Henry C. Rowland

“ Rosario’s heart beat wildly.
“Oh, the señor is too good,” she said. “I am only a poor girl and live on a Casco. See my dress, how poor it is. And Emilio would be angry.”
“Who is Emilio?”
“He is my lover,” answered the girl simply.
“But so am I, señorita,” said the corporal. “You are more beautiful than any woman I have seen in Manila. Already I love you madly. Do you think you could learn to love me?”
“Oh, señor, I do not know. Oh, Madre de Dios—take care!”
A quilez had swung around the corner, coming from the Cuartel Santiago. On the box was Emilio. ”

“ Since the American occupation, business had been very brisk. Emilio had sold his bull cart and bought a quilez with a picinio caballo to draw it, and from that time on had rapidly amassed wealth until finally he had saved one hundred pesos, which was sufficient to buy him an interest in his brother’s business of selling piño and hoosi cloth. He had taken no part in the insurrection, not being in sympathy with the Tagallos, and caring more for pretty little Rosario than for the cause of Aguinaldo. ”

“ In America we say good-bye so——”
Before she understood he threw one big arm lightly about her shoulders, drew her to him, and kissed her on the lips. Then he leaped up onto the gunwale. The men about him who had seen the performance laughed and cheered. Even the “señor teniente” was laughing.
“Come, corporal, no annexation without taxation,” he said.
“Quickest way to end the war, sir,” replied the corporal. “Come, boys, tumble out, pass out that junk. Pronto!”
Rosario looked up at him wistfully. Some of these American customs were very nice. And then her heart gave a great throb. ”