The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-25
A STUPID
SERVIAN
BY SARAH BAXTER

In the great world war, while the al
lies were fighting in the Balkans, one
day they captured some prisoners
One of them, Bulgarian, told the
French officer who captured him that
he was a Servian who had been i'm
pressed into the Bulgarian service.
He did not wish to fight against his
own countrymen, but for them. He
wished to be enrolled in the ranks Of
the allies.
He had been captured by a French
company commanded by Captain Le-
fevre. The captain had lost many men
and was anxious to fill his depleted
ranks. Therefore, instead of sending
the man to the Servian commander, he
put him in among his own men. Boris
was the captured mans name-that is,
his first name. His other name would
be unpronounrcable in English; there.
fore it is not given
Boris was found to be without the
ordinary requirements for efficiency
He seemed never to have been drilled
and his captain at once put him under
q sergeant with orders to teach him
the manual of arms. In an hour the
sergeant reported to the captain that
the man was too stupid to learn any
thing He seemed to be an ignorant
peasant, more like a beast Of burden
than man. The captain concluded
to report the case to his colonel, who
ranOrtad n IN tha paporo1 command ia ~
the brigade. The general was con-
stantly finding the necessity for getting
a view of the enemy.
Boris reported to the general and
was made an orderly, a man to do
IIch work for his chief as required no
special education. But the general,
having been informed Of his stupidity,
didn't trouble him to do anything but
stand up to be shot. The first time
the officer went to the front to have
look at his enemy he chose a spot
where good view was to be had and
ordered the man to go out and see If
there was an enemy near.
Boris, instead of obeying the order.
put his hat on the muzzle Of his rifle,
held it up and got bullet through it.
II am hunter in my country" he
said. II make my living by getting
the skins Of animals l kill in the
mountains and am a very good shot.
If you will let me climb tree I can
see what you wish me to see and at
the same time pick Off some of the
hated Bulgars."
The general told him to shin up the
nearest tree, which he did, taking care
to keep the trunk between him and
the enemy When he reached the
branches he sang out Justify that the
enemy were some 800 yards dis
tant His rifle cracked, and his COM
mander inferred that a Bulgar had
been dropped. 1t cracked again and
again, while the general asked ques-
tons as to the disposition of the en-
emy's forces. But the replies were so
unsatisfactory, indicating such low in
tellectual condition on the part of the
soldier, that the general desisted and
ordered the man down. Boris begged
that he might be permitted to continue
for awhile to pick off the Swine" Bull
CARS, and the general, who cared moth
ing what he did, left him in the tree
and rode away.
A couple of hours later when he had
forgotten the man. an officer in COM
mand of that part of the line where
Boris was picking off Bulgars went to
the general and said:
"Do you wish, general, that your
orderly should be left up in that tree
for sharp shooting?"
81 don't care whether he is there or
not replied the commander.
"There is something singular about
his Shots" said the other. Taking out
his watch he held it in his hand look
ing at its face There was a shot from
the tree. After an interval of exact
ly thirty seconds there were two shots
in rapid succession. Then there was
an interval of several minutes, when
there were two shots in rapid success
sion, followed by thirty seconds inter
val then four shots near together.
what does it mean?" asked the
general.
81 don't know, but l think the first
shots represented the numbers / and
or -. The second bunch of shots
may represent 3D. l shouldn't be
surprised if the fellow is sending
messages to the enemy by a code
Twelve may mean You are firing too
| high and 80 Farther to the left"
A sudden light burst out in the gen
erals eye. Bring the fellow here" he
| said.
The officer went off to execute the
order, but found shells dropping all
| about the tree in which the stupid
Servian was stationed and didn't think
it prudent to go near 1t. He called to
Boris, but Boris could not or pretend
ed he could not hear him. Six shots
rang out from the tree in quick sue
cession. A line of Bulgars sprang over
their works, and within a couple of
minutes their line had advanced be-
yond the tree from which they had
been getting signals.
The advance was maintained, and
the French We're obliged TO dig them.
selves in several hundred yards to the