Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-06-13
The Strange Stroy
ALLAN gUATERNAlN'S WIFE.

over IL.
Crouched by SteIla's grave, and tearing
at its sods with her hands, as though she
would unearth that which lay within. was
Hendrika. Her face was wild and bag
gard, isr form was so emaciated that
when the pelts she wore slipped aside the
shoulder-blades seemed to project almost
through her skin. Suddenly she looked
up and saw me. Laughing a dreadful
maniac laugh she put her hand to her Cir
die and drew her great knife from it. |
thought that she was about to attack me,
and prepared to defend myself as best
could, for was unarmed. But she made
no effort to do 50. Lifting the knife on
high. for a moment she held it gtIttering
in the moonlight, then plunged it into
her own breast aud fell headIong to the
ground.
| sprang over the wall and ran to her.
She was not yet dead. Presently she open
ed her eyes and | saw that tie madness
had gone out Of them.
"Macumazahn, she said, speaking in
English and 10 a thick, difficult voice,
Nike one who half forgot and half remem-
bercd: "Macumazahn. remember now.
nave been mad. Is she really dead, Ma
cumazahn7"
Yes, | said, "she il dead, and you kill
ed her.
II killed hert' the dying woman falter-
ed "and | loved her. Yes, yes-I know
now / became n brutea again aud dragged
her to the brntcs, and now once more am
n woman aud she is dead, and / killed her
--because loved her So KILLED her who
saved me from the brutes. I am not dead
jet, Macumazahn. Take me and torture
me % death, slowly, very slowly II was
If va tAt Il I
have killed her, and now she never can
forgive me"
Ask forgiveness from above" / said,
for Hendrika had been Christian, and
the torment OF her remorse touched me
Il ask no forgiveness She said MAY
God torture me for ever, because / killed
her, may ! become brute for ever till She
comes TO find me and forgive me! / only
wsat her forgiveness"
And wailing in an anguish Of the heart
80 strong that her bodily suffering seemed
to be forgotten, Hendrika the baboon-
woman, died
went back to the kraals, and, waxing
Iudaba zmbi, told him what had happen
ed, asking him To send someone to watch
tie -dy, az proposed to give it burial
But next morning IT was gone. and |
found that the natives, hearing Of the
- Ma vnltnres. WIN cy,.r, r,arl If Latn
C,,o,, tl,nn 700. IN. ,.,.,l - II.,g,..1..,
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- = - " p''1S NenL
"''''', 'l'1' ,''', I'm '''''
IN - 10 " - " -
~, 80 -. '''i"'
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80 "'' A''''' '''' '''''''
49, w. - y" "''" ~ 'io'
now, the Joy md tn" suffering, like the
sunshine and starrl are the same thing,
aud will rest IA las, in the same heaven,
the heaven from which they came. Now
go, Macumazahn."
asked him If he was coming with me
No" he answered, Our paths lie apart
honceforth, Macumnzahn. We met to-
gether for certain ends. Those ends are
fulfilled. Now each one goes his own way.
You have still many years before YOU,
Macumazahn; my years are few. When
we shake hands here IL will be for the
last time Perhaps we may meet again,
but II will not be in this world. Hence
forth we have each of us a friend the
less. F"
Heavy words" said
True words he answered.
Well, have little heart to write of the
rest Of It. | Went, leaving ludaba zimbi
in charge of the place, and making him
present of such cattle aud goods us / did
not want.
Tota, Of course took with me. For
tunatei' 10y this time she had almost re
covered the shock to her nerves. The
baby Harry, as he was afterwards named,
was tne healthy child, and was lucky
III getting respectable native woman,
whose husband had been Killed IN the hEht
with the bahoons, 10 accompany me as his
nurse.
Slowly, and followed for a distance ny
all the people, trekked away from Bah
yam hfaaiS. My route towards Natal was
along the edge OF the Ind Lands, and my
first nights outspan was beneath that very
tree where Stella my lost wife, had found
us as we lay diving of thirst
did not sleep much that night. And
yet was glad that / had not died in the
desert about eleven months before. felt
then, as from year 60 year have coulin
ued to feel while | wander through the
lonely wilderness of life, that | had been
preserved TO an end had won my dar
Iing's love. and for little while we had
been happy together. Our happiness was
too perfect TO endure. She is lost to me
now, but she is lost to be found again.
Here on the following morning / bade
farewell to Indaba zimbi
Good by, Macumazahn," he said, nod.
ding his white lock ut me. Good bye for
while am not n Christian; Your father
could not make me that. But he was u
wise m~a. and when he said that those
who love each other shall meet again he
did not lie And too am wise man in
my way Macumalahn, Aud ! say il is
true that we shall meet again. All my
prophecies oyou have come true. MHCu-
mazahn, and this one shall come true
also. tell you that you shall return to
Bahyah kraals and shall not fluid me.
tell you that You snail journey TO a further
land than BahNan hraals aud shall lind
me FAREWELL and he took pinch of
nnan' t"taea' ana Nehs.
VI my Journey down TO Natai there If
nt,'e ~ 'e'L | met win many adventures,
wv thtS were o. an every -aay hthd' ana
II tue eaa arrived salely a1 Fort DuroAu,
when now visited Tor the hrSt time
both iota ana my baby boy bore the
Journey Well AND here | may as we'll
chronicle the destiny OF iota. For year
she remained under my charge. Then
she adnntpd hy a lady he Nifa pF an