The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-01
BY SANO NOULETITCH.

Bf SAto NOt LEIIith.
The first rays of dawn had just
appeared in the sky on the It.
Peters day. when l was -udel%
awakened from my sleep by the sound
of furious shooting. | sat up In my
he'd, the only piece OF furniture left
within the charred walls of our home.
! felt right and lett with m% little
hands for my mother who was lying
next to me when I fell asleep the
night before, but she was no longer
there. IT was stu SO dark that ! could
only make out the outlines OF things.
the sounds | heard struck terror into
my heart. | was alone
The firing of guns went on irccs-
sanity and | thought l could hear
that 1t was close by.
| was half naked. shivering with
cold. and l began to cry. My mother
came running in and tried to comfort
me, but her voice seemed so changed
that shc scared mo even more.
They are lighting. darling" she
said. Your brothers and everybody
is down there. May God and all
His saints protect our house. And
YOU. my own little darling. must
sleep and grow big for your mothers
AXE"
she rearraneed my bed. but suddenly
she stopped and ran outside, l fol
lowed her with my eyes
Al last the firing slackened a little,
and finally ceased altogether. 1t was
now bright daylight, Clouds of smoke
were floating across the fields. and
from affair came the sound of heavy
ex pIoslons. Women We're passing by
on the road carrying water and pro-
visions. My mother. too. took bag
and a jug and went away. telling me
To stay quietly where l was ! let her
get out of sight and started out in
search OF adventure myself.
As soon as l left the village | met
men returning from the fight. many
of them CHASTITY pale and bleeding. I
felt terribly worried about my broth.
ers and asked everybody about them,
but no one answered me.
7 ran along the rocky uneven road
as fast IS | could. TIL l hurt my foot
and sat down on arock. / wiped the
tears from my eyes and saw that my
hands were covered with blood.
looked around and saw that the
ground was covered with blood every
where,
The sun was nov rising beyond the
summit of The Accused Mountain
and its rays played on the bloody dew
drops on the grass and flowers.
l understood and shivered With hor-
rof. y number Of men were digging
close by ! stood up and ran to-
wards them. pausing by their side.
They were talking among them
selves and seemed alarmed at the
sight of an old man approaching them
with dragging steps,
"Why does he come here today. poor
old man." they ssked. He was TO re
leve his sons in camp and now H.
comes to see them buried"
There are no words to relieve i
sorrow such as his" said another He
bore up we'll when he lost his older
boys but this one was the apple OF
his eye"
The old man was getting quite close
now. He saluted the men who re-
turned his greeting In silshce but not
a single one dared took at him
Ibid We lose many rler today" he
asked IS he eat down on the rocks
between the two dead bodies.
fes. Atttsaun, Il greet many hut
M e0epR lost manr mere
What Dc all these headless bodies
meano"
They surprised orr outposts Our
men would not leave the trenches alive
Mitchaun sat long silent. then he
drew a deer sigh. threw back his head
and said almost in a whisper. And
where NAV my poor Niliya be-"
Nobody answered. The old man I'M
derstood. turned pale. and looked from
one face to another with the express
sion OF diving animal
Stefan" he suddenly cried when
his eyes found the one he was look :
ing for what have you done with my
Nfiliy4F ND YOU have the courage TO
sss22-s--" hina from the battlefield before
they cnt his head OFF,
Il did carry him back, uncle a
Young man replied.
Where is he?''
Close by YOU, under the stones
another repiied.
Mitchaun bent towards the right.
raised a corner OF the strouka and
looked at his dead boys face with a
sad smile
"Miliya," he suddenly cried In a
voice thar cgt deeply ,mto the heart of
everyone. who heard him Then a real
smile came tn his face. smile that
EXPRESSED his deem contempt of life and
its sufferngs' silent smile a thou
sand times mere eloquent than words
That was III. Nitchaun covered hts
dead boys face, tonR o pipe from his
belt. cleaned II. ard asked for some
tobacco. a Young man hurriedlv filled
his nine. lit II and handed II back
Mitchaun began to smoke.
When they carried the bodies awav
he followed behind, and wher they had
placed them in tho grave he bent for