Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-31
Mistellaaeuus Reading.
cossAcks AS SCOUTS.

cossAcKs AS SCOUTS.
One Of Them Relates an Experience In
the War.
Among the many soldiers tales re-
ceived from the front there is the fol-
lowing narration published in the Sar-
atoff Listok in the actual words Of a
Cossack and teeming with naive hu-
NOR, says the London Globe:
Don't believe, sir, all that that Mkt
for tells you. You know he halls from
the village Of Kebekoffka, the people
Of which, all and sundry, are famous
as braggarts, and he tells lies just like
all the rest. But will tell you the
truth Of the affair. I come from Kebe-
koffka. Well, we were with the whole
division as 1t retreated from Caimai-
tsi. After we had gone days march
we were disbanded and formed small
detachments. Nikifor, Panas and
were sent off to reconnoiter The sun
was going down, so we halted and in
trenched ourselves as well as we could.
The scent Of flowers was all around
us. Manchuria Is, indeed. heathen-
ish land, and therefore will-still II Is
a lovely place. Before we laid our
selves down to rest we thought we
would take bath In little river that
ran before US at a distance of about a
couple hundred PAGES. You know, we
Orthodox must have our bath. We
had gone only a few steps when we
observed about dozen almond eyed
yellow skins. The devil only knows
where the rascals had come from, but
there they were, just as IL they had
popped out Of the ground.
True 1t is that the yellow skins are
not the worst enemies, although they
are so sly and artful. We were not
exactly frightened on seeing the enemy
in larger numbers than ourselves; all
the same It became unpleasant when
the foe advanced against US at sharp
trot What was to be done? We had
left our rifles and bayonets behind.
There was no help for 1t. We must try
to get the better Of the yellow skins
by cunning. So while the Japanese
were hidden in small ravine as they
were coming up we hid ourselves. Pa
mas climbed up big tree growing most
conveniently and disappeared among
its branches. / crept into a large thick
ct. and Nikioff ran down to the river
and hid himself so carefully among the
powders that he could scarcely be
seen. We managed to hide ourselves
Just in the nick of time, for the aim
oud eyed foe came up and halted just
| In front Of the thicket In which was
concealed. Then in their heathenish
language, which no honest Christian
understands (Nikifor says he can
make out what they say but Nikifor
comes from Kebekoffka). the little yel-
low rascals held council Of war. Be-
fore could repeat three Paternosters
the yellow devils had settled what they
would do.
Nine OF them rode of in various d.
rections, while the tenth, who seemed
to be in command, stationed himself so
close to my thicket that could almost
have seized him In my arms. cursed
my lot In not having my rifle with me,
for II would have been so easy to have
settled the rascal with one thrust of
my bayonet dared scarcely breathe
as I kept my eyes on the foe. How
trim and clean he was in brand new
uniform with facings Of rich embroid-
cry in gold!
"All at once the Japanese took a
piece of paper out Of his pocket and
opened 1t. In twinkling he had
turned the paper into a drinking cup.
Then he walked down to the river,
took a deep breath. filled his paper
goblet with the refreshing water and
bore 1t to his lips. envied him that
draft. AS l watched him and saw
that the draft was greatly to his lik-
ing I could not help calling out to him.
like a good Christian, Good health!
Great heavens! What was the result
of my doing so? The Japanese pulled
whistle out of his pocket and blew
shrill blast on it, and in a twinkling up
popped his comrades from all sides.
They dragged me out Of the thicket
and handcuffed me. Well. while I was
considering how 1 could manage to
give them the slip Nikifor called to
me from the river bank, Ivan, you
surely are not going to surrender to
those fellows? Then down he popped
his silly head, but he was too late. II
he had not betrayed himself by calling
out, the Japanese would never have
found him. AS 1t was, they went after
him and returned to me dragging Nj
kifor along. 1t served him right for
interfering in my affairs without being
asked to give his opinion.
$50 the Japanese made ready to take
us away with them. Just as we were
roving Off Panas calls out mockingly
from his hiding place in the tree top:
oh, you fatheads, you fatheads. II
only you had kept your tongues quiet
Our comrades scorn, coming from his
hiding place, made us mad with rage.
We wanted to get at him, but the Jap
enese, the yellow heather, broke out
into fiendish laughter, and then one OF
them skipped up the tree and dislodged
the shamefaced Panas by prodding
him with a bayonet. We were march
ed off to pass the night with our cap
tors, who did not have the laugh over
us very long. for on the morrow we
managed to escape from them"
What They Hope For.
The Christian Herald asked a num-
ber Of distinguished Americans this
question:
What in your opinion is the most
desirable thing to be hoped for by the
A panpla during the four wears