Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11

Der of their tribe. big. black, obstreperous-
looking fellow with shaggy white whiskers.
Where he hailed from We never knew, but
we all felt convinced he had been banlShed
for his misdeeds from some community of
his kind up the mountain side where the
jungle was especially thick, and that he
had come down to join his fortunes with
the Corporal. whom he had evidently recog-
nized as a fellow after his own heart.
1t was only a week after this that the
CorporaTs disreputable band was increased
by another recruit, who looked every bit as
ruffianly as the rest We NAMED him the
Rake, because he had the permanent APP
pearance of having been out all the night
before given him by his NANCY coat of
fur and one eye gone. Then he had rolling
sort of gait which suggested chronic
state of inebriety.
Nor did the Corporal cease to increase his
following here. One by one more monkeys
of various sizes and kinds appeared. alike
only in their one quality of being disrepu-
table, troublesome characters. we thought
when the number reached seven tnat the
Corporal would have enough regard Tor
military rules to put the limit there put
they kept on coming until they numbered
nine. There were monkeys everywhere; IN
the trees outside. on the fences, In the pal
cony, on the roof and on the stairways. II
is true that only the Corporal himself and
Missouri had the audacity to make them
selves at home in the wards. The others
kept at least respectful distance, but they
The hospital soon became known all over
northern Luzon as a resort for outcaSts OF
the monkey tribe. When our chief went
down to Vigan for medical stores they
asked him there if he hadn't better apply
for license to keep thugs drinking re-
sort, which his hospital establishment
seemed to be. He couldn't convince them
that the CorpOrals crowd was abStemlous
in the matter of hard drinks. They seemed
to have the impression down there that We
all INDUCED in nightly carousals, and that
men were not bit more reSpectabl
than the Corporal and his gang. Thus the
rumors grew as they spread. until the rep
utation of our establishment suffered con-
siderably.
Let me tell of one of the many incidents
wherein the Corporal brought us into dis
favor with the citizens of San Ramon. and
obliged US to undergo the indgnity of hav-
ing personal honor assailed. 1t came
about through one of the CorporaIs raids
local storekeeper.
This was al time when | had sufficiently
recovered to go down into the plaza some
times and sit on the big stone bench by
the band stand. 1t was late in the after
noon one day, and l was sitting there
breathing in the fresh breeze. l had a fine
view of the hospital gateway and the corri-
dor leading into the stairs.
Suddenly from a small side entrance.
saw figure appear in the gateway 1t
was the CORPORAL, and he stood alone, erect
alertly surveying the plaza before him.
Then he advanced cautiously, and behind
him appeared first face then the figure OF
Missouri and after him came Whiskers.
and then the Rake, and one by one the rest
followed In single file, ever alert. utterinS
low. conversational grunts. knew their
methods well enough to realize that they
were about to carry out one of their many
plots against the public happiness of San
Ramon.
They advanced across the plaza sheltered
by a row of bushes, passing within a lew
feet of me with an utter disregard OF my
presence that gave me painful sense OF
completely. They went slowly along In
single file the Corporal leading, until tney
had crossed the plaza and were hidden IN
a clump of tiger lilies that stood opposite
the fruit tienda of Jose Ramirez. There
they remained some time, so quiet that L
wondered what their tactics would be- Now
and then the shaking of lily stalk told me
they were still there.
Suddenly two of them leaped out, the
Corporal and Whiskers, and advanced bold
ly across the road, and made a dash for the
tienda. Each grasped a ripe banana, and
with loud cries retreated down the road.
Old Jose, attracted by their noise, rushed
out and after them down the road. yelling
in his high falSettO and shaking a big
stick.
Meanwhile 1 had kept eye on the tiger
lilies and presently / saw the seven others
of the band emerge on all tours, and with
shrill screams make a dash for the fruit
stand. Some grabbed eggs. some bananas
and mangos and nuts and oranges. From
ir side the tienda came woman's scream
and Jose's old wife emerged with broom,
desperately trying to beat off the maraud-
and shrily crying for help from the
old man. who by this time had been in
weighed quite a distance down the road.
Hearing his wife's screams, he turned and
came pelting back to her assistance, but
not before the seven thieves had success
fully made off with all they could carry and
had upset a basket of eggs in the skirmish.
TIE way those rogueS scurried across the
Il
prising. and the last I saw of them they
were disappearing over the gable of the
tile roof to security beyond. Then 1 got
back to my quarters soon possible,
before old Jose should see me and accuse
me of completely in the robbery
1t was ~one night about q week after this
that | could not sleep. The air was humid.
Through the square shells of the blind came
a mellow flow of tropical moonlight. 1
started for the door to the balcony think
ing the air might be fresher there. In doing
so l passed Pedros cot 1t was empty. I
was little surprised, as he was still quite
crippled. but expected to find him out on
the. balcony.
He was not there. but I soon forgot
Pedro in the beauty of the moonIit scenery
so brilliant that the birds chirped where
they roasted Every leaf IF the big mango
tree close by shone out clear in the yellow
light against a black background of deep
shadow. The whole had a dreamy. SOM
nolent effect on me. and l think dropped
over tHe rdliHS, uDZing, when suddenly
sharp cry awoke me.
From far out in the jungle came the cry
again. Then a rustic of leaves. and on the
far side of the mango tree / saw black
object shoot up out of the shadow into the
lower limbs / heard the snap of twigs,
the boughs nearest me shook and the
black object flew out and landed on the
railing beside me with a thump 1t was
the Corporal.
Hello Corporal. what are you doing out
at this time of night?" 1 asked
But he was too busy with other things to
answer my greeting. Taking a seat firm
on the railing with his hand-like feet. ne
began indnstriously to examine and analyze
some object he held in his hand. He bit it
then swore, monkey fashion. 1t was hard
| reached out and grasped a long narrow
piack tape which hung to the CorporaTs
prize With crisp bark he dropped IT.
turned once to me, then shot upward and
outward into the black shadows of the
tropical Foliage. He was gone.
examined the thing I held in my hand
IL was a black waterproof cloth hat band
Attached to 1t was three-cornered piece
or brass with cloth trimmings like a ro-
settle 1t looked familiar. 1 had seen some
thing similar before. 1 tried to remember