Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-06-02

"At the least, as an infant he was
good and gentle, and thou highest love
him, mother of the Zulu"
"Never, Baleka. AS babe he bit my
breast and tore my hair; as the man is,
so was the babe"
"Yet may his child be otherwise,
mother of the heavens! Think, thou
hast no grandson to comfort thee in thy
age. Wilt thou, then, see all thy stock
wither? The king, our lord, lives in
war. He, too, may die, and what them"
"Then the root of Senzangacona yet
grows green. Has the king no broth
ers:'
"They are not of thy flesh, mother
What thou dost not hcarken? Then as
woman to woman l plead with thee
Save my child or Stay me with my
child"
Now the heart of Unandi grew gentle
How may this be done, Mopo?' she
said. The king must see the dead
babe, and if he suspect, and even reeds
have ears, you know the heart of
Chaka and where we shall lie tomor
row."
babes in Zululand?' said Balela, sitting
up and speaking in a whisper like the
hiss of a snake. "Hearken, Mopo. Is
not your wife also in labor? Now hear
me, Mother of the Heavens, and my
brother hear me also. Think not to
play with me i'll this matter. l will
save my child or you twain shall perish.
For will tell the king that you came
to me, the two of you, and whispered
plots into my ear--plots to save the
child and STAY the king, Now choose,
and swiftly
Sllo sanl; back, there was silence and
we looked upon one another. Then
Unandi spoke.
Give me your hand, Mopo, and swear
that you will DO faithful to me in this
secret, as | swear to you. But if you
break your oath, then beware, for will
not die alone"
81 swear, Mother of the Heavens
answered.
sit is well, son Of Makedama."
at is we'll, my brother" said Baleka.
"Now go swiftly, knowing that if you
fail l will bring You to your death!
Yes; even if my own death is the price,"
So went. WHITTIER go YOU" asked
the guard at the gate.
Il go to bring my medicines, men of
the king" answered.
| reached my own huts, there to find
that my wife Macropha was delivered of
twins. | sent away all in the hut ex-
oil ia hn -hT
eight days gone had borne me son.
The second Of tie twins was born; it
was boy, born dead. The first was a
girl, she who lived to be NADIA the Beau
tiful, NADIA the Lily. Then thought
came into my heart. Here was path
to run on!
Give me the boy babel said to
Anadi. He is not dead. Give him to
me that may take him outside the
kraal and awake him to life by my
medicine"
ut is of no use--tho child is dead"
said Anadi.
Give him to me, woman!" l said
6ercely, and she gave mo the body
Then l took him and wrapped him up
in my bundle of medicines, and outside
of all rolled mat of plated grass.
Suffer none to enter the hut till | re-
turn" said, land speak no word of the
child that seems to be dead. If you suf-
fer any to enter, or if you speak word,
then my medicine will not work and the
babe will be dead indeed"
So went, leaving the women wonder
ing, for it is not our custom to save both
when twins are born; but ran swiftly
to the gates OF the Emposcni.
81 bring the medicines, men of the
king!" said to tho guards.
"Pass in" they answered.
passed through the gates and into
the hut of Baleka. Unandi was alone in
the hut with my sistor.
The child is born" said the mother
of the king. Look on him, Mopa son
of Makedama?"
looked. He was great child, with
large black eyes like the eyes of Chaka,
tho king, and Unandi, 100, looked at
me. Where is it," she whispered.
loosed the mat and drew the dead
child from the medicines, CHANGING
around fearfully as did so.
"Give me the living babe" l wills.
pered back.
They gavo it to me and | took of a
drug that | knew and rubbed it on the
tongue of the child, Now this drug has
the power to make the tongue it touches
dumb for awhile. Then | wrapped W
the child in my medicines and again
bound the bundle around with the mat
But around the throat Of the stillborr
babe l tied string of fiber, as though
had strangled it, and wrapped it loosely
i'll piece of mating. Now for the first
timo | spoke to Baleka Woman"
said, "and thou also, Mother of the
Heavens, have done your wish, but
know this, before all is finished this deco
shall bring about the death of many
Be secret as the grave, for the grave
yawns for you both"
went again, bearing the mat con
tanning tho dead child i'll my right hand
But the bundle of medicines that helC
the living one | fastened across my
shoulders. | passed out of the Empo
semi, and as | went held up tho bundle