The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-27
die at his post, death would ind him

die at his post, death would ind him
ready.
"I shall never, while I have breath,
cease to remember that man with all
the wonder and admiration my soul
can express. God never made hui
man being more in the mold of hero
than when he gave us Gordon. The
world will keep his memory green for
ever.
"Thus, as the months passed away.
our stores grew low, and n spirit Of
discomfort arose. Money was scarce,
and the soldiers were in /? state of con-
slant irritation bordering on frenzy.
Mutiny would long since have broken
out but for the astonishing power this
man seemed to have over his subjects.
I marveled at it then, and it will never
cease to be source Of wonder to me:
"At last came the fatal hour when
this magnetism could no longer hold
the fragments of his little army to-
gether. I knew it was coming as we'll
as knew anything. Signs pointed to
it from all quarters, and each morn
ing as the sun rose in the east Won
dered whether it would ever be my
good fortune to look on its setting
again.
Gordon never despaired Of rescue.
He had no doubt prepared for the
worst, but his faith in the ultimate
coming of his comrades was sublime.
They will come tomorrow he would
say each night as the darkness settled
about US, and deep down in my heart
1 firmly believed that tomorrow
would never arrive.
"Thus the days moved along, each
sun showing new difficulties that ut
it's setting Gordon had managed to
smooth over in a way that was simply
marvellous; but each time / noticed
that things looked worse, and it was
only a question Of how long it would
be ere certain matters came into con-
junction, and bore us under. What l
most dreaded was a mutiny during
one of the enemy's fierce assaults.
Should q portion of our troops turn
upon us, even the fierce ardor of the
Bashi Bazouks who remained faithful
could not keep Gordon's life sacred.
MY fears proved to be we'll ground
ed, as you shall soon see. It hap
pened on the Goth day of January, and
that should be day of moruning for
all time to come in England.
Gordon came from his room that
morning as cheerful as was his wont,
and ready to meet the duties of the
day, whatever heaven might send him.
The storm was gathering, but his
presence had chased away the clouds
so often that all of US had come to be-
lieve him invincible.
1--WE knew the enemy was about to
make q desperate assault, but, we had
hurled them back from the walls of
Khartoom so often in bleeding masses
that we did not doubt our ability to do
the same thing again, although ammu-
milton was beginning to grow scarce.
II have since come to the conclusion
that during the night Of the 25th
some arrangement must have been
made between our native troops and
the sheiks who led the hordes of the
Prophet. Certainly, the events of the
day justified such a conclusion.
Gordon, as usual, assembled his
leaders and harangued them. Up to
now, he had never once failed to i'm
part some of his own enthusiasm to
those in charge Of his men, so that
they went to their several stations in
'spired to fight like heroes in the cause
Of this magnetic man.
with wonder and uneasiness l saw
that his words on this morning ap-
peared to fall upon deaf ears. The
dark faces grew moody. AS it hap
pened, was the only white man close
by, though I could hear some of his
officers giving orders near the govern
or's house.
lone man threw the spark that eX-
ploded the magazine. He dared an
swer Gordon back Ild tell him it
would be best to give up Khartoom
while Ell Mahdi was willing to let
them depart in peace, since the doom
of the city was settled thing, any
how.
THE generals face famed up as he
heard this cowardly plea. I can see
him now, as in scathing terms he re-
buked the officer. The man hung his
head I expected to see him fall on
his knees and beg for pardon.
MY attention was drawn from him
for just few seconds, while swept
my eyes around to see how the others
were taking it. I found that they, too,
scrowled and looked ugly.