adventures and letters-第55节
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our thoughts from home。 I have just missed the mail which would have told me you were at Marion。 I should so love to have heard from you from there。 I do not think you will find the Church house uncomfortable； and you can always run across the road when the traffic is not too great； and chat with Benjamin。 I do hope that Dad will have got such good health from Marion and such lashers of fish。 I got a good letter from Charles and I certainly feel guilty at putting extra work on a man as busy as he。 Had I known he was the real judge of those prize stories I would have sent him one myself and given him the name of it。 Well； goodbye for a little time。 We go on board in a few hours； and after that everything I write you is read by the Censor so I shall not say anything that would gratify their curiosity。 They think it is unmanly to write from the field to one's family and the young princes forbade their imperial spouses from writing them until the war is over。 However； not being an imperial Samaari but a home loving； family loving American； I shall miss not hearing very much； and not being able to tell you all how I love you。
DICK。
DALNY； July 27th； 1904。 DEAR MOTHER：
We left Shimonoseki three days ago and have had very pleasant going on the Heijo Maru a small but well run ship of 1；500 tons。 Fox and I got one of the two best rooms and I have been very comfortable。 We are at anchor now at a place of no interest except for its sunsets。
We have just been told as the anchor is being lowered that we can send letters back by the Island； so I can just dash this off before leaving。 We have reached Dalny and I have just heard the first shot fired which was to send me home。 All the others came and bid John and me a farewell as soon as we were sure it was the sound of cannon。 However； as it is 20 miles away I'll have to hang on until I get a little nearer。 We have had a very pleasant trip even though we were delayed two days by fog and a slow convoy。 Now we are here at Dalny。 It looks not at all like its pictures； which； as I remember them were all taken in winter。 It is a perfectly new； good brick barracks…like town。 I am landing now。 The two servants seem very satisfactory and I am in excellent health。 Today Cecil has been four days at Hong Kong。 Please send the gist of this letter dull as it is to Mrs。 Clark。 When I began it I thought I would have plenty of time to finish it on shore。 Of course； after this all I write and this too； I suppose will be censored。 So； there will not be much liveliness。 I have no taste to expose my affections to the Japanese staff。 So； goodbye。
R。
July 31st； 1904。 DEAR MOTHER：
We have been met here with a bitter disappointment。 We are all to be sent north； although only 18 hours away。 We can hear the guns at Port Arthur the fall of which they promised us we would see。 To night we are camping out in one of the Russian barracks。 To…morrow we go； partly by horse and partly by train。 A week must elapse before we can get near headquarters。 And then we have no guarantee that we will see any fighting。 This means for me a long delay。 It is very disappointing and the worst of the many we have suffered in the last four months。 I have written Cecil asking her to seriously think of going home but I am afraid she will not。 Were it not for that and the disappointment one feels in travelling a week's journey away from the sound of guns I would be content。 My horse is well and so am I。 It is good to get back to drawing water； and carrying baggage and skirmishing about for yourself。 The contractor gave us a good meal and the servants are efficient but I like doing things myself and skirmishing for them。 We make a short ride this morning of six miles to Kin Chow and then 30 miles by rail。 〃Headquarters〃 is about a five days ride distant。 Tell Chas my outfit seems nearly complete。 Maybe I can buy a few things I forgot in Boston at Kin Chow。 Fox and I will get out just as soon as we see fighting but before you get this you will probably hear by cable from me。 If not； it will mean we still are waiting for a fight。 The only mistake I made was in not going home the first time they deceived us instead of waiting for this and worst of all。
to you all。
DICK。
MANCHURIA； August 14； 1904。
We have been riding through Manchuria for eleven days。 Nine days we rode then two days we rested。 By losing the trail we managed to average about 20 miles a day。 I kept well and enjoyed it very much。 As I had to leave my servant behind with a sick horse； I had to take care of my mule and pony myself and hunt fodder for them； so I was pretty busy。 Saiki did all he could； but he is not a servant and sooner than ask him I did things myself。 We passed through a very beautiful country； sleeping at railway stations and saw two battle fields of recent fights。 Now we are in a Chinese City and waiting to see what should be the biggest fight since Sedan。 The Russians are about ten miles from us； so we are not allowed outside the gates of the city without a guide。 Of course； we have none of that freedom we have enjoyed in other wars； but apart from that they treat us very well indeed。 And in a day or two they promise us much fighting； which we will be allowed to witness from a hill。 This is a very queer old city but the towns and country are all very primitive and we depend upon ourselves for our entertainment。 I expect soon to see you at home。 In three more days I shall have been out here five months and that is too long。 Good luck to you all。
R。 H。 D。
MANCHURIA； August 18th； 1904。
We still are inside this old Chinese town。 It has rained for five days； and this one is the first in which we could go abroad。 Unless you swim very well it is not safe to cross one of these streets。 We have found an old temple and some of us are in it now。 It is such a relief to escape from that compound and the rain。 This place is full of weeds and pine trees； cooing doves and butterflies。 The temples are closed and no one is in charge but an aged Chinaman。 We did not come here to sit in temples； so John and I will leave in a week； battle or no battle。 The argument that having waited so long one might as well wait a little longer does not touch us。 It was that argument that kept us in Tokio when we knew we were being deceived weekly； and the same man who deceived us there； is in charge here。 It is impossible to believe anything he tells his subordinates to tell us； so； we will be on our way back when you get this。 I am well； and only disappointed。 Had they not broken faith with us about Port Arthur we would by now have seen fighting。 As it is we will have wasted six months。
Love to Dad； and Chas and Nora and you。
DICK。
In writing of his decision to leave the Japanese army； Richard； after his return to the United States； said：
〃On the receipt of Oku's answer to the Correspondents we left the army。 Other correspondents would have quit then； as most of them did ten days later； but that their work and Kuroki； so far from being fifty miles north toward Mukden； as Okabe said he was； was twenty miles to the east on our right preparing for the； closing…in movement which was just about to begin。 Three days after we had left the army； the greatest battle since Sedan was waged for six days。
〃So； our half…year of time and money； of dreary waiting； of daily humiliations at the hands of officers with minds diseased by suspicion； all of which would have been made up to us by the sight of this one great spectacle； was to the end absolutely lost to us。 Perhaps we made a mistake in judgment。 As the cards fell we certainly did。
〃The only proposition before us was this： There was small chance of any immediate fighting。 If there were fighting we would not see it。 Confronted with the same conditions again； I would decide in exactly the same manner。 Our misfortune lay in the fact that our experience with other armies had led us to believe that officers and gentlemen speak the truth； that men with titles of nobility； and with the higher titles of General and Major…General； do not lie。 In that we were mistaken。〃
Greatly disappointed at his failure to see really anything of the war； much embittered at the Japanese over their treatment of the correspondents； Richard reached Vancouver in October。 As my father was seriously ill he came to Philadelphia at once and divided the next two months between our old home and Marion。
On December 14； 1904； my father died； and it was the first tragedy that had come into Richard's life； as it was in that of my sister or myself。 As an editorial writer； most of my father's work had been anonymous； but his influence had been as far…reaching as it had been ever for all that was just and fine。 All of his life he had worked unremittingly for good causes and； in spite of the heavy burdens which of his own will he had taken upon his none too strong shoulders； I have never met with a nature so calm ； so simple； so sympathetic with those who were weakweak in body or soul。 As all newspaper men must； he had been brought in constant contact with the worst elements of machine politics； as indeed he had with the lowest strata of the lif
