The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-26


the latter part Of the time
it was 900 against 10000. and
the Residencv and the earthworlzs
around il were not put up for such an
attack It was only from the mercy
of God that we were not massacred
soon after the besiegement. We were
resolved not to allow ourselves to get
into the hands Of those desperadoes.
y on must remember that we and all
the women had heard of the hatchery
at Cawnpore. and we knew what de-
feat meant. If unable to hold out any
longer we would have blown ourselves
up, and all gone out Of life together
-.Shoyv me, / said. the rooms where
the women and children staid during
those awful months Then we
crossed over and went down into the
cellar of the Residency. With shud-
der of horror indescribable / entered
the cellars where 622 women and
children had been crowded until the
whole floor was full. knew the ex-
act mum Der, for counted their names
on the roll. As one of the ladies wrote
in her diary spealSing of these women,
she said: '.Thev lay upon the floor
fitting into each other like bits in "a
puzzle. -' Wives had obtained from
their husbands the promise that the
than let them fall into the hands "a
these desperadoes. The women within
the Residency We're kept on the small
est allowance that would maintain
life. No opportunity Of privacy. The
death angel and the birth angel
touched wings as they passed. Flies,
mOSquitOes. vermin in full possession
OF the place. and these women ia
momentary expectation that the en-
ragged sayages would rush upon them,
in a violence If which clJD. and sword.
and torch, and throat cutting would Do
the milder forms
Our escort told us again and again Of
the bravery Of these women They did
not despair They encourage the sol
diery. The waited on the s.sanndea
and dying in the hospital. The gavo
up their stockings for holders Of grape
shot. They solaced each other when
their children died. When a husband
or father fell such prayers OF sympathy
We're offered as only women can offer.
They endured without complaint.
They prepared their own children for
burial They were inspiration for Tho
men who stood at their posts dghtinr
till they dropped.
Our escort told us that again and
again news had come that lIaveloel1
these besieged ones ont of their wretch
edness. They had received a letter
from. Haveloclz rolled up in quill and
carried in the mouth of Il disguised
messenger, "a letter telling them he
was on the way. but the next news
was that HaveloclS had been compelled
to retreat. 1t was constant vacilla-
ton between hope and despair. But
one day they heard the guns Of relief
sounding nearer and nearer. Yet all
the houses Of Lucknow were fortresses
filed with armed miscreants, and
every step Of HaveloclS and his ARMY
was contested-fring from house tops:
firing from windows; firing from door
ways.
.-ShOw us where they came i'm 1 eo-
claimed for I knew that they did not
enter through the gate Of the Residen-
cy. that being banked up inside 10
keep the murderers out Here it is.'
answered the escort, Here it is-the
embrasure through which they came =
We walked up to the spot 1t is now
a broken down pile Of bricks dozen
yards from the gate. Long grass now,
but then a blood-spattered. bullet
SCARED opening in the wall
As we stood there, although the
scene was thirt y-seven years ago. +
sick, but triumphant: and Outram.
whom all the equestrian statues in Cal
cutta and Europe can not too grandly
present.
.sWhat then happened9'' L said 10 NV
escort. Eth. ne said, that is inpos-
sible to tell The earth was removed
from the gate and soon all the army
Of relief entered, and some Of as
laughed. and some cried. and some
prayed and some danced Highlanders
so Undiscovered and enough blood ard
wounds on their faces 10 make them
unrecognlzab BILE, snatched the babes
out Of their mothers arms and kissed
them, and passed the babies along for
other soldiers 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 ~ rhe
ad vancing army had been slain on the
way began to have fearful effect, and
the story Of suffering that had been
endured inside the fort. and the an
nouncement TO children that they We're
fatherless. and to wives that they were
widows, submerged the shouts of joy
with wailing Of agony"
.sBut were YOU not EN- barrassed bv
the arrival Of Haveloek and 1, 400 men
who brought no food with them lie
answered, ''Of course we were put on
smaller rations Immediately in order
that they might share with rs, but we
knew that the coming Of this reinforce
ment would help MS to hold the place
until further relief should come. Had
not this first relief arrived as it did. ia
DAY or two at most, and perhaps AT
any hour. the beseigers would have