The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-01-07
MY
FILIPINO
WATCH
BY CARROLL DARLINGTON
Copyright, by shortstory Pub. Co.


as secrets go, was not so very big at
the beginning, and when did stop by
the wayside for longer than a nights
lodging it was by compulsion of ill
ness, which nobody in the world could
recommend as companion to man in
the circumstances | have described.
During a very black week l lay in a
room 81 the Santa Catalina hotel,
where I had been OVER aiken by mala-
ria while making a restless tour of the
pleasure resorts of Southern Califor-
mia. At the weeks end | pulled my
self together, paid my bill and was on
my way to the depot when l fell a
victim to a coincidence.
1t was during the first stages of the
excitement attending that great run
of tuna in Southern California waters
two years ago. and young Walter Har-
Vey of the Los Angeles branch of the
photographic service was taking his
first vacation in three years to put in
week of fishing for the big jew fish
at Santa Catalina. That is how it
came about that | met him coming
from, while | was going toward, the
depot. He seized my hand with the
greatest appearance of delight
Talk about luck, my boy" he
cried. why, it's nothing short of
providential. Where you going mot
away from here just as | arrive.-I
should say not! Remember you prom
fsed to come fishing with me when
saw you in Frisco a month ago-iust
in from Manila the day before, weren't
you? Haven't heard a word from you
Bince-not a word! Where've you
been?-and how's the Filipino watch?
Was there really anything in that
story you were giving me up there?"
For heavens sake, don't shout"
retorted. He had turned me about and
was walking me back to the hotel.
You can see that still have the
thing-and | may add that | am get
ting sufficiently tired of it."
Whereupon | took the secret out of
my pocket and showed It to him
1t was nothing but a large silver
watch, with Oriental designs on the
back and some words in the native
language Of Luzon engraved in Roman
lettering on the inside of the cover.
Under these words was the name of
Emilio Aguinaldo"
| had picked it up on the outskirts
of Manila the morning after our first
battle with the Filipinos The follow
Ing night my room at the hotel had
been broken into and ransacked while
l was on a visit to friends elsewhere
In the city; two days later | had been
held up by four unknown assailants
and robbed of everything | had on me,
which happened not to include the
mysterious watch, as | had thoughtful
ly hidden it; and a week later. after
a narrow escape from being kid
mapped, | had concluded Manila was no
longer a place for pleasure-seeker
and embarked as speedily as | could
for home, taking the watch with me.
Nor had my flight altogether ended
with the close of the voyage; for even
after arriving on American soil | was
still oppressed, in a degree grotesuue-
ly out OF proportion to the insignifi-
canoe Of the incident, by a constant
impulse to run away with my absurd
prize, as though it had been the key
to some famous international conspir-
acy.
told Harvey at dinner that evening
that | had business in the city which
would certainly take me north the fol
lowing day.
After we've caught a 3OO-pound
tuna you may 60" he replied
The next morning was inhospitably
cold and dark when we stumbled into
our clothes after wakeful night and
stole forth from the hotel, meeting
our Italian bOatman on the veranda.
He had come to wake us up.
/ think we must have been fishing
full a half-hOur when my companion
gave yawn and said it wasn't time
for fishing yet and he couldn't for the
life of him see why Andrea had called
us so "beastly early"
Il not-a Gala you at ALL" said the
italian, Struggling his shoulders.
''What-a time you teenk catch-a da
feesh?"
Not for an hour yet" Harvey re-
piled, winding his line around a peg
in the bow of the boat and pulling out
his pipe. 'I'll have to smoke to keen
awake. My neighbor in the nQxt room
woke me up at all hours by opening
and closing his windows, stamping
round his room and otherwise creating
an all.night disturbance. He's a queer
piece, that chap. Calls himself Senior
Analdos."
Spanish" ! observed quietly.
Mexican grandee, I'm told" pulled
Harvey through his pipe. Dead swell
and very exclusive. Been here a week,
they say, and knows nobody. Dresses
with all the noisiness of royalty, but
has one Of those exquisite polishes you
generally see on aristocrats from the
Latin countries. AS a matter of fact,
though" concluded my friend lazily
''the beggar strikes me as having a
tort of gypsy air. Looks like | lmagine