ered
a cry. As soon as possible the officers interfered and stopped the
torture. So bloody and faint was the poor victim that they gave him
a horse to ride. The master was angry, declared he would not have
his authority questioned and left the party.

A ball was given in the town of Jaro by the officers who were there
and in the town of Iloilo. Army, navy, ladies, and nurses from the
hospital were invited. It was considered quite an unusual thing to
do at this time, as the Filipino soldiers were near at hand day and
night, approaching and firing upon the town. One of the Filipino
women said, "I do not see how the American officers dare congregate
at so dangerous a time." The men decorated the huge ball room with
magnificent palms and ferns which they had gathered and put up many
flags. The regimental band was stationed on the porch at the rear of
the building. It was, altogether, a very fine gathering, and all went
merry "as the marriage bell."

There was a German on the dance programme that was to end in a mock
capture. Not thinking that it might occasion alarm, at a certain
point, some of the soldiers were instructed to fire off some cannon
crackers; in addition the soldiers thought it would be just as well to
fire off a few pistols. The surprise was very great. The colonel of a
volunteer regiment nearby heard the commotion and gave orders for the
company to turn out and find out where this fusillade was occurring,
not supposing that it could be in private quarters. The Presidente
of the town was greatly alarmed, as he was expecting any moment to
be captured for serving under the U. S. government as head man of a
town. The firing created a great commotion, people ran hither and
thither to find out where the battle was going on; the musicians,
who did not understand about the firing, were frightened, too; there
was a call to arms and great commotion. But soon explanations came,
and immediately it was on with the dance. It was a huge joke, and when
the sentry told that a colonel and his wife were the most frightened
of all, barricading their doors and having extra guards placed around,
the merriment knew no bounds.

It was seldom that the officers had any of these receptions or balls,
but when they did everybody felt they must attend, and those taking
part in the dance enjoyed themselves very much. Sometimes the officers
would charter a small steamer and go to one of the nearby islands,
but it was rarely they could