New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-09
When the Only Bor-
der in Sight Vas
the Camp at
PeekSkiW.

Down by the river halt is made Again he
turns to the prisoners and contemptuous leer
shapes itself on his lips:
"You lie, parson, when you say there is no
ford here And you, too, boy. | don't believe
you when you deny that this is your home vii
lage. All the same you shall find the ford for
us. The boy first! March into the water, you,
up to your chin, and then wade up the river"
Without word the boy goes into the ice cold
water step by step. Slowly his body is i'm
mersed, until it is covered to the shoulders.
Then he turns and staggers on the stony bot
tom up the rushing stream.
The pastor, driven forward by the neares,
soldier, dares not lift his eyes. He holds his
hands folded together; his lips move, as if in
PRAYER. but not sound comes from them.
He understands only too we'll that this devil
ish plan must succeed. He measures the dis
lance. There at the great bend, scarcely fifty
metres up the stream, is the ford. There the
bottom of the river lifts and makes broad
bridge under the water, safe, comfortable
passage way from shore to shore.
Only forty metres now.
How will the boy avoid disclosing the ford7
Only twenty metres now!
If he would only come out of the water or
try to swim to the other shore!
Ten metres-only ten metres-and then
what then?
But the boys brain is also busy he
wades through the ice cold water. Shall
he help the enemies of the Fatherland? No,
never, Yet. how can he get across the ford
without betraying it?
All at once he becomes quite calm. Yes, he
smiles at the idea which comes to him like an
inspiration It would be very simple after all
to trick these stupid robbers and bandits!
Now only five metres-three metres-two
metres
The bottom rises sharply. But at the same
time the boy sinks slowly to his knees. In
souatting position he crawls carefully across
The ford. The pastor is the only person who
notices the manouvre. 1t was bold move.
boldly conceived and slilfully carried out. Will
it succeed? 1t must succeed,
The water now reaches 10 his chin If it goes
few inches higher he is lost. lie gropes with
his hands in front Of him and crawls slowly
ahead The sharp stones cut his knees. But
the pain does not show in his face Only
few steps more and the game is won.
The men on the bank are plainly impatient
The leader walks restlessy up and down. Sud
denly he bellows out:
Make longer steps, boy! Don't steal our
time,"
The boy throws himself against the current
and gathers all his strength to rise erect One
more step and he will be firmly on his feet
again.
But suddenly he sinks with one knee in 4
hole; he dips under the surface, comes IN
again, is caught in eddy which carries him
into water beyond his depth. He tries to swim.
But his arms nearly frozen stiff, refuse to do
their duty. The heavy uniform drags him
under. As in a mist he sees the shore where
the cursing Cossacks ride up and down. But
he fears them no longer, for he knows that he
is saved from them.
In the midst Of them stands ar old man who
feeby stretches out his arms toward him, as
if he would rescue him. He closes his eyes; he
will see no more. And INCREASINGLY he lets
the current carry him away.
Through the stiffness of the early morning
the fanfare of cavalry trumpets sounds and a
Prussian patrol dashes up to the ford. The
Cossacks vanish.
The pastor has sunk to his knees on the river
bank He stretches his hands toward Heaven
and in jubilation these words come from his
lips:
81 thank Thee, o Lord Of Hosts. that Thou
didst not allow my son to become traitor
that Thou hast permitted him TO die for his
country and TO die hero's death"