The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-01-05
RISING SUN CECIL COUNTY, MD, JANUARY

1t was done in trice. One sepoy es-
capped. They needed him not, but gal
loped down the Lucknow road.
A wild yell rang out. They were dis
covered.
Forward Forward!' And the men
pricked the maddened horses with
their keen-edged sabers.
Look ahead, Charlie They have
ambushed the road" said Fortescue.
A hoarse hurrah, as though these two
had been the life-guards, was followed
by clash of swords amid confused,
struggling mass of black figures.
Fortescue's hand was on his loved
ones bride. The other lover, Charlie,
leaned out across her horses neck to
cover her form. They slashed right
and left.
Through theml Darling, are you
hit?'
NO." said Clara. 1t was the first and
last word Charlie heard her speak dur
ing that memorable night, hideous as it
was
The distance to Lucknow was twenty
miles. The pace was furious.
A"ChIJ hlhCo, Oldlc d, ouitt Nhll liz,
only twenty miles" She smiled as he
looked on her sweet face in the light of
the dawning day.
They saw parties of sepoy cavalry
securing the country in all directions
Blood and dust all mingled on their
faces made it hard to perceive they were
Europeans, and they hoped to pass un-
noticed.
''See those pennons, Fortescue?"
said Charlie. 'They belong to the in
spector general escort. Poor fellow!
He's gone"
Eyes; and they are lying for u.s."
'Ten miles more now" continued
Charlie, cheerfully.
Just then his horse sank into the
dust, dampening it with it's foam-cov-
cred sides. Charlie sprang up.
go on, Fortescue, never mind about
me. You will find Laurence at Luck
now.''
Not a yard, Charlie" said the major.
Get up in front of Clara, and hand me
one of your 'barkers;' mine is broken"
So they dashed onward again. But
those fatal pennons futtered nearer
and nearer, and Charlie looked behind
at the yelling sepoys and downward at
the heaving TANKS of the doubly-laden
horse
Fortescue's brow lowered, and he
clutched the pistol Charlie had handed
him.
In the midst of the gathering horror
Charlie Meredith had gone back to the
veranda. He could see the little pun
kah-wallah, he could hear his own tones
pleading lost cause. His mouth
twitched. but his resolve was taken,
unearthly calm.
He turned to Clara.
''Clara, kiss me-" said he, simply.
She leaned forward and kissed him.
''Good-by, dearest! My dear For
tescue, good by!''
He swung lightly down and stood in
the road
Fortescue halted; he trembled in
every limb; his eyes were filed with
unbidden tears; his voice rose into
scream of agony.
Charlie, we'll die together!' said he.
go on, old fellow, for her sake!'
And Charlie struck the horses with his
sword. They galloped on, Clara with
her head bowed down, Fortescue weep
ing sobs of mingled rage and grief.
The rebels saw their prey He stood
facing them as if on dress parade; his
helmet had fallen off. and his fair head
shone IN the sunlight. forming
strange contrast TO his blackened face.
They were on him as he finished his
prayer. They rode around him, afraid
to close in, the jaclals pulling down
the dying lion. He held the road for
five minutes. There were couple of
saddles emptied, and all was over.
Charlie Meredith lay in the blood
stained dust, his death glorious con-
secration,
Stern Laurence heard the story twen-
ty minutes later. On came the sortie
he had ordered out, Mai. Fortescue at
its head. They caught his slayers and
moved them down with nervous arm,
as the reapers do the wheat.
''There he lies" said trooper.
And the stalwart fellows stood
around, with binding tears in their
eyes. They watched the living rival
tenderly lift that precious form. He
held him to his bosom, as though he
would warm him back to life He suf-
fered no other hands to touch him as
they journeyed back to Lucknow
Sir Henry Laurence met them at the
gate of the Residency. He lifted his
helmet to the procession.
Greater love hath no man than
this, that he lay down his life for his
friends" said the great Englishman,
solemnly.
Both he and Charlie lie buried in the
Residency garden together. Clara's
eldest boy is named Charles Meredith
Fortescue, and upon the tablet in the
Fortescue church erected to Charles
memory are engraved the words of Sir
I. Laurence.-s Parks. in N. Y. Ledger.