The National tribune., 1902-07-24
"See me bump that fellow"


And 1 watched him do the humping with
considerable pleasure, not being of suf-
fcent avoirdupois to do much humping
myself My companion was stalwart
CAPTAIN of six feet in stature and weight
of POO pounds, as yet undlmInished by
campaign hardships. This was the bum
per The bumpee was u Spanish Major,
or Commandante, of nearly as great hight
and fully as much weight. When the
bump was over the Commandante lay IN
the street and the stalwart Captain was
walking nonchalantly along as though moth
ing had happened. There was no further
occasion for bumpings.
When Manila surrendered the protocol.
or terms of surrender, contained the pro-
vision that. the Spanish soldiers should not
be kept under guard of American troops
directly, but should remain under the COM
mand and control of their own officers,
and be quartered in the various churches.
rationS being issued for them on requlsl-
lion by their officers.
The Spanish officers saw tit to conStruc
this as simply a sort of cessation of hos
tilities rather than a surrender, and that
they were therefore still in full command
and entitled to wear their swords and re-
ceiye all the courtesies of officers on duty.
From the youngest Sprlg of a IenIente 10
the Communicates and Coronels they
never appeared on the streets without pc
ing arrayed in full uniform and wearing
their swords or saberS. They treated the
American officers in naughty and con-
temptuous manner. and when they met on
the narrow sidewalk, which consisted usu-
ally of but two stone slabs lying parallel,
and therefore gave room for but two per,
sons at time. they never gave way at ali
II two were walking together. There was
but one alternative for bump, and that
was to step aside into the street This
Al III Il for
but when the full meaning of the situation
dawned upon them and they realized that
the Spaniards were in this way attempt
ing to show their assumed superiority over
the American pigs" the natural, easy
going disposition of the Americans and
their desire to avoid trouble were over
thrown.
One day at quarters we were talking
over our experiences in being thus crowd
ed off the walks by the Spanish officers,
and VIC decided that our dignity could not
afford to stand the strain any longer. II
was then the stalwart Captain proposed
that we put an end to it by claiming our
share of the sidewalk. So we started out,
the two of us. to see great wrong
righted as it were.
We had not gone far before we saw ap-
preaching us on Cabildo street a big and
bearded COmmandante accompanied by
callow Tcniente. | felt able to take care
of the little fellow if there should be trou-
BILE, and | knew my companion could care
for the big one, though neither of us had
a weapon and the approaching officers had
sabers dangling about their heels. As we
approached, my companion a little in the
lead and on the outside, the same position
as that occupied by the Commandante, the
two Spaniards came right along as if such
trash as American officers did not exist,
no doubt expecting US to step one side into
the street and let them pass as formerly.
But that was an error of Judgment on
their part. My companion kept right
ahead, as apparently ignorant of their
presence as they were of ours. The result
was a collision, in which the Commandante
received shoulder hunch that sent him
sprawling into the street. The Teniente
jumped back and stepped into the street
also, and we two passed on as though moth
ing had happened. A reformation was
worked in street manners instantly. There
was no more dodging out of the way by
American officers to let staggering Span
ish officers pass.
4 few days later the General Command
Ing notified the Spanish officers that they
We're prisoners of war and not entitled to
wear their swords, although permitted to
retain them in the terms of surrender.
That was the end of Spanish swagger.
Officers did not appear on the street so
frequently, or if they did they dressed in
white, like civilians.
While in the main this was the attitude
the Spanish officers assumed towards US,
and there was practically no intercourse
between us. few were more friendly, and
occasionally visited our barracks, and some
of our young gallants were on calling
terms at the residences of several officers
of family, where lovely senoritas consti-
tuted the attraction-and a prOfessed de-
sire to learn to talk Spanish the alleged
reason for the frequent visits.
There was one Surgeon of the artillery
regiment whose barracks we occupied, q
Castilian of culture and very much of a
gentleman, who called upon us frequently.
At first communication between us was
limited largely to a few words and great
many signs and shrugs. in which mute
language he was a master, but in a re-
markably short time most of us could talk
to him in Spanish quite understandings,
much to his surprise and qualification. He
nnally became so interested that he want
ed to volunteer and receive a commission
In the American army, thinking his special
knowledge would be valuable, as it prob
ably would have been; but we could offer
him little encouragement, in view of the
pressure we knew was being eXerted by
young physicians all over the United
States to get army appointments. He re-
signed himself to the situation and finally
returned to Spain with the others when
under, the treaty of Paris the United
States transported the surrendered army
back to its native land the following
Spring.
RELATIONS WITH THE SPANISH SOLDIERS.
Between the enlisted men of the Span.
ish army and our own men the best of
feeling prevailed. While there was not
much association of the two, due probably
to lingual difficulties and the fact that
each had an abundance of his own ma
tionality to associate with, there were nc
clashes and no symptoms of hostility, and
1t was common sight to see them talking
together in the utmost frendliness. On the
part of the Americans, this was an out,
growth Of the universal good nature and
disposition to see the fun in life if it were
at all visible, while on the part of the
Sp&niards it came of a lack of real hostil.
ity to us on the part Of the common sol
diers.
/ early learned that the men in the
ranks had no special hard feelings to
wards Americans on account Of the war
On the contrary, they did not want tc
fight, and Were well pleased to be cap
tured, to be well fed and have nothing Il
DC, instead Of suffering the hardshps Incl
dent to war. Their patriotism did not ex
tend to fighting eagerly for a country thai
treated her soldiers as shabbily as die
Spain. For pay they received but a mer,
pittance. / saw them paid off few day.
after the surrender, the Spaniaris bein,
permitted to use money in the SURRENDERED
treasury for that purpose. On a larg,
fable af which a puphar of omno.. = |.