Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-03-30
CHAPTER XIV.
JOHN TO THE RESCUE,

CHAPTER XIV.
JOHN TO THE RESCUE.
The important domestic events described
in the last chapter took PLACE on Dec. Z, 1850,
and for the next twelve days or so every
thing went as happily at Mooifontein as
things should SO under the circumstances.
Every day Silas Croft beamed with more
enlarged gcniality i'll his satisfaction at the
turn things had taken, and every day John
found cause to congratulate himself more
and more on the issue of his bold venture to-
ward matrimony. Now that he came to be
on such intimate terms with his betrothed, he
perceived hundred charms and graces in
her character which he had never suspected
before. Bessie was like flower: the more
she basled in the light and warmth of her
love the more her character opened and un-
folded, shedding perfnmed sweetness round
her and revealing unguessed charms. 1t is SO
with ell women, and more especially with a
woman Of her stamp, whom nature has
made to love and be loved as maid
and wife and mother. Her undoubted
personal beauty also shared in this
development, her fair face taking q richer
hue and her eyes an added depth and mean
ing. She was in every respect, save one, all
that a man could desire in his wife, and even
the exception was one that would have stood
to her credit with most men. 1t was this:
she was not On intellectual woman, although
she certainly possessed moro than the ordi-
nary share Of intelligence and work day
common sense. Now John was q decidedly
intellectual man, and, what is more, he highly
appreciated that rare quality in the other
p,,t Mt oil l.,
to a sweet and lovely woman, one does not
think much about her intellect. Those sort
Of reflections come afterward
And so they sauntered hand in hand
through the sunny days and were exceedingly
happy. Least Of all did they allow the ru-
mors which occasionally reached them from
the great Boer gathering ct Paerde Kraal TO
disturb their serenity. There had been so
many Of these rumors of rebellion that folk
wero getting to regard them as O chronic
state of affairs.
aOh. the Boers!" said Bessie, with O pretty
toss Of her golden head, as they were sitting
one morning on the veranda. am sick to
death Of hearing about the Doors and all their
got up talk know what it is; it Il just an
excuse for them to 60 awss from their farms
and wives and children and idlc about ut
these great meetings, and drink square face
with their mouths full Of big words You
sec what jess says in her last letter. People
In Pretoria believe that it is oil nonsense from
beginning to end, and think they are per-
fectly right"
by the way, Bessie" asked John, shave
you written to jess telling her Of our engage
mentT'
"Oh, yes /; l wrote somc days ago, but the
letter only went yesterday. Shc will DO
pleased to hear about it Dear old jess,
wonder when she means to como home again.
She has been away long enough"
John mAdo no answer, but went OIL smoking
ais pipe in silence. wondering II jess would
be pleased. He did not understand her yet
She had gone away Just Is ho was beginning
to understand her.
Presently he observed Jantje sneaking
about between the orange trees as though he
wished to call attention to himself Had ihe
not wanted to do so he would have moved
from one to the other in such q way that
nobody could have seen him. His partial and
desultory appearances indicated that lie was
on view.
@Come out Of those trees, you little rascal,
and stop slipping about like q snake in stone
wall !" shouted John. "what Is it you want
wages
Thus adjured. Jantjc advanced and sat
down on the path cs usual, in the full glare Of
the sun.
@No, baas," he said" it is not wages They
are not due yet"
sWhat is it thens"
mo. bans, it is this The Beers have
declared war on tho English government. and
they have eaten up the rooibaatjes at Bron-
kers Spruit, near Middelburg. 'Joubert shot
them all there the day before yesterday"
"What!' shouted John, letting his pipe fall
in his establishment "Stop, though, that
must be Lie. You say near Middclburg, the
day before yesterday; that would DO Dec. 10
When did you hear thisa"
SAt daybreak, baas. A Basutu told me-"
@Then there IS an end Of it. The news
could not have got here in thirty-eight hours
What do you mean by coming to mo with
such a talea"
Tho Hottentot smiled. ut is quite true,
bans Bad news flies like q bird" and he
picked himself up and slipped of to his
work
Notwithstanding the apparent impossibility
Of the thing, John was considerably dis
turbed, knowing the extraordinary speed
with which news does travel among Kaffirs;
moro swiftly, indeed, than the swiftest
mounted messenger can bear it. Leaving
Bessie, who was also somewhat alarmed, he
went in search Of Silas Croft. and, finding
him in tho garden, told him what Jamie had
said Tho old man did not know what to
make Of the tale, but, remembering Frank
Muller's threats, he shook his head
"lfthere il any truth in it that villain Null
Ter has hand in it, no said. GI'll 60 to the
house and SEQ Jantje. Give me your arm,
John"
He obeyed, and, on getting to the top of
the steep path, perceived the stout figure Of
old Hans Coetzee, who had been his host ut
the shooting party ambling along ON his fat
little pony.
@Ah," said old Silas, "here Is the man who
win tell us il there is anything in it ALL"
Good day, ON Coetzee, good day." be
shouted out in his stentorian tone "What
news do You bring with you!"
Tho jolly looking Boer rolled awkwardly
on his pony before answering, and, throwing
the reins over its head, came to meet them.
"Allemuchter, ON Silas, it is bad news
You have heard Of the bymakaar tlneeting)
at Paarde Kraal. Frank Muller wanted me
to 90, but would not, and now they have
declared war on the British government, and
sent proclamation to Lanyon There win
be fighting, ON Silas; the land will run with
blood, and the poor rooibaatjes will be shot
down like buck"
THE poor Beers, you mean," growled
John, who did not like to hear her majestys
army talked Of in terms Of regretful pity.
ON Coetzec shook his head with the air Of
one who knew all about it, and then turned
an attentive ear to Silas Croft's version of
Jantje's story.
"Allemachteri" groaned Coetzee, awhat did
tell youi The poor rooibaatjes shot down
like buck, and the land running with blood
And now that Frank Muller will draw me
into it, and shall have to 60 and shoot the
poor rooibaatjes, and can't miss; try q
hard as will, I can't mss. And when No
have shot them all I suppose Burgers will
como back, and he is krankish tmad). Yes,
yes; Lanyon Is bad, but Burgers is worse"
and the comfortable old gentleman groaned