The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-07-10
DAVIS At lkDYSMITH.
The Novelist Describes scenes and Incl
dents Of the X elief.

2 r. Davis. IN Scribners.
AT the start it moved hslungly, the
tOBnsDeOple lacking tie initiative, and
for ten minutes the column marched past
in as respectful 4 silence as would have
greeted a funeral. Gen. Butler alone re-
ceived a welcoming cheer. The rest Of the
men, lance, foot and Dragon passed
between the lines Of the garrison and the
townSpeople to no other accompaniment
than the music Of the G0rdOns' bagpipss
and the whirr Of the American biograph-
1t was Col Donald. the Irish colonel OF
the Irish Fusileers who was first 10 set
matters right and to break the polite
calm. He saw Gen White just as he had
ridden past him. and he saw his mistake
a the same instant and whirled about 50
suddenly that his horse drove back his
own men His enthusiasm made up for
the apathy OF the hundreds who had pre-
coded him: his face shone with generous
excited hero-worship. He did not pause T.
salute. II was as though he thought such
a perfurctory tribute from himself alone
was inadequate for such an occasion and
for such a man as Gen. White.
So Re stood up in his stirrups and waved
his helmet and called upon his regiment
Three cheers for Gen. Sir George White
he shouted, Hip. hip, nip in a brOgIJe
as rich as his good will was generous. And
his regiment answered 10 his call as il
had done on many less agreeable mo-
ments, and the lOve-feast began.
You must imagine what followed. You
must imagine the dry, burning heat. the
fine. yellow dust, the white glare OF tie
sunshine. and in the neat and glare and
duSt the great interr1lnabie column OF
men in ragged khaki CTOwding down the
Ts.T n 81 10 oh Wv an a
shouting with the sweat running Oft Their
red faces and cutting little rivulets in tie
dust that caked their cheeks Some of
them were so glad that. though in the
heaviest marching order, they lCdped up
ard down and stepped out Of line TO dance
10 the music Of the bagpiIes.
The officer who finally called up Lady
smith, is young Capt. Cayser. and the
story OF his efforts 40 communicate with
the beSieged garrison is a most credltab!e
81 up one high hill after another and
flashed his mirror, but without response,
except from the Beers n between. And
they when DC thought ne had got Lady
smith on the ';hOne. would shock and
Undeceive him by some such pleasantly
as How do you like our pOmpoms2" or
Go 10 he'll Not DISCOURAGED Capt
Cayser continued 10 climb many hii's.
until at last the mirror Ot I.adysn,ith
vinked hack at him. who are yoUg'
DevCns." came back the answer. But
Capt. Cayser had grown suspicious. and
in order 10 make quite sure VINO il ' as
with whom he was talking he flashed
back. Find Capt. Brooks Of the .fnr-
dOnS. and a TX him the name Of Capt. cay
ser's country place IN Scotland" hur-
ried search WAS made for Brooks, of the
GordOns, and the answer came back: I'VE
are acquainted with the name of your
home in PertShire." Then use il for the
code word" Eavser commanded, and for
the remainder Of the siege the name Of
CaySer's country hone was used 70 send
every cipher message that passed out Of
Ladysmith over the heads of the Beers.
It is further related that when the signal
officers found Brooks, of the Gordons,
and said, capt. Cayser has Just hello
graphed in 10 ask you to tell him the
name of his country house" that officer
well, I always thought Nay-
ser was an ass. but | didn't think he'd
forget the name Of his own home" The
picture of a gentleman heliographing vio-
iently into a besieged city to find out
where he lived has certainly a humorous
side.