The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24

the obscurity OF his early career.
We are not now referring TO his
Satanic Majesty, but to a lesser
hght-lesser TO the world at large,
though far more brilliant to the little
sphere in which he lived and moved
and butted
To the American soldiers who garri-
soned San Ramon, in Northern I.uzon.
and TO the natives Of the surrounding
district the Devil was a far more tang
ible object OF comprehension than the
wider known prince of darkness with
whom they had only an abstract ac-
ouaintance. Their Devil was living
moving, breathing power of evil. whose
evasion required the keenest control of
the physical senses, for when he came
on mischief bent it needed more mus
cular activity than prayer TO get out
Of his reach.
The natives had named him "Diablo
el Segundo." which means Devil the
Second. There were certainly strong
lines Of comparison TO merit him this
title. What the Devil may have been
in the obscurity of his earlier life we
cannot tell. but as we knew him, In the
prime Of his later career his huge
horns and pointed chin, not forgetting
the cloven hoof. were strikingly sug-
gestive Of his namesake. The compari-
son, however, was more than physical
Ii was in temperament and in general
character that resemblance was strong
est.
When the boys Of Company A took
San Ramon they found what at first
Every man. woman and child had fed
with the last Of the retreating insur-
gents, and they had taken with them
every chicken, cat. dog, pig and horse
that the community owned. Even much
of the furniture had been carried away
from the houses. Evidently the Filipi-
nos had decided TO make their next
stand at some more advantageous
point, and as the men in khaki
marched in they expected no resist
ance. But there is where they made
their mistake.
The company lined up in the big
shaded plaza and there proclaimed
American sovereignty by raising the
colors. This ceremony had just been
completed when there appeared a
startling apparition in the open doors
of the municipal town hall, facing the
plaza on the north side. A huge,
bearded goat stalked out on the steps
and stood for a moment regarding
them with a marked expression of dis
approval on his satanic face. which
was in no wise lessened by the rem
nant OF a soldiers castaway coat sus-
pended from his massive jowls. This
was he who was --et to be handed
down TO local fame as 'Diablo."
Being native born. it may naturally
be supposed that Diablo's political
tendencies were in favor Of the Fill
pino cause. At any rate, having sized
up the enemy's position in the plaza,
he dropped the coat, lowered his
head and charged the line of dust
colored troops. At first a laugh arose
from the men, but as the champion Of
the absent insurgents gained momen-
tum in his WILD charge for the COM
pany center. some Of the men shifted
uneasily, then scrambled quickly to
both sides, as the poaderOus beast cut
his way through. Having missed the
sergeant who had been the object of
his especial attack, he turned again,
and then the brown ranks wavered and
a wild panic broke loose.
The captain shouted commands TO
which were attached ords not good
20 hear, but this unexpected sort of
attack had de4ooralized all discipline.
The bandstand and the stone fence
surrounding bristled with men; only
the captain stood his ground. And
when at last the enemy turned on him.
he, too, lodged and sought refuge
with his men.
Having won hat he considered
complete victory, Diablo withdrew to
the end of the plaza to contemplate
the confusion he had wrought in the
enemy's ranks, proclaiming his tri-
umph with loud noises that were more
bellows than the "baas" Of his kind.
Evidently he was satisfied to rest on
his laureis, for when the men reas-
senbled in ranks he made no further
hostile demonstration and disappeared
behind the walls Of the municipal
town hall.
Next day he appeared again, but in
a more peaceful mood. The first ser
Reant approached him with wisp of
straw. and this Diablo accepted as a
peace offering. Later he came over
10 the barracks and mingled with the
men, and while some were for re-
trieving the defeat of the day before,
the majority were glad to accept the
truce that Diablo offered.
Thus their acquaintance began. Di-
ablo saw that these men in brown uni
forms were not such bad fellows after
all. and accepted their presence with
philosophical eQuanimity not 10 be
disturbed by further serious strife. 1t
is TO be suspected that his combative-
ness of the first day was prompted
as much by a desire for personal glory
as by patriotic motives, for now that
he was accorded all the respect due
to a warrior of his caliber, he seemed
70 think no more OF his lighting COM
patriots in the nearby hills.
Not long after this the native fami-
lies of San Ramon began to return
TO their deserted homes, bringing
with them their household goods.
They, too, we're beginning TO learn
that the Yankees were pretty decent
fellows. and comparatively harmless.
except in fight. Perhaps Diablo
would have removed even this latter