THE MAKING OF A LADRONE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7701, 9 May 1903, Page 2

THE MAKING OF A LADRONE.

(By BERNARD BARRY, ia tke M S»* Francisco Argonaut.")

La Carlota lies at the base of the Toi* cano Malaspinas, on the island of Negros, in the Philippines. On Either side of the town the land rises gradually to N billowy masses of green bill country, where a .little band of ladrones wander, defying American authority, and making sugar-planting in the interior a dangerous and unprofitable enterprise. In the centre of the town there is a small nipa-roofed church, and close beside it the foundations of what was lo hava been one of the most pretentious cathedrals in the Philippines. But ever since the advent of. the Americans, no priest has set foot in La Carlota, and the cathedral will probably never be completed.

\» The inhabitants of the town were a- light* hearted people till Padre Pablo conceived the notion of building that church. Then trouble came to La Carlota in the form of increased taxes, which is a baleful form, ofi trouble for an impecunious people. Be* sides the cedula persona tax, they were tax* ed for births, deaths and marriages. The cedula persona rate, being a Government tax, remained unchanged, but the other* three were doubled. Padre Pablo aoid hia three Franciscan brethren, who attended to the spiritual welfare of La .Carlota, could easily enforce these demands, for infants bad to be baptized, marriages had to iw sanctified, and the souls of the dead, could nofc be released from the body until tb* passing bell was rung. And these profit* able offices could be performed only by th* representatives of the church.

Only one man in La Carlota beard the am noun cement of tbe increase without emo* tion. He was thinking over something more nearly concerning himself,, hit' own life tragedy. Maria had just toldf hia that '&he loved Diego Menang, consequently it would have beem an affair of no concern to Ignacio Issio bad Malaspinafl poured * sea 'of molten lava over La Carlota. There waa nothing in the world for Ignacio bub Maria's black eyes. And Maria could never be his. Not caring to remain to witness the marriage ceremony tbat was to seal bis isolation from the world of bis desires, be set oub from La Carlota just as the smallest bell on the bamboo bell-tower tolled a few. strokes that. the soul of a child flight pass to its rest. This was the last time that this bell would usher a soul upwwd for one peseta. Thenceforward the price .wai to be doubled.

Ignacio rode down the main street ai tha town om bis ragged pony, seeing nothing, healing nothing, until a boreh voice roused bun. "Attention, Indiol"

Ignacio looked and saw Padre Pablo in bis brown Franciscan robe. ' The angry

exclamation was to remind Ihim that: b^ was to uncover. As the Filipino was in no pleasanb mood, his hand hesitated just an instant between bis bat and the came-knifs that .hung by bis side, but he removed bis bat sullenly, out of force of habit, and then, pressing bis hed into the pony^s ai<h m rode rapidly toward the bills , behind La Gfangja. . : There Ignacio worked for three months herding carabao^ and, watching the black clouds oyer Malospinas by day and th« Southern Cross by night meditated ovel Maria. When orders were received to driv« a part of tbe herd into La Carlota, Ignacia was placed in charge of the herd over fiva herdsmen. Shortly after dusk they drove the last of tbe herd into the pen on thf outskirts of the town. Immediately' the five demanded permission to go into ttfwat; Ignacio knew that they would probably become drunk on tuba (an exceedingly intexi* eating fermentation of sap from the ooooa* nut tree) and "paint the place red/ whicli seems to be a universal diversion;, of cattle, herders of all races. Therefore be deemed it advisable to accompany then* ,

The herders trotted past the low wall* of masonry erected sinoe they left* Th« town was silent, cave for thePdisfcarit 'anon murof the people in the market-place" a few hundred yards away t and- the tinkl« oj a bidden guitar. Ignacio's ear caught the 6ound ofa woman's sobbing, wad H reined bis pony. The others, noting the action, drew up also, and listened.

The Gound came from vfydav the belli tower, and, dismounting, the herdsmen bun ried over to it. In the dim, unoertabs light they saw three men squatted- on tb* grass in a group, and a woman with: bee arm thrown round a loAg, oblong «hape be-> side her. Her wihole body waa sbakein by_ intermittent bursts of sobbing. " Why is this?" Ignacio whwpered^t© one of the men. The man drew a cigarette froan bis moat)' long enough to reply in the fewest ponibm words : "Her husband is in the coffin. Shi has not enough, to pay for the passing bell.' Ignacio quickly thrust bis hand into X pocket and drew forth a peseta, all th« money he possessed. He held it out to th 4 man. "Here is tho peseta. Give /it ia her." ■-■> •?.' Tbe man mado no motion to tako it* "It now costs four pesetas to havo even the small bell rung three or iour times., Did you not bear? She bas already two pesetas, but the padre will not permit tha bell to be (rung for less than four."Igancio turned to bis brethren. " JSow) much money have you?" be asked, quickly., The men searched their pockets assiduously,, but seventeen cents was all tbey possessed among them. " Seventy-seven cents," muttered Ignacio, half to himself;, "and'a soul must wait for want of three cents. Pedro, run to the padre. Do not forget to remove your hat and to be vverty t very Respectful. Ask if (he will permit the little bell to be rung for\ seventy -seven cents, and tell bim that we will pay the rest of the money in a few. days." " : '■■'.'■" . Pedro handed the reins of bis pony to one of the others, and hia boars feet clattered across the road to tho padre* residence: / . "Who is the woman?" asked Ignaciow "Maria, wife of Diego Menang," t*t plied the man with the cigarette. "Dios!" gasped Ignacio. . He strode quickly over to the half-crazed woman and touched her on the shoulder. "Maria," be whispered. " She moaaitd, as though roused' only to a fuller realisation of Her grifcf. " Maria, ifc is Ignacio, your old friend, ,, he murmured, and his voice shook with tenderness ahd pity. "Will you not iseak to me."

She turned to bim a haggard fac« £ and,, pointing to the coffin^ burst into a storm of sobs. '

"Pobre nina," be said, soothingly, " How did ifc all happen V" "Tie fever," she replied between tha sobs. "He worked hard at the church— our carabao died— he lost much money on cock-fights — and the marriage cost eight pe«os — and now there will be no bell — his soul will be shut out ofr— -" . Her bead dropped back on tbe arm that embraced the coffin. ' '

"Come," said Ignacio, firmly. "Quiet, nina, the bell will be rung. You can trust Ignacio, though be is only^a littlo monkey." He said that to rouse, her. ' She bid more than once rallied him on bis appearance and mannerisms in' the old days. . Breathless and indignant .,' Pedro returned. " Padre Pablo says that it Trill not be permitted unless we have the full amount. He says that he will not cheat the church for a dead Indio," be panted.

Maria gave vent to a wail of utter despair that roused all the pent-up rage in Ignacio's heart. He stamped tM ground in fury. "Are we dogs!" hs al-

»ost shouted, shaking bis fist in tbe direction of the padre's residence. "Beoause of three cents a man's soul is to be liUried? Lies, bars, thieves! Who built that bell-tower? Whose money paid f^r the bells? Ours! And they may not toll to release our souls except for a price!

"You men of tbe hills! are you whipped curs, also? Or will you stand witb me to free a lost soul?"

He rushed to the foot of tbe ladder that l^d np to the bell-tower. The five herders followed on his heels. Three of them clambered up after him to tbe platform, and he had hardly grasped the rope of the largesb bell before willing hands were there to swing the other three;. Never did a soul pass from Negros with * louder clamour. The bell tower trembled and the clanging reverberated through the town till tbe hillsides re-echoed.

For five minutes fche bells swung jangling. Then tbe} four men "slid to the ground into a circle of startled and shocked people; From without the circle strode a tall, Brown-robed figure. It was Padre Pablo. All 'voioes were bushed instantly and the circle Tjrideined. ' The friar, approached Ignacio and up lift»---«d a threatening hand. " Indio ! Tusilane ! Aati-Christ!" he shouted. "You shall be tortured for 'this.'!

In ah instant. Ignacio's cane-knife was out of the sheath, and like a flash of light- it rose and fell crashing through the brown hood.

The brown figure fell forward in a shapeless heap, and a wail of terror lose from the circle. Some covered their eyes, others "fled -from the awful spectacle. Ignacio lifted bhe knifei in his right hand. "All padres are thieves and bans !" he shouted. "I will kill them wherever I find them. _ Henceforward I am Pope of Negros --Papa Isrio," and be laughed in a wild manner.

'Shrilly, and clearly a bugle-call rang out from the little Spanish barracks. Some one hid carried the alarm to the soldiers.

The 'herders sprang to their ponies' 'backs. "The hill-men to the bills!" cried Ignacio, " and no soldiers will ever catch -cs there. Remember, people of La Carlota, Tarn Tapa Issio." He raised the senseless form of Maria and' kissed her cold lips. Then, ' with a half -sob, half-laugh, he mounted his pony amd galloped off with his comrades.

And he still roams the hills of NegroS with, a band of ladrones, defying all tbe laW of God and man.