The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-06-29

ed BIZ Oucers ana FrtNates-tars
Containing Provisions, Cigarettes
and Liquors the Most Populsr--Re-
marks About a Tardy Lieutenant.
''rwcnty-seven cars just in from
Harbinw
That was the Joyful message that re
Gently travelled by word OF mouth all
Sha river on the north bank. says
Richard IL. Little. special corresponds
cnt Of the Chicago News In Manchuria.
Officers came posting into town from
every direction. The twenty seven cars
were loaded with all soFls Of supplies
for the Economical society. the organ
izatlOn which furnishes rations aud ar
ticles OF equipment and wearing ap-
parel 10 the Russian officers In the
field.
The depot OF the society IL on the
tracks at the Russian settlement at
Mukden In the very cars that bring
down the supplies. We mouhted and
rode down In haste.
A crowd OF over thousand officers
soldiers and Chinese surrounded the
cars. The customers for each ear
formed long. snaky line that curved
aud twisted around through the crowd
and away TO It's outer edge Soldiers
commissioned TO buy for officers or
holding places In the line FOR officers
made up the majority OF the prospec-
tive, customers OF the cars. but many
officers held their own places in the
line. The provision cars and those
containing tile cigarettes and liquors
were the most popular. The crowd
surged up 20 the doors OF these cars
all day long. The doors Of the rail
road cars are Ave feet from the ground.
and plabks and steps have been made.
on which the patient crowd ascend
inch by inch and hour after hour 60
that proud cminence where they stand
the envy OF all beholders and buy and
buy aud buy.
As each separate article bought Is
handed out the purchaser passes IL 20
his faithful soldier servants or his Chi
nese attaches. who are waiting behind
him on either side OF the line. holding
up their baskets ready 20 be oiled.
Some OF the officers when after long
hours OF waiting they finally reach the
post OF honor seem loath 10 leave IL.
They run through one long list. ana
Just as the man behind thinks his turn
has arrived az last the officer In front
fishes out another list and begins buy.
ing all over again. When he gets
through with this list he half turns
81 -. 81. I..l.
OF relief and bawls out. twenty-five
boxes Of clgarettesr' but the man in
front is only reaching for a third list
OF things he has promised 20 buy Tor
his general and his colonel and his four
lieutenant colonies and two doctor
friends In the hospital and three cap
tains who have mess close TO his
regiment.
Then sinister whispers run down the
line. My friend Dukewich translated
some OF the remarks made the ether
day when an officer who had purchas-
ed from four lists dug up the nth
why don't the army purchasing
agents buy their supplies In st. Pc
tersburgy" growled black whlskered
Cossack captain.
SSH whispered another In sub
dped voice that couldn't be heard more
than 800 yards away. THAT IL Cen
eral KuropatkIn In disguise. He's buy
ing six months rations for the army"
III he's going 70 buy out this train"
volunteered very cross looking Cir
casslan. why doesn't he say sol Then
wen 10 away and walt until train
comes down that he doesn't want"
The little lieutenant who was the OBJ
feet OF all these pleasnntries never bat
ted an eye as he reached down In an
other pocket and brought forth n fresh
list.
Fifty tins OF ham," he calmly an
nounced
'Cannibalr' roared somebody.
The little lieutenant smiled sweetly.
while the patient line snickered.
Thirty pounds " rice" ordered the
lieutenant
"um-huhr' said the COssack captain.
"a japanese! thought so. It's Jap
anese trick to keep us from getting
supplies"
So the muttered laments Kept up I'M
I'll the lieutenant finished his purchases
and squeezed himself out through the
crowd on the side and disappeared, fol
lowed by large retinue Of COssacks
and Chinese bearing his plumber.
There are all sorts of warm clothing
designed especially for bitter cold
weather 10 be found in the Economical
store The overcoats are lined with
sleeps wool and sell at the very rea-
sonable price of ~ rubles about $l3
gold apiece The favorlte coat with
the officers is leather jacket that
looks like the automobile coat worn In
the United States. II Is cahed 1.-THE
Swedish coat" and. being lined with
Sleeps wool. makes garment that is
both warm and very strong for camp
wear. About three out of every five
officers one meets now wear these
coats.
The connolsseur I'm boots would be