at the head; they came around to the house where I was staying and
called out, "Come, Mrs. Conger, you must join in this jubilee." I did
not need a second invitation. Snatching my little American flag that I
take wherever I go, I formed in line with the boys. We marched around
and around the park, cheering, singing patriotic songs, and hurrahing
for McKinley. In front of one of the houses where I knew they were the
most bitter toward the Americans, we cheered lustily. I had been there
only a few days before to purchase a Jusi dress for Mrs. McKinley. I
said that I would like one of their very best weaves, as it would go
to the White House to Mrs. McKinley. With a great deal of scorn in her
voice and manner she declared she would not make it. We continued on
our march through and around the town until after one o'clock, when I
returned to my room. I was about to retire when a detachment from the
Scouts came and said, "Oh, Mrs. Conger, we want you to come over to
the park, we are going to have a big bonfire." So I went over and we
had another jollification, hurrahing, singing, shouting for McKinley,
until we made ourselves hoarse. We burned up all the old debris that
we could gather and plenty of bamboo, which makes a cracking noise,
quite like a roll of musketry. From every window and crevice in every
house about that park native heads were gazing at us, and never one
cheer came from a single throat, but we gave them to understand in
no uncertain terms where we stood. I suppose they thought it was
only one more unheard of thing for a woman to do, to be out marching
and singing, and I am sure they thought "Senora Blanco," the name I
was called by the people all over the Island of Panay, had gone mad;
and I was certainly doing unheard of things, for, as I said before,
it is not considered at all proper for a woman to be walking or
riding with a man. And to think that a woman of my years, and the
only American woman in that part of the country, would, at such an
hour, be marching with those hundreds of boys in the dead of night
was wholly beyond their comprehension, and they had no words adequate
to express their disgust at my outburst of enthusiasm and patriotism.

GOVERNOR TAFT AT JARO.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

When Governor Taft and other members of the peace commission were
expected at Iloilo and Jaro, there were great preparations for several
weeks before hand. The guests came to Jaro for a morning reception