The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-08

ordered life in his Indiana home: and
as he examines his revolver and prepares
for the rush, he breathes a prayer that
he may get back there some day.
Usually 1t Is all over in few minutes.
As the trenches are assaulted. Con-
stabulary and bandits mix In hand-to-
hand struggle. Discipline and seif-con-
idence win. A few bodies sprawl with
in the trenches and without A wounded
soldier sobs out his life's blood In his
officers arms while his flannel shirt
changes from khaki to the ugly crimson
which means death. The sergeant will
not need his square meal for Captain
Yping." the bandit leader, thrust an old
Tower musket against his chest as the
brave soldier climbed over the trench;
and at three-foot range a Tower musket
of the vintage of 1877 is more deadly than
the latest product of the Springfield
arsenal. Yping's band. for years the
terror of half a province, is no more,
Yping himself lies dead with "a blue
mark on his forehead, and the back
blown out of his head" A bullet from
the leutenant's revolver had saved the
government the expense Of prosecuting
and hanging him.
From the huts behind the trenches is
recovered a variety of loot; here large
mirror from Don Pedro's hacienda; there
a sack of pesos which few days ago
represented Chino Ong-Suy's monthly
gains. Bayones OF sugar, sacks of palay.
pieces of dress goods. jewelry and other
articles which the raids of ten years had
accumulated. But the most important
captures are in rifles and other arms
and ammunition which have enabled the
bandits to terrorize thu ignorant people
Of the Iowland hamlets-
That Light there will be a royal feast
Captain Yping's latest porker is roasting
whole over a slow fire; his plumpest
chicken is stewing with rice and chill
peppers for the officer. Ears Of sweet
corn and sweet potatoes from the out
laws garden are roasting in the emoers.
The dead are buried and the wounded
cared for. Sentinels are posted. and the
camp fire blazing. One Of the soldiers
twangs an old guitar discovered in the
rafters of a hut and sings love song
which is intended. for Conchita. miles
away in Isabella. The music runs cres-
cendo as he thinks how he will pose be-
fore her as part destroyer OF fping
band, and diminuendo as he remembers
that poor Eergt. Lopez is under the sod
a few yards away. The other men, with
graph gestures, tell how each bore his
part in the fight The young officer sits
apart. conscious of work well done and
hoping that this means the end OF brig
ondoge In the section of the province.
A few days later the gallant little de-
tachment winds its way out of the noun
tains and into the whitewashed village.
where II is stationed during the brief in
teryals between such work as has JUST
been described. A paragraph appears in
the Manila papers: Lieut.. smith ana a
detachment Of twelve Constabulary met
Yping's band in superior force in the
~ Isabella killing seven
bandits, including Yping, and capturing
four rifles two muskets, with many spurs
and bolos Two Constabulary soldiers
were killed and two wounded" The eff
cheney reports mention Lieut.. Smith for
excellent work, and the AFFAIR Is rele-
gated to the archives with many others
Of similar character which have oc-
CURED throughout the forty provinces OF
the islands.
Something besides Scraps.
But let It not be thought that fighting
is the sum of the Constabulary officers
activities. Indeed. Of recent years a
scrap 10 looked upon. except in Min
danao, as a pleasant diversion from the
routine of administrative work. There is
his company of forty-six men to be
drilled and instructed, not only in things
military, but also in that which pertains
to the civil administration He mus'
hold school for the men, teach them
English and something Of the substance
and form of civil law. He must watch
over his men like a father, for IL he is the
right kind of an officer. they will look tc
him as much to settle a family dispute az
to show them how TO shoot. Many a
young officer has listened to tale o,
love and jealousy when two OF his oes'
soldiers were literally at daggers drawn
over some dusky, but no less fair
maiden. And such moments call for lit
tie less decision and character than the
assault on Yping's trenches.
The chances are that the Constabulary
officer is the only American official for
many miles, and his is the responsibility
for seeing that American ideals are not
too badly outraged in the municipalities
Of his district where Filipino officials are
learning the first steps toward self-gov-
ernment-and are sometimes slipping and
falling badly.
When the Municipal Council of Sar
Fernando passes an ordinance forbidding
the hated Spanish friar to hold re-