The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-10-01

ing dust IN the Iransvaal road; the
crowd swayed and parted, and at a
hand gallop two heavily laden mule
wagons passed through the surging
ranks, and halted for the escort to
close round. - -:
A woeful freight those wagons bore;
q load Of human misery; a company of
wretched convicts, into whose souls
the iron of captivity had already en-
tered; g. consignment of baf1ed, trapped
and forsaken seekersafter illicit wealth.
Youth and age were there, and the
CALLING letters bound all together
in the links of O common despair.
Chained as they were, like wild beasts,
some stood up, and in agonized voice
called upon friend, wife and child, who
answered not; while others, crouching
piteously in q corner of the rude con-
veyance, bowed their heads between
their trembling hands, and sought to
keep out the light of sun which had
become hateful to them. : -
Suddenly, I caught sight of Dirk Syl-
vester. He was sitting on the side of
the foremost wagon, his arms folded
across his chest, and q look of eager
expectation on his finely nodded face,
thin and pale with confinement and
suffering. I called to him; but he
heard not; his gaze seemed fixed on
some PARKWAY object, and q smile
played upon his wan lips.
I hurried on in advance of the caval-
cade toward the Oasis, which knew
it must pass, on it's way to the open
veldt. I remembered that the govern
or of the Jail had told me the night be-
fore that he had allowed a last inter-
view before the fearful journey to Cape
Town between man and wife, and that
they spoke some words in French,
which he did not understand, but
which seemed to have wonderful ef-
feet on Dirk.
AS neared the gate of the Oasis,
over which the blue-gums cast their
shade, and where the sweet trailing
flowers were in their full autumnal
beauty, saw Sylvester's wife standing
motionless. She was attired in the
plain white dress she wore on the day
of the trial, and also when she crowned
Dirk's hopes and rendered him the envy
of the bachelors Of the Fields by be-
coming his own. Her golden hair
foated unheeded on the lazy breath
from the distant plain; her eyes were
turned upward to the deep blue sky
above, and her lips seemed to be NOV
ing as if in silent prayer. There was
no need to tell her of the approach of
the convict party; their coming was
heralded by a wild refrain of a dismal
song chanted by the prisoners; and
adown the startled air came the sound
of creaking wheels, the cracking of
whips, the shouting of orders and the
responsive curses of the mob. Twas
unwilling to obtrude myself on her
notice, and therefore I did not speak
to her, but merely took up a position
close by the gate.
Nearer and nearer came the rolling
wagons; and the crowd rushed through
the eddying dust, till, suddenly, they
caught a glimpse OF the lonely watcher
in the gateway. There was not g. man
there who did not know that the slight,
pale woman standing with her hands
clasped convulsively together, and her
whole soul concentrated as it were in
one long gaze, was Sylvester's wife.
Even the officials knew his history,
they knew he was no midnight pur-
chaser of stolen gems, but only a pas
sionate, hapless man; and as if by in
stinct,, the melancholy procession
slowed and steadied and paused before
what was once the home of pure and
holy love.
Dirk was standing now; the smile
on his lips lit up his whole coun-
tenance; he looked like the careless
happy Dirk of former days; the lines of
care and deep and dull agony seemed to
soften and disappear from his face;
to his breast; with his right he pointed
to the awful blue of the cloudless
heaven, and then-a thin streak of
flame leapt from the midst of the
creepers and the quivering leaves, a
sharp report rang out upon the morn
ing air, puff of smoke curled upward
from the gateway, and Dirk Sylvester,
with that strange, glad smile upon his
lips, fell heavily forward, shot right
through the heart = by his /. wif s
She never lived to take her trial; in
deed she was unconscious from the
time when by one supreme act she
broke the letters which were wearing
Dirk Sylvester's spirits down into the
dust and ashes of q misery too keen
for his endurance, till within g. few
minutes of her death.
Then q new light shone in her
fast-closing eyes; she stretched out.
her arms. as t0as embrace 8
viewless form, and with the words
tDirkl Dirk! Free forever, dear! Free,
Dirk, free!" trembling on her lips, her
soul went forth rejoicing on the mys-
tic journey to the dark hereafter.
u ISIS 4 ~ 4 " 4 r. \ -. *~.1e.:
{ Soon after she had been laid to rest
by the side of her husband in the Gem
etery, white with many memorial
stone to ruined hopes, lives wrecked
and shattered, and affections sundered
by the cruel hand of death, a Kafir,
sentenced to the extreme penalty OF:
the law for an atrocious murder, con-
fessed that he and he alone was the
cause of the Frenchmen's tragic end
He had watched, through the half
drawn blind, the miserable man toy
ing with q golden chain to which a
miniature was attached, and, his Gu
pidity fired by the sight, crept to him
unawares, and tried to wrest it from
him. IA struggle ensued; the Kafir
snatched 9 revolver from the French.
mans hand and shot him, then, fear.
ing discovery, fled with only the min.
iatnre in his possession. The size of
the bullet and the Rnnnr were cnfnrii.z