The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-05
A Spy
Sacrifice
b. RICHARD MARLEY

wanted, for it was in an important
strategical position. and the troops who
occupied it were reasonably certain of
success.
But there is one matter Of impOr |
lance concerning it that is pertinent to
this story. The mikado's army was !
very small, and a force of the shotgun
was coming up to the relief of the be.
sieged. This force was expected with.
in week. The success Of the mikado
depended upon how long his enemy's
supplies would hold out. If there were
enough for but few days the besieg
ers might remain and reap the benefit
of their labors. If the provisions should
last longer than that they would better
be off before the relief force came up
or they might be overwhelmed by a SUI
perior army.
To know what supplies the defend
ers of the fortress had would be OF
inestimable value to the besieged. 1t
meant possible possession of the
point of attack, and it meant a proven.
ton of a possible humiliation of the
emperors army and the probable loss
of his cause.
The devotion of the Japanese people
under such circumstances is wonder.
1t is that devotion which enabled them
to force n peace upon the Russian bear
that had threatened to walk all over"
their little islands and take possession
of them. 1t is that devotion that has en-
abled them to protect themselves while
cultivating the commercial methods Of
western civilization.
There came a noble to the mikadO
and said to him:
20 mighty emperor, it is on ac-
| count of your majcsty's virtue that l
| feel an impulse spring up within me.
My ancestors are looking down upon
me and smile pleasantly upon me as
/ yield to the inspiration. l will dis
| guise myself and obtain admittance to
the fortress. There l will observe for
| how many days your enemies are sup
piled, and l will return and advise you
Of the fact"
Il am well pleased" replied the en-
perOr, that my virtues have produced
in you such n worthy motive. You
have my permission to go into the
fortress and observe the supply Of
food our enemies have and return to
me and tell me- l will request the
shades of my own ancestors to watch
over you. but if you die in your at
tempt you will have the satisfaction Of
knowing that both mine and your an
cestOrs will welcome you in spiritland."
So the noble Frustrated himself be-
fore his majesty and turned and went
away. That same day a man dressed
as a shepherd found access to the
fortress and went among the grana-
ries and found them nearly empty.
There was food enough to last but
two days. The shepherd, satisfied with
the information he had gained, was
about to leave the fortress when one
who had known him before the war
came on recognized him. The spy was
seized and hurried before the shotgun.
This man." said his captOr, lis no
BILE who supports the mikado for the
position to which your majesty is en-
titled. He has been among us in this
raiment Of a shepherd and knows just
how many days supply we have on
hand. What shall we do with him?
Cruelty him." said the shotgun.
With that they were leading the spy
away to cruelty him when the Shotgun
called to them to bring him back.
"If you will go to the wall" he said
to the spy, land tell your people that
we have supplies to last several weeks
I will spare your life
THAT / will do said the other.
my ancestors call to me to stand firm
and they will receive me at my death
joyfully, but | have a wife and chill
dren in the mikado's camp, and / am
loath to leave them for my ancestors,
whom | reverence greatly, but have
never seen. ! am SO weak as to prefer
my wife and little ones"
Go, then; tell them what have said
to you, and ! will in time return you
to those you love-
The spy was conducted to the wall
and stood upon it, the soldiers of the
shotgun keeping in the background. He
signaled the besiegers to come near
that he might speak to them. So they
all drew as near as they dared, the
family of the spy coming with the
others. The spy stood looking at them
benignly as they drew near and saw
his wife and little ones looking up at
him anxiously, knowing that he must
have been discovered by the besieged
people and that crisis was at hand.
The shotgun sat in the center Of the
fortress, rejoicing that he had found
means of deceiying his enemies and
sending them off when near the accom-
plishment of all they had been so long
striving for About him stood his sol
diers waiting to hear the spy tell his
people of the abundance OF supplies
there were in the fort
Then the spy raised his hand for ST.
1ence and said to them:
20 my people, have examined the
supplies that there are in this fortress,
and there are but enough to last two