Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-03-13

Now could see Stella clearly. Her
ace was scratched and haggard with
ear and weeping, her clothes were al
most torn off her, and her beautiful hair
vas loose and tangled. sent for water,
and we sprinkled her face. Then /
lorced little of the brandy which we
distilled from peaches at the kraals be-
tween her lips, and she opened her eyes,
and throwing her arms about me chung
10 me as little Tota had done, sobbing:
THANK God thank God!'
After awhile she grew quieter, and
made her and Tota eat little food from
The store that we had brought with us.
ESQ, ate, and was thankful, for with
the exception OF the mealie cobs had
tasted nothing for nearly four-and.
twenty hours. Then she washe her
face and hands, and tidied hg Is of
dress as we'll as she was abb As she
didso, by degrees l drew herN Dry from
her
II seemed that on the previous after
noon, being wearied with packing, she
weat out to visit her fathers grave,
taking Tota with her, and was followed
there by the two dogs. She wished to
lar some flowers Oh the grave and take
falewell of the dust it covered, for, as
we had expected to trek early on the
morrow, she did not know if she would
find a later opportunity. They passed
up the garden, and, gathering some
flowers from the orange trees and else
where, went on to the little grave
ward. Here she laid them on the grave
swe had found them, and then, sit
tag down, fell into a deep and sad
reserie, such as the occasion would nat
unlly induce. While she sat thus,
Tota, who was lively child and active
as kitten, strayed away without
Stella observing it. With her went the
dogs, who had also grown tired Of in
action; while passed, and, suddenly,
size heard the dogs barking furiously
about hundred and fifty yards away.
Tlen she heard Tota scream, and the
dogs also yelling with fear and pain.
Ste rose and ran as swiftly as she could
toward the spot whence the sound
came Presently she was there. Be
fore her in the glade, holding the
screaming Tota in her arms, was a
figure in which, Notwithstanding the
rough disguise of baboon skins and col
oring matter, she bad no difficulty in
recognizing Hendrika, and all about
her were numbers of balloons, rolling
over and over in two hideous heaps, OF
which the centers were the two unfort-
unate dogs now in process Of being
rent to fragments.
"Hendrika, Stella cried, what does
this mean? What are you doing with
Tota and those brutes?'
The woman heard her and looked up.
Then she saw that she was mad; mad
ness stared from her eyes. She dropped
the child, which instantly few to
Stella for protection. Stella clasped it,
only to be herself clasped by Hendrika.
She struggled fiercely, but it was of no
use-the Babyan-frau had the strength
of ten. Sne lifted her and Tota sG
though they were nothing, and ran off
with them, following the bed Of the
stream in order TO avoid leaving a
spoor. Only the baboons who came
with her. minus the one the dogs had
killed, would not take to the water, but
kept pace with them on the bank.
Stella said that the night which
followed was more like a hideous night
mare than a reality She was never
able to tell me all that occurred in 1t.
She had a vague recollection of being
borne over rocks and along kloofs,
while around her echoed the horrible
grunts and clicks Of the balloons. She
spoke to Hendrix in English and
Kaffir, imploring her to let them 60;
but the woman, II may call her 50,
seemed in her madness to have entirely
forgotten these tongues When Stella
spoke she would kiss her and stroke her