The Argosy — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

34 A Story of the Day. “Yes, I saw it announced here,” pointing to the open paper which lay on the table. ‘And, Ronald,” she added, quite firmly, though very low, “‘I will not make your duty harder for you by my weakness. I gow you must go, and I will not seek to hold you back. I fear I was very wrong at first when I read it; it was a shock, an awful shock, Ronald ; and I do not know what you will think of me, dear, for I felt tempted to implore you to give it up, and fix on some other regiment; but I soon remembered you could not in honour do such a thing. And then I recalled our conversation of only yesterday ; and I knew that the time had now come for me to prove that my words were not mere words—a vain boast and nothing else.” He clasped her in his arms, whispering: “Well done, my Blanche! you are the right stuff for a soldier’s wife.” And the strong man felt that his delicate, timid wife had been nobler and stronger than he ; though, perhaps, the temporary weakness of the one and the unusual strength of the other came from the same source: that one great power, stronger than all ambition, yet overcoming the weakest woman’s fears—love. ‘‘ Love strong as death, love which casts out self.” The harrowing details of the parting must be passed over. I fear many a wife has such details only too fresh upon her mind. It came all too soon, that parting—for in these days momentous orders are flashed over the world by telegram. Blanche held up bravely to the last, her parting words to her husband being in answer to what she knew were his unspoken fears. ‘ Ronald, please God, I will try my very utmost to live, for your sake.” But when, a few minutes later, Doctor Spencer came in, as he pro- mised Captain Douglas to do, he found her stretched senseless on the floor. Neither will the details of that campaign be told here, and indeed it needs it not; for who does not know, almost by heart each stixring scene in the sad history ? Ronald Douglas was in Stewart’s column, and fought under him in the tiny square at Abu Klea, where 1,500 of our men routed 10,000 of the enemy ; and again at Metemmeh, where the gallant commander fell, pierced with what proved to be his death wound—fell, like a worthy follower of him they were seeking to save, in the performance of an act of thoughtful kindness and consideration for those fighting under him. And then Douglas was among the little band who went on with Sir Charles Wilson to the very gates of Khartoum, to find they had arrived, alas, too late. All was over. Deprived of the steamers, which it had been the . last crowning act of Gordon’s unselfish life to send away from him, for the sake of others, in his sorest need, he had fallen by wicked treachery ; and, while this world should last, the eye of mortal man would never look on Gordon again ! commiclooo ks (C(O)