Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-05-25

haps of one intensely biased newspaper
correspondent, who reads into the most
commonplace saying some deep con-
cealed meaning and unkind Intention
toward the British interests. A Rus
sian gentleman is a perfect gentleman
and uniformly a marvellous guis
I have several times been present In
a room with a Frenchman, q German
and an italian with whom several Rus-
SLAMS carried on animated conversation
with each in his own language, and ap-
parentIy with equal fiuency. From
M. de Giers down through his whole le-
cation, the professors Of Russian In the
imperial university and Tung Wen
Kuan. the officers and clerks OF the
Russo-Chinese bank, one can find none
who are not perfect gentlemen and
most agreeable companions.
Baron Won Radew, n captain IN
charge Of the Russian marines, mas
been q most devoted officer, and every
point of his defenses has had his con-
stant personal supervision. He mas
never undressed to sleep In the last two
months. but has taken the broken rest
ne has obtained lying on a steamer
chair in one OF his barbados. He has
lost greatly in flesh and Is but a skel-
eton OF his former self. but remains the
same courteous officer and gentleman
under circumstances that nave altered
the disposition of o q few.
II the diplomatic corps In Peking
could only have heard the many ana
varied contemptuous remark mace
abe ut them by their own nations botn
before and during the siege they would
PERHAPS have a new idea OF what their
titles of ENJOYS extraordinary meant
AZ 1 heard one gentleman remark:
After this lot are disposed of 1 nope
they will send us a get. OF ENJOYS ordi-
nary, common sense kind OF men VINO
have eyes and ears" 1t Is certainly
marvellous that with the information so
readily 11tainable as to the Boxer
movement. its aims and Intentions and
after having II forced almost upon
them as certainly the British. Amerl-
can and French ministers have had by
| their missionaries and others the dip
lomatic corps shtt'ld nave bllndly al
! lowed themselves to be penned up IN
Picking with only a handful OF guards,
to endure treatment as d~isgraceful as
A has been unpleasant. True NJ. Pich.
on urged his colleagues early TO send
for legation guards and wanted them
In larger numbers. But even he AFTER
constant assurances from Bishop Fa-
ner (who was perfectly informed as 70
| the gravity OF the movement and the
imperial sanction) declined to act In
d~ependentiy and allowed the situation
TO proceed to the utmost extremity De-
fore he believed the priest true and the
tsung-li-yamen false.
A very blue lot they have been dur
ing the siege. Although better fed than
the unfortunates compelled to suffer
with them, the results of their creduli-
Nv. they have not been pleasant COM
pany and have been allowed to flock
together as birds Of n feather and dis
c,,ss together the utter neglect OF their
home governments In not speedily res
cuIng them. The rest of us poor NOR
tails have long since come TO the con-
clusion that our governments nave
found out their true value and nave
decided they are not worth a rescue.
The Belgian minister having arrived
only a few weeks before the siege be-
gan. Is not to blame for the position,
and he wonders as much as the ordl-
nary mortal how his colleagues could
have allowed II to come TO pass. Is II
possible that England and America II
they had been informed OF the true
state OF affairs by their representatives
would not have requested their minis
ters to notify all the foreign ladies and
children to leave the country? When
a foreign war Is inevitable even In q
civilized country II Is q necessity foi
non-combatants to leave. In a bar
barous county II means murder, Oft
on with torture, to remain, and yet oui
missionaries in Faotingfu and 9th.
or inland places were never warned
that their district troubles were not 10.
cal. but general, and that they should
at least hasten to the coast to be near
er protection.
CONTINUED Next Weekly