The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-07-22
DISGUISED AS
A CHINESE
CAPTURE OF A SUPPOSED RUS
SIAN SPY by JAPS AT FENG-
HUANCHENG.

June I've all were assembled at
headquarters. The only outward token
of the victory was thickening of the
military atmosphere. The bearing of
the officers was more jaunty. The
clanking of spurs was a little louder
and the military strut was a little more
pronounced, the sentries, if possible,
sitter. The Japanese smile had
broadened into pronounced grin.
on the whole the staff did not ex-
aggerate its victory more than stats
in general are prone to do. The test
had been a fair one. They had met
the enemy and lad succeeded beyond
their greatest hopes. The inefficiency
of the End army corps of Russia might
reasonably be supposed to mark the
organization of the whole Russian
army. The capture of twenty-one field
guns of the latest pattern and seven
machine guns was a matter of which to
be proud. When the British lost eight
guns in South Africa a cry of "Shame."
went up from the whole of England.
Here was Japan, new at the game, cap
turing twenty-eight guns from what
was supposed to be the greatest mill
tary power in the world.
The army was moving rapidly for
ward and yet there was no evidence Of
confusion or hurry at headquarters. 1t
Is characteristic of the japanese army
that no officer has more to do than he
can accomplish without haste and
therefore without disorder.
We were talking over the details of
the fight when two Japanese soldiers
came in pushing before them two pri-
soners. At the sight of this group
everybody present burst into roars of
laughter. The picture was as ludi-
crous as could be. Both prisoners,
with their arms ro0e-bound behind
them, looked like giants beside their
little captors. One of the captives was
a tall, lean Chinaman. His heart was
evidently filled with fear, for he cring-
ed and bowed obsequiouslY while his
little almond eyes peered about with
terror-bred furtiveness.
The interest, however, centered on the
other prisoner. He must have been SIX
feet three in his bare feet; stockings he
had none. He was dressed in Chinese
clothes and carried a Chinese pack.
From under his little Chinese cap hung
a black pigtail. But the face and pear
ing Oh lne man DliIhtu MN al OllNN'
He stood self-confident erect, and look
ed his captors in the fact with pair
Of quiet gray-clue eyes. His black
pigtail hung i'm incOngruOus contrast to
his white skin.
1t was ludicrous and at the same
time pathetic to look upon. He was a
blonde of that type that Enthusiastically
speaks of the SHOWS of the north. NO
comic-opera hero ever strutted the
stag with more side-spllttlng erect
His bearing was as little like that of
celestial as was his white face or his
upturned nose or his big, round eyes.
We expected him at any moment TO
step forward, swell out his chest ana
begin to sing with little sWagger some
what as follows:
Il am q spy
And my trade l ply
Between Jap and Russian lines.
After the audience had sufficiently re-
covered from the 1rst paroXysm OF
laughter japanese officer began TO eX-
You see, he Is not Chlhalnah' ms
nose is long and turns up at the end'
his bones are big; his face is not the
right color and his pigtah, peheNe'
does not belong to him.
With that the officer gave jerk and
the offending appendage came away
with the little chinese cap that percheu
on the top of his blonde head. The SlaV
stood exposed, but the exposure was as
superfiuous as the disguise was futile
They relaxed his arms and removed the
pack from his back. 1t contained two
pounds of sugar, a little tea and to-
bacco.
A silence, solemn, eXpectant, fell up
on the onloOkers. If the performance
had been comic the plot was tragic The
penalty of failure was death. A spy
should be hanged; he may be shot The
Slav, however, was not daunted. He
spoke up and he spoke in Russian. We
waited for an explanation, wondering
,,-l,o+ I,a ,vould COW