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Show BRAVE UNTO DEATH 8UBLIME HEROISM OF LITTLE JAPANESE CORPORAL. Incident That Occurred at the Siege of Pekln Shows the Qualities of the Small-Statured Soldiers of the Mikado. During tho active troubles of tho allied powers with China, the Japanese Japa-nese troops excited the admiration of tho world by tholr bravery and almost perfect discipline. Thomas Millard, a war correspondent, tells a thrilling story Illustrative of Japa-neso Japa-neso valor and contempt for peril. Tho force sent to rellovo tho Chris-tlons Chris-tlons who wcro besieged In Pekln had arrived and It devolved on tho Japaneso contingent to blow In a certain cer-tain catc. Theso masslvo wooden gates, which aro sunk deep in tho thick, twelve-foot walls, aro approached by means of a little brldgo across tho moat that encircles tho city. The Japaneso general decided that a breach would havo to bo effected by means of dynamite. For this dangerous danger-ous mission ho called for volunteers. A little corpornl about four feet six Inches In height was picked out. As with utter unconcern ho marched briskly across tho brldgo, tho enemy potted at him from tho top of tho wall until ho was out of sight In tho recess occupied by the gate. Having lighted tho fuse, ho quickly mado his way back to his own lines without sustaining a wound. No sooner had ho got out of tho way than a small door was cautiously opened and an almond-eyed faco peered out. With his sandaled foot tho Chinaman stamped out the lighted light-ed fuse. Then ho went back and closed tho door. Defying almost certain death, the llttlo corporal started out again, and onco moro lighted tho fuse, On his way back he wr.s hit In tho shoulder nnd stumbled to tho ground. Then ho picked himself up and managed to reach safoty. Once more, however, tho Chinaman was too quick for tho slow fuso. Then tho llttlo corporal wont pattering pat-tering back to tho half-demolished gate, lighted his fuse, drow his short bayonet-sword and waited. Thero was a frightful moment of breathless suspense, sus-pense, then with n frightful roar tho old gate was blown to tho heavens and with It went tho poor llttlo corporal. cor-poral. It Is ono thing to risk ono's llfo In tho hent of battle, but quite another to faco tho certain and horrible denth from which tho subject of tho Mikado never flinched. Youth's Companion. |
