The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-10-26

Hastily she changed her kimono, and
called for the jinrikisha which was
waiting for her in the courtyard.
1t was a bitter night for poor Teru
San; she was going now to meet her
lover for the last time-for TanalIa, a
lieutenant in the imperial guards, was
also leaving In the morning to meet
the Russians.
Such was the history OF Teru San.
When she had come to her resolution
to find the money with which her
lover was to be educated, she had gone
straightway and sold herself-as many
hundreds of other Japanese girls have
done in similar circumstance to the
master of some tea.house. The house
which she had selected had been
owned by a man who, long trained in
the art, had seen the commercial value
of the dainty little lass who falter-
ing had offered herself to sign the
indentures. He had paid q sufficient
sum in cash to insure the first years
fees of Tanakas education; the sue
cessful Teru Sans outside earnings
had supplied the rest.
Thus supported, her lover had passed
from one grade to another. until now
he was dashing subaltern in the
guards. All that the young couple
were waiting for was the day when
the tea-house ransom should be paid
in full, and Teru San free of her
strange obligations. We of the west
I'D tn,
is different.
The leading company had been lying
under the cover of sand-dune since
daybreak. The men were becoming
restless; behind them they could hear
the even rhythm of the three bat
teries of artillery which were en-
deavoring to silence the Russian guns
on the far side of the river, and ever
and anon some projectile would whis-
tie above their heads, or, burying it.
self in front of them, would throw
great showers of sand into their
ranks.
The men we're getting restless be-
cause they were waiting TO fulfill their
orders. These orders were engraven
in each mans heart-for such is the
system of the Japanese: when possi-
bio each man in the army, from the
general OF division to the huhblost
stretcher bearer, knows exactly what
Is to be expected of him during the
ensuing day, as far as the general
STAFF can calculate the function Of any
particular unit.
This regiment of the Guards had
orders to lie under cover as near as
which the sappers were constructing,
and as soon ais the structure was wor-
thy to push across it and turn the
Russians from their positions on the
far side of the river. From 2 o'clock
in the morning they had been lying
there, and it was now past midday
and yet the bridge was not complete.
Tanaka had crept up to his cap
tain's side, and together they had
crawled TO the top of the sand-dune
and watched the progress which the
sappers were making. 1t seemed now
that almost the last pontoon had been
iloated down. The little engineers
were working like demons on the
brideg-head, and as they worked the
water all round the pontoon seemed
alive with bursting shells. Time af-
ter time the men working on the haw-
sers were swept away, and as the cord
passed from their lifeless grasp there
were other willing hands ready to
take 1t.
There was no time to care for dead
or wounded, there was no room for
either on the pontoons, a man down
was a man lost, and 1t served the in
terests of the state better to push his
body into the boiling stream rather
hamper the bridge-way with doctors
and hospital attendants. For the
fifth time that morning salvo of
bursting shells destroyed the nearest
pontoons, carrying off the working
party away with 1t. Yet, nothing
daunted, fresh pontoons were pushed
off and fioated down and fresh COM
pany of sappers were there to lash
the stanchions tight.
lHcy Will never 40 IL, Sdlu tne
captain, as 1t seemed that the latest
effort had failed. See, they are
bringing down reinforcements from
the bluff above u.s." 1t was true-a
column of Russian infantry were de-
bouching from behind the hills on the
opposite bank Of the river. and were
moving down to the threatening
bridge. The Japanese gunners had
seen them, and almost Immediately
the column was torn and shattered
with bursting shell, but this counter
was not sufficient to stay their ad-
vance. Down they pressed toward the
waters edge; SO near were they now
that the Guardsmen could make out
the CLINT of the individual bayonets as
they glistened in the midday sun.
T.. Il. IT.