The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-10-04


| He caught my idea at once. Captain
he cried, you are genius, a marvel,
| a. However, it is not for me to repeat
the compliments, perhaps not altogether
undeserved, he paid my resource.
with his help wound the telegraph
wire round two cannons, connecting eyf
cry two guns with a spool of wire. I'll
this way we connected eight guns on fhS
| land side of the fort and six commanding
the bay. Then the wires from each gun
were taken into the powder magazine,
where Hudson had rugged up an internal
machine of his own devising.
"We had hardly completed our work
when night fell. You are sure they
haven't any muskets?' Hudson said to
me before we separated for the night.
Perfectly, answered. only spears
and knives Then it ought to be all
right he murmured, but how about
the ships?' Let's settle the niggers first,
replied. Sufficient for the day are the
ructions thereof.
with these remarks he left me, and
TIsat in my powder magazine awaiting
events. The hours crept by very slowly.
! tingled with excitement, for I knew
the next hour would determine our fate.
At length in the pitchy darkness the
drummer boy, with his only eye glow
ing in the blackness like carbuncle,
whispered softly, Captain, they re COM
ingr Still waited.
"Then in the deathlike stiffness a yell
broke on the startled air. / knew the
crucial moment had come, and IL
pressed button. There was whirring
sound. Then all was quiet again until u
cheer from my men rang out and / knew
that all was we'll Selling my club !
hurried out into the darkness. Every
thing was as dark as-as the war Office
and the fort was deserted.
"Just outside the gate 1 stumbled
across body. turned it over with my
foot. 1t was u niger in full warpaint
and unarmed. Then l knew that my
plan had succeeded. Hurrying forward,
whittier dull thud, varied by an occa-
sional groan, guided me, found my
gallant Bombardiers clubbing for dear
life-for the bayonets and barrels Uf
their muskets had been removed by my
Understanding scurrying crowd of
savages.
"Well, sir, we banged and banged
until we could no longer raise our arms.
As day broke l ordered the drummer to
beat to quarters. He was nowhere to lie
found. Shouting to my men, babe
them retire to the fort. Then the sun
rose, and what sight met our eyes!
Every cannon in the fort was studded
with spears and knives as thick as u
pudding is of plums, as close as pin
cushion is of pins.
"What had happened will be obvious
to you, sir. By the telegraph wires and
ALI electric battery i'll the powder maya
zine l had turned all my cannons into
electro magnets of 40 horsepower. Con
sequently as soon as the enemy were
within range l turned on the current.
Every steel weapon in the hands of the
niggers simply whirled out of their
grasp and stuck like horse leeches to NY
magnets.
1.-The absence of the drummer boy
was soon explained. As, against my dis
tinct orders, he had been wearing
hanger when 1 turned the current on, he
few against the nearest gun and stuck
there as G.. o. does to 4 decoration. Ii
took six men to haul him off.
"Then, in the joy of victory, Il sud
den dread came upon me. How about
the three men-of-war? The foreign
power ought to have landed its myrmi-
dons by this time. Scourgcd by my ap-
prehensions, hurried TO the seaward
battlements Of the fort. There, i'll the
gray dawn, Il strange sight met my eyes.
Mailed to the cruel Ccl.s to the west
ward of Damh lay those three men-of-
war, hopeless wrecks, buiTeted by the
waves against the grinding crags. What
had happened was simple enough.
Damme, sir, it flashed across NE i'll an
instant. The force of my seaward mag
nets had been such that it had deranged
the compasses of these vessels. Follow
ing their distorted guidance, they had
run ashore on the reef westward of the
fort.
even as watched / saw II beat push
off from the wrecked flagship At once
l donned the graceful uniform Of my
regiment, the Munchausen' Own, as
tho service fondly termed it, and drew
up my gallant SO i'll platoon: to await
our vanquished foe. A tall officer, of
gallant bearing. his dripping uniform
decorated with star, steppcf ashore.
"'Field marshal, said he, bowling to
me with q grace that left Inc no doubt
that was standing in the presence Of a
prince of blood royal, Il have the honor
to surrender to you my sword!'
"'Not field marshal, answered, &C
ceptiny the sword as / marked the dia-
monds flashing in its hilt, 'on'y Il cap
tain Of her majesty's loyal reg .n!cnt Of
Munchausen's Own. All, said his
highness, turning to his followers, what
chance have we against a nation where
such men are only captains?' Bowling
low, he followed me, my prisoner, into
the fort.
"That, sir, is the true history Of the
defense Of Damh. The end is plain.
After my victory they sent a general
from home, who reaped its fruits, who
was rewarded by grateful country by
sticking every condemned letter Of the
alphabet after his blighted name. But
the nation has yet to, learn to whose re-
source they owe the victory of Damli.
You were pleased to observe, sir? Eth,
sir? What, sirf Your obedient servant,
sir. Waiter, two of the same, with
slice of lemon. New Budget.