Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-20

enormously sat upon her to keep her
quiet. At last she gave 1t up.
In due course the day broke-my mar
rage day. Leaving Indaba-zimbi to
| watch my would-be murderess, l went
and fetched some natives from the
stables, and with their aid bore Hendrika
to the prison hut-that same hut IN
which she had been confined when she
had been brought baboon-child from
the rocks. Here we shut her up, and,
leaving Indaba-zimbi to watch outside,
l returned to my sleeping-place and
dressed in the best garments that bah
yam krsals could furnish. But when 1
looked at the reflection of my face was
Mortified. 1t was covered with scratches
inflicted by the nails Of Hendrika- I
doctored them up as best I could, then
went out for walk to calm my nerves,
which, what between the events of the
past night and of those pending that
day, were not little disturbed.
When l returned 1t was breakfast
time. 1 went into the dining hut, and
there Stella was waiting to greet me,
dressed in simple white and with orange
| flowers on her breast. She came for
ward to me shyly enough; then, seeing
the condition of my face, started back
''Why, Allan! What have you been
doing to yourself?" she asked.
AS l was about to answer her father
came in leaning on his stick, and catch
ing sight OF me instantly asked the
same question.
Then told them every thing, both of
Hendricks threats and CT her fierce at
tempt to carry them into execution. But
l did not tell my hOrrid dream.
Stellas face grew white as the flowers
on her breast, but that of her father
became very stern.
"You should have spoken of this be-
fore, Allan" he said. 81 now see that 1
did wrong to attempt to civilize this
wicked and revengeful creature, who, if
she is human, has all the evil passions
of the brutes that reared her. Well, 1
will make an end of 1t this very day."
''Oh, father" said Stella, don't have
her killed. It is all dreadful enough,
but that would be more dreadful still. 1
have been very fond of her, and, bad as
her killed On my marriage day"
''No," her father answered, "she shall
not be killed, for though she deserves to
die; l will not have her blood upon our
hands. She is brute, ard has followed
the nature of brutes. She shall go back
whence she came"
No more was said on the matter at the
time, but when breakfast-which was
rather a farce-was done, Mr.. Carson
sent for his head man and gave him GER
tain orders.
We were to be married after the service
which Mr.. Carson held every Sunday
morning in the large marble hut set
apart for that purpose. The service be-
gan at ten o'clock, but long before that
hour all the natives of the place came up
in troops, singing as they came, to be
present at the wedding of the Star. 1t
was pretty sight to see them, the men
dressed in all their fnery, and carrying
shields and sticks in their hands, and
the women and children carrying green
branches of trees, ferns and flowers. At
length, about half-past nine, Stella rose,
pressed my hand, and left me to my re-
Elections. At few minutes to ten she
reappeared again with her father,
dressed in a white vail, wreath of
orange flowers in her dark, curling hair,
bouquet of orange flowers in her hand.
To me she seemed like dream of love-
illness. With her came little Toto in a
high state of glee and excl cement. She
was Stella's only bridesmaid. Then
we all passed out towards the church
hut. The bare space in front of it was
filed with hundreds of natives, who set
up song as we came. But we went on
into the hut which was crowded with
such of the natives as usually worshiped
there. Here Mr.. Carson, as usual, read
the service, though he was obliged to sit
down in order to do so. When it was
done-and to me 1T seemed interminable
Mr.. Carson whispered to me that he
meant to marry Us outside the hut in
sight of all the people, 50 we went out
and took our stand under the shade of
large tree that grew near the hut facing
the bare space where the na4ves were
gathered.
Mr.. Carson held up his nand to enjoin
silence. Then, speaking in the native
dialect, he told them that he was about
to make US man and wife, after the
Christian fashion and in the sight of all
men. This done. he proceeded to read
the marriage service over US, and very
solemnly and beautifully he did it. We
said the words, placed the ring-it was
her fathers signet ring, for we had no
other-upon Stella's finger and it was
done.
ITO be contlnued.l