Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-07-17

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ooh, mn father. hare Ditu on me-"
"Here are many huts." said the voice
"Now how may l know which Is thu
hut of my brother? Perchance il l cal
shall bring soldiers to me and be forced
to play the man before them, and Of tina
l am weary. Well, will lie here under
the fence till morning. 1t is softer
bed than some l have found, and an
foredone with travel. Sleep l must,
and the figure sighed and turned so tina
the light Of the moon fell full upon it:
face.
My father, it was the face of NADIA
my daughter, whom / had not seen fol-
! so many years, yet across the years
| knew it at once-Yes, though the buC
had become the flower | knew 1t. The
face was weary and worn, but, all! IL
was beautiful. Never before nor since
! have / seen such beauty, for there was
this about the loneliness of my daugh'
ter the Lily, it seemed to flow from
within-yes, as light will flow through
the thin rind of gourd-and in that
she differed from the other women OF
our people, who when they are fair are
| fair with the flesh alone.
Now my heart went out to NADIA as
she stood in the moonlight, one for
saken, not having where TO lay her
head-Nada, who alone was left OF all
my children. l motioned 10 Umslopo-
gaas to hide himself in the shadow and
stepped forward.
''Hor' l said roughly, who are you,
wanderer, and what do you here?"
Now NADIA started like a frightened
bird, but quickly gathered up her
thoughts and turned upon me In lord
ly way. -,
"Who are you that ask me?"she said,
feignng a mans voice.
zone that can use a stick upon thieves
and night providers, boy. Come, show
your business or be moving. You are
not of this people, surely, that moocha
is of Swazs make, and here we do not
love SwaZis."
"Were you not old l would beat you
for your insolence," said NADIA, striving
to look brave and all the while searching
a way to escape. "Also have no stick
only a spear, and that is for warriors,
not for an old umfagozan like you"
Ave, my father, lived to hear my
daughter name me an umfagozan, low
fellow
Now, making pretense to be angry, |
leaped at her with my kerrie up, and
forgetting her courage she dropped her
spear and uttered little scream. But
she still held the shield before her face.
seized her by the arm and struck a
blow upon the shield with my kerrie-it
would scarce have crushed fly, but
this brave warrior trembled sorely.
"Where now Is your valor, you who
name me umfagozan?" said, lyon who
CRY like a maid and whose arm is as soft
as n maid's?"
She made no answer, but Rugged her
battered blanket around her, and shift
ing my grip from her arm seized 1t
and rent it, showing her breast and
shoulder-then l let her go, laughing,
and said:
10! here is the warrior who would
beat an old umfagozan for his insolence
"a warrior well shaped for war. Now,
my pretty maid, who wanders at night
in the garden of a man, what tale have
YOU to tell? Swift with it lest drag
Won to the chief as his prize. The old
man seeks new wife, they tell me-"
Now when NADIA saw that l had dis
covered her she threw down the shiled
after the spear as thing that was Of no
more avail and hung her head sullenly.
But when l spoke OF dragging her to
the chief then she flung herself upon
the ground and clasped my knees, for
since called him old she thought that
this chief could not be Umslopogaas.
"Oh, my father" said the Lily, 'oh,
my father, have pity on me; yes, yes!
am girl-a girl, no wtfe-and you VINO
are old-you, perchance, have dangh-
ters such as |, and in their name ask
for pity. My father, have Journeyed
far have endured many things-to
find nv way TO kraal where my brother
rules. and it now seems that l have
come TO the wrong kraal. Forgive me
that spoke TO you so, my father; 1t was
hut woman's feint, and l was sore
pressed to hide my sex, for, my father,
YOU know it is i'll to be q lonely girl
amocg strange men,"
Now l said no word in answer for thi:
reason only, that when l heard Nada
call me father, not knowing me, and
saw her clasp my knees and pray to me
in nv daughters name /, who wa:
chlldless save for her, went nigh tC
weeping. But she thought that | did
not answer because was angry and
about to drag her to this unknown CHIEF
and prayed the more, even with tears
"My father" she said, do not this
wicked thing by me; let me go and show
me the path that 1 shall ask, you who
are old; you know that l am too fair K
be dragged before this chief OF yours
Hearken! all knew are slain; l an
alone save for this brother whom seek
Oh, il you betray me may such fat
fall upon your own daughter also; ma!
she also know the day of slavery anC
the love that she wills not, and sh'
ceased, sobbing.
Now turned my head and spoke to
ward the hut "Chief," l said, you
EhIose is kind to you tonight, for h
has given you maid fair as the Lily o
the Halakazi." Here NADIA glanced vi
hwildly.) ''Come, then, and take tn
Nov NADIA turned 70 snatch up tn