The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-04-02
DISRECARDS The
DOCTORS ADVICE
And Only Smiles at Government
Protest : Acts Like Boy in
Firing Line Joy Fol-
lows Victory
(By United Press Staff corregooDd.

ent)
Nlsh, Servia, March 9-(By mail TO
New York THE one man Who more
than anyone else deserves all the
credit for the great Servian victory
over the Austrians last December s
King Peter himself.
King Peter is more than 70 years
ol age. He is so crippled with rheu.
matsm, contracted from sleeping on
the rainy battlefields Of the last two
Balkans wars, that he can scarcelv
walk Yet he entered the first line
trenches in that desperate fighting "a
preserve his little kingdom and so in
spired his army that. the Austrians
lied from Servian soil, leaving behind
10000 in killed and wounded and 4o..
600 prisoners.
The story was told me today by DR..
Wukitchevitch, the kings private phy-
sician. He is probably the only man
in Servia who witnessed the entire
drama.
Toward the end Of November
said DR. Wukitchevitch. Il was with
his majesty in the southern part Of
Servia at the baths of Vrania. where
he was undergoing treatment. The
news came to us of the Servian re-
treat from the plains of the Yader and
from the Koulouhara, You can imag-
inc the sadness of it all. The Aus.
trians were within ten leagues of our
arsenal and ammunition factory at
kragouievatz and the occupation Of
belgrade seemed certain. The enemy
flattered himself that he would finish.
our little kingdom by one single blow
His majesty became taciturn and
depressed But on the night of No
vember %. he came to dinner radiant
and happy
] have ordered a train for six to-
morrow, he said to me. ] am going
to the front with my soldiers. We will
defeat them or die together
4 was astonished ! protested that
his state of health would not permit
him to go, but at in the morning we
We're on our way AT Nish, M. Pate
hitch, the prime minister, appeared.
He brought the governments protest.
It would be folly. he said. for the king
to continue. But his majesty only
smiled, bit grimly and signalled for
the train to continue
AT the last railway station an
automobile met us. From Rousaik.
the king was carried by two soldiers
on a litter He appeared to gain
strength at every yard and when fin
ally the soldiers brought him to the
second line trenches he was half smil.
ing. half crying with joy He de-
scended from the litter, seized the flag
and kissed it devoutly Soldiers came
running from all sides.
Men, it seems that you are tired,
said his majesty The Austrians have
invited You not to fight any one, to
return to your wives and families.
You are free to do what you will but
for me, l shall cling to this flag.
shall fight to the last ditch with those
who choose to remain with me-
There was moment of impressive
silence Then the mayor OF nearby
village, the highest ranking officer Of
the reserves. present. stepped for
ward
'Goepedarou, '(Sire) he said We
are with you to the end. Every man
here will die before he yields
"That night we slept in a nearby
village. The next morning we rejoin-
ed the army Of Kosmon. They escort
ed us to village where the first line
trenches rested and Austrian shells
were falling all about us.
at was impossible to restrain his
majesty His cane was dropped and
he hobbled into the firing line He
picked up the rifle of dead soldier
and began firing. Only when his