The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-24

and interested in politics, also how he
fought in the Philippines and won
medal for bravery in the Chinese war.
Father was a sea captain he said,
fitting his long fingers together, and
left England to take us youngsters
away from the water. We sailed 20
the states on the S. S. Kansas and
came Immediately to the Sunfiower
state. Father died soon after and
went to work as blacksmith appren-
tice in the Santa Fe shops at Topeka.
I haven't had any playtime since was
eleven years old. When the Spanish
war broke out in 1893 I was fired with
enthusiasm and wanted to enlist; final
" 1 scrape1 up my courage and told
mother. DO you really want to go?'
she said, I have six and think one of
you ought to enlist. I was hoping you
would be the one to CO.
Mr.. Tasker Joined the Twenty-f1rst
Kansas Volunteer Infantry, but typhoid
broke out Lofore they sailed from the
south. Volunteer nurses were wanted,
ano Robert, gallant, young, longing for
adventure, quietly stepped forward and
offered his services for his sick COM
rades. He came home with new ideas
of warfare, but enlisted with the
Fourteenth United States Infantry
when the Philippine insurrection took
place Next came the Boxer uprising
and Tasker. with the other foreign
devils landed at Taku- MISSIONARIES,
converts, and Christians were being
most hideously butchered.
Germans, French, Russians. Japs
italians, English. Indians and Ameri-
cans came to the rescue said IIr
Tasker. quietly, "a miscellaneous army
of $4,000 men against 175. 600 armed
Cinnamon. You should have seen the
Americans fight; they were first in
every encounter. 1 tell you right here
the American soldier is til greatest
lighting machine in the world There
were convicts in the French armies
end Siberians among the Russians.
they didn't fight; they butchered We'll.
our first battle was at Peit-tsrn; then
came Yang-sang; the worst fight and
the hottest day 1 ever saw. Thousands
died, and there was no water. Our lips
cracked and our tongues We're swollen
Clint Graham. my chum, a Kansas bow,
was wounded; spied him on an en-
bankment after the fight. How do YOU
feel?' said L All in Clint answered.
He had been eating wet mud to quench
his thirst. I guess won't pull through
but I'll get some.' Just then some Rus
sian troops shot two shells at us bv
mistake. One tore Clint to pieces
Clint Never Came Back.
Bob Tasker thought he could help
and climbed down to the river. 1t was
courageous thing to do. The stream
was full of dead Cinnamon, and fierce
Boxers Tasker filed several canteens
and climbed back; the Russians had
been informed of their mistake and the
confusion was fearful. Trenches were
dug, the regimental band played
Nearer My God to. Thee" and the
brave boys were buried by the hundred
.Clint was taken to a hospital said
MI. Tasker. slowly. q I'll be back
Bob said he. But he never came.''
The troops skirmished. bombarde6
Tong-Chou and reached the walls OF
Pekin.
Did you know it is the largest city
in the world2' questioned Mr.. Tasker
the population can only be estimated
Thirty or forty live in one small. filthy
room The whole place is surrounded
by wall 90 feet high. and wide enough
for three carriages to drive along or
top of with ease. That wall was built
1000 years ago. made of stone, and
filed with dirt that long ago became
petrihed. The city is IA miles long and
a. miles wide, and there are three divi-