Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-23

He stalked up to where we were and
held the child before the chief rs it
dead, father?" he said.
Now, as could we'll see, the child was
not dead, but had been hidden away,
and tainted with fear.
The chief glanced att carelessly and
said:
Find out with your kerrie."
Acting on this hint the black devil
held up the child and was about to kill
it with his knob-sticl. This was more
than l could bear. l sprang at him and
struck him with all my force in the face,
little caring If was speared or not. He
dropped Tota on the ground.
obi he said, putting his hand to his
nose, 1.-THE white spirit has hard fist.
Come, spirit, | will fight you for the
child"
The soldiers cheered and laughed.
Yes! yes" they said 'let Bombyane
fight the white spirit for the child. Let
them fight with assegais. "
For a moment | hesitated. What
chance had | against the black giantP
But l had promised poor Hans to save
1
matter? As we'll die now as later. How
ever, had wit enough left to make a
favor Of it, and intimated to the chief
through Indaba-zimbi that was quite
willing to condescend to kill Bombyane
on condition thai if | did SO the child's
life should be given to me. Indaba-
zimbi Interpreted my words, but I no
ticed that he would not look on me as he
spoke, but covered his face with his
hands and spoke of me as the ghost,
or the ''son Of the spirit" For some
reason THAT have never quite under
stood the chief consented TO the duel. i
fancy it was because he believed mo to
be more than mortal and was anxious to
see the last Of Bombyane.
Let them fight" he said Give
them assegais and no shields; the child
shall be to him who conquers.
Yes! yes!' cried the soldiers. "Let
them fight. Don't be afraid, Bombyane;
If he is a spirit he's very small one"
Il never was frightened Of man or
beast, and / am not going to run away
from white ghost" answered the re-
doubtable Bombyane, as he examined
the blade of his great bangwanar stab
bling assegai.
Then they made ring round US, gave
me a similar assegai and set US some
| ten PAGES apart. ! kept my face as calm
as / could and tried to show no signs OF
fear, though in my heart | was terribly
afraid. Humanity speaking, my doom
was on me- The giant warrior before
me had used the assegai from a child
had no experience OF the weapon. More
over, though was quick and active, he
must have been at least twice as strong
/ as ! was. However. there was no help
for it, so, setting my teeth, ! grasped
the great spear, breathed prayer and
waited.
The giant stood awhile looking at me,
and, as he stood, Indaba-zimbi walked
across the ring behind me, muttering as
he passed: Keep cool, Macumazahn,
and wait for him"
AS ! had not the slightest intention OF
commencing the fray, 1 thought this
| good advice.
Heavens. how long that half-minute
seemed. It happened many years ago,
| but the whole scene rises up before my
| eyes as | write There behind US was
the blood-stained lager and near it lay
tne pies OF nead; round Us was RANK
upon rank Of plumed savages, standing
in silence TO wait the issue Of the duel,
and in the center stood the gray-haired
chief and general, Sususa, in all his
war fnery, cloak Of leopard skin upon
his shoulders. At his feet lay the sense
less form Of little Tota, to my left
squatted Indaba-zimbi; nodding his
white lock and muttering something
probably spells; while in front was my
giant antagonist, his spear aloft and his
plumes bending in the gentle breeze.
Then over all. over grassy slope, river
and koppie, over the wagons Of the
lager, the piles OF dead, the dense
ranks Of the living, the swooning child,
over all shone the bright, impartial sun,
looking down like the great Indifferent
eye Of heaven upon the loneliness Of
nature and the cruelty Of man. Down
! BY the river grew thorn-tgees, and from