, 1888-10-11

within seventy yards, when they stopped
and commenced a wild firing upon the
fort, the balls from their rifles pattering
upon the sides and roof. but doing no
damage.
The brave lady, with her one compan-
ion in arms and surrounded by the two
boys, who each grasped a cartridge, sent
a reply in the shape of a volley from their
rifles which took effect upon one of the
enemy. A fusilade was kept up on both
sides for some minutes, the gallant little
band inside being untouched, but several
of the besiegers had been wounded and
their fury was raised to a frenzy as they
were met by a CALLING fire, try what quar-
ter of the building they would. Again
they retired to- consult, and as a result
our their horses and, followed by the
footmen, rode away. The brave woman,
almost exhausted by the great physical
strain that had been put upon her, found
vent in q flood of tears as she threw her.
self into the arms of her boys and, grasp
ing the hand of their brave ally, they
sank upon the ground and gave thanks
for their preservation. But they Knew
the craftiness and hate of the savage too
well not to be aware that the worst waz
not yet over and that the band would re-
turn, perhaps with reenforcements, and
attack them.
That day passed in anxiety, out nc
enemy appeared and night fell, and still
there was no sign of their foes. The faith
full Fingre urged them to rest while he
watched, and thus the night passed until
the first blush of dawn showed itself in
the east, when the watcher awakened his
mistress and quietly told her to prepare
for another onslaught. His eyes had not
mistaken the indistinct figures that he
caught a glimpse of in the darkness, for
hardly had the besieged reached their
posts when they were assailed with q
heavy fire of bullets, and in the uncer-
tain light they saw a large number of the
relentless Kaffirs making q rush towards
them. Their rifles cracked time and time
again as they emptied the contents at the
advancing savages, now scarcely twenty
yards distant, but these did not waver,
they hurled themselves against the bar
ricades, which they endeavored to beat
down, and some, having lit torches, threw
them upon the matched roof of the build
ing, setting it on fire and adding another
terrible phase to their already desperate
condition. The poor mother was now al
most driven to despair; the new danger
threatened destruction. But again the he
roic boy came to the rescue. Bidding his
sister take his place at the cartridge box
he moved towards the kitchen of the
building, which was in the rear, and, peep
ing through the loop hole, reconnoitered.
The enemy had retired, waiting for the
fire to do the work for them, and the lad.
having assured himself that no one was
lurking around, crept out with a pail of
water and, cropping his way towards where
the nearest torch had been thrown,
emptied the contents upon it and re-
turned. Twice he did this, and was
emerging a third time, when he was
grasped by the throat by a huge Katlr,
whn Jro nraJ him y-o fpuuorju tho OF
lacking band.
The appearance of the Kafir with his
captive was the signal for a wild yell and
with the trembling boy intheir midst they
dashed once more towards the house. The
horror of the now frantic mother was ter
rible, as in the fast approaching daylight
she recognized her boy in the hands of
these monsters. Moreover, she dared
not shoot for fear of wounding her
son, who called out to his
mother Ito shoot and not to mind
him." The Kafirs, brandishing their
assegais around the boy, swore that if the
besieged did not surrender he should
be %butchered in front of his mothers eyes
and one already pressed the point of his
spear against the boys chest. The grief
of the woman was heartrending, and it
was with difficulty that she could be dis
suaded from rushing forth towards her
son, but her agony was short lived. Even
as she wavered there arose upon tho
morning air q Gathering of hoofs, and,
before the savages could recover from
their surprise, with a hearty cheer and
sabers raised aloft, there dashed into
their midst a party of Cape Mounted
Rifles. 1t was q case of ''sauve que
peut," and the enemy broke and fled.
A bloody war followed, in which many
deeds of valor were done, but hone that
outshone the defense of the brave woman
at the Idutche.-Fred G. Browning in
Philadelphia Times.