Gilpin observer., 1913-10-30


Luscher sitting peacefully in
his office. You wouldn't think
at casual glance he was Soldier
of Fortune" says a writer In the Kan
sas City Star.
Well. he isnt-as the term has come
to be used to describe every wanderer
who strayed beyond the bounds of his
native country. Let a track laborer
return from Mexico and he's sol
dier of fortune" The same goes for
a Cooks tourist
But there used to be real soldiers
OF fortune who had real adventures
In unreal countries. Richard Harding
Davis made a fortune writing about
them. but most of them have been
written out. Perhaps there is new
crop growing up In strange countries
waiting to come home with new sto-
ries- However, there aren't many of
them these dull days that have new
stories to tell.
That's why 1t is surprising to find
Doctor Luscher sitting peacefully in
his office and chatting about the
times he used to chase headhunters
In Formosa with native Chinese
troops.
II was so unexpected. You wouldn't
judge Doctor Luscher to be the sort
OF man who plunged through dank
jungles and over bleak mountains to
run down the head hunting savages
Of an untamed country. The doctor
seems to be too courteous to take
part in anything of that sort. Still,
he's not so young as he used to be
and there is no telling what an ad-
venturous soul he used to be when he
slept under tropical stars. There
must have been a powerful spirit of
unrest within him. for It is known
that he has served under four flags
before he settled down to staid prac-
tice here
Served Under Four FLAGS.
Doctor Luscher was present when
American troops moved against In
dians on the plains. when Cubans met
Spaniards and when mongrel met
mongrel in Honduras. Also he has
seen the Chinese troops charge with
gongs and flags and devils heads
against deadly aim OF waiting and
grinning French soldiers. He has
seer the headhunters skipping through
the tangled bush and has been fortu-
spears aimed at him
All OF these things are written in
his memory. which goes to show that
you never can tell about your neigh.
Dor. Really you wouldn't suspect II
OF the doctor as he sits peacefully in
his office in the Argyle building AT
Twelfth and McGee streets.
An article published in the Star
last Sunday told how Japan is open.
ing military campaign against the
headhunters on Formora. The head
hunters are OF Malay descent and
were probably cast on the coast OF
Formosa by storms at sea. Since
man can remember they have been
undesirable, with their head hunting
and cannibal practices. China used
to own the island. but 1t was sick
md tired OF II when Japan came along
in 1895 and took It In as war prize.
Japan has Its own troubles with the
natives who have only vague and in
distinct ideas Of the correct mode of
behaving toward their fellow men.
They eat their enemies and they
haven't friend on earth. Altogether
they are wicked race. but they have
been making both ends meet. after a
manner Of speaking. by hiding away
In the tops Of the rugged mountains
OF Formosa.
II was into these mountains that
Doctor Luscher went with TOO Chi
nese soldiers In 1886. Immediately
after China had been counted out In
the Franco Chinese war. Doctor
Luscher had been the only medical
man with the Chinese army in the
war. having organized a hospital corps
OF nifty men.
The headhunters had been killing
the Chinese camphor wood cutters in
the mountains, Reports had been
drifting down to the government. but
China was SO busy trying and failing
TO whip France with magic charms
and Incantations that It didn't have
time to get after the wild tribes. 1t
was great sport for the headhunters.
swooping down on the helpless Chi
nese who were gathering camphor
wood In the forest and butchering
them At last China found time to
start after the savages after peace
W.T. France had been establishe<