The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-25
TALES OF HEROIsM.
The Japanese Russian War Supplied
Many New ones.
rThe Grand Nfagazine.l

| CThe Grand Magazine1
\ writer In "Je sails Tout" has coll
] iected = number of stories of modest
bravery during the Russo-Japanese
war. An officer OF Cossacks offered
to carry a dispatch which ten horse
men had failed already to get through.
The general remarked bitterly that the
effort was useless. ''The others have
failed" the officer insisted, because
they travelled on horseback. I shall
so under my horse" Under your
hOrse?'' The general was astonished;
but this is & prudent way Of riding
very popular with Circassians when
they wish to surprise anyone. The
offer was finally accepted. He received
the communion, said his prayers, bade
goodbye 10 his men. and started of
in the middle OF the night strapped
face downward underneath the horse,
which he guided by means Of the bride
through the forelegs. The Japanese
whistled 90 what they thought was a
riderless horse. But the animal. cgged
on by blows from the officers heels.
accomplished the journey of twenty
five 10 thirty miles in safety. Stranger
sUll, the officer accomplished the return
Journey on the following night. His
comrades applauded him, and the gem
eral rewarded him with a lengthy en-
brace.
\ bugler named Volkoff. a baker
from the Ukraine. heard his general
asking for a volunteer to report upon u
Japanese position. He offered himself
and was accepted. He disguised HIM
self as Chinaman, for in Manchuria
everything is done in borrowed cloth
ing. Ii is a very theatrical country.
Whoever desires TO obtain anything
.s1. Ia.
as Chluaman, which invokes the an
Ser Of both armies against the Celes-
tials. NoW'we see clean-shaYen Vol
kod, wearing a sham pigtail and 2
sordfd blue dress, borrowed" from the
dirtiest Chinaman Of the neighboThood.
He has now become a little Chinese
merchant. He sells disgusting little
bitter nuts, or bread as hard as stones.
or little birds in cages. He carries out
the mission with which the general has
entrusted him, mixes with sChinamen
who are gaping sJupidly a the advance
guards OF the japanese, and he is re-
turning to camp full OF delight when
he meets a patrol of six of the enemy's
cavalry. The officer questions him in
Chinese. Voikoff feels that he is lost:
he answers with some incomprehensible
gtbberish to gain time. Orders are
given that he shall be scare he'd. This
is the Psychological moment. In an
instant VolkOff has fred two shots
with his revolver and killed TWO horse
men. With a third ne brings down
the officer. The other Japanese hesi-
tated. Volkoff empties MS revolver on
the lot. jumps upon the OH er.s horse,
and returns at tuii galIop toward the
Russian lines. The japanese fire upon
him, but he is already far oft and
makes good his escape. Unfortunately
he is now exposed to another fire-that
of his comrades, who do not know what
10 make of this unexpected horseTnan.
Nolkoff dismounts. waves his arms
shouts with all his streng h. At last
the firing ceases. An hour later VOlkoff
is reporting to his general who presents
him with the horse of the officer and
all its trappings.
The story Of some Jewish musicians
is perhaps the most dramatic of all
During the battle Of Tueng-Tchan the
Pope ChtcheTbakofsl5y reased aloft n
cross, the sacred symbol Of the victory
OF the spirit. and went off TO die at the
head of the troops. The band was play
ing and the sound of the trumDets
mingled with the terrible thunder of
the wild fussillade. The dying and
wounded musicians kept falling (the
orchestra was almost exclusively COM
posed Of jews: but their comrades
Jews also) went on playing. and only
the interruption OF some note indi-
Gated that another musician had fallen
struck by & bullet Of mutilated by the
explosion of a shell. Half these braves
had already been struck when the he
role priest let his arms fall. The bull
let's had not spared him either. and
the golden cross no longer pointed out
TO the troops the sacred object of their
sacrifice. Is the priest dead? Not
yet. One minute passes. The cross
glistens once more Two Jewish mu-
eicilpe ara e1lur,.---s,,e. So, rms Of t,e
pfeebled pope. They continue to sup
port him until ali three are struck
down. And during several minutes this
extraordinary spectacle is beheid, Jews
lifting rp the Christian pope. falling
with him. others Jews lifting up the
cross itself the rallying symbol for the
advance. What strong irony But
the poor fellows were not going 10 en-
bark upon & controvers. about Chris
tian dogmas. and they continued to ex-
hibit the cross until they were mown
down in their turn. This pope with
the unprououncabie name, Chteherba-
kofsky. was a hero But those un-
known Jewish musicians who support
ed him were not less heroic.
Wagers We're very numerous among
The Russians Among other heroic
sDortsmen we hear of a captain OF cav
airy who undertook to travel from St.
Petersburg. enter Port Arthur during
the siege, come out. and return by sea
TO Russia in a very short time-three
months, If my memory serves me. The
stakes were worth somethins-2500 600
rubles-about $4,000 Undoubtedly
the sportsman was only successful up
to the very last day. When he came
10 claim his winnings the banker who
had made the bet was a bankrupt.
Nj. Lomakine. a rich MuscOVite, had
sworn TO eat bis boots il the Japanese
were not obliged TO sue for peace be-
fore July / OF last year. Unfortunate
Muscovitel lie made his bet after a
good dinner In February. one OF his
guests wagered him 500 rubles that. If
he lCa-. he would not carry out his
promise. On july 2. 1904, Mr.. Lonla-
kline was perplexed. 1t Is even credible
that he had been in the same state as
long age as June so. Bat as q heroic
sportsman he desired TO carry out his
obligations. He had not sworn To eat
his boots at a sitting, 50 he had them
cut up into very Shin strips, which
were cooked and served up at his
meals. II was only on November 60
that he came to the end of his diet His
adversary. II is saiGs generousiy lei
him of the nails