Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29

sent instant request to be relieved, the min
fsters abandoned the thought of a march
to Tien Tsin, and we were ordered to march
a. once to the legations, there to make
last stand for life. The German marines
came for their wounded interpreter and
led the van Of our retreat; then followed
our women and children. f1anked by US
volunteers. The long procession of Suo ma
tive Christian refugees, guarded by Ameri-
can marines and more volunteers. brought
up the rear. We passed within 10 yards
of the Hal Tai gate and saw on the tower
and by the gate hundreds of chinese Sol
diers. who might have moved us down at
any moment. 1t was an anxious passage
unit. We reached the Italian barricade
Eager to save something of the stores OF
clothing and food left In the mission com
pound on our hasty retreat, we begged the
ma rines to return with US. But they would
not consider it,
Rev w. s. Ament, DID,, of the American
board mission, brave even TO rasnnesS
making no announcement of his intention,
set off with no other companion than one
Chinese servant, found the property sun
undisturbed and brought off his bicycle IN
safety. Emboldened by this deed OF darlns'
fifteen or twenty of us missionaries. taking
fifty or sixty Chinese refugees with ropes
poles, spears and rifles, spent the aftern~ on
in running the gauntlet of the chinese SOL
diery, bringing in load after load OF the
indispensable clothing and food which We
had abandoned. Before We had finished,
the attack had begun in another quarter
but we met with no interference, eScep'
that some of our number were compelled,
at the last, to repel certain wouid-be locs-
ers, who could not wait till we We're
through. The Rev. w. B. STEELE of the mis-
sion to the higher classes had been station
ed on the corner of the great street near
the Hal Tai gate. Within 100 yards were
the Chinese soldiers; yet he challenged at
will any who entered the gate, and ordered
the suspicious appearing to Withdraw ana
they withdrew. Presently twenty-five or
fellows
run, evidently bent on mischief, dSregarded
the challenge of the single trembling but
determined sentinel and continue! lhelr al
vance. Mr. STEELE Ieveied his rifle. They hes
itated. turned and fled. Had they mac the
courage to attack him, the lives of our par
ty would have been worth very little be
tween them and the soldiers, who would,
doubtless, have support ed the attack.
At the Legation.
With our settlement in the British lega-
ton the active military career of most OF
the missionaries came to an end. We be-
took ourselves to the work Of food supply.
the charge of Chinese labor, or the digging
of trenches, filling of sandbags and building
Of barricades, in all Of which work. how
ever. we were almost constantly under fire.
In spite of our almost constant exposure to
shot. and shell, no missionary was Killed,
and but one received wound, which rem
dered him hors du combat. Two of us
cape from serious injury or death being
narrow In the extreme. Working behind
barricade on the city wall, 1 was suddenly
felled by bricks dislodged from that barri-
cade by an unexpected shell from the en-
emys gun. My heavy pith hat saved me
from more than slight scalp wound, which
speedily healed.
If our missionary women were not fight
ing men, they were the next thing to it.
Calmly. courageously, they carried on their
work of feeding US, caring for the wound
ed. making clothes for the soldiers and
thousands of sandbags, which undoubtedly
saved many life And our children made
mud forts and fought many a little battle
of their own: and gathered up the real
fallen bullets by the baSketful.
believe others will bear testimony to the
fact that the missionary as a fighting man
is not to be despised; nevertheless there
were none more joyful than he when the
days of his fighting were over. Yet I am
proud to possess lasting souvenir of my
fighting days in a fine Mannlicher rifle,
presented to me when left the city by the
first secretary Of the United States lega-
ton. who had seized a number in q Chi
nese magazine
COURTENAY HUGHES FEM.