The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-12
A~LBERTYNE'S WO0ING

IALBERTYNE'S W00IN(
Albert Albertyne WIS tho unluckiest {
diggers when l knew him on the diamond
fields. iic hid not oven the clance to b
alwaysunfortunatc. When the tide obbe'
80 fur that hc must needs think OF "pacI
and gang" 1t flowed q little. Such fat
stirs the mildest man to bitterness, whei
lazy, worthless ncighbors arc finding trca
sures all round. Despairing ut length
Albertyne enlisted in Il volunteer force
served through tho Transkei war, ind RI
turned. But there was no change in hi
luck, and hegladly joined tho "Kimberlo,
Light Horse" when Zulu troubles threat
ened. There Albcrtyne distinguished
himself, but no profit camc OF that be
sides camp renown and influence.
should mention'th hat his was ono oftho OLE
Frcnch-Bocr families, seated by Calcdon
After tho disbandnlcnt OF the Kimberle,
Light Horse ho again tried the Fields
One day an eX.ollicer Of tho corps invited
him 10 look In, and said, "Clinch has jus'
made me an odd proposal. 1t seems tina
~Monkoroane, Head chief OF the Batlapins
wants to raise 4 force Of yeomanry among
his people. lie has instructed Clinch tt
engage Il c%ommnndant. The thing doesn't
suit me now, but you might like IT,"
~ would pull the DEVILS tail, sir, 10 &c,
out ofthis! What's the pay
why, that seems to be speculative
Monkoroano has no money, but he Offers
horses and cattle ina vague sort OF way
that I should interpret Ms unlimited.
After three years he gives his command.
ant a hundred square miles Of veldt, or q
pretty landscape about that size. Ididn',
50 into figures"
Thank you, sir; anyhow, I'll sec
Clinch.u
This parsonage was the chief Batiapin
tradOr, and business agent Of MonkorOane.
In general terms lie repeated to Albertync
tho assurance OF amcrry life and q prince
ly gift at tho end Of his engagement. The
digger cared nothing for in%tcrnational
law, and little for abstract humanity, but
he asked what foe threatened MoDkoroane
OIL n sudden. The trader vowed with
oaths that there was none, saving the
broken Bastard tribes, wto were always
giving trouble. Albcrtync did moi com.
nit himself, but he begged the refusal d
the appointment.
Leaving this conference, he turned into
Swinney's bar, under D~ulifontein tree.
Betwixt despair and the reckless habits
learned in campaign, the instinct OF work
had died out Of him. Drink had no iasci.
nation, but an idle man who Geeks com.
Pfny in q toiling settlement must needs
look for it among drinkers in work time.
At %Swinney's he found a comrade ef the
Horse who had been returned as missing.
Their greeting was warmed with Cape
Smoke and memoirs OF the stirring days.
Albertyne asked il his friend had rccOy.
cred his pay. ~ am sending. in my pa.
pers," said Wood, "but they tell mo |
shall be lucky if Government cashes III
within twelve months; AMI then, ] hope,
n few pounds won't be much 10 this digger
any way. I'll pnt you up to good thing,
mate. Just stick by me! I'll bang the
Colcsberg Kopicl Landslide thing Twis7
Drop It'll"
III lands the thing, Pm not outside.
what DO you say to q hundred square
miles for a landscape before ones door,
Bang that"
Il say thcre'sa diamonditerous strata
hereabouts! what's your prospect"
The smoke had mounted to either brain.
Albcrtyne told the chief officer.
swell now, as II may say, this is in.
tercepted dcspatchesI You wouldn't fight
against comrades for an oif'Chaucc! Come
over to u side, old chap--"i
II think, gentlemen" said a voice be.
hind, "yoH had better discuss these things
in private"
They looked round angrily. The speak.
or sat close ut their. back, a tall old man,
well dressed, whose keen eyes twinkled
in n sun-dried face.
III you was n mouse, Mr.. Yates" said
Wood, "blesscd il there's n cat in these
parts conld pounce you! l thought you
were at Port Elizabeth"
"My tent Is handy said Yates, rising
and they followed him through Bullion
tcin camp. Just beyond tho outskirts
stood o wagon, with q ily.tcnt beside it.
| Albertyne had supposed that Il man who
was evidently Woods colleaguein n shady
business must needs be shady himself, hui
everything here betokcned substance
-Four good horaes werD tethercd by the
wagon, a new cart for driving stood near
tho oxen were sleek, n coodlc servant
busted himself with pots and pans scvcra
blacks, decent OF appearance lounged
about.
"Entcr!" said Yates %courteously, stand.
ing by the tent door. Albertync stopped
in the low opening, and met a stare Of re.
buke that brought him to. Avery beau
tiiul woman had been stretched in u lonl
wicker chair, and she turned 10 irown o.
tho intruder. Tint radiance, within n toni
at nooisan climates where the sun shines
liercely, well suited her stylc-dark eyes,
even brows, white skin, large, handRomC
features. The faults attendant were un.
seen; absence Of healthy color harmon
lied with o transient glow which admits
no shadow. AlbsrtynG had never hehcld
such beauty. 1t dazxled him, and he
backed without apology, upsetting Wood
over the tent rope. Tho language OF that
comrade, though %jocular, was peculiarly
ilG.Atted for Indies hearing; Albortyne
jumped on him rs no struggled and stop
ped his mouth, Meanwhile Yates looked
in. "My doar," said he, reprovingly, ~
begged you TO remain in the wagon always
when l 60 out"
otis so stul1y there, father! Oh, don't
grumble! Pm of now, and there's ne
harm done." Neither tone nor words be
came that lovely creature, but the jar o
feminine pctuiancO was 4 new sound fol
Albertyne, that conveyed no s%pecialmean
ing to. hip ear. The music Of tho voice
enchanted his guileless soul, and the up
pcllation 'ifather" brought him quite un
reasonable comfort, While speaking thu
lady passed By, In robes Of muslin tina
showed o fine arm and graceful
rounded figure. She did not look n
\ him lint from tho corncr NJ bor avo fbrou