presence-and asked himself:
What did he want?" Then, when the
American was gone, he would whisper
fiercely: you are mine-mine only
Querido mai. do not smile: at that
cursed Americana"
But the wooden lady continued to
smile pensively and remained unmoved
One afternoon Clifford invited Pedro
to accompany him to the American bar
racks. Pedro demurred, but the
American insisted, playfully threaten,
ing to garry him by force. The Span
lard only smiled bitterly when he dis
covered that Clifford's brethren were
occupying the barracks of the FIT
teenth Cazadores. His coming caused
! no surprise among the occupants
Many of the soldiers had made friend:
among the Spaniards and Filipinos
Some tried their small stock of Span
ish on him, and the cook of CliHord's
company dished him out generous ra
ton,
| After dinner Clifford took the sus
picious Pedro to the Alhambra, the
largest cafe in Manila, then patronizet
almost exclusively, by exceedingly
thirsty American soldiers. Pedro sam
pied his first American beer an(
liked it.
4 II wish that could take your wood
en- lady friend to America said Cliff
ford, when they were on the SECOND
bottle.
Pedro laid his glass down quickly
but made no reply.
"But / could not carry the whole fig
ure with me, that is evident" Clifford
continued. Cant you let me hav'
part of her. I will pay YOU
IT will do nothing for pay" repliet
Pedro, proudly. But for friend
nothing is too much" -..
! ''Don't think me disrespectful,' ven
tured Clifford, hesitatingly, "but
} should like at least the head of tina
statue" NJ
j TWAS some time before Pedro coult
trust his voice. His fingers were itch
ing to clutch the sharp knife concealed
beneath his coat, but he realized tina
this was not the place to use it. Fl
would wait for an opportunity, ant
then this American ladrone would b.
effectively blocked in his attempt t
decapitate the virgin and cut him of
from his daily revenue. '@
II would try to get it myself" ad
ded Clifford, ''bnt can't enter tn
church after dark. You could do ii
| o,,J MT 1,o ro<;oad -
II will try" replied the. Spaniard
when he had sufficiently recovered con
troll OF his voice.
"A thousand thanks" said the elate'
American, and slapping him playful.
1 on the back, he asked: wont yo1
have another bottle ?"
But Pedro intimated that it wa
time to return to the church.
When they started across the Bridg
Of Spain it was quite late, and Pedr
, noted carefully that, with the excep
ton of the American sentries at eithe
!, md the place was deserted. The Pa
! sig river tgurgled noisilys underneath
for the tide was running out.
Clifford bent to look over into tn
mvriads of little whirlpools scintillat
mo in the moonlight. Pedro saw hi
chance, bent suddenly and, Selling hin
NV an ankle, hurled him into tn
treacherous water with a quick, uE
ward jerk. There was a splash, to
faint to be heard by the sentries, an
pedro. leaning over, saw one vii
hand thrust out. only quickly to disaI
near. Then the Spaniard lit a cigarett
and. crossing to the other end of tn