Catoctin clarion., 1918-04-04
news FROM THE ORIENT.
(Continued)
Yochow City, Chine.
January %, 1918.

Dear M
Perhaps you will wish that had
not written this but feel that must
for in case anything worse happens l
would want you to have letter as well
as a csblegram.
The last few days have been time OF
anxiety and horror such as hope never
to experience again. Last week the
fighting continued some distance from
Yochow until Saturday. Day by day the
Red Cross units brought in wounded SOL
diers. One corps, conducted by Mr.. o
got right into the battle and the South
ern troops, in spite of their flags and
uniforms, fired'upon those who had come
to relieve their sufferings. That they
were fired upon is no wonder, as the
Northern troops, by making false use OF
the Red Cross flag, have several times
surprised and greatly injured the South
ern soldiers. That Mr. o. and the boys
were not killed is a miracle. They crawl
ed for several miles on their hands and
knees, sometimes prostrating themselves,
until they could find place of safety.
They did not return, however, until they
had selected a boat load of the most ur-
gent surgical cases to hurry OIL to the
hospital. On Saturday the hospital was
filed to overfowing and so great was
the need that we had the school girls
winding bandages and folding gauze all
day. We ourselves worked in the hos
pital preparing iodoform gauze, sheets.
towels, etc., and yes-unbelievable as it
may seem-assisted in an operation.
That night the operation lasted till nine
o'clock. We came home and had late
supper At eleven O'Clock word came
that the Southern troops would march on
the city some time during the night and
that we should be ready to look after
compound and the school girls at mo-
ment's notice. At midnight | heard loud
calling for Mr.. H. A minute or two
later came the sound of rapid firing,
much of it just behind our compound and
suddenly train pulled out under full
steam. The barking of the bullets was
exciting and disconcerting. Gertrude
and / Immediately went to school and
told them not to fear, that we believed
the Southerners had taken the city. We
found all the school girls and the two
lady teachers huddled in pile in a cor
ner of the lowest and least exposed room.
How they ever managed to crawl into
such small place can't tell. We
stayed a short time to reassure them
and then came up to the house. We
were met by Mr.. H. who said five flee
ing Northern soldiers had come into the
compound and it was reported that elev-
en- others with fixed bayonets were also
there. Just after hearing this ] had
quite shock. Our front steps lead to
the second story and under them is an
interesting and curiously built alleyway.
AS G. and | were passing, | looked un-
der and saw a man. Waiting until we
were past l told G. and then ran for Mr..
H. He came at once and we found
about twenty five badly scared soldiers.
We all sat together in AS room listen
ing to the firing and wondering what
would happen next. Suddenly flames
arose and in few minutes terrible
fire was raging in the business section
of the city and near enough to threaten
our school and compound. Then we be-
gan to feel very much worried and the
servants prepared for fire fighting while
all of the men went to fight the fire in
the city. The fire grew better then
worse. The men came back and we
heard the worst. The Northern troops,
before they left, had looted stores. two
silver stores especially, and planned to
burn the entire city. Just the night before
some one, spy. probably, tried to start
a fire across the street from our COM
pound in shop which had enough dyna-
mite in it to blow up the entire city.
Knowing this we were very anxious.
The men and the Red Cross workers had
come back with the terrible news that
the Northern soldiers were standing
guard at the fire and would kill anyone
Chinese or foreign who attempted to put
it out. After this G. and went to
school again andprepared the girls to run
when the fire reached the school,
Your heart would have ached if you
could have seen many of our nice, clean,
pretty girls, some of them with feet so
lacersted from chilblains and the effects
of unbinding, that to escape any distance
would have almost impossible. We could
not send them home; many could see
their homes burning, and they looked to
US for sa fety and rescue with more faith
than we sometimes look to God. Their
belief that we, small band Of foreign
ers could save them, come what might,
was hard to see.
All through this trouble, the thought
of our girls, and what might befall them.
was the greatest worry of all. After