The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-05-17

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E[dlf1A'DI I##kD $sSs: + ; sssf, S.; ,; !;
Ns ED@ffk kEMGGF were troub-
IM. fH|NNMHhl :E4& led by no balloons
lMy YETN[NNH >TW Stella would not
!lKIz VlTNNQNR HHR sleep in the cave;
i|HltI EfIIIINNM|A !IlMrYf she said the place
\ i<aWIINNIiV| 'iMI' terrified her, so
Wy 1hVNMNENNA M made her up a
>ssYMMANMW kind of q bed un-
NAWWINl\M der thorn tree.
llINNV AS this rock :
~ . bound valley was
one of the hottest places ever was in, l
thought that this would not matter; but
ing saw veil of miasmatic mist hang
ing over the surface of the ground,
changed my opinion. However, neither
Stella nor Tota seemed the worse, SO as
soon as was practicable we started home
wards. had already on the previous
day sent some of the men bnck to the
kraals to fetch q ladder, and when we
reached the cliff we found them waiting
for us beneath With the help of the
ladder the descent was easy. Stella Sim
ply got out of her rough litter at the top
of the cliff, for we found it necessary to
carry her, climbed down the ladder, and
got into it again at the bottom.
Well, we reached the kraals safely
enough, seeing nothing more of Hen
drika, and, We're this a story, doubtless l
should end it here witll-'and lived
happy ever after" But alas! it is not
SO. How am to write it?
My dearest wife's vital energy seemed
completely to fail her now that the dam
ger was past, and within twelve hours
of our return saw that her state was
such as to necessitate the abandonment,
of any idea of leaving Babyan kraals at
present The bodily excrtion, the an
guish of mind, and the terror that she
had endured during that dreadful night,
combined with her delicate state OF
health, had completely broken her down.
To make matters worse also, she was
taken with an attack of fever, contracted
no doubt in the unhealthy atmosphere OF
that accursed valley. In time she shook
the fever off, but it left her dreadfully
weak, and quite unfit to face the trial
| before her.
think she knew she was going to die;
she always spoke of my future, never of
our future. 1t is impossible for me to
tell how sweet she was; how gentle, how
patient and resigned. Nor, indeed, do l
wish to tell it, it is too sad. But this
will say: believe that, if ever a woman
drew near to perfection while yet living
OH the earth, Stella Quatermain did so.
The fatal hour drew on My boy
Harry was born, and his mother lived to
kiss and bless him. Then she sank. We
did what we could, but we had little
skill, and might not hold her back from
death. All through one weary night l
watched her with breaking heart.
The dawn came, tho sun rose in the
east His rays falling on the peak be.
hind were reflected in glory upon the
bosom of the western sky. Stella awoke
from her swoon and saw the light. She
whispered to NE to open the door of the
hut. did so, and she fixed her dying
eyes Oh the splendor of the morning sky
She looked OH me and smiled as an ange
might smile. Then with last effort she
lifted her hand, and, pointing to the
radiant heavens, whispered:
| "There, Allan, therc!''
| 1t was done, and was broken hearted,
and broken hearted must wander till
tho end. Those who have endured my
loss will know my sorrow; it cannot be
| In o+
hour may also die!
Yes, it is q sad story, but wander
where we will about the world we can
never go beyond the sound of the pass
ing bell. For me, as for my father be-
fore me, and for the millions who have
been and who shall be, there is but one
word Of comfort. "The Lord hath
| given, and the Lord hath taken away
Let us, then, bow our heads in hope, and
add with humble heart, "Blessed be
the name of the Lord"
buried her by her fathers side, and
the weeping of the people who had loved
her went up to heaven. Even Indaba-
zimbi wept.
On the second night from her burial !
could not sleep. rose, dressed myself,
and went out into the night. The moon
was shining brightly, and by its rays !
shaped my course towards the graveyard.
l drew near silently, and as l came
thought that heard sound of moan
ing on the further side of the wall. !
looked over it. Crouched by Stella's
grave, and tearing at it's sods with her
hands, as though she would unearth
that which lay within, was Hendrika.
Her face was wild and haggard; her
form was SO emaciated that, when the
pelts she wore slipped aside, the shoul-
der blades seemed to project almost
through her skin. Suddenly she looked
up and saw me. Laughing dreadful
maniac laugh, she put her hand to her
| girdle 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 unarmcd. But she
| made no effort to do SO. Lifting the
knife OH high, for moment she held it
glittering in the moonlight, then plunged
| it into her own breast, and fell headlong
to the ground.
Isprang over the wall and ran to her.
She was not yet dead. Presently she
opened her eyes, and saw that the mad
| ness had gone out of them.
"Macumazahn," she said, speaking in
English and in thick difficult voice
like one who half forgot and half remem-
bered - "AIacumazahn, remember
now. have been mad. Is she really
| dead, Macumazahn:'
"Yes,"1 said, "she is dead, and you
| killed her."
81 killed hers the dying woman fall
tered, "and 1 loved her. Yes, yes-I
know now. became brute again and
dragged her to the brutes, and now once
i moro | am q woman and slln iS dead