Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-13

we have plenty of labor, for the people
about look upon my father as their chief"
eyes," 1 said, ''but how do you get all
Of these luxuries of civilization" and l
pointed to the books, the crockery and
the knives and forks.
every simply. Most of the books my
father brought with him when we first
trekked into the wilds; there was nearly
q wagon-load of them. But every three
years we have sent an expedition OF
these wagons right down to Port Natal.
The wagons are loaded with ivory and
other goods, and come back with all
kinds of things that have been sent out
from England for US. You see, although
we live in this wild place. we are not
altogether cut off We can send runners
to Natal and back in three months, and
the wagons get there and back in year.
The last lot arrived quite safe about
three months ago. Our servants are
very faithful and some of them speak
Dutch we'll"
"Have you ever been with the wagons?"
I asked.
"Since I was child have never been
more than thirty miles from Babyan's
Peak" she answered. ''Do you know,
Mr.. Allan, that you are, with one excep-
ton, the first Englishman that have
known out of book. Isuppose that must
seem very wild and savage to you, but L
have had one advantage, good educa-
ton. My father has taught me every
thing, and perhaps 1 know some things
that you don't. 1 can read French and
German, for instance. l think that my
fathers first idea was to let me run wild
altogether, but he gave it up"
"And don't you wish to go into tho
world?" asked.
Sometimes" she said, ''when 1 get
lonely. But perhaps my father is right
perhaps 1t would brighten and bewil-
der me. At any rate he would never re-
turn to civilization. 1t is his idea, you
know, though l am sure / do not know
where he got it from, nor why he can
not bear that our name should be spoken.
In short, Mr.. Quatermain, we do not
make our lives, we must take them as
we find them. Have you done your
breakfast? Let US go out and l will
show you our domain"
rose and went to my sleeping-place
to fetch my hat. When 1 returned Mr..
Carson-for after all that was his naIae,
though he would never allow it to be
spoken-had come into the hut. He felt
better now, he said, and would accom-
pany US on our walk if Stella would give
him an arm.
O, - AoI Il &C
drika with Tota and old Indaba-zimbi,
whom found sitting outside as fresh as
paint. Nothing could tire that old man.
The view from the platform was al
most as beautiful as that from the lower
ground looking up to the peak. The
marble kraals, as | have said, faced
west, consequently all the upper terrace
nearly eleven o'clock in the morning,
which was a great advantage in that
warm latitude. First we walked through
the garden, which was beautifully culti-
waited, and one of the most productive
that I ever saw. There were three or
four natives working in it, and they all
saluued my host IS ''Baba, or father.
Then we visited the other two groups
of marble huts. One of these was used
for stables and outbuildings, the other
as storehouses, the center hut having
been, however, turned into d chapel.
Mr.. Carson was not ordained, but he
earnestly tried to convert the natives,
most of whom were refugees who had
come to him for shelter, and he prac-
ticed the more elementary rites of the
church for so long that think he began
to believe that he really was clergy
man. For instance, he always married
those of his people who would consent
to a homogeneous existence and bap-
tized their children. When we had ex-
amined these wonderful remains of an
tiquity, the marble huts, and admired
the orange trees, the vines and fruits
which thrive like weeds in this marvel
Gus soil and climate, we descended to
the next platform and saw the farming
operations in full swing. 1 think that
it was the best farm have ever seen in
Africa. There was ample water for pur-
poses Of irrigation, the grass lands be
low gave pasturage for hundreds of head
of cattle and horses, &nd, for
natives, the people were most in
dustrious. Moreover, the whole place
was managed by Mr.. Carson on the CO.
operative system; he only took 1.-THE of
the produce-indeed, in this land Of
teeming plenty, what was he to do with
more? Consequently the tribemen, who,
by the way, called themselves the
Children OF Thomas" we're able to &C
cumulate considerable wealth. All their
disputes were referred to their ''father,"
and he also was judge of offenses and
crimes. Some We're punished by i'm
prisonment, whipping and loss of goods,
other and graver transgressions by ex-
pulsion from the community, a fat
which to one of these favored natives
must have seemed as heavy as the de-
cree that drove Adam from the garden
of Eden.
Old Mr.. Carson leaned upon his daugh-
ter's arm and contemplated the scene
with pride.
81 have done all this, Allan Quater-
main," he said. when renouncing
civilization first, l wandered here by
chance; seeking home in the remotest
places in the world, found this lonely
spot a wilderness. Nothing was to
be seen except the site, the domes
of the marble huts and the