Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
american and British Women and Children
Cazght Bet7Oeen Shells of Warships and
the Bullets of the Yellozv Men FLEEING
Before Wa0e Of 7rmps-7he United
States Macy Detachment

The telephone jinglng. missionary. Mr.
Magee, and the vice consul Mr. Paxton who
had been caught outside the city wall the night
before at the moment when we had been
caught inside the wall, saying We've been out
in the suburbs and got hold of some very minor
officials. and the vice consul and the officials
are coming up to the house." The city gates
were open now. The men down below were
still holding of the soldiers, keeping them from
getting upstairs. playing for a little more time
More money-had We any more money?
One OF our men came hurriedly along the
hall, opening the door and whispering. IT'S
all right. They've got hold of the officials."
The voices growing angrier downstairs. Spen-
Ger, little terrified now: "Muvver Muvyer are
they going to hurt us?" and his mother whis-
pering back, mo! Spencer. Daddy will take
care of U.S." If they'd only get here before II
was too late!
Mr.. Sims stood looking out of the window in
the sitting room. He told me afterward he
had come in to be there when the soldiers en-
tered. He feared the mother of those two chill
oren would go stark mad if the soldiers got
near the children. He had been in the Great
war and had seen men go mad for less than
tnat ITS all right now" he said in his most
cheerful tone. There come the Nationalist
officials"
got up and looked out of the window to-
ward the north, and there they WERE coming
up over the brow Of the bluff walking very
slowly, carrying their banners We were savedI
They'd take us to the boats on the river under
protection of their banners. There was kind
OF little stir of preparation in the room The
men and the banners dipped down out of sight
going down the hill toward the gate Button
up your coats" said Mary to the children
Yes! They're coming up the walk now"
said Mr.. Sims from the window. There seemed
to be little pause. THE soldiers will go away
now"
A ND then all at once it was as if something
burst downstairs. There was deafening
hullabaloo. Every one talking at once
Some one said to me, Can you understand
what they are talking about?"
mol" answered, but think it's all right
1t must be, now that the officials are here You
know Chinese sound as if they're fighting when
they're only just talking things over Listen!
Therel it's all right I can hear INV husband
saying. Hao, la, hao Ia all right, all right"
But it wasn't all right. Mr. Sims reported
from the window that the officials were running
away, but not the soldiers, and then some one
came running along the hall saying, We've got
to have more money. All you've got Quick"
knew now our last chance of satisfying
them was gone If they'd only shoot quickly
and make it merciful If they just would not
mutilate us. There was a little safe in the
room, and kept asking some one to find out
the combination. knew there was no money
IN u out they would think there was and may
be think we did not want to open it. Maybe
they'd kill us because we did not know how
Then we began throwing away our jewelry,
watches wedding rings. Little Spencer pulled
a large watch from his pocket-a plaything-
crying, Il don't want them to have my watch
Please don't let them have my watch"
The shouts were growing louder and louder
downstairs. Then men-three of them now the
consul, the vice consul who had come up with
the ornclals, and my husband-were down there
The consul was making one last effort to get
in touch with Mr.. Magee outside the wall The
two other men were trying to hold the door
net to let the soldiers in. They got il open
They pushed my husband and the vice consul
back, back, the muzzles of their guns against
their chests.
heard Mr.. Davis in the hall saying to the
sailors, Get ready your arms" and then my
husband called out:
I'VE can't hold them. They're coming up
stairs"
And the consul, Break out your armsl"
Again some one came running along the hail.
calling:
Women and children in the bath room"
THE uproar was deafening downstairs
Keep down." they shouted to u.s. 80 they
won't hit you"
Crawling as best we could we got into the
bath room at the front of the house where
there was cement floor.
Keep your heads on the hoorl"
The sailors dashed down the stairs and the
two soldiers who were pushing my husband and
the vice consul, seeing them, fed outside the
door From that safer point they began firing
through the windows and the door.
Shoot over their heads" called Consul Davis