The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-12-18

| doom stared him in the face.
II know his mind, for have talked
with him day by day, and found Cor
| don Il rock. He could n dozen times
have saved himself by fight, but he
would not desert his post. Heaven
! sent him there, and at Khartoom he
would remain. the rock of Egypt, I'M
| ill the longed-for line Of British troops
appeared in view or doom came.
What we went through with during
those months heaven alone knows.
Day after day we fought the black
dervishes Of the desert, and thou
sands laid down their lives in front OF
Khartoom's walls. Now it was q
sally; anon. an attack. We might
have even Won on 4 certain occasion
hut for the trpnchprv Of certain lead
ers. Gordon tried them later, and all
were shot. He would not stand insub-
ordination.
Thus months passed. We endured
all that can come during that pestilen-
tial season from July, when the city
was invested. The weeks passed Us
ny in q way that was maddeninS.
Cur eyes were strained looking for the
succor that never came. Through 1t
~ Gordon was tho same man | have
ever know him. cheerful, sobcr. ana
cover falterjng. II it was his fate to
die ut his post, death would find him
ready.
II shall never, while l have breath.
cease to remember that man with :ll
the wonder and admiration my sJul
can express. God never made a hu-
man being more in the mold Of hero
than when he gave us Gordon. The
world will keep his memory green for
ever.
THUS, rs the months passed away.
our stores grew low, and 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.
! marveled at it then, and it will never
cease to be a source OF wonder to me.
at last came the fatal nour when
this magnetism could no longer hold
the fragments Of his little army to-
cether. knew it Was coming as we'll
as knew anything. Signs pointed to
it from all quarters. and each morn
ing rs the sun rose in the east l Won
dcrad whether it would ever be my
coed fortune to look on its setting
again.
Gordon never despaired Of rescue.
Ee had no doubt prepared for the
worst, but his faith in the ultimate
coming Of his comrades was subh:2e:
'They Will come tomorrow Ee "oulu
say each niSht as the oaFhheSs se''ie''
About u.s. ana aeep uo"u III NY Ae".'
hrmiy oeileVed 'Ha' 'o-iaot'o"
would never arrive.
THUS the days NoVCd along, eacn
sun showing NV difficulties that at
its setting Gordon had managed 70
cmooth over in way that was SIMPLY
marvellous: but each time L not!ced
that things looked worse, and 1t was
only q question OF how long II Wouid
be ere certain matters came INTO con-
Junction, ana pore Us unaer. Mhat
most dreaded was hutihy aur!hS
one OF the enemy hefce ass'ui's.
Should portion OIL our 'foops 'uin
upon us, even the nerce aruof ol the
Bashi BaZouks VINO remained Ialthlui
could not keep Gordons lie sacred.
my fears proved to be well ground
I'd, as you shall soon see. 1t hap
pened on the 26th day OF January, ana
that should be day OF moruninG Tor
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-
leve him invinclble.
| ..u-o I,no,,, tbo aparnr woe ohnut m