ot made the
princess join in combat with the giant who had stolen her
away, which in his opinion would have been more marvelous,
especially if the giant had been represented as vulnerable
only in the navel, like a certain Ferragus of whom the stories
of the Paladins tell. The Very Reverend Fray Damaso, in his
customary goodness of heart, concurred in this opinion, and
added that in such case the princess should be made to discover
the giant's weak spot and give him the _coup de grace_.

"Needless to tell you that during the show the affability
of the Filipino Rothschild allowed nothing to be lacking:
ice-cream, lemonade, wines, and refreshments of all kinds
circulated profusely among us. A matter of reasonable and
special note was the absence of the well-known and cultured
youth, Don Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, who, as you know, will
tomorrow preside at the laying of the corner-stone for the
great edifice which he is so philanthropically erecting. This
worthy descendant of the Pelayos and Elcanos (for I have
learned that one of his paternal ancestors was from our heroic
and noble northern provinces, perhaps one of the companions
of Magellan or Legazpi) did not show himself during the
entire day, owing to a slight indisposition. His name runs
from mouth to mouth, being uttered with praises that can only
reflect glory upon Spain and true Spaniards like ourselves,
who never deny our blood, however mixed it may be.

"Today, at eleven o'clock in the morning, we attended a
deeply-moving spectacle. Today, as is generally known, is
the fiesta of the Virgin of Peace and is being observed by
the Brethren of the Holy Rosary. Tomorrow will occur the
fiesta of the patron, San Diego, and it will be observed
principally by the Venerable Tertiary Order. Between these
two societies there exists a pious rivalry in serving God,
which piety has reached the extreme of holy quarrels among
them, as has just happened in the dispute over the preacher of
acknowledged fame, the oft-mentioned Very Reverend Fray Damaso,
who tomorrow will occupy the pulpit of the Holy Ghost with
a sermon, which, according to general expectation, will be
a literary and religious event.

"So, _as we were saying_, we attended a highly edifying
and moving spectacle. Six pious youths, three to recite the
mass an