Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-02-27
Polish Soldier Captures
Twelve Russians and Is
Made a Corporal.
HIS SUPERIOR OFFICER
HAS DOUBTS OF EXPLOIT
But Says His Hero" Is So Smart
He Could Pebble Songs
to Birds.
Copyright. 1918. by Herbert cney1

copyright 1915. by Herber, Corey,
BERLIN, February 6.-His name is
1tsky.
At any rate. that is what his officer
called him. His officer doesn't partic-
ularly care for Itsky. He said So He
went into particulars about Itsky's past
and probable future that fully account
ed for his frame of mind He cares
for Itsky so little that he calls him by
the nickname the other soldiers in his
GaIician regiment have given him.
rather than by the name opposite
number on the books of the war office
which same number appears on the ut
tie brass check Itsky wears around his
neck. and by which he will be identified
if he dies on the field.
But he will not die said the officer
nessimistieally He is ;, too 5;,as smart
Itsky is red-headed. with cast in
ore eye He is noisy, good humored
and lazy The officer says he is not
TO be trusted at any time. Itsky has
the felonious habit of preferring his
own advantage to that of the German
empire. But he is not often punished,
because he is not often caught. He is
brave enough, but he does not fight
rasbly.
Another man would have made a
better corporal" SAIL the officer.
1t happened in Russian Poland.
Russians The weather was bitterly
cold The fighting had. been of the
ride and tic order. The armies
marched and fought continuously They
had no chance to dig into trenches, in
which fires might be built and meas
ure of comfort obtained At night they
slept in the mud and snow. II they
came to the habitations OF peasants the
poor folk We're routed out remorse-
iessly The frozen soldiers slept under
:, roof that night.
Itsky on Outpost Duty.
Il had to send Itsky out on outpost
duty" said the officer. 81 knew L
should not. But he seemed the strong
est in his company.
At this point the officers theory and
1tskys account begin to differ me
officer believes that Itsky hid himself
in little hollow and built little nre:
Now and then he crept to the top OF
the hill in the darkness and looked
fearfully about for the enemy l1shy
says he paced to and fro-to and fro-
the long night through
1T was not until dawn that they
came upon me-" he told the officer.
The officer says he found the next
day he place where fire had been
built, and around which many mem
perhaps dozen-had toasted their
feet throughout the night. 1t was in
the hollow where 1tsky had been he
wonders that SO faithful sentry did
not see them.
They fell upon me from behint.
Itsky says. Il had not seen them, nor
heard them.
1t was then. he says. that they built
the fire. There We're dozen OF the
Russians Great, bearded creatures. in
sheepskin coats. Itsky found they
talked his own Polish dialect. They
sat about the Goals and chatted me
dozen were inarticulate peasants. It
sky's tongue had been whetted by
in N4rSaW
why should we fight?" he asked.
Are we not brothers,
The Russians considered this dumblE.
They did not know why they were
fighting. After painful thought they
could not give one good reason why
they were fighting. The Little Fa-
Their had told them to fight, that was
all They were his children
..He did not tell YOU to fight me-.
said Itsky.
The Russians agreed. There had
1t was simply that they We're TO fight.
In the performance of that duty they
had captured their brother. 1tsky. BY
and by he would be sent to Siberia.
That was all.
eat
- The Russians produced hunks of
black bread from their knapsacks,
missary caught up they would have
some cabbage soup, they said. Mean
while il was not for them to murmur
All their lives they had eaten black
bread, with little cheese
Feeds Chicken to Captors.
see what have said Itsky.
In his knapsack were the remains of
a chicken, which had been broiled dur
ing the night over an open fire in a
hollow. There were eggs. some
peasant woman had scratched Itsky on
the right cheek.
"AlI German soldiers have this-and
more" lied Itsky. grandly-
The Russians thought that over in
silence. Itsky divided his chicken with
the corporal. The corporafs lips
smacked. 1tsky passed him an egg.
II have eaten too many eggs said
Itsky. II am tired of them.
The sun was an hour high. The
corporal stirred his tired legs slowly,
and suggested that they return to
camp. He wished to turn Itsky over
20 his superiors
shall ] have good food to eat as a
prisoner" Itsky asked.
The corporal thought not He ven
tured the suggestion that prisoners
we're rarely fed as well as their hosts.
lie looked at Itsky sadly. This Polish
brother had given him of chicken to
eat. Itsky suggested that his brothers
release him. The corporal shook his
head.
II could not face my captain" said he.
the corporal He began to talk as he
did in the old days when he chartered
with the Warsaw housewives.
Why face him at alp he asked
Look you. 1t would be no honor for
vou--twelve men, and all strong-to
walk into camp leading one poor little
brother. And you go back to cabbage
soup and black bread-ach. my stomach
turns at the thought Why do not YOU
surrender to me, my brothers? You
would be we'll fed In our German prison
camps. Chicken you shall have, and
eggs. and meat once a day. i shall be
made a corporal
So that noon 1tsky walked into the
camp of his Galician regiment will
twelve Russians trailing behind him
The Russians smiled at every German
they met. They rubbed their stomachs
Most OF the talk was of chicken anc
eggs and meat once day. Itsky de
liy.-ed the twelve to his captain.
so that is why Itsky was made
corporal said the officer. He said i
was promise"