The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-23
JAPANESE ARMY
As SEEN AT PLAY
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
About the ring crouched forty or fifty
Of the naked, 1.-the figures, and the mo-
ment the victor threw his man another
burst into the square and was on the
winner, like a cat on mouse. These
contests We're keen enough, for there
was no long internission between. II
q man lost on his second encounter then
he stepped out and his victor faced all
corners. So sometimes a dozen men
would enter the field before three were
thrown by the same man.
II was noticeable that in nearly
every instance after man had thrown
ms second victim he won out on the
third man. The prestige gained by two
falls and the cheers of his fellows
seemed invariably to fill him with new
and often he would charge
upon his challenger roaring like a bull
and carry him out Of the ring with the
first rush. At the end of each such
pout prizes would be presented. These
were OF cigarettes, notepaper, anything
t u soldier might prize as a luxury.
the officers of the company to which
the contestants belonged.
Inc General's Keen Enjoyment.
The final matches were over before 8
O'Clock and the last athlete of all
awarded the prize amid the cheers of
an enthusiastic audience. All thru the
performance the general watched his
soldiers with the keenness and tender
ness that one notes in the eyes of a
father as he watches his son on the
f M; n field or on the diamond.
would laugh like a child when one of
the wrestlers would suddenly turn de-
feat into victory. Once, after hard
Fought bout and three drawn falls,
when both men went down together, he
stopped the, games and directed the
umpire to give prizes to both contest
ants, so even was the match.
At 6 o 'clock dinner was served to all
the officers who had come in from the
different divisions of the army. On an
elevation just outside the wall of the
ola Chlnese town great quadrangle
with mating. Three great tables down
the tn center and single table across
the top were set with cold viands and
Japanese delicacies.. The whole was
trimmed with a myriad Of little Japan
csc paper blossoms made by the SOL
diers in their leisure hours. Outside,
behind a screen, the third army band
Nogi himself in the center entertained
the. generals who had come in from
their commands, the foreign attaches
and the military correspondents of the
army. -A-.sE 4
Dinner After the Games.
What a scene 1t was! The run was
just setting in the west and it's last
crimson rays fell aslant of the hills
all about us, while the mountains stood
out sharply against the sky. At our
feet was a little valley thru which burst
q; an upr1oarious, tiny stream, swollen far
beyond it's usual meager size by the
past week Of almost incessant down
pour. Hundreds of Chinese in their
blue blouses stood beyond the sacred
Enclosure and eyed with open-mouthed
wonder this scene of hilarity. Five
hundred officers, all in their finest uni:
forms, crowded about the tables and
drank each other s health, consumed the
posed Of gallons sect ii}}apanese beer and
bons, too, wrappecs in bits Of paper
tories in which they were made. :. :,
All thru the army it is thus. Alike
at work and play the Russians are pro
viding for their enterprising little enc
mics. At Dalny we see an entire Rus
sian town, with Russian houses and Rus
sian piers, helping the invader; In Port
ARTHUR, from food supplies to battle
ships, the Russians are supplying thei1
foes. In the front we see the same
| signs everywhere, from bonbons to tn.
great rough Russian transport cart
! with their Russian letters scrawled OF
/ their sides.
.Nogi Greets Each.
After the general had drunk health
to the foreigners present he passe.
down the line of tables, everywher
| stopping to speak to his officers with
| pleasant word and smile for each. A
we watched this old man among hi
children, the bright smiles and gla'
faces Of all, our minds reverted to an
other scene, when, but a short twelve
month ago so many Of these men wer
present. ! No bright uniforms then. N
scene Of celebration and merrimen.t. N
smiling general and rounds Of sake an
i Russian sweetmeats. Then the grea
hills Of Port Arthur loomed for the frs
vision Of these very men. The genera
I we see now, wreathed in smiles an
good humor, then looked upon the grea
Z task which he had come to push thr
to it's bitter end, tho before that en-
could come the blood Of his well-belove
men and Of his one son. must dye thos
hills. It is with a suppressed sigh tina
we think of the many officers an
friends that we, too, have known, VIII
but last year were with us as our host
and cordial entertainers, and who tx
day lie pierced by Russian bullets, c
torn by shrapnel in Manchurian grave
After dinner as all gather on til
terrace, which stretches below an
watch a quadrille danced by Japanes
soldiers dressed in the uniforms Of til
marry nationalities represented anon
us, an English Tommy leads out a
American girl, while the other couple