Wichita eagle., 1890-01-12

our only Irlend, DuG SUCH dS we nave is
yours, and for as long as you will take
it. But you must be starving, talk no
more. Stella, it is time for food. To-
morrow we will talk"
To tell the truth can recall very little
more of the events of that evening. A
kind of dizzy WEAKNESS overmastered
me. I remember sitting at table next
to Stella, and eating heartily, and then I
remember nothing more.
awoke to find myself lying on COM
Portable bed in hut built and fashioned
on the same model as the center one.
While was wondering what time it was,
a native came bringing some clean
clothes on his arm, and, luxury of luxu-
ries, produced bath followed from
wood. / rose feeling very different
man; my strength had come back again
to me. dressed and, following a COW
cred passage, found myself in the center
hut. Here the table was set for break
fast with all manner of good things, such
as had not seen for many month,
which contemplated with healthy sat-
isfaction. Presently I looked up, and
there before me was a more delightful
sight, for standing in one of the door
ways which led to the sleeping huts was
Stella, leading little Tota by the hand.
She was very simply dressed in loose
blue dress, with wide collar, and girdled
in at the waist by little leather belt.
In the bosom of her robe was bunch of
orange blooms, and her ripping hair
was tied in a single knot behind her
shapely head. She greeted me with a
smile, asking me how 1 had slept, and
then held Tota up for me to kiss. Under
her loving care the child had been quite
transformed. She was neatly dressed in
a garment Of the same stuff that Stella
wore, her fair hair was brushed; indeed,
had it not been for the sun blisters on her
face and hands, one would scarcely have
believed that this was the same child
that Indaba-zimbi and had dragged for
hour after hour through the burning,
waterless desert.
eve must breakfast alone, BIr. Allan"
she said; "my father is SO upset by your
arrival that he will not get up yet. Oh,
you cannot tell how thankful l am that
you have come. l have been SO anxious
about him of late. He grows weaker
and weaker; it seems to me as though
the strength were ebbing away from
him. Now he scarcely leaves the kraal;
l have to manage everything about the
farm, and he does nothing but read and
think"
Just then Hendrika entered, bearing a
jug of coffee in one hand and of milk in
the other, which she sat down upon the
table, casting look of little love at me
as she did so.
''Be careful, Hendrika; you are spill
ing the Coffee" said Stella. Don't you
wonder how we come to have coffee
here, Mr.. Allan? 1 will tell you've
grow it. That's was my idea. Oh,
have lots of thin to show you. You
don't know what we have managed to
do in the time that we have been here.
You see, we have plenty of labor, for
the people about look upon my father as
their chief"
YES" I said, "but how do you get
all of these luxuries Of civilization" and
[ pointed to the books, the crockery, and |
the knives and forks.
every simply. Most of the books my
father brought with him when he first |
trekked into the wilds; there was nearly |
a 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 al
together cut off. We can send runners
% Natal and back in three months, and
.he wagons get there and back in a year"
"Have you ever been with the wag-
1ns?" I asked.
"Since [ 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 ex-
,eption, the first Englishman that 1
nave known out of book. l suppose
hat must seem very wild and savage
% you, but / have had one advantage
/ good education. My father has taught
ne everything, and perhaps 1 know
ome things that you don't. I can read
French and German for instance. |
hink that my fathers first idea was to
ct me run wild altogether, but he gave
t up"
"And don't you wish to go into the
vorld?" l asked.
Sometimes" she said, "when ] get
onely. But perhaps my father is right
perhaps it would brighten and bewil-
Ter me. AT any rate, he would never
eturn to civilization. 1t is his idea, you
NOW, though ] am sure l do not know
where he got it from, nor why he cannot
,ear that cur name should be spoken.
n 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
how you our domain"
l rose and went to my sleeping place
o fetch my hat. When returned, Mr..
Jarson-for, after ALL that was his name,
hough he would never allow it to be
poken-had come into the hut. He felt
'StOSA INV, ho SeiIu, anu "ouu dCCOu- /
,any US on our walk if Stella would give
lin an arm.
So we started, and after US came
1endrika with Tota and old Indaba-
.imbi, whom found sitting outside as
resh as paint. Nothing could tire that
I'D man.
The view from the platform was al
most as beautiful as that from the lower
'round looking up to the peak. The
marble kraalS, as have said, faced west,
IL IL, ,,.,,,,,.