The San Francisco call., 1913-10-07
The Miracle

Il the time when Germany had
| ~ just extended her CONSUMPTION
laws to take in Poland it was no
unusual site to see Polish peasants
| leaving their homes carrying their
few poor belongings on their backs
walking toward the frontier The
groups were nearly always the same
Ia number Of young men and women
led by patriarch.
This little group of homeless which
! met also had it's patriarch, old
Father CLAUS. The others were young
Simon and Johan and two Young
women, Maria and Theresa. While
they We're marching Father CLAUS
entertained them, singing the Polish
patriotic songs forbidden by the
German authorities. He was a vet
eran of the war of 1863 and knew
by heart all the songs of Poland's
victories. He sang them in his old
trempling voice, occasionally Joined
by the sonorous voices of the young
men, while the women anxiousiy
looked about to make sure that there
We're no constables within earshot.
One hot afternoon the troupe halt
ed under a clunp of trees to eat
their black bread and sour cheese.
Listen said Father CLAUS. land
viii tell you a story of the mir
acle which is in time to give POLAND
back her independence Listen. that
you may be able to tell the story to
your children-for you must tell it
10 them Just as you must teach them
the Polish language and songs.
When I was young and strong
served as sergeant in stanislaus
brigade. With us was also a woman.
one Of the holy martyrs who lived
and fought with the armies of Po-
land then.
We never saw her. except during
the lighting, for during the rest of
the time she remained in her tent.
But when the sound of the rifles was
heard in the forests and the big guns
were laundering on the plains, she
was always in the front rank among
the fighters, calm and fearless. face
to 4sice with the Cossacks, tall and
radiant in the midst of the horrors
of death.
HE LOVED HER
i loved that woman. children, as,
indeed, every one of us did Now
and then l was permitted to talk to
her, hold her horse. bring her water
and do other small things for her
1T was the night before the dread
full battle of Brody. We were march
ing in darkness. while the rain was
pouring down in torrents / remained
near her all the time. and we talked
good deal together.
- You must help me-. she said, if
be captured by the enemy. You
must kill me if that happens. Swear
on the gold crucifix that you will do
that
i swore on the golden crueifix she
carried. my eyes looking straight
into hers. She must have seen my
soul in my eyes. for suddenly she
bent down and kissed my hand the
hand of a miserable sergeant. an
ordinary peasant. 1t was then she
said to me that every one of us was
a champion of the cross. Dawn came
and the battle began. the bloodiest
we had ever seen. When evening
came we were beaten and fleeing be-
fore the Cossacks. They rode us
down, yelling like mad devils.
we were together-she and I. We
ran like hunted animals, tired and
! bleeding. At dawn we were sur
rounded and taken prisoners. before
l could keep my promise to her.
/ The commander of the Cossacks
ordered my beautiful companion car
ried to his tent, but she asked to be
permitted to say her prayers first He
shrugged his shoulders and laughed
as he said he would give her five
minutes She kneeled down and folded
prayed fervently for several moments
and then she picked handful of
/ earth.
| aDo you believe in a God? she
| asked the Hetmann.
TEARS OF BLOOD
HE bowed his head.
| sThen look here, she cried, the
sacred soil of Poland which you are
desecrating is crying tears of blood.
| The wrath of God will strike you
| down. Looki'
"She held out her hand and blood
dripped from it, tears of blood from
| the dirt she held in her hand.
"'Poland shall never perish as long
| as there are men and women willing
| to shed their blood for her. she
| cried. and threw the dirt into the
Hetmann's face. She picked up new
handful which colored her whole arm
red with blood. The Cossacks fell
| back, some making the sign OF the
cross, others invoking the help OF
! Allah.
"The Hetmann said nothing. His
! face was stained with blood from the
,5;rA che had ftxrnx-v 1;,,, Thar