The Argosy — page 141: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

129 BRUSSELS. JUNE, 181s. By THE Hon. Mrs. ARMYTAGE. “| HERE are three ladies still living among us who can recall many details of those eventful days when the Battle of Waterloo was fought, the heavy cannonading almost within sound, as they pursued their daily tasks in a quaint old house in the Rue de la Blanchisserie at Brussels. More than this, these three ladies are sisters, and are the sole survivors of the thirteen children of Charles, Fourth Duke of Richmond. As they sit by their quiet firesides and muse of the long years past and gone, what memories of those days must flit across their minds in this year 1889, as some chance word or inquiry brings back to their thoughts those bright June days seventy-three years ago, when the large family party were gathered round the Duke and Duchess. With faithful memory they relate much that is interesting, and we look with wonder at these octogenarians, and think of the thrilling events with which their young lives were once so closely associated. At the time when the peace of Europe had been disturbed by the re-appearance of Napoleon, the Duke and Duchess of Richmond were settled in Brussels living in that house, the site of which has lately been so fully discussed. Three of the Duke’s sons were already holding commissions in the army. Lord March, Lord George and Lord William. The latter, very lately gazetted to the Blues, met with a bad accident while staying at the Chateau d’Enghien with the Duke of Wellington ; an accident which prevented his being present at the Battle of Waterloo, and occasioned the loss of the sight of one eye. The great Duke was an intimate friend, so that military enthusiasm was found in every member of the family. The Duke and Duchess of Richmond mixed in all the society of Brussels, and often entertained at their own house. Three of the Ladies Lennox were of an age to take part in any festivities, and Lodge's Peerage tells that the second daughter, Lady Sarah, was married a very few months after Waterloo was fought to one who had distinguished himself in that action, one of the Duke’s staff officers. All the researches lately discussed as to the exact situation of the House have only proved its utter destruction, and that no traces of the old house exist. Even the large chestnut trees have been cut down. But in 1815 it stood in its own grounds, with fruit and flower garden reaching to the city ramparts; but the ladies alluded to are clear in their recollections of the plan of the rooms, and distinctly deny the idea (propounded by someone) that the COnmicloooel SS (CO