The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-04-12

"A, OA i OhDA L
compared with the heat outside, the shade
of its dense foliage seemed like the dusk
and cool of a vault. I remember think
ing that it was good place to die in.
Then remember no more.
Iwoke with feeling as though the
blessed rain were falling on my face and
head. Slowly, and with great difficulty,
l Iopened my eyes, then shut them again,
having seen a vision. For space lay
thus, while the rain continued to fall;
saw now that must he asleep, or off my
head with thirst or fever. If werc not
off my head, how came I to imagine
that a lovely dark eyed girl was bending
over me, sprinkling water on my face?
A white girl, too, not a Kafflr woman.
However, the dream went on.
"Hendrika," said voice in English,
the sweetest voice that had ever heard;
somehow it reminded ME of wind whis-
pering in the trees at night. ellen
drika, fear he dies; there is flask of
brandy in my saddle bag; get it."
"Ah! ah!" grunted harsh voice in
answer; ''let him die, Miss Stella. He
will bring you bad luck-let him die,
say. Ifelt q movement of air above me
as though the woman of my vision turned
swiftly, and once again I opened my
eyes. She had risen, this dream woman.
Now saw that she was tall and grace
full as reed. She was angry, too; her
dark eyes flashed, and she pointed with
her hand at female who stood before
her, dressed in nondescript kind of
clothes, such as might be worn by either
man or woman. The woman was
young, of white blood, very short, with
bowed legs and enormous shoulders. In
face she was not bad looking, but the
brow receded, the chin and ears were
prominent-in short, she reminded me
of nothing SO much as very handsome
monkey. She might have been the miss
ing link.
The lady was pointing at her with her
hand. "How dare you!" she said. care
you going to disobey me again? Have
you forgotten what l told you, Babyan
(baboon)?"
"Ahl ah!" grunted the woman, who
seemed literally to curl and shrivel up
beneath her anger. "Don't be angry
with me, Miss Stella, because l can't
bear it. l only said it because it was
true. will fetch the brandy"
Then, dream or no dream, determined
to speak.
"Not brandy" gasped in English as
we'll as my swollen tongue would allow;
"give me water"
"Ah, he lives!' cried the beautiful
girl, "and he talks English. See, sir,
here is water in your own bottle; you
were quite close to spring on the other
side of the tree"
struggled to a sitting position, lifted
the bottle to my lips, and drained it, Oh!
that drink of cool, pure water! never had
tasted anything so delicious At the
first gulpI felt life flow back into me.
But wisely enough she would not let me
have much. "No morel no morel" she
said, and dragged the bottle from me al
most by force.
"Tho child" I said-''is the child
dead?"
81 do not know yet," she answered.
eve have only just found you, and
tried to revive you first"
I turned and crept to where Tota lay
by the side of Indaba-zimbi. 1t was I'M
possible to say if they were dead or
swooning. The lady sprinkled Totals
face with the water. which watched
greedily, for my thirst was still awful,
while the woman Hendrika did the same
Office for Indaba-zimbi. Presently, to my
vast delight, Tota opened her eyes and
tried to cry, but could not, poor little
thing, because her tongue and lips were
so swollen. But the lady got some wate1
into her mouth, and, as in my case, the
effect was magical. We allowed her tt
drink about a quarter of a pint, and NJ
more, though she cried bitterly for it
Just then old Indaba-zimbi came to will
groan. He opened his eyes, glanced
round and took in the situation.
"What did I tell you, Macumazahn?'
and he seized the bottle and took a Ions
pull at it.
Meanwhile sat with my back agains
the trunk of the great tree and tried tt
realize the situation. Looking to my
left 1 saw two good horses-one bare
backed and one with lady's rude
saddle on it. By the side of the horse!
were two dogs, of stout greyhound
breed, that sat watching us, and neal
the dogs lay dead Airlie buck, which
they had evidently been coursing.
"Hendrika," said the lady presently
"they must not eat meat just yet. &c
and look up tho tree and see if there i!
any ripe fruit on it."
The woman ran swiftly into the plair
and obeyed. Presently she returned
~ see some ripe fruit" she said, "but il
is high, quite at the top"
"Fetch it," said the lady.
"Easier said than DONE" thought tc
myself; but was much mistaken. Sud
denly the woman bounded ut least three
feet into the air and caught one of the
spreading boughs in her large, athands
"a swing that would have filled an aero
bat with envy-and she was on it.
"Now there is an end," thought, fo1
the next bough was beyond her reach
But again was mistaken. She stood ur
on the bough, gripping it with her bare
feet, and once more sprang at the one
above, caughti it and swung herself into
it.
Isuppose that the lady saw my look Of
astonishment. "Do not wonder, sir,
she said; sHendrika is not like other peo.
pie. She will not fall"
l made no answer, but watched the
progress of this extraordinary person
with the most breathless interest. On she
went, swinging herself from bough to
bough, and running along them like a
monkey. At last she got to the top and
began to swarm along a thin branch
towards the ripe fruit. When she was
near enough she shook the branch VIC.
lently. There was crack-a crash-it
broke. shut my eyes, expecting to see
her crushed on the ground before me.