Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-11-19


phonograph playing. to attract the
people. Soon l had more business
than | could attend to.
The following morning, Sunday
found the town full Of people. Tnis
being the day set aside for cock-ngnt
ing, the pits were teeming. gamoilng
ran high, and every man, woman ana
child appeared to be putting up some
thing on his favOrite cock.
About ten o'clock. when was very
busy, the presidente came up anu
with an insolent smile, said:
"T need three hundred and nfty Z
dollars. VIII you let me have IT.!
For one moment l wavered, then 6
curtly replied; No, have no money
to loan
HE looked at me steadily, then
with shrug Of the shoulders an
swered: oh, bueno, Senior, as the
Senior pleases.'
81 understood what the threat Inn
piled, but kept on with my business,
my mind going over and over the stu
alton without avail. | was in town
far removed from help in case or
need.
AT last the day and evening were
over. About ten o'clock | went to my
room and packed my things prepare
tory to getting away at sunrise. Just
then the presidente appeared In the
doorway. After scanning me closely
for time, he said:
81 have decided that, in justice to
my family and myself, l cannot allow
you to remain in my house tonight.
The outskirts of the town are already
full Of ladrones, and you are known
to have large sums Of money and valu.
able goods. The Senior understands
this, Of course, and knows how dan
gerous 1t would be for me to permit
him to continue in my house
L could have killed the man as he
stood there cycling me with an lnso-
lent leer, but merely replied: You
are presidente here-you have armed
policemen, and a town full of men,
why don't you protect your people and
your house?"
All, Senor,' he said, my men are .
handful, but the ladrones are many
Very WE'LL | answered, then l
shall sleep in the street, and protect
myself-as | spoke, pulling out a
large Colts revolver.
in twinkling the man had disap-
peared; where he was going | did not
know, but my imagination was busy.
| told my men to get the things to
gether, and take them into the street.
Before this could be done, / heard the
shutting sound of many bare feet ap-
preaching. In moment the presi.
dente appeared, and with him dozen
or more policemen, armed with Krag
rifles; back of them was a crowd Of
the most depraved, savage-looking ma
tives ever saw, each with a bolo In
his hand or at his belt.
Before q word could be said on
either side, a young American pushed
his way through their midst, and stood
facing me. Terrified as | was, | re-
member that for an instant | gazed
in sort of wonder at his size, his
white skin and fair, curling hair. He
said to me hurriedly: I am the
school-teacher here; heard an Amer
lean was in trouble-let me talk to
these people
Turning to the presidente, he be-
gan speaking rapidly in the native
dialect.
What are you preparing to do to
this man? You must be mad-don't
you see that he is an American? You
may rob a wandering Turk, and go
unpunished; but as sure as you harm
this man, you will pay the penalty. It
is true you can kill him-you can cas-.
| lily kill us both. But tomorrow, Senor,
Presidente, and you, Senior Juez de
Paz. the American government will
ask: Where are my two citizens
who were in your town." THE lad.
rones robbed and killed them" you
may say. rs 1t for this" the govern
ment will ask, that made you pres
idente and Juez de Paz-that you do
not protect my citizens at your very
door," You both know the conse-
quences-and you like to hold Office.
Bah-begone-we are white men and
Americans-you cannot afford to kill
us!
He stopped speaking, and the room
was silent 1t was partly the force Of
the logic he had used, appealing to
their fear Of the white government:
partly because he was a teacher, and
every Filipino has a profound respect
for learning; but chiefly, | think, II,
was the effect Of his big blondHess. I
was little and dark-not so different
from them: but a man Of that size
and skin and hair was the very quin-
tessence Of a white man, and before
that idea the Filipino always quails. 8
Turning to. he said: Come to
my house, and to the men, Bring the
things From the rear Of the crowd
a low murmur arose, but the presl.
dente silenced it with a look. They
made way for US, and we passed out
without a word.
When we were well down the
street, away from them, / said to my
companion: 1t is very generous Of