Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-25
III
10 NI

~ u.s.
Then came the sound Of military mu-
sic. Mono was delighted. Once more
he shouted, xii, bang, bang, KILL" as
he thrust out his small arms right and
left.
"Momo," said Tama, In a quivering
voice, please do not say that any
more" And Mono and Tama remain
ed very still till they could no longer
hear the tramplng Of brave feet, or the
sound of the great music of war.
Toward the end Of May news reach
ed Osaka Of the success Of the Jap
anese army In Manchuria. Yorlmasa
had been mentioned in the dispatches
to Toxic for conspicuous bravery. The
Japanese army had succeeded In beat
Ing the Russians back from a line of
hills mile north Of Kin-chan, and they
now took possession Of them prepare
tory to taking the stronghold held by
the enemy on Nanshan hill.
On the eve Of the great battle of
Nanshan, Tama had a strange dream.
She dreamed that she stood side by
side with her husband in the fourth
division upon the bloody battlefield. She
heard the roar of the gunboats, the
shouting Of the officers, and saw the
awful havoc Of the big guns devastat-
ing doom. When the order was given
for the Osaka men to storm the heights
and capture Nanshan hill, she felt her
self being swept along by the dauntless
soldiery Of Japan and always shoulder
to shoulder with her dear lord. Higher
and higher climbed the Osaka men,
leaving a trail Of dead behind them.
Now it seemed that Yorimasa and
Tama headed the division. With q
great shout Yorimasa rushed forward.
He was the first to reach the battle
ments. He almost succeeded In scaling
them, when he was shot down with the
cry Of MY Emperor" upon his lips.
But no welcome shot had entered into
the aching heart Of Tama. She stood
unseen when the Japanese standard
fiuttered triumphant from Nanshan
hill. The silken emblem of the Rising
Sun touched her cheek, and it seemed
like the passing Of Yorimasa, like the
touch Of his hand that now was very
still.
When 1t was dusk Tama descended
into the valley and saw a great stretch
Of brave men sleeping the last long
sleep Of death. AS she stood, the moon
light shining upon the grim battlefield,
she seemed to hear soft. clear trum-
pet call. Low it sounded at first, and
then gradually grew In volume; but 1t
was always soft in tone, always be-
seeching, wonderful, eerie. And it seem
ed, as lama stood spellbound by the
sweet call, that the spirits Of the JAP
anese army silently, slowly arose from
all the still figures upon the battle
field. White soldier souls came down
from Nanshan hill, and Tama saw that
her lord was among them. Again and
again the trumpet call sounded, and
marching in perfect line stepped that
great army of soldier souls far out into
the night, into the Great Meads where
country
make merry at last.
That was Tama's dream. and a few
days later news was brought to her
that her husbands name was upon the
death roll, and that he had died even
as Tama had dreamed. And when
Tama asked If the army had heard the
phantom trumpet call and seen the sol
der souls march across the battlefield,
the officials looked at her pitifully and
said that they had heard no such news
Two months passed away when It'd
lngs were brought to Osaka to the eff
feet that even now the glorious fourth
| division was crossing the sea.
Tama and Mono, dressed IN the
white robes Of mourning, watched the
army pass. Suddenly, as line after
line came by, Tama gave cry of Joy
Look, Mono! There is fatherI"
Mono leaned out Of the window.
where, dear motherT
There, there, just by the gate now
Cannot you see him?"
mo, mother, cannot see him. Just
a space left open, because father was
very brave, that is ALL"
Mono, Mono, but l can see him
So happy, so peaceful, he looks to-day
Presently, this very evening, he will
come TO me in the garden. He told me
he would come back to me in the gar
den and know he will keep his prom
Use, Mono"
When the evening came, Tama and