The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-04-07
able addition to the armament of Fort

w
through with round-shot and rifle
bullets, and the escapes from death |
were so miraculous that Lieutenant
Long twice had the men assembled
for special thanksgiving service con-
Quoted by Father Walsh. On one occ-
casion a cannon-shot struck the wall
within an inch of Mrs. Longs head
and covered her with dust and debris.
Another time the hut in which she
lived came down about her ears, and
her escape from being crushed in the
ruins was marvellous. But she must
needs, woman-like, go back to rescue
her things" and expressed truly
feminine sorrow to find her best bon
net smashed as fiat as pancake, and
only one cup, two saucers and couple
of plates left of all her cherished
crockery.
Meanwhile, the men kept up their
spirits with music and dancing Hold
the Fort" with a strictly local appli-
cation, was favorite chorus. and the
men invented version of the famous
Jiugo song:
We don't want to fight but, by lingo, II we
do,
We've got the pluck, we've got the men,
and ammunition, too.
We've fought the Zulu king and Sekekuni.
And the Beers shall never get into Fort
Mary.
And they never did, though they tried
their utm, st to drive out the gallant
defenders with cannon and rifles, and,
what was worse, ''Greak fire" shot in
me allie tubes into the thatch of the
roofs. Perhaps if the Beers could
only have summed up courage to
make determined assault while the
huts were blazing and half the gar
rison occupied in putting out the
flames, they might have captured the
fort But they did not care to meet
the stubborn defenders of Fort Mary
hand to hand. So they contented
themselves with potting at the gallant
fellows who fearlessly exposed them
selves in their efforts to extinguish
the fire. Those efforts were success
full, though they cost the lives of two
brave men who could i'll be spared.
But the garrison were not content
with standing only on the defensive.
They made pluck little night sorties,
which scared the Beers considerably
and caused them some loss. Twice
Conductor Parsons of the Army Ser
vice Corps sailed out alone in the
dark aud pitched hand grenades in
among the enemy, which produced q
p rfect panic among them. There
was vigorous sapping and mining.
too, on the part of tn Royal Engineers,
who made it lively for the besiegers.
Then the water ran short. A pint
day for each man was all that could
be spared and this was terribly shor
rations of drink in the hottest month
of an African summer. At last thu
rain, which for many weary hours the,
had watched delusing the hills around
condescended to visit them, and thel
they had rather more water than the.
| wanted; for, the huts being all roof
less since the fire, there was no shell
ter from the pitiless downpour. Th
: soldiers, always eager and anxious t
protect Mrs. Long, rugged up tar
pauIin screen to shield her from til
rain when sleeping; but, despite thei
: care, she often woke up drenched.
8 The news of the disasters at Laing'
Q Mex and Ma;uba Hill was, of course
: promptly communicated to them b
t the enemy, accompanied by o pei
n emptory summons to surrender. Blu
: Lieutenant Long, though badl
I wounded himself, with his faithfl
v wife nursing him night and day, sci
, lack the curt answer: II shall hol
s out to the last" And the men, lookin
l. at that brave woman SO patient an
J. cheerful under her terrible load {
: anxiety, set their teeth hard and swol
a the Beers should never have Fo
- Mary while there was man left
d handle rife.
n "And ever ON the topmast roof I'll
old banner of England blew"
10 first, indeed, it was but a mercha
,e ships ensign. How they hoisted
a real union-j jack will let Mrs. Lol
{. tell in her own words:
ii "Our ships ensign had becom
what with the wind and what with Il
ID bullets, perfect shred; moreover ,
a. were anxious to hoist real unio
1r Jack. A Geneva flag was discovere
g but though sufficient red and viii
of were forthcoming to complete t
IN crosses, no blue was to be foun
lg Nothing daunted, the mon came to 1
,ir to inquire if possessed such thi
IN as bit of dark blue for the new fla
ly and, to their delight, I gave them
,ir serge dress of the desired color.
lie beautiful union-jack was very so
H. made and hoisted, instead of the frs
be On the 29th of March the Boo
ex kept up furious cannonade and fus
Ie- lade all night. But the next mornir
ci- to the surprise of the garrison, a VIII
lat flag was hoisted over the enemy's lin
IS. and under its protection Lieuten'
,r- Baker of the Sixtieth Rifles broue
er, them the humiliating news that pet
ag had been concluded with the Boo
lu. So the gallant defenders marched I
Dix from the riddled and battered lii
IRE fort which for 81 days they had b
,us against ten times their number.
lch Mrs. Long was SO thin and pull
,se down that her friends in Lydenb
es; hardly knew her. The Beers chez
nd her heartily as she passed them
- her way into the town, and their CT
vas mander, Piet Steyne, treated her "
the utmost courtesy. Indeed, sue