The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-10-31


teous enough to drive the Fifteenth
Cazadores from a line of earthworks
that had been constructed with much
hard labor, and which had been held
| impregnable. No doubt one of these
soldiers, discovering the secret of the
box, would appropriate its contents
| after the universal custom of soldiers.
Private Clifford, y. 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
at theancient bannerso of Spain hanging
from the rafters of the church-for he
had taste for antiquities-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"
Il don't know" Pedro replied quiet
| ly.
well, she is the prettiest woman in
| Manila" said the American with
smile, "and will come to see her often,
if it is permitted
Pedro shrugged his shoulders.
"There are many pretty women IT.
Manila not of wood. Why does not the
Senior Soldado seek the acquaintance
of some of them?"
''Oh, wooden lady is safer" replied
Clifford, with laugh. "She will not
lead one into trouble"
''Quien sabe?" said Pedro, raising
his eyebrows.
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,
iercely: 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 carry him by force. The Span
lard only smiled bitterly when he dis,
covered that Clifferd's brethren were |
occupying the barracks of the Fiji |
teenth Cazadores. His coming caused |
no surprise among the occupants |
Many of the soldiers had made friends |
among the Spaniards and ~Fihpinos. |
Some tried their small stock of Span
ish on him, and the cook of Gifford'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 patronizeJ
almost exclusively, by exceedingly |
thirsty American soldiers. Pedro sam.
pied his first American beer anc
liked it.
81 wish that 1 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.
"Bnt could not carry the whole fig.
ure with me, that is evident" Clifford
continued. Cant you let me have
part of her. will pay you"
Il will do nothing for pay" replied
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 that
statue"
1t was some time before Pedro could
trust his voice. His fingers were itch
ing to clutch the sharp knife concealed
beneath his coat, but he realized that
this was not the place to use it. He
would wait for an opportunity, and
then this American ladrone would be
effectively blocked in his attempt to
decapitate the virgin and cut him off
from his daily revenue.
81 would try to get it myself" adj
ded Clifford, but 1 can't enter the
church after dark. You could do it,
Pedro, and not be noticed"
81 will try" replied the Spaniard,
when he had sufficiently recovered con.
troll of his voice.
ga thousand thanks" said the elated
American, and slapping him playfully
on the back, he asked: Won't you
have another bottle?'
But Pedro intimated that it was
time to return to the church.
When they started across the Bridge
of Spain it was quite late, and Pedro