The Washington herald., 1908-02-29
HOT WEATHER DID IT
That and the Drink Ruined
Francisco AstOrga.
FRIENDLY WITH THE SOLDIERS
Rich Man of AIang AlRnG Came tn
Grief Because He Was Good TO
AmericaBos-NOw Secretary Taft
Asks Congress 20 Treat the. Little
Brown Brother with Justice.

Now If the truth Of the whole matter
involving the loss Of some S13,O 900 worth Of
property. once belonging to a Little Brown
Brother by the name OF Francisco As
torga. who used to live in a big native
house in the village Of Alang Alang,
which Is near Jaro, were known it would
be found that drink and the hot weather
were responsible, but mostly the hot
weather which started the drink
When the Americana army came beat
ing down into Alang Alang looking for a
bad chief of a native tribe cooked into
mere limitations of men by the heat OF
the middle Of May, Francisco Astorga-
rich man of the village. was one Of the
money. many cattle. sheep. earabao, 70
be protected from the robbers which were
infesting Alang Alang?
Francisco Was Glad.
So when the Americana officer with the
straps on his shoulders. left behind him
forty-three men and another officer with
some stripes on his sleeves. Francisco
Astorga was glad. To him the Americana
soldier meant peace, quiet in the moon
time plenty 10 eat. restful sleep. and
all the time the thought that he had
nothing to pay for It.
The life OF Francisco Astorga ran plac-
idly. for he feared nothing. He became
friendly with the soldiers. With the
strange red-bearded officer with the
stripes on his sleeves-he the men called
Sergeant Murphy"-he became most
friendly.
But the heat lay heavy on Alang Aiang.
and the soldiers had nothing 10 do but
lie to each other and try to sleep and TO
forget the home country where the trees
were just coming out into bloom and the
young men and girls would be about sit
ting out in the parks O. nights. They cursed
the officers orders which brought them
to Alang Alang. cursed Murphy-behind
his back-cursed the whole executive force
of the Philippine army, and swore to have
something 70 kill the monotony-
Now Murphy. like most of his race. was
not a fool; he. too. hadn't liked the heat
nor the thought Of things back In the
States. nor the same dO-nothing-each-day
sort OF life. limitations came to his ears
that trouble was brOOding. so he pro-
ceeded to tell the friend OF the soldiers,
Francisco.
Not a Foolish Brother
Francisco. not being a foolish Brown
Brother, know what most soldiers liked.
as well as any other Brown Brother. who
had stood near by and seen them drink.
could know. He bought drink: drink
enough to have lasted a regiment; drink
enough TO have loated the little town
back in Illinois whence Murphy came.
When the forty-three men and the one
big man with the stripes on his arm
looked upon all that array OF drink mel
ancholy went out OF their souls. and the
heat. the flies. the poor food. all was for
gotten. Francisco Astorga had become a
popular man not only with the sergeant.
but with the sergeant's command
Before that sea Of bOoze had been poured
down as many as forty-three American
| throats. however. there were forty-three
Americana devils who had no thought in
them but raising something which is not
spoken Of in polite society. There was
no intention of burning anything or kill
ing anybody when IL started. but when il
ended there was not enough left Of Alang
Alang to kindle small bonfire
With the rest went the warehouse OF
Francisco AstOrga. his merchandise. his
cattle. his carabao. in all amounting 70
much money.
But even Francisco is able 70 talk 70 "a
great friend Of the Little Brown Brother.
who is at present aiming to, be the very
first mar, in ALI that oorrvtrr- rr-rfor col,
bled up the Little Brown Brother some
eight years or more ago. and who was
at one time governor of the Philippines.
The Little Brown Brother wrote 20 the
Big Secretary OF War, who was once the
Philippines governor, and is now their
friend and the Secretary of War sent
on his communication. with some words
OF interest 70 the Americana Congress.
for its approval
What Secretary Says.
The Secretary of War says that the
warehouses, cattle, carabao. sheep. horses.
&c. of one Francisco Astorga. OF Alang
Alang. Leyte. P. l.. were destroyed by a
wanton band of soldiers some time in
May, I9oO
The Secretary further adds that the
said Francisco was a true friend of the
Americana and that the soldiers acted
without any justification or warrant
when they not only destroyed his prop
erty but burned the village.
Since the Secretary can DO nothing he
asks Congress TO appropriate sl2.s7S to
! recOmpense the Little Brown Brother,
Francisco, for his loss. The Secretary
says that Francisco was a valuable man
when the work Of reorganizing the islands
was in progress.
Perhaps-nay. it's certain-the Secre-
tary didn't know that Francisco Astor-
ga was too good a friend to the SOL
der and relied too much on the stripes
of the big Americana sergeant when he
| tried 10 make tho Americana fnrnnt hrr,,c