San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-29

over against the king. and we talked
through the fire.
Tell me Of the cattle that | sent thee
forth to number, MopO, son of Makeda-
ma, said Chaka. Have my servants
dealt honestly with my cattle?"
They have dealt honestly, o king" l
answered.
Tell me- then, of the number of the
cattle and of their markings, Mono, for
getting none"
So sat and told him.
so" said the king, sit goes, well.
There are yet honest men left in the land.
Knowest thou, Mepo, that sorrow has
come upon thy house while thou vast
about my business?"
Il have heard it, o king!" answered.
Yes, Mopo, sorrow has come upon
thy house, the curse of heaven has fallen
upon thy kraal. They tell me, Mopo,
that the fire from above ran briskly
through thy huts."
II have heard it, 0 kingr
They tell me. Mopo, that those within
thy gates grew mad at the sight of the
fire, and dreaming there was no escape
they stabbed themselves with assegais
or leaped into the flames"
ii have heard it, o king! What of it?
Any river is deep enough to drown a
foolr'
Thou hast heard it, MOpo, but thou
hast not yet heard all. Knowest thou,
Mopo, that among those who died in thy
kraal was she who bore me, she who
was named Mother of the Heavens?"
Then | walled aloud as though in
utter grief
Spare my ears, Black Oner' walled.
Tell me not that she who bore thee is
dead, o Lion of the Zulu. For the others,
what is it? 1t is breath of wind, it is
a drop of water; but this trouble is as
the gale or as the sea-"
Cease, my servant, ceasew said the
hooking voice of Chaka; "but know
this: thou hast done well to grieve aloud
because the Mother of the Heavens is no
more, and i'll wouldst thou have done to
grieve because the fire from above has
kissed thy gates. For hadst thou done
this last thing or left the first undone,
by now thou wouldst have wept indeed
tears of blood, Mopo."
Now saw the greatness of the pit that
Chaka had dug for me, and blessed my
Ehlose, who had put into my heart these
words which | should answer.
"Knowest thou, Mopo," said the king,
that as my mother died in yonder flames
of thy kraal, she cried out that thou
Mopo, and thy sister Baleka, and thy
wives had conspired together to give a
child to me who would be childless.
Tell me now, Mopo, where are those chill
dren that thou ledest from my kraal,
the boy with the lion eyes who is named
Umslopogaas, and the girl who is named
Nada?"
"Umslopogaas is dead by the lions
mouth, 0 kingv answered, land NADIA
sits in the Swat caves" and l told him
of the death of Umslopogaas and of how
! had divorced Macropha, my wife.
The boy with the lion eyes to the
lions mouth" said Chaka. Enough of
him; he is gone. NADIA may yet be
sought for with the assegai in the Swat
caves; enough of her. Let us speak of
this song that my mother sang through
the flames. Ten me, was it true tale?"
Nay, o king; surely the Mother of
the Heavens was maddened by the heav-
ems when she sang that song" | an
swered. Il know naught of it, o king"
Thou knowest naught of it, Mopo?"
said the king. Thou knowest naught
of it, Mopo? Surely thou art a-cold; thy
hands shake with cold. Nay, man, fear
not-warm them, warm them, Mopo!
See, now, plunge that hand of thine into
the heart of the flame| and he pointed
with his little assegai, the assegai ham
died with the royal wood, to where the
fire glowed reddest-aye, he pointed and
laughed.
Then, my father, grew cold indeed
Chaka would put me to the trial by fire
For a moment | sat silent, thinking.
Then the king spoke again in a great
voice: NAY, Mopo, be not SO backward;
shall | sit warm and see thee suffer cold!
What, my councillors, rise, take the
hand of MOpo and hold it in the flame,
that his heart may rejoice in the
warmth"
There is little need for that, o king"
| answered. Il thank the king for his
graciousness and l will warm me at the
fire. Speak on, o king, while l warm
me at the fire, and thou shalt hear true
words" | said boldly.
Then, my father, | stretched out my
left hand and plunged it into the fire
not into the hottest of the fire, but
where the smoke leaped from the flame.
Now my flesh was wet with the sweat
of fear, and for a little moment the
flames curled around it and did not
burn it.
For a short while Chaka watched
ma smiling Then he SnOke SLOWLY