The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-11-30
cutting would be the milder forms

gave up their stockings for holders Of
the grape-shot. They solaced each
other when their children died. When
husband or father fell such prayers
of sympathy were offered as only wom-
en- can offer. They endured without
complaint. They prepared their own
children for burial. They were inspi-
ration for the men who stood at their
posts fighting till they dropped.
Our escort told us that again and
again news had come that Have
lock and Outram were on the way to
fetch these besieged ones out of their
wretchedness. They had received a
letter from Havelock rolled up in a
quill and carried in the mouth of a
disguised messenger. a letter telling
them he was on the way. but the next
news was that Havelock had been
compelled to retreat. 1t was constant
vacillation between hope and despair.
But one day they heard the guns OF re-
lief sounding nearer and nearer. Yet
all the houses of Lucknow were fort
and every step of Havelock and his
army was contested-firingf from house
tops. firing from windows, firing from
doorways.
| asked our friend if he thought that
the world famous story ola Scotch lass
in her delirium hearing the Scotch bag
pipes advancing with the Scotch regi-
ment was true story. He said he did
not know but that il was true. Without
Al. II I
own observation that delirium some
times quickens some of the faculties,
and rather think the Scotch lass in her
delirium was the first to hear the bag
pipes. | decline to believe that class of
people who would like to kill all the
poetry of the world and Danish all the
fine sentiment. They tell us that Whit
tiers poem about Barbara Freitchie was
founded on a delusion. and that Long
fellows poems immortalized things
that never occurred. The Scotch lass
did hear the slogan. / almost heard it
myself as | stood inside the residency
while my escort told of the coming on
of the Seventy-cighth highland regi-
ment.
Were you present when Havelock
came in?' / asked. for | could suppress
the question no longer His answer
came:
Il was not at the moment present. but
with some other young fellows | saw
soldiers dancing while two highland
pipers played. and | said. What is all
this excitement| Then we came
up and saw that Havelock was in, and
Outram was in, and the regiments were
pouring in
"Show us where they came in eX-
claimed. for l knew that they did not
enter through the gate of the residency,
that being banked up inside to keep the
murderers out. Here it is, answered
nv escort Here it is-the embrasure
through which they came"
We walked up to the spot. 1t is now
broken down pile of bricks dozen
yards from the gate. Long grass now,
but then blood-spattered bullet scar
red opening in the wall.
As we stood there. although the scene
was thirty-seven years ago. | saw them
come in-IIavelock pale and sick. but
triumphant. and Outram. whom all the
equestrian statues in Calcutta and Eu-
rope can not too grandly present.
What then happened?" | said to my
escort. oh" he said. that is impOs-
sible to tell. The earth was removed
from the gate. and soon all the army of
relief entered. and some of us laughed.
and some cried. and some prayed. and
some danced. Highlanders So dust COW
cred and enough blood and wounds on
their faces to make them unrecogniza-
bic snatched the babes out of their
mothers arms and kissed them and
passed the babies along for other sol
diers to kiss. and the wounded men
crawled out of the hospital to join in
the cheering. and it was wild jubilee
until. the first excitement passed. the
story of how many OF the advancing
army had been slain on the way began
to have fearful effect. and the story of
! suffering that had been endured in
side the fort. and the announcement to
children that they were fatherless. and
to wives that they were widows; sub
merged the shouts of joy with wailing
of agony.
y
the arrival of Havelock and fourteen
hundred men who brought no food
with them?" He answered: "Of course
we were put on smaller rations imme-
diatelv in order that they might share
with us, but we knew that the coming
of this reinforcement would help Us
to hold the place until further relief
should come. Had not this first relief
arrived as it did. in day or two al
most and perhaps in any hour the be-
seipers would have broken in. and our
end would have come. The Sepoys had
dug six mines under the residency. and
would soon have exploded all.
On the following day, about fou,
miles from the residency, / visited the
grave of Havelock. The scenes of hard
ship and self-sacrifice through which he
had passed were too much for morta
endurance. and a few days after Have
lock left the residency which he hat
relieved he lay in tent a-dying. while
his son. whom saw in London on my
way here. was reading to the old hero
the consolatory Scriptures. The tele
graph wires had told all nations tha
Havelock was sick unto death. He haC
received the message of congratlatiol
from Queen Victoria over his triumph:
and had been knighted. and such re
ception as England never gave to any
man since Wellington came back iron
Waterloo awaited his return. But M
will never again see his native land
He has led his last army and planned
the last battle. Yet he is to gain an
other victory. He declared it when il
his last hours he said to Gen. Outram
Il die happy and contented. / hav
for 40 years so ruled my life that whel
death came l might face it withou