New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05


a 0rst ate cook who could have set up COOKING,
classes for young ladies at South Kensington, ana
sent them home to poison longsuherihs '" v
with preserved ginger made out OF lettuce sV"lN'
or apricot Jam made chiefly Ct vegetable owe
I do NOT say for one moment that as a iauhuresS
she would have kept the washing OF any Tespscv
able middle class family in any part OF Lohuoa
after the first trial do believe ior "'g%ens
that they would have taken her ID a. OF. Jun
House. or any similar institution, ana haNc one
her to take charge of the most crltical casS' VIII
called for helm from them, without the regular
hosptal training: but do say that many was inc
faded palate to which Mrs. Marchmont arroWroo'
or beeftea came like food for the gods, many was
the wound to which she brought bandaees 'hac
were cool and fresh, many the fevered ana weary
inflow she soothed, and many the leVcr-ch0h1u
child that she famed to sleep. In THIS woriu
everything goes by comparison, and TO inc s''o
little world of Meenaporc Mrs Marchmont appeared
very often in the guise OF an angel
II.
Several days had gone by. Hour ny hour .nc
anxious watchers kept strict lookout ior ,i,e -.
Inducements which they believed TO be alrea'y vi
the road to their succor. Hour by hour al ears
strained to catch, amid the crack o., aoor and
and the din of the enemy's fortunately poor an"
Unnamed artillery the sound Of the Scottish Dag
pipes or English cheers. .,
Yet they came not, and the siege WAS ho' r'''@''
Still the men of the little garrison were daun,
less in their determination to fight to theif very
last breath and to guard the tender women anu
bepless children who were their nearest and dear
est. rs long rs they could keep deIence oi any
kind standing between them and the enemy Anu
to this end every man who was wei enough W
stand upon his feet and use his hands. gave MS
time and strength right willingly TO WORKING at 'he
trench which they dug within the walls ana oarri-
cades of which their fortress consisted How they
dugl Az. dug for dear life and the lives OF those
who were dearer to them than life itself
And then there came an evil day when IL was
advisable that all but the invalids should be put
on shorter rations, and that the water should DC
dealt out even more sparingly An evil, EVIL day
for those whom full allowance OF food ana water
might have kept in comparative heal'n anu
strength, were weakened ard brought so low rs
to be in no cond, on to meet the yet more dcadly
foe that was fast stealing upon them, Zoe wren
had no need TO work mines under their feet nor
to make attacks upon their barrcades q Zoe who'n
no trenches could keep at bay the foe which was
even more mercess than the insurgents, ana "hlCh
was called-Ch0lera.
The number of souls in the little garrison was
lnnncd rapdy afr this-the disease worked so
persstently and with such deadly results: Tor not
only were the weakly and the ailing taken. but
those who seemed the best able to wlthS'ahd Jus
ravagcs fell victims among the first
liz short there were eight or ten deaths every
day. and the difficulty Of giving proper burial 10
those who were gone added in terrible way TO
the dstrcsscs and dangers of those who were ieio.
Very carly after the outbreak the Marchnont
baby died after few hoIrs' illness; and then the
colonel and his wife watched their remaining chld
TN-ie in an agony Of apprehension. dreadlng
every day, nav, evelv hour, to see the signs or
that fatal complaint against which they knew she
would have no strength TO fight BIT strange to
soy, although strong and seemingly healthy men
were falling IN all sldes lcrc today and gone to-
morrow lust bending their h ads at the first tonch
of that dread hand and giving mp their lives with
ont a struggle, the delicate fever-weakencd little
| girl lived IN IN safety and the cholera passed her
| by. Perhaps it was because such luxurics and
medicines as were al her Parents command were all
lavshed upon her, perhaps she was spared that
she might prove " those who were oder and
| stronger | an she t'at m the Reign Of Terror OF
/ 857 there not wanting enc little weakly
English girl who could show the Whole world that
the spirit had not died out which carried fair
maidcns into the Roman amphlthcatrcs to meet
with unfiinching courage cruel ana lingering
death fr Christ'S sake-the spirit which led their
sisters Of later day to suffer and endure with
unquenchabe brightness all the horrors and hend-
sh ingenuties of the 81 anish 1nquisiton.
Anyway the cholera passed Tottie Marchmont
by and she gained health and strength as rapidly
| as could be expected of her under the desperate
! circumstances in which the whole garrison were
| placed; that is to say, she crawled from sofa to
| rocking-chair and when the rebels musketry was
quiet which not often, crept out into the
| compound at the back of the Rcsidency, and be-
tween that building and the hospital, and got a
| few breaths of such air as the hCt summer morn
| ings or evenings afforded
Often and often she begged hard to be allowed
| to help her mother at her many duties; but Mrs
| Marchmont was very anxious ana carelul ahouU
| her and generally found that although Totties
spirit was willing her flesh was lamentably weak
and that any strain, no matter how small upon
| the one to react to intense depression
| upon the ether s" the weary days dragged their
| slow length along without much occupation for
her beyond IT,. dIstIf cton Of a few books which
| she had read al rhst hundred times. ana the
excitement Of hearing of one death after another
and Of SIX, IIng out Ct The way OF the shots which
from time to tine rddled the walls which scl-
| tered II en-
The siege had now been carried on for five
weeks or rather for nearly six, and sill no de-
| liverance had come to the daily decreasing band
| of defenders; hope bad sOne down very low and
il was d question whether they could hold out
many days longer not only on account OF the
shortness of rations and the scarcity OF water but
| because the rebels were evidently making great
preparations for desperate attack upon the al
| ready weak and poor deiences
| They're pretty quiet now, mother" said lOttlc
one evening Just before darkness began TO TALL.
" Couldn't l 90 in the compound for minute OF
| two? I'm choxcd in here The words endeu IN
| a sort Of sob, which she tried hard to nip in the
| bud but which the mothers love-Sharpened ears
heard, nevertheless.
Yes think you might go for a few minutes
dear she answered tenderly But you will be
very careful and keep by the wall. won't YOU r
"Ycs but can't you come ?" implorlngly.
Not for ten minutes or so. i must make Inc
arrowroot for poor Mr. Belize has had so little
to-day, poor fellow
Then I'll wait for you, Mamie said Totue
resignedly.
"No, no. Go and sit outside at least, darlln"
will come to you in few minutes fancy you
will find father out there-he went out TO see no"
Captain Evans is to-day"
"Over at the hospitalr 7"
"a Yes, dear
"If went over I might ask how Nelly Is
m. rltnt l." ottie asked 49,
"Yes, Of course, and Will ornG MT Dcii
arrowroot over as soon as 1t l, ready.
So Tottie gave her mother kiss and went ou
. mn aoroSs tho compound Run2 No. poo