The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-25
BROTHER AND SISTER
W. T. srEAp's TRIBUTE TO THE MEM
DRY OF TWO GoRDoNS.

A Noble Woman Who Was n Great Gener-
ais Confidante and the Unnssuming
Friend of the Poor and Lowly-sister o.
Him Who Died 'In the Far soudan."
Tho news published by the Westminster
Gazette this evening brought back flood
OF memories, sorrowful and stern, for
Miss Gordon Of Southampton was one OF
the few remaining links which united the
world of today with the troublous past time
when her brother died sin the far Soudan."
1t seems but as yesterday when, in reply to
the telegram from Southampton that he
had nothing to say, left Northumberland
street to hold that interview with General
Gordon which led directly and almost i'm.
mediately TO his dispatch to Khartoom.
Yet nine years and more have passed since
then-nine eventful years full Of the TRACE
dy and the pathos which abound in our i'm.
perial annals, and now the simple an
nouncement Of Miss Gordon's death recalls
with painful vividness that episode Of glory
and of shame.
Miss Gordon was Charles Gordon's elder
sister. Her house at Rockstone place
Southampton was his only home when he
was in England. 1t was there that inter.
viewed him, and at the present moment
although the familiar rooms are empty OF
their mistress, they are full of the aesocia.
tions of her brothers presence. Never was
q sister more proudly fond Of her brother's
fame. Never did brother trust more abso
lutely his innermost thoughts to sister
than Gordon. She was the custodian of hi,
archives. He left all his letters to her, and
she treasured as precious relics the few
remnants of uniform and of other persona
belongings which he left in her hands.
The first things visitor saw on entering
her drawing room were ostrich SHELF
which had been sent her from Africa, anJ
the next thing was the skin of leopard
which he had shot in the Soudan. In hei
bedroom, where everything WAS as reli
giously preserved as it was when last it wa,
occupied by General Gordon, her favoritt
texts were still on the wall, the wardrobe
| still held some of the hero's clothes. Mis-
Gordon localized her BROTHERHOOD without
| cause.
The world knew him when too late n
the peerless paladin Of modern chivalry
| She knew him as such from of old time, bu
| she knew him also as the merry souled
laughing brother who never ceased to hav,
the heart of a schoolboy beneath the trap
pings of a governor general. Small reason
| is there for surprise that Miss Gordon re
garded with but scanty sympathy the min
lister, the latoness of whose awakening Il
the dictates of patriotism and of honor COS
her brothers life. Miss Gordon, diflident
humble and retiring, never expressed he
opinions publicly. But those who wer
privileged to enjoy her friendship neve
mstook her silence for indifference.
Her majesty was good friend to Mis-
Gordon always. 1t was some consolation
to the queen, indignant at the betrayal o
her representative, to shower sympath
| upon his bercaved sister. Miss Gordo
naturally priced each fresh token of he
sovereign's sympathy, and she was not les
| proud of the superb album, containing til
signatures of all the notable women O
England, which was presented to her afte
her brothers death. Miss Gordon, how
ever, was too much of Gordon to bemoa
her brother with unavailing tears. Sh
tended his memory with sedulous care, sh
carefully treasured up all his letters, sh
observed the anniversaries of his death
and she was ever grateful to those who, t
the best of their means, had served he
brother. But she displayed always til
resignation Of Christian and the endui
ance of Gordon.
The world was never tho same world I
her after her brothers death, but it wa
Gods world still and she cndeavored I
the best of her ability to walk In her broth
er's footsteps, to encourage all who had en-
deavored to carry on his work and to di,
play to the weakest and the poorest of he
friends the same overlooking sympath
which ever animated General Gordon
Whether it was in the establishment of tn
Gordon Boys homes or in helping tn
wretched outcast she was always ready.
Once only | had the honor of reeeivin
her ut my Office at Mowbray House. Sh
yl,. =,
bedridden old women, inmates of the locI
wOrkhouse, We're panic stricken by the IT
port that the guardians, after their dealt
turned n penny by selling their poor cal
casses to university disseCtiny rooms Nil
Gordon, hearing of this dismal vista of til
dissecting room, which rose grim ard ghast
ly before the dying eyes oil these poor soul,
came to see me to ascertain whether tn
practice could not be stepped The burnin
| Indignation of the Gortlons gluwed in he
eyes as SHE told me the story, which, cor
lessed, scented to me utterly incredible, III
| til, from subsequent correspondence wit
the local government board, learned tina
Miss Gordon : representation had finally a
layed the alarm.
Miss Gordun's dread was to he discoverc
doing anything of public nature, bu
when necessary She did not hesitate to ac
even though action cost her many sol
srarchiugs of the heart. She never public
ly identified herself with political parties
but She used to remark occasionally tina
after parliament had enfranchised the i
literate plownan 1t might perhaps in il
| wisdom see fit to give n vote to his edt
Gated mistress There was the Gnrdu
| CLEAN Of huEor in all her conversation
She was Gordon through and throHgh-i
her patriotism, in her endurance, in hc
quaint humor and above all in her religion
He did not seem to haze quite gone frol
among us while his sister lived.
Now that Miss Gordon is no longer q
Rockstone place, we begin to realize tina
the generation which eunobled history wit
the character Of Gordon ut lihartoum
fast passing away, leaving 10 the comm
century II proud inheritance in the memo,
of sanity life and heroic dcath.-W. :
Stead III Westminster Gazette
Getting Out Gracefully,