Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-11-13

"I don't know" Pedro replied quiet
y.
"Well, 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 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
fercely: 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 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 friends
among the Spaniards and Fihplnos.
Some tried their small stock of Span
ish on him, and the cook of Clitford's
company dished him out a generous ra-
ton.
After dinner Clifford took the sus-
picious Pedro to the Alhambra, the
largest cafe in Manila, then patronized
almost exclusively, by exceedingly
thirsty American soldiers. Pedro sam
pied his first American beer and
liked it.
81 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 have
part of her. will pay you"
81 will do nothing for pay" replied
Pedro, proudly. But for a friend
nothing is too much"
Don't think me disrespectful," VEN
tured Clifford, hesitatingly, "but l
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" ad-
ded Clifford, "but l 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.
"a thousand thanks" said the elated
American, and slapping him playfully
on the back, he asked: Wont 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
noted carefully that, with the excep-
44::oT1 # the American sentries at either
end, the place was deserted. The Pa
sig river gurgled noisily underneath,
for the tide was running out
Clifford bent to look over into the
myriads of little whirlpools scintillat-
ing in the moonlight Pedro saw his
chance, bent suddenly and, selling him
by an ankle, hurled him into the
treacherous water with a quick, up
ward jerk. There was a splash, too
faint to be heard by the sentries, and
Pedro, leaning over, saw one wild
hand thrust out, only quickly to disap-
pear. Then the Spaniard lit a cigarette
and, crossing to the other end of the
bridge, passed the sentry with an ex-
tremely polite "Buenas noches."
Back to the little side altar he went
quite easy in mind. "You are mine
ouerido mia-and the money is mine,
he whispered exultantly, as he thrust
his hand into the clinking coins.
But the wooden lady only smiled pen
sively in the moonlight.-San Fran
cisco Argonaut.
HOUSEKEEPING LORE.