The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-18


its wake lifted some Of us off our
feet An instant later another hit be-
low US, putting gun out Of commits
sion. A French officer beside me
was getting enthusiastic, every time
the Chinese made a good shot. he
cried, Tres bienl Tres bienr with
such evident admiration that could
hardly think that he realized that he
was a part of the target Whilst |
was watching shell whisked one of
the Japanese officers off the deck |
saw splash, and where a man stood
millionth Of second before there
was nothing
"Ohl That's all remembered
When came to my senses ! could
see that out OF all who were on the
deck there was only one other besides
myself alive 1t was the Frenchman
Scattered around the deck we're the
broken bodies Of the others who had
watched the fighting with us Blood
was running from my mouth. my left
arm was broken. my shoulder blade
was sticking through my skin and my
collar bone was driven inward My
whole left side was shattered The
Frenchman was sitting with his back
against a broken turret, holding a
large wound together with one hand
as he bound it with the other.
"'What happened3' cried
Nothing answered monsieur,
only the Chinese made an excellent
shot, hit the turret. and killed every
one but US The doctor says you are
going to die and shall live | am
sorry to have to bid you good bye
THANK yer, SAID. in as pleasant
a tone as could. and turned my
head to die. looking at the belchng
guns OF the enemy. and again lapsed
into Inconsistencies When came
out Of the hospital was unacquainted
with the new features they had given
me collected my two hundred yen
day for the time was in the
Mikado's service. and then | departed
for America
"Just before the Russo Japanese
war broke out a letter came to me
down in the Yakui valley where |
was working on hole IN the ground
expecting to run across vein Of
gold 1t said they wanted engineers
and | was offered four hundred yen
a day to take risks Did accept
Well, | take risks mostly for nothing,
and here was two hundred dollars
day for amusing myself 1t wasn't
very long before was on Pacific
liner bound for the Mikado's island
empire.
My first job was advisory agent to
the transport officers, who were the
most ake-shift men have ever seen
Things must 60 according to learning
or they don't go, with the Jap The
war had been going on some time, and
the Japanese were shaking up Gen
eral Stossel pretty badly Sixteen
miles east OF Port Dalney the Japs
were landing their troops, who were
marching inland to attack the Rus
slams, who were holding the railroad
between Port Arthur and Harbin The
Japanese were marching parallel to
the line and were fast getting out Of
touch with their base of supplies Be
sides this the Cossack sharpshooters
were doing some splendid work as
the daily line of Japanese wounded
that poured through Dalney proved
AT Dalney there were hundreds Of
tons of worn-out rails. which had been
discarded by the Russians, useless, |
guess, to anyone but an American
The Japanese generals, alarmed at
their heavy losses. said that further
advance against the Russians must
cease until railroad material arrived
from some foreign port They were
in a blue funk as the Britishers
say, when suggested that they make
use OF the old rails. and any old wood
for ties. The Japanese regarded me
in wonder.
THAT stuff is worn out said the
general | put my proposition up to.
WELL said |. ''t'll be worn in
again if you give me my way And to
my surprise they did
Within twenty-four hours had
bunch Of coolies at my command, and
was soon making a railroad out OF dis
carded material. We were not ten
miles out when the Cossack scouts
started to pick of my workmen with
such regularity that | estimated that
! lost man for every twenty ties
put down. Even with such a terrific
handicap ! laid two miles OF track
day. and as the rolling stock was ar
riying in pieces and being assembled
at Dalney very rapidly. the laps
looked on the venture with high
hopes, and we're doing me all sorts
OF honor. Nevertheless had my
doubts about living lsng enough 10
complete the road to where the Jap
anese intended to make base.
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