The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-11-14
A Tribute to His Character
and Fighting Ability.
FRIENDS WITH ALI
His Indomitable Courage, Contempt OF
Danger and Patience Under All
Kinds of Sufferings Are
Unsurpassed.

ing for some provisions in an Arne-
nian store. that ! first met face to face
with a typical Russian soldier says
Ernest Count Won Binder Krieglstein
in the New York American
"a man about thirty-fve. built as a
college athlete. with magnificent black
fun beard and dark. expressive eyes.
entered the store and greeted us IN the
most friendly manner and went over
to the counter and asked II he could
have a bottle Of zubrowka, a CHEAP
Russian whisky The Armenian said
that he could, and as he handed him
the bottle Of poison the soldier, with
out asking the price, threw three silver
rubles on the counter Tile Armenian
hesltated a moment the price Of the
zubrowka was 2 rubles land then gave
him so kopeks. With his fine knowl-
edge Of the Russian character he knew
that the soldier would feel ashamed 10
ask about the price in the presence Of
strangers.
The Siberian Ride guard looked at
the 60 kopeks ana after a moments
thought pushed the money toward The
storekeeper You may as Well keen
the change. little father The Afme
Man acted as If he was greatly offend
ed and replied But my little dove, It
costs only . Tubles and 40
THE soldier did not deign him an
answer and, lighting his cigarette, Of
fers as nis case that we may help our
selves
My friends, two Frenchmen who
have heen in the country for some
time, whispered to me, Take one or he
will feel offended, SO l followed their
advice and in return asked for a bottle
Of madeira
"Wit1 perfect ease this common sol
der accepted my Invitation. Over the
wine we soon became fast friends The
soldier told us his name and spoke Of
his wife and child. and how the grain
had just begun TO get green when he
left home, and how he had received two
letters from his family, which he pres
entity produced from an inner pocket
and asked permission to let the Arme-
man read to BIN, as he IS sorry to say
that he dpes not know how to reaa
himself
The contents Of tile letters touch
him deeply. and soon the tears ron
down his checks as he listens to his
wife's terms Of endearment and wishes
for his safe return, and When tile AN
menian has finished reading and gives
him back the letter he can no longer
control his emotion and says, smiling
in an embarrassed manner through his
tears And when now get down to
the Yalu TO be shot By the Japonskis /
win get no more letters from my little
dove. / hope your excellencies win for
give a plain soldier
"Of course we forgive him. But
when we come out into the street the
soft hearted, good natnred fellow
draws his hayonet and makes furis
Gus lHnge 1T Il passing dog. as II TO
show that his sentimentallty win not
prevent him from performing heroic
deeds at the right time and place
Thus is the Russian soldier a mix
ture Of Slay sennmentalIty and Asiatic
brutality; but even his peculiar eharac-
ter makes him soldier as no other.
with the possible exception Of the
Turk. His fanaticism, his lack Of criii
cism, which makes him respond TO or.
ders with the automatic action Of a
machine; Its indomitable courage and
contempt of danger and his patience
under sufferings and privations OF all
kinds are unsurpassed. These qualities
make the Russian almost useless for
offense, for all active and independent
action, as he sees in all opposition
which he cannot overcome In the first
assault an unsurmountable obstacle
ale Is, however ready to sacrifice
hts life at an occasions iii the most
reckless manner. When 4 dangerous
attack is to be made it Is not, as In
our army, the officer who leads but
the private soldier who. after having
made the sign Of the cross. VIII step on
mine to make 1t explode or, ais ON the
Korietz and Nariag, throw himself
upon an enemy ten times his strength
and die with heroism which Is won
derfu.
Under no circumstances VIII he crit
icise the commands Of his superior ofli-
GERS. but win carry them out to the
letter, no matter how foolish they may
appear to d man with sound judgment
Neither VIII he lose courage, even #
beaten back ten times, and VIII quietly
bear the defeats Of campaign Of
years and win at last II his officers do
not give up the game He never growls
or complains II he must starye, and
when he once more gets something 10
eat he considers it as a wholly unde
served grace Of God and appreciates as
child every kind word spoken to him
by his officers when of duty he is as
playful as kitten and sings and
dances outside his tent In the barracks
or III the street giving himself fully up
10 the enjoyment with the abandon OF
q child
tsTYn 4, ,,444o-, ,.t.,,at fhat41f, fftan B,ttt.