Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-01-02
MY
FILIPINO
WATCH
BY CARROLL DARLINGTON


III man nave Dig secret IN MS
pocket he should sleep In q different
town every night and put as many
miles between his meals as he have
the stomach for travelling; but mine
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 compuision of ILL
ness, which nobody in the world could
recommend as companion TO man in
the circumstances l have described.
During very black week lay i'm a
room at the Santa Catalina hotel.
where ] had been overtaken by mala-
ria while making a restless tour of the
pleasure resorts of Southern CalifoT-
mia. At the weeks end I pulled my
self together, paid my bill and was on
my way to the depot when 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 20 put In
week Of fishing for the big jew fish
at Santa Catalina. That is how it
came about that l 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 snort OF
providential. Where you oing?-not
away from here just as l arrive!-f
should say not! Remember you prom
ised to come fishing with me when
saw you in Frisco a month ago-just
in from Manila the day before, weren't
you? Haven't heard word from you
since-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 l still have the
thing-and I may add that am get
ting sufficiently tired of it,"
Whereupon l took the secret out OF
my pocket and showed it TO him.
1t was nothing but 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 Aghinaldo."
/ 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
was on 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 week later, after
a narrow escape from being kid
mapped, had concluded Manila was no
longer a place for a pleasure-seeker
and embarked as speedily as | could
for home, taking the watch with me.
Nor had my fight altogether ended
with the close Of the voyage; for even
after arriving on American soil was
still oppressed, in degree grotesque-
ly out of proportion to the insignia
canoe of the Incident. by a constant
impulse to run away with nay absurd
prize as though IL had been the key
to some famous international conspir
acy.
I 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 300-pount
tuna, you may CO." he replied.
The next morning was inhospitabIy
cold and dark when we stumbled into
our clothes after wakeful night anC
stole forth from the hotel. meeting
our Italian boatman on the verands
He had come to wake us up.
/ think we must have been fishinl
full "a half-hour when my companioT
gave q yawn and said It wasn't tim,
for fishing yet and he couldn't for tn,
life of him see why Andrea had calIct
us so "beastly early"
II not-a Gala you at ALL" said tn,
italian, Struggling his shoulders
"What-a time you teenk catcha dj
feesh?"
mot for an hour yet" Harvey re
piled, winding his line around Il pei
I'm the bow of the boat and pulling on
his pipe "Pll have to smoke to kee
awake My neighbor i'm the next room
woke me UP at all hours by opeain
and closing his windows, stamping
round his room and otherwise creating
an all-night disturbance. He's qHee
piece, that chap. Calls himself SsDo
Analdos."
Spanish" l observed quietly.
Mexican grandee, I'm told" puffe
Harvey through his pipe. Dead swel
and very exclusive. Been here week
they say, and knows nobody. Dresse
with all the noisiness of royalty, bC
has one Of those exquisite polishes 20
generally see on aristocrats from I'd
IL 10 maftQf- Of fa.N