Article October 4, 1900 Issue

A Story of the Siege

Des Moines (Ia.) Daily News

Tien-Tsin, August 27, via Shanghai, September 11.—(Special.)—Mrs. M. S. Woodward, whose husband is a Chicago fire insurance man, gives thrilling details of the siege of the legations.

"Until now I had never known anything of sorrow or death," she said. "To see how our brave boys behaved impressed me so that I can never forget their gallantry, pluck, and humanity. The American troops were so young, too, or at least so they appeared to me. I worked in the hospital. It always brought tears to my eyes to see them lying together like brothers, Russians, Germans, Americans, Austrians, French, and Italians. Mrs. Conger and Lady MacDonald gave up their fine linen embroideries, presents from the king of Corea, and their damask table cloths, and just stripped their trunks for materials for bandages, pajamas, and sheets for the hospital. We should never have come through it alive had it not been for Gamewell, the American missionary, who took hold of things and made marvelous fortifications to resist the bloodthirsty hordes outside. The Chinese Christians did all the hard manual labor and bravely assisted the Europeans and Americans. We lived on horse meat which we found enjoyable, and also got down to the third grade of rice. Minister Conger was always cheerful. He kept up our spirits with wonderful success. Six others and myself slept in a small room in the British legation after we had to abandon the American legation on account of the shells. When an American soldier was buried I stood by and saw the Russians put earth under his arms and head to make him sleep more comfortably, for they were brothers, they said. Mrs. Conger was our fairy godmother and so we called her. She always had some one thing more to give away to the needy. She has absolutely nothing left herself now for the winter if she stays in Pekin. The women doctors and nurses slaved day and night in the hospital. There were Mrs. Martin, Jerry, McKaye, Gloss, Leonard, and Sisters Lambert and Jessica. We forgot for a time our anxiety for our dear ones in watching the heroic and unselfish service of all for the mutual good, irrespective of nationality or creed. The bravery of the soldiers who held the wall and saved us was a lesson and a marvel."

Des Moines (Ia.) Daily News.

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