The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-01-15

doom stared him in the face.
81 know his mind. for have talked
with him day by day, and found Cor
don a rock. He could a dozen times
have saved himself by flight, but he
would not desert his post. Heaven
sent him there, and at Khartoom he
would remain, the rock Of Egypt. I'M
| til 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
sally; anon, an attack. We might
have even won on certain occasion
but for the treachery 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
BY in way that was maddening.
Our eyes were strained looking for the
succor that never came. Through 1t
all Gordon was the same man have
ever know him, cheerful, sober, and
never falterlng. If 1t was his fate to
die at his post, death would lind him
ready.
81 shall never while have breath.
cease to remember that man with all
the wonder and admiration my soul
can express. God never made a 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 spirit of
discomfort arose. Money was scarce.
and the soldiers were in = state of con-
slant irritation bordering on frenzy.
hIutiny would long since have broken
out but for the astonishing power this
man seemed to have over his subjects.
l marveled at it then. and 1t will never
cease to be source Of wonder to me.
eat last came the fatal hour when
| this magnetism could no longer hold
the fragments of his little army to-
gether. knew 1t was coming as well
as I 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
I firmly believed that tomorrow
would never arrive.
THUS the days moved along, each
sun showing new difficulties that at
its 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 question of how long it would
be ere certain matters came into con-
junction, and bore US under. What
most dreaded was a mutiny during
one of the enemy's fierca assaults.
Should a 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 well ground
ed, as you shall soon see. 1t 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 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
|
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 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 I saw
that his words on this morning APP
peared to fall upon deaf ears. The
dark faces grew moody. As 1t hap
pened, was the only white man close
by, though could hear some of his
officers giving orders near the govern
or's house.
"One man threw the spark that ex-