The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-02-07
! |||I||E 81
Little
Devils
BY Rowland Thomas

One night when rice was eaten
and the circle of darkness had
shut down about our fire Fermin
Majusay, the private of Native
Scouts who was my escort on the
mountain, stretched out on his
slim stomach and gazed into the
hypnotic flames.
II am going to tell you about
my teniente," he said suddenly,
my lieutenant, who is dead six
months. He was a devil, that
man.
II remember how he laughed
at Don Augusta. We were in a
very bad province then. All the
middle of 1t was mountains where
ladrones lived, and they came
down to the coast and made peo-
pie give them food and money,
and they stole carabaos from the
plantations and killed travellers,
and sometimes they burned a
town and took pretty girl away.
1--WE were sent there to catch
them, and 1t was very hard work.
We chased them in the noun
tains and killed some, but it did
no good. When we were in one
place they raided another, and
when a man guided us in little
while he was dead. We knew
what was the matter. 1t is al
ways the same. The ladrones are
in the mountains, but some man
in the town is their leader, and
he gets so rich and strong that
everybody is afraid of him. In
that island 1t was a planter
named Augusta de los Reyes.
Three times my lieutenant ar
rested him and sent him down to
San Pablo, and every time the
judge said there was no proof,
and he came back, and in a little
while the witnesses against him
were killed. And the ladrones in
the mountains always knew when
we we're coming.
"If our teniente had been like
other white men he would. have
given up then. But he arrested
Don Augusta once more. l re-
the morning very we'll.
l was orderly that day, and We
we're in the guard room looking
at some prisoners, and a guard
came in, two in front and two
behind, with this Don Augusta.
He was a big fat Bisayan, and
we all looked at him.. and he
looked at us and smiled, and we
didn't feel very good, for we
knew what he'd like to do to us.
"But the teniente laughed
when he saw him. He got up and
shook hands with Don Augusta,
and he said: 'Buenos dias, Senior
Don Augusta de los Reyes Like
that, making fun. 1T is not long
since we met he said. I am very
glad to see you again. I hope
you found the prison at San
Pablo pleasant
This Don Augusta knew how
to play the game. He smiled
with his mouth and said: 1T is
not bad, Senior Teniente. But it
is tiresome to have the comedy
of going there so often. The
Judge gets tired, too, deciding
that I am not such a bad man as
my friend the teniente would
have him think
''The teniente laughed again.
All, these judges!' he said. If
only they could see us as we
are, Senior Don Augusta de los
Reyes. 1t is hard to make them
Then he stopped
and talked very slow :
4 could send you down to San
Pablo again, and l could say to
the judge: This is the Senior
Don Augusta de los Reyes, whom
the Swiss Bobin accused of CIV
ing information to the enemy, so
that he lay in San Pablo Jail for
three weeks, till you said there
was no proof" And / could say
to the Judge: Last week this
innocent one came back from his
trial, and last Sunday, as the
Swiss Bobin rode on a narrow
trail, four men attacked him and
cut off his hand as he drew his
revolver, and then killed him."
But what would that amount to-?
Even II we tell him that all
the enemies of the Senior Don
de los Reyes for twenty
years have gone that way, and
that no one dares to be a witness
against him for fear of his re-
venge, the judge will not care
about that. The judge wants
proof. So ! shan't send you to
jail again, my dear friend. / am
tired of it, too.'
Cali we soldiers looked at the
ground, for we thought our tent
ents was fool, like the Judge,
and would let Don Augusta go
again. And Don Augusta looked
at us as II we we're dogs II
wanted to give him my bayonet
- and he smiled and said: Il
thant you very much. Senior
for sparing me another
Of the comedies. II is better for
every one. Adois, Senor.'
ooh, that teniente of mine was
a devil! He got up and shook
the hand of Don Augusta, and he
smiled and said: 'Adois, Senior
Do Augusta de los Reyes. We
shall not meet again for some
time, / think. am very tired of
It myself, josef
I'VE all jumped, his voice was
80 different and the corporal of