The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-07-21

Tue aatanoAN ~ thtir fcfufinh oIiNintN
scen' 70 wish TO ahnlhIiats evcry living
thing, and 70 rend even the forest trees
by uicir IRE. Every moment seems
prec ious TO them. Aud they hurry 70
throw shell after shell before the Rus
isians emerge from the wood. Now In.
stead Of peaceful rushing. branchcA.
boughs, and leaves are falling on aR
sides as II a mighty storm were pass
ing through the forest Men, too, are
falling. The grass is red with blood.
and groans are heard ON every aide,
one wounded man lying on the ground
tries to raise himself on his elbow
His feverish eyes are eagerly following
his advancing companions while he II
left behind. His white lips move slow
| ~ and without an audible sound. His
eyes become larger and clearer, lit as
II We're. by some inner light. AS II, in
deed, the soul, weary OF the strife.
were knocking at its windows to at
tract the attention of those kindred
souls outside its earthly habitation, en-
treating them to come to its help ana
free 1t from its deep and cruel torment
But time is short. and the advance has
sounded-he is left behind, and no one
heeds his appeal.
Steadily the regiment marches for
ward. a soldier dropping here and
another there. This time bullet has
gone straight through comrades
heart, another is hit in the breast ana
sinks down with a groan, only just able
to murmur, MY comrades, my COM
rades.' When he succeeds in half rails
| ing himself he finds he is alone. and
only dimly hears the dull tread of the
disappearing soldiers. In an almost
final effort he lifts his eyes II by
chance he may catch sight of some
familiar form, but dark mist OBJ
scures his vision. At last he family
whispers. All, comrades, ah' But ever
and ever onward. passing dead and
wounded passing dying and fallen. the
regiment unheeding marches on. Words
| of command now and again re-echo
through the forest, and at intervals
EXPLANATIONS of No surrenderP Eyes
to the 'front.' sound through the ranks
And so the body moves on.
Presently an officer Is wounded In
, the hand and foot. and Is Obliged to
fall out At the sight of the wounded
officer a soldier leaves the ranks and
asks IL he can assist him, but the look
of the wounded man grows stern, and
with wave of his hand he cries.
Join your rank. shall manage alone
| Get you gone, Peter But Peter did
not move, In spite of the imperious and
reiterated command of his superior
The officer made an attempt to walk.
but was not able to stir, and finally
put his hand on Peters shoulder say
/ ing, We'll, then, lead me away But
although he did so, he felt feeling or
luminosity against his subordinate He
had noticed, too, that on former oc-
cason Peter also offered assistance to
a wounded man. offering to- bring him
to the field hospital. And he put down
Peters action to cowardice. While ac-
ceptng Peters assistance he could not
1 help exclaiming to himself, What a
scoundrel! It's funk makes him lag be-
hind Him. he turned to Peter. you
are pleased at what has happenedT
And glazing sideways at him, added,
l'Glad that they have wounded me?'
"'God Forbid replied Peter. 'Heav-
ems! do you really mean that?'
81 can see it, growled the officer.
again looking searchingly at Peter
Come, speak the truth. Aren't you a
bit glad?
"'How can l be glad, your Worship
why, of course. glad of an excuse
to get out of the fight?'
oh, no, your worship; l am not
pleased
And then they marched on In silence.
the officer still unconvinced, until
eventually they reached place of COM
parative safety. Here Peter left the
officer for a short time while he went
off to find some water, which he only
succeeded in getting after crossing the
] line of fire amid a hail of shell. Hav-
ing revived the wounded man
and attended to his wounds.
they proceeded to the place
where the Red Cross was flying. They
found the ambulance in state of
regular panic. The Japanese were fir
ing on the huts which were filled with
wounded men, thinking that the Rus
sian lines were advancing from there.
Wounded men were receiving fresh
wounds and bearers We're falling in
numbers. 1t was evident that the ia
panese did not see the Red Cross flag,
and mistook the men who were carry
ing the stretchers for army ervice men
bringing up new supplies of ammuni-
ton. .. LIZ
"'They are firing on the Red Cross
said the officer.
pPerhaps they don't see IT, safd
Peter.
Don't see what?'
The Red Cross. The flag must be
, raised. Shall go and raise tt?'
"The officer looked at him. and then
slowly motioned to him with his hand
, and crossed himself.
go he said,
D "And Peter rushed Up to an exposed
position where ain old stump of tree
grew on a ridge. and climbing up II
succeeded, in spite of bullets. in fasten-
ing the nag. But it was at the cost of
his life. Struck by two bullets, he
rolled down. and when they were able
| TO reach him he recovered conscious