Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-02-23
JESSIE OF LUCKNOW.

JESSIE OF LUCKNOW.
A FAMOUS CASE OF cLAiRvOYANcE
GRAPHICALLY RELATED.
When the Besieged Had Lost All Hope,
the ScOtchwoman Heard the Slogan
Which Announced That the Highlanders
Were Coming to the Rescue.
In conversation between distinguish
ed judge of this state and an editor the
article of Mark Twain's on telepathy cas-
ually came into talk. Many cases were
cited, and the judge alluded to the re-
markable story of Jessie Brown. It will
be new to many, and it is given here
with as it appeared in letter to the
London Times, the letter being written
by a lady who was the wife of an officer
at Lucknow:
Son every side death stared us in the
face. No human skill could avert it any
longer. We saw the moment approach
when we must bid farewell to earth, yet
without feeling that unutterable horror
which must have been experienced by
the unhappy victims at Cawnpur. We
were resolved rather to die than to yield
and were fully persuaded that in 24hours
all would be over. The engineer had
said so, and all knew the worst. We
women strove to encourage each other
and to perform the light duties which
were assigned to us, such as conveying
orders to the batteries, supplying the
men with provisions, especially cups of
coffee, which we prepared day and night.
81 had gone out to try to make myself
useful in company with Jessie Brown,
the wife of corporal in my husbands
regiment. Poor Jessie had been in
state of restless excitement all through
the siege and had fallen away visibly
during the last few days. A constant
fever consumed her, and her mind wan
dered occasionally, especially that day,
when the recollections of home seemed
powerfully present to her. At last, over
come with fatigue, she lay down on the
ground, wrapped in her plaid. I sat be-
side her, promising to awake her when,
as she said, her father should return
from the blowing.
''She fell at length into a profound
slumber, motionless and apparently
breathless, her head resting in my lap
Il myself could no longer resist the in
clination to sleep, in spite Of the con-
tinual roar of the cannon. Suddenly
was aroused by wild, unearthly scream
close to my ear. My companion stood
upright beside me, her arms raised and
her head bent forward in the attitude of
listening.
"a look of intense delight broke over
her countenance. She grasped my hand,
drew me toward her and exclaimed
'Dinna ye hear it? Dinna We hear it!
Aye, I'm no dreaming! It's the slogan
o. the highlanders! We're saved! We're
savedv Then fiinging herself on her
knees she thanked God with passionate
fervor. felt utterly bewildered
''My English ears heard only the roar
Of artillery, and thought my poo- Jes-
sic was still raving, but she darted to
the batteries, and I heard her cry inces-
sanity to the men: sCouragei Courage!
Hank to the slogan-the Macgregor, the
grandest Of them all! Here's help at
last.
'sTo describe the effect of these words
upon the soldiers would be impossible
For a moment they ceased firing. and
every soul listened with intense anxiety
Gradually, however, there arose MUIR
muir of bitter disappointment, and the
wailing of women who had focked to
the spot burst out anew as the colonel
shook his head. Our dull lowland ears
heard only the roar of the musketry.
"a few moments more of this death
like suspense, Of this agonizing hope, and
Jessie, who had again sunk on the ground,
sprang to her feet and cried in voice so
clear and piercing that it was heard
along the whole line: Will ye no believe
it moo? The slogan has ceased indeed,
but the Campbells are coming. Dye
hear? Dye hearY
cat that moment all seemed, indeed,
to hear the voice Of God in the distance,
when the pibroch of the highlanders
brought US tidings of deliverance, for
now there was no longer any doubt of
the fact. That shrill, penetrating, cease
less sound, which rose above all other
sounds, could come neither from the adj
vance of the enemy nor from the work
of the sappers. No, it was indeed the blast
of the Scottish bagpipes. now shrill and
harsh, as threatening vengeance on the
foe, then in softer tones seeming to prom
Use succor to their friends in need.
Never, surely, was there such scene
as that which followed. Not heart in
the residency of Lucknow but bowed it
self before God. All by one simultaneous
impulse fell upon their knees, and moth
ing was heard but bursting sobs and
murmured voice Of prayer. Then all
arose, and there rang out from thou
sand lips great shout of joy, which re-
sounded far and wide and lent new vigor
to that blessed pibroch.
$50 our cheer of God Save the Queen
they replied by the well known strain
that moves every Scot to tears, Should
Aud Acquaintance Be Forgot After
that nothing else made any impression
on me. I scarcely remember what fol
lowed. Jessie was presented to thu gen
eral on his entrance to the fort, and at
the officers banquet her health was
drunk by all present, while the pipers
marched around the table playing once
more the familiar air of 'Auld Lang
Syne.'"
Whittier's poem, s'The Pipes at Luck
now" and Robert T. S. Lowell's "The
Relief Of Lucknow" are descriptive OF