The Red Cloud chief., 1900-02-23

The last words Of great men utter
cd as their life work was drawing to
a close, have furnished inspiration for
future generations and been made the
subject for story or song in all coun-
tries where genius in the arts or love
Of country is given a high place. The
battlefield has been a source whence
has sprung many messages which have
breathed of courage, often spoken IN
Ter cover OF Jest, and which have
shown the utter disregard of self when
The sufferers country demanded a sac
.ifce.
When Lieut.. Egerton, Of II. NJ. S.
Powerful, had both his legs blown of
1t Ladysmith recently. his first
thoughts were. not of ancestral home,
lis broad acres, or the friends and
relatives he was never to see again.
)ut OF England's national game, OF
which he was an enthusiastic devotee.
This spoils my cricketing." he ex-
'laimed, and lapsed into unconscious
less.
A parallel case was that of Cornet
W. Banks. Seventh Hussars. who lost
ais life at the Moosa Bagh. Lucknow.
Way, 1898. Alone and unsupported, the
heroic boyle was only lS-charged
l strong body OF rebels. and killed or
wounded a ROUND dozen ere he was
lnhorsed by an unlucky tulwar stroke.
When rescued he was in a terrible
blight. One leg was Topped off above
he knee; the other was only hanging
BY a shred of flesh: one arm was cleft
% the bone; the other had entirely dis
appeared, and about the body were
many gaping wounds. They tell me
| can go yachting If | get over this"
ne cried, as they bore him from the
operating tent, and tainted away. An
lour later he was dead. never having
recovered consciousness.
At the battle of Elandslaagte there
ell Col. Cunning. Of the S%ixty-ninth
Rifles. whose last words. Follow me.
Rifles" must have helped carry many
4 brave fellow forward up the fire.
swept hill. Die hard. men. die hard"
shouted Col. lnglis OF the Fifty-seventh
British infantry, when mortally
wounded at Albuhera; and the regi-
nent has borne the proud nickname OF
The Orchards" from that day to
his. Ensign Anstruthers. who planted
The Queens color of the Royal Welsh
IN the nights of Alma, and was imme-
lately shot dead for his pains. cried
"Floreat EtOna"-he was an Elton boy
as the fatal bullet struck him.
Nelson's Thank God, | have done
my duty" is historic: but the same
phrase, or something very like it, has
been used many times by soldiers on
their death beds. Very touching in
its simple and self-deprecatory nodes
~ was the paraphrase OF IL used by
Col. Booth of the Forty-third British
Infantry, who was MORALLY wounded
while leading the unsuccessful attack
On the Gate Pah in the Maori war.
When he found his end approaching
he sent for the general, and said. very
quietly, Sir, | endeavored To carry
out your orders; ! am sorry ! have
failed; ] at least tried 10 do my duty
Washington's last words were, 1t is
WE'LL" Wolfe's. What, do they run al
ready? Then | die happy" Napoleon,
4 few minutes before he expired. STAN
mered u the words. Army" and
France" but il could not be ascer-
tained whether il was a dream. deliri-
I'm or an adieu. The Duke of Cumber-
land said. loudly, 1T is all over Sir
Hugh Percy, killed fighting for Henry
VI. at Hedgeley Moore. cried as he
fell, 81 have at least saved the bird In
my BOSOM meaning that he had kept
the troth he plighted to his unfortun.
ate sovereign, while so many had de-
serted him, and thereby retained his
own self-respect. Cromwell, when he
was dying, was pressed TO drink a pos
set which had been prepared for him
or at least to take some sleep, tC
which he replied, 1T is not my design
to eat or to sleep. but my design Is
to make what haste ] can TO be gone.
Sir John Moore, killed at Corunna
turned to one of his aids-de-camp
Hon. Capt. %Stanhope, and said, Stan
hope, remember me TO your sister.
The sister referred to was the %celebrat
ed beauty and wit, Lady Hester Stan
hope.