Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-06-01

As SHE DID SO IT EXPLODED
Thereon the whole mass OF Beers, with the
exception OF Muller, who was standing
watching. seeing that lie was now defenselcss,
fell upon him and would have kicked him to
death had not Bessie rrecipitated herself upon
him with a'cry and thrown her arms about
him to protect him.
Then Frank Muller interfered, fearing Lost
she should lie hurt. P!unging into the fray
with a curse. he exercised his great strength,
throwing the men this way and that like
ninepins and finally dragging Silas to his feet
again.
"Come." be shouted, stake him out OF this;n
and accordingly, with :auuts and obloouy.
the poor old man, whose fringe Of white locks
was rcd with hood, was kicked anil t,ra:-ycd
vol -.r,~'. ' 49, 49,
70 the drive, where he fell over the BODY Of
the murdered Kafl!r boy, and finally hauled
up to the open space by the flagstaff, on which
tie Union Jack, that he had planted there
some two months before, still waved bravely
IN the breeze Here he sank down upon the
grass, bis back against the flagstaff, and asked
faintly Tor some water. Bessie, who was
weeping bitterly, and whose heart felt as
though it were bursting with anguish and in
dignation, pushed her way through tho men,
and, running to the house, got some in glass
and brought it to him. One Of the-brutes
tried to knocl, it out OF her hand, but she
avoided him aud gave it to her uncle, who
drank it greedily.
THANK you, love, thank you" he said:
~don't DO frightened, amt much hurt. Ali
II only John had been here, and No had had
ON hours notice, we would have held the
place against them all"
Meanwhile one Of the Beers, getting on the
shoulders OF another, had succeeded In un
tying the cord on which the Union Jack was
bent and hauling it down. Then they re-
versed it and hoisted 1t half mast high. and
began to cheer for the republic.
1Perhaps Uncle Silas does not know that we
arc republic again now" said one Of the
men. near neighbor Of his own, In mockery.
"What do you mean by republic" asked
tho old man. @The Transvaal Is a British
colony"
Ihere was boot or derision at this. ~Tho
English government has surrendered said
the same man. THE country Is given ", and
the British are to evacuate it in six months -
1T is lie!" said Silas, springing TO his feet
"a cowardly lie! Whoever says that the
English have given up tho country to q few
thousand blnckguartis like you, and deserted
it, subjects and the loyals and tho natives. y
lara liar from hell!"
There was another howl Of mockery NJ tbi,
outburst, and when it had subsidized Crank
Muller stepped forward.
ut is no lie, Silas Croft" he said: land tho
towards are not We Beers, who have beaten
you again and again, but your soldiers, who
have done nothing but run away. and vour
government, that follows the example Of
your soldiers Look herer-and he took a
paper out Of his pocket-''you know that sfp-
nature, I suppose; IL is one OF the trium.
vnate. Listen to what he says" and he read
aloud:
"WELL BELOVED HER MuLLxn-Tb;s i.
70 inform you that, by tho strength Of our
arms lighting for the right and freedom, and
also oy the cowartlice of the British govern
ment. generals and soldiers, we have by the
will OF the Almighty concluded this day a
glorious peace with the enemy. The British
government surrenders nearly everything e.
cept in the name. The republic is to be- re-
and the soldiers who are left will
leave the land within six months. Make this
known to every one, and forget not to thank
God for our glorious victories.n
The Beers shouted aloud, as well thoy
might, and Bessie wrung her hands. As for
Tue oio man, he leaned against the flagstaff,
and his CORY head sank upon his breast as
though be were about to faint. Then sud-
denly he lifted it. and. with clinched and
laiserii's ISIS iSeii high in tho dir, broke On,
INTO such torrent Of blnsphomy and curs:nc
that even the Beers fell back for q moment
hsmaycd into silence by the force of the fury
wrung from his utter humiliation.
It was an appalling sight to see this cool
md God fearing old man, his face bruised. his
gray hairs dabbled with blood and his clothes
nearly rent from his body, stamp and reel to
md fro, blasphemhg his Maker and the day
hat he was born; hurling excavations at his
beloved country and tho name Of Engtishman
md the government that had deserted him,
Ill at last nature gave out, and hc fell In q
1t. there, in the very shadow Of his disbonored
lag.