Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-06-07
ON THE YALU
Loriglnal.1

Japanese family who had wandered
from their native land worked a little
farm. When the Japanese armies were
advancing to force the passage Of the
faiu, though the little patch of vege-
tables raised by this family was grow.
ing finely, starvation stared them in
the face, for no arhy win advance
through any country without the rank
ana tie, either stealthily or openly, APP
propriating everything acceptable to
the human stomach.
One morning little Saiki, the twelve
year-old son, hearing that the Japa-
nese were advancing, consulted with
his mother as TO what was to be done
They knew that their being Japanese
born would not protect them. The
mother did nothing but rock herself
and moan, and to escape the distress
ing sight Saiki determined to 90 up
the road along which the troops were
coming and take look at them. There
was donkey on the place, the only
animal owned by the family, and Sal
ki, knowing that the little brute would
doubtless be forced into the japanese
service, concluded that he might as
well have a last ride on .his back. SO
&c untethered him and, mounting, pro-
ceeded up the road.
Now. Chunkee, the donkey. took very
little interest in the approaching
troops, constantly turning aside to nib
BILE ut thistle or some weed at which
another animal would turn up his
nose. Saiki belabored him to go on and
by hard work got him to place
where the road crossed branch of the
Yalu river. Seeing the water, Chunkee,
Instead OF going over the bridge. in
sisted on going down to the water to
take a drink. Little Saiki was not
strong enough to control the donkey
and, making virtue of necessity. per-
mltted him to have his way.
While Chunkee was drinking Saiki
looked up over his shoulder at the I'M
derside of the bridge. Then he looked
at. the muddy soil on which the abut-
ment beside him was built. Then he
noticed patches OF light colored dust.
Wondering what 1t meant, he dis
mounted and, taking some of 1t up in
his fingers, found that 1t was sawdust.
The Japanese are very bright people,
and Saiki was no fool. He naturally
looked up to see where the sawdust
had come from. This time he bent his
little black eyes on the bridge above
with more care than before and noticed
thin lines running across the stringers.
1t was plain that the stringers had
been sawed partly through, and
heavy weight pressing on the bridge
would break 1t down. Doubtless some
Korean favoring the Russians or some
Russian scout had done the work, in
tending to let the advance of the Jap
anese army into the stream and delay
the passage.
Though Saiki had been born In no
rea. he had inherited the Japanese pa
triotism. One idea alone occupied his
mind-to save the japanese advance
from falling with the bridge. lie
jerked Chunkees bride, lie dug his
heels into the beasts sides, he bella
bored him, but Chunkee would not
bulge till he had had his fill. Then
he lelsurely retraced his steps up the
bank and stood a dozen yards from the
bridge celebrating whether he would
20 forward or back home.
When japanese army moves it is
without the usual beating of drums
soundina,ef trumpets. shouting OF or
ders-indeed, all those noises usually
attending the passage of armies. ON
the other side of the bridge, half
mile down the road, column of in
fantry was marching noiseiessly, but
with a quick step, like the shadow of
cloud passing between the earth and
the sun.
At the head of the foremost files role
a general and his staff. Nearing the
bridge, he saw on the opposite side
boy seated on donkey, belaboring the
little beast, vainly endeavorlng to force
him across. Suddenly the boy looked
ep and saw the troops he had not
heard. He at once made signs that
the advancing host did not heed He
was about to throw himself Off the
donkey and run over the bridge when
the obstinate beast took 1t into his
head TO plunge across himself. He
stopped suddenly at the farther end
just as the Japanese general was en-
tering the structure. and Saiki called
out that it had been sawed.
Five minutes was all the delay occa-
stoned. A horseman rode down into
the stream, found that it was shallow,
and the infantry proceeded by the ford.
In crossing, the general and his staff
used the ford, but Chunkee was toe
little TO do this, so Saiki rode back
across the bridge, which had only bent
slightly under the diminutive donkey
When Saiki reached the other side the
general was sitting on his horse in
the road, somewhat anxiously waiting
for the safe passage of his preserver.
As soon as the boy had crossed and
na1,,a mn fita rganatoI Turned hia horses