The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-04
RUSSIANS PRAY FERVENTLY.
Thousands kneel in Snow Outsid,
Y Churches in Moscow.

thousands Rneel IN Snow OUTSIDE,
Churches in Moscow.
St. Petersburg, Feb. 25.-All over the
country manifestations Of patriotic en-
thusiasm continue at the departure of
soldiers. Moscow, Of course, Is the
center of all such sentiment. 1t would
not be Moscow otherwise. In Mos
cow, also In keeping with traditions
that it is the holy city, there have been
great religious demonstrations when
the favorite churches are filled with
people who surround them and pray
outside.
In front of the Iberian chapel, TO,
instance, there have been crowds of
1000 people or more on their knees in
the snow, crossing themselves, praying
for long periods n listening to the
echoes Of the sacred music Of the re-
ligious services waited through the
open doors. They We're praying for the
success of the Russian arms.
Perhaps one of the most striking
features of the day In summing up the
condition of the Russian people Is the
frequency with which one hears the
chances of Russia being beaten dis
cussed. Another Is the opinion pre-
vailing almost universally in the minds
of those Intelligent enough to think
hat whether the Russians or Japanese
win Intervention and international ar
engagements are sure to occur. The
idea Of international complications re-
sulting from the war does not meet
the Same amount of popular credence
which obtained a few weeks ago.
Gifts Of very large sums continue to
pour in from all over the country. This
city can now boast of having raised
81, 500, 900 for the war. Everybody gives.
One characteristic gift is one Of s77,WG
from the trotting association.
An apopvmouS ITppliChD,on has coma m
the fore. He gives a very useful present
for the III. 1t consists Of 800 bottles OF
the porter ale Of his country. Tea. sugar
and tobacco are given in great quantities
to the departing soldiers, while as the
trains start off the peasants throw odd
bits of wearing apparel into the car
riages.
AS W companies were leaving MIN
N~ovogorod a lot of peasants took off their
long felt boots and presented them to the
soldiers with the cry: Keep warm and
healthy" And the poor people returned
home over the snow happy, yet bare
footed.
The tension Of public feeling under the
utter absence of news Is very severe, AND
made much worse by the sudden inter-
ruption Of the wires. The telegraph Is
closed entirely for private messages. This
strikes the people as unusua at such a
time as this, but it is absolutely neces-
sary.
Even for government need the existing
telegraph facilities scarce suffice, and II
is an open secret that the wires have beer
repeatedly cut, and this, painful as it may
be to say, not by the red bearded, relent.
less Hunzees OF Manchuria, but by thu
enemies Of their country nearer home
Yes. even so near as in the ~neighborhood
Of Moscow.
Already the people are realizing with
terror the possibility that later telegraphie
communication with the far east may be
entirely cut off. Unless the Russian forces
make some sweeping and victorious move.
ment very soon 1t is freely accepted that
the Japs will surely cut both the tele.
graphic and railway communication.
AS the vastness of the undertaking
which this war means dawns fully upon
the minds of the more intelligent people
here they realize how almost impossible
it would be to guard effectually such long
stretches of wires and railway as will
need protection. At the same time they
realize how terrible might be the effects
of a serious blockade on the railway al
slch n time In the Dreyailinp cold