The Woman with a Stone Heart

  CHAPTER V.

  FILIPINO UPRISING

  The close of the eventful year of 1898 was near at hand. General Otishad been made governor-general of the islands. He had received about15,000 troops from home. These had all been landed and were quarteredin the city of Manila.

  Preparations had begun by the American troops for a great day of fieldsports to be held on the Luneta--a beautiful narrow park parallelingManila bay and extending southward from the walled-city about fourmiles--on New Year's day, 1899.

  On the afternoon of January I, as planned, the exercises werebegun. The afternoon program consisted of foot races, running highjumps, wheelbarrow race, fat man's race, running broad jump, highkicking, fancy club swinging, tumbling, shot-put, sack race, tugs ofwar, five boxing contests, base ball, foot ball, and pole vaulting.

  Situated on the Luneta, about a mile south of the walled city, anddistant from Manila bay about 100 feet, is a large bandstand. Thisserved as headquarters for the exercises. The day was perfect--clear,cool and calm.

  About 2:00 P.M. over 40,000 natives, soldiers (including jack-tarsfrom Dewey's fleet, Spaniards and Americans) and foreign residentshad assembled around this bandstand to hear the Address of Welcome andto witness the sports. When the speaker arose to deliver the address,for which he was afterward voted, and presented with, a medal by theEight Army Corps, he said in part (verbatim report):

  "On behalf of these committeemen who have spared no efforts to makethese Field Day Exercises a success, and this occasion one long tobe remembered by those who have assembled here this afternoon, I bidyou, one and all--officers, soldiers, sailors and civilians of everynationality--a hearty welcome."

  "Again to you, the members of Admiral Dewey's fleet, I feel obligatedto extend a separate and special welcome; for without your chivalrousdevotion to duty last May Day, yon shell-riven wrecks (part of unraisedSpanish fleet visible above the bay) would not bespeak the down-fallof a sister nation, and we ourselves would not have been permittedto assemble here this afternoon. There is no braver man on land orsea than the American marine; and on behalf of the entire Americanarmy of occupation, I bid you a most cordial welcome."

  Touching upon the question of territorial expansion, the speaker said:

  "This was a war for humanity, not for conquest. But simply becauseit suddenly closed and left us in possession of large tracts ofnew territory, is no reason why these spoils of war should be givenup. I hold this to be true Americanism: that wherever the old flagis established through sacrifice of American blood, whether it be onthe barren sands of the desert, at the frigid extremes of the earth,or on the rich and fertile islands of the sea, there is should remaintriumphant, shedding forth beams of liberty to the oppressed, shoutsof defiance to the oppressor, and furnish protection and enlightenmentto all who come beneath its streaming folds forever!" (applause).

  A chubby Filipino maiden, standing near the speaker's stand, andwho had listened intently to every word of the address, because shenow understood the English tongue, quietly elbowed her way throughthe dense crowd which was gradually becoming more compressed, untilshe reached a car drawn by two Chinese ponies on the old street carline running south from Manila to Fort Malate and back. Taking thecar she rode up town to the Escolta. Going into the postoffice, shehastily wrote and mailed to Aguinaldo at Malolos a letter containingan account of what was said. It follows:

  "Manila, P. I., Jan. 1, 1899.

  My Dear General:

  Those wretched Americans are holding some kind of exercises on theLuneta this afternoon. I heard one of the speeches. It was awfulbad. The fellow talked loud. He swung his hands in the air and thecrowd seemed to get terribly excited over what he was saying.

  He told about that treaty of peace, and he said no power under thesun would haul down the American flag from over Manila.

  It made me angry. I am going right out to the Filipino trenches tosee my Uncle (Colonel Miguel). He'll fix those fellows. I'll bethe'll haul down their flag before tomorrow morning.

  Goodby,

  Marie."