Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-09-10
FACING THE AMEER.
A Cool Head and q Clear Brain
Win in a Bold Enterprise.

$780,
Win in a Bold Enterprise.
THE thing that earned me my first
promotion" said Col. b, of the
Seventy-eighth Russian infantry, as
we sat in the balcony Of the little post
house at Tchinaz Tin one of the drear-
lest parts Of central Asia) watching
the red glow Of sunset fading over the
broad. shining curves of the Syr- Daria
and the great plain beyond, was
rather queer affair altogether"
give this story. which is perfectly
true, as nearly as possible in the words
of the hero himself:
1T was certainly one Of those things
which are a good deal pleasanter to
talk about afterwards than to go
through at the time. and | don't much
think that should care to Try it again,
anyhow.
This was how it happened: When |
first came ont here the Kholandese
still held all the country that we Rus
slams have taken since, and it would
have been no easy matter to get even
as far rs this.
AS for the country on the other side
of the river we knew no more about it
than if it had been in the moon.
Vow, this tract beyond the river
(Which belonged to the ameer of Box
hara in those days was just the very
place that our colonel. Tchernaieff,
particularly wanted to know about
'We were pretty certain to have to
invade Bollhara sooner or later and it
was specially important 60 know if we
should End any water and forage on
the way and what sort Of country we
should have to cross
$50 when | got down here with one
OF our flying columns, which was max
ing a raid through the khokandese ter
ritorv 10 give the 'coifee-faces' a lesson,
/ bethought myself that it might be
long enough before was soclose to the
border again, and that, as knew the
native language pretty we'll and wasn't
afraid OF a rough ride, I'd just 20 over
into Bol1hara and see what it was
like
Didn't the old colonel look pleased
when I volunteered? And hadn't to
ask twice for leave to go, can promise
you.
~ don't think you'll ever come back,
my boy, said he, but ii you do you'll
see that | know how to reward good
service
with this consolation set off, ac-
companied only by two Cossaclls
II remember we'll how queer l felt
when | stood for the first time on the
opposite bank and looked back at the
camphres OF our soldiers and then lor-
ward At the great wide waste of dcs-
crt; but the bright sunshine kept my
spirits up-it's wonderful what n differ
ence it makes sometimes whether the
days fine or gloomy-and away | went,
merrily enough.
AS for my two Cossaclls, they looked
rs comfortable as ii they were going to
a picnic.
we kept bright lookout as we
went along; and well we might, in
country where we might all have our
throats cut at any moment But for
| the first two hours we didn't sec liv-
| ing thing. However, | had already
made up my mind what to do in case
we did fall in with any of the Bolha-
! riotes; and ii was well had, for all at
once | caught sight of a cloud of dust,
far in the distance, with sort of gilt
ter running through it every now and
/ then, coming right down upon us.
II saw my CosSaclls looking at me to
see how took it, and SO, OF course.
had % put on as bold face as could;
/
would have given all my chances of
promotion to find myself safe across the
border again.
However. it was too late to think
of that for by this time we were so
near that we could see we had in front
OF us body of at least fifty horscmen,
every man with gun at his back and
sword al his side.
II tied my white handkerchief to the
point Of my sword, by way Of flag Of
truce, and, bidding the Cossaclzs stay
where they were, l rode forward to
meet the Bokhariotes, who slaclSened
speed as | came up and looked at each
other in puzzled kind of way. as II
they didn't quite know what to make
of me.
Peace be with you, brothers. said
|. You have doubtless been sent tc
meet me by the great amcer, under the
shadow Of whose throne the whole
earth rests. May he live a hundred and
twenty years! | bring him gifts from
the car of the Oorooss russ snsl. Let
oar horses be swift to reach Samarcand
that may make the dust upon the