The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1900-11-09

ward the wall Well might the fight
ment from behind their hastily con
structed mud breastworks. Never yet
was seen such a curious sight. Men
with muskets in their hands charging
a walled city defended by cannon
But the object became apparent in
moment. The Chinese, taken by sur.
prise. peered over the ramparts, for
getting their guns. They watched the
boys in blue until their own wall cut
off the sight Not a man had been
lost.
The Bugler Acts.
Among the first to reach the wall
was the young bugler. The men Of
Company e were all about painting
in the grass after their hard run. But
the charge of the Fourteenth United
States Infantry was not done.
Presently the allied army, still fight
ing the enemy at a distance, saw
dark speck against the side of the Chi
nese wall The officers put their field
glasses to their eyes.
Good heavensl" exclaimed one of
the Russian captains, Its man.
Look! look! he's going up the side of
the wall. And what's that he's got
hanging to him. Looks like-why, it
is-it's rope"
The object was to attract the en-
emy's attention, so that the reckless
fo1lnur ho tai ;,,
death might not be discovered.
But the man on the wall kept stead
lily upward. He marveled to himself
where he would find his next foolhold.
At his hip swung a cavalry revolver
his only weapon of defense, and in his
teeth he carried the rope. If he could
get it made fast to something at the
top the road to the. imprisoned mis-
sionaries and the diplomatic corps
would be opened They were penned
up in the legation within a walled city
facing death and starvation against
the coutless Mongolians of the east.
His hands were bleeding, his breath
was coming in short gasps The rope
became heavier and dragged him down
the further up he went. His head
whirled with the exertion and there
Was the sound of beating drums in his
head. Down below the boys were
him on. Their guarded words
of encouragement came family to his
ears. There was no sign from the TOP
that he had been seen
There was only a step left He took
it and his fingers grasped the top of the
wall. He drew himself up and looked
about him. The top spread out before
him like street, wide enough for four
teams to travel abreast An iron ring
caught his eye. He made the rope fast
to it and fell on his face and drew his
pistol. There was not a soul near. In
a watch tower, 200 yards away,
small regiment of Cinnamon were
working a couple of heavy guns. They
had not seen him yet. He lay still,
guarding the end of the rope and wait
ing for help. He knew they were com
ing up hand over fist by the feel of
the cord. He saw that the stones were
wearing off the edge, and he doubled
uu his cap and pu. it between.
He helped the first man over the
edge, and in turn they helped the sec
ond, and in a second. as if miracle,
the whole regiment as standing on
the wall. 1t was a complete surprise.
Before the Chinese knew it, the Amer
ican flag was floating on the walls of
Pekin and the blue flannel shirt was
hefore it.
The missionaries and ministers were
saved. None will ever gauge the aid
rendered by the stirring examplet set
by that single brave man The soldier
who scaled the wall was Calvin Pearl
Titus of Clinton, la.