Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-02-15
ilLilllhulhh SLll mi I'M kiulL.n lll.IAliA.
The Jap Veterans Story
[Original.l

IOriginal.l
Lieutenant no Kurata occupied a pc
culiar position with our forces in Man
churia. lie was the most cffeminatc
man for Il soldier I ever knew. The
army is no place for gentlemen, at least
without bravery, and many of us felt
contempt for Kurata. Nevertheless
tracted us. We had not seen him in ac-
ton and did not know how he would
behave; therefore l for one was dis
posed to suspend judgment.
But circumstances prevented my re.
naming i'll this dispassionate mood to-
ward Kurata. He was taken i'll and
removed to the hospital. Soon after l
| also was obliged to go under the care
| Of the surgeons and was taken to the
same hospital and put in the same
ward as he. There were several volum-
teer nurses in attendance, young ladies
Of good families in IIakodate, who fit
ted here and there among us like am
gels. Among them was Il who to me
was especially charming. Her name
| IdllSlulCu lulO tOUl uuSC "oultl
be Cherry. There is little Of the cherry
in our Japanese compleXions, but there
was Il slight tingc of red in Cherry's
cheeks, and her eyes were very bright.
She was especially kind to me, and 1
learned to look eagerly for her coming
TO my bedside. Indeed when she was
absent l was miserable.
That l loved Cherry was revealed to
me in this wise: Kurata occupied a cot
opposite mine, and II morning [ saw
Cherry go to him and ask how he was
getting On. l saw tears in his eyes as
he replied. Tears in the eyes Of a sol
der. l gave way to the contempt |
had thus far depressed. Then [ saw
Cherry take his hand, press it warmly
and look tenderly in eyes that respond
ed With equal tenderness. Instinctively
was not at my side. That is how I
learned that 1 loved Cherry.
We We're getting ready for a fight,
and l insisted on being discharged
from the hospital that 1 might take
my place at the front. Before setting
forth l could not refrain from saying
some ill natured words to Cherry about
the sympathy that was passing be-
tween her and Kurata. l was so dis
agreeable about it that Cherry told me
to mind my W business. That bust
ness being to fight, I went forth to kill
as many Russians as possible.
This was just before the battle Of
Liaoyang. Kurata rejoined us before
the fight opened, and, though his health
was fairly we'll restored, his spirits
We're much depressed. He seemed to
me to be nervlng himself to meet the
trying ordeal in store for all of US.
When that ordeal came I saw him eX-
posing himself recklessly during the
heat Of the fight, but when u part in
it was over he collapsed. We who had
watched his bravery with surprise and
admiration were suddenly turned back
to contempt at seeing him tumble over
in a faint. Some said that he had left
the hospital too soon. This satisfied
others, but I was not in a position to
do him justice.
On the third day Of the fight felt Il
numbness in my leg and a sudden col
lapse of nerve power. Looking down,
l say 4 red stream running down my
trousers into my boot. I tra1nped Oh
for q few minutes, then sank down and
in time was carried to the rear on L
stretchcr. \ temporary hospital had
been set up in a field, which was
crowded with wounded. Some Of the
nurses l had seen during my illness
We're there. but it was no place for
we'll persons save surgeons, who We're
. cutting and saving in the manner usu-
al at Il battle.
i. One sight I saw maddened me. ku-
rata had been severely wounded, and
kneeling beside him, holding his hand
and encouraging him while he waited
for Il surgeon to attend him, was Cher
~. Presently she Went to one Of the
surgeons, and l saw that she was
pleading with him to go to her lover,
for could not doubt that such was the
relation between her and Kurata. The
surgeon Went with her and, unbutton-
ing the wounded mans coat, ripped
open his shirt. Cherry was between
me and the wounded man, so that l
, could not see what was going on. but
i, there were some words between the
surgeon and Cherry, who got Il blanket
and held it between Kurata and the
rest Of us.
l supposed that Kurata was liable to
lie under the extraction of the bullet
" whatever the surgeon should do to
him, but in 4 field hospital filled with
men, some One Of whom was dying
every few minutes, l could see no ne
cesslty for so much delicacy. Blu what
could be expected IN the case of a mars
who would faint after Il fight? Well.
doubtless the boy had got his Quietus.
and | should no longer be puzzled
about him.
When Kurata had been attended to
Cherry bent over him and kissed him.
Though | had long given her up to him,
the sight Sutled me. and | was mean
enough to wish that Kurata might die
Of his wounds. Cherry, turning. noticed
me. and | saw anxiety in her eyes at