The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-14
TALES or HEROISM.
The Japanese-Russian War Supplies
MnnN New Ones

est bravery during the Russo-Japan-
csc war. An officer of Cossacks Of
fcred to carry despatch which ten
horsemen had already failed to got
through. The general remarked Bit
terly that the effort was useless.
'Tho others have failed" the officer
insisted, because they travelled on
horseback. | shall go under my
horse" Under my horse?" Tho
General was astonished; but this Is a
prudent way of riding very popular
with Circassians when they wish to
surprise anyone. The offer was fn-
ally accepted. He received the COM
munion, said his prayers, badc good
by TO his men, and started off in tho
middle Of the night, strapped face
downward underneath the horse,
which he guided by means of the
bride through the forelegs The
japanese whistled to what they
thought was n ridorless horse. But
the animal, egged on by blows from
the officers heels, accomplished the
journey Of twenty-five to thirty-nve
miles In safety Stranger still, the
officer accomplished the return
journey on the following night. His
comrades applauded him, and the
general rewarded him with a
lengthy embrace.
4 bugler named Volkoff, a baker
from the Ukraine, heard his general
asking for volunteer to report upon
a japanese position. He offered him
self and was accepted. He disguised
himself as a Chinaman, for in Man
churia everything is done In bor-
rowcd clothing. It Is a very theat-
rical country. Whoever desires to
obtain anything disguises himself,
and nearly always as Chinaman,
which iayokos the anger of both
armies against the Celestials. Now
we see a clean-shaven Volkoff, wear
Ing a pigtail and n sordid blue
dress, borrowed" from the dirtiest
Chinaman of the neighborhood. He
has now become a little Chinese mer-
chant. He sells disgusting little Bit
ter nuts or bread as hard as stones,
or little birds in cages. He carries
out the mission with which the gen
eral has entrusted him, mixes with
Cinnamon who are gaping stupidity
at the advance guards of the ia
panese, and he is returning to camp
full OF delight when he meets pa
troll OF six OF the enemy's cavalry.
The officer questions him in Chinese.
Volkoff feels that he Is lost; he an
swers with some incomprehensibl
gibberish to gain time. Orders are
given that he shall be searched. This
Is the psychological moment. In an
Instant Volkoff has fired two shots
with his revolver and killed two
horsemen. With a third he brings
down the officer. The other Japan
ese hesitated. Volkoff empties his
revolver on the lot, jumps upon the
officers horse, and returns at full
gallop toward the Russian lines. The
Japanese fire upon him, but he Is
already far off and makes good his
escape. Unfortunately he is now ex-
posed to another flre-that of his
comrades, who do not know what to
make Of this unexpected horseman.
Volkoff dismounts, waves his arms,
shouts with all his strength. At last
the firing ceases. An hour later Vol
koff Is reporting to his general who
presents him with the horse of the
officer and all It's trappings.
The story of some Jewish musi-
clans is perhaps the most dramatic
OF all. During the battle OF Tueng-
Tchan the Pope Chtcherbakofsky
raised aloft a cross. the sacred SYM
Dol of the victory OF the spirit, and
went off to die at the head Of troops.
The band was playing and the sound
OF the trumpets mingled with the
terrible thunder of the wild fusil-
lade. The dying and wounded musi-
clans kept falling (the orchestra was
almost exclusively composed OF
Jews); but their comrades Jews
also) went on playing, and only the
interruption of some note indicated
that another musician had fallen,
struck by a bullet or mutilated by
the explosion of shell. Half these
braves had already been struck when
the heroic priest let his arms fall.
The bullets had not spared him
either, and the golden cross no long
er pointed out to the troops the sa-
cred object of their sacrifice. Is the
priest dead? Not yet One minute
passes. The cross glistens once
more. The Jewish musicians are sup
porting the arms OF the enfeebled
Pope. They continue to support him
until all three are struck down. And
during several minutes this extraor-
binary spectacle is beheld; Jews lift
ing up the Christian Pope, falling
with him, other Jews lifting up the
cross Itself, the rallying symbol for
the advance. What a strong Irony!
But the poor fellows were not going
to embark upon a controversy about
Christian dogmas, and they con-
tinued to exhibit the cross until they
were mown down in their turn. This
Pope with the unpronounceable
name, Chtcherbakofsky, was hero.
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