Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-11-17
LANGALULA.

people he ruled were numerous n war
like; his assegais were 10000; his tribe
had many cattle. So the missionary at
his kraai was glad indeed when he felt
he had touched Langalula's heart, for
it meant the conversion Of a whole
heather nation.
When the king goes over, the people
soon follow him.
Langalula said, lam convinced; bap-
tie me-
But the ways Of white men are incom-
p~rehensible. Though the missionary had
been preaching that very thing for
months, yet when Langalula gave in
he answered: Conviction alone is not
enough. You must wait awhile till l
feel that your life shows forth works
which are meet for repentance" Langa.
lula grumbled. He was little accus-
toned to such contradiction. But he
knew it vas hard arguing with these
priestly white men, who will baptize a
starving slave every bit as soon as a
great chief. So he held his peace, and
though he chafed.a at it waited the mis-
sionary's pleasure.
by and by ono day the missionary
came TO him. "Langalula," he said con-
d~escendingly, II have watched you close
ly for many weeks now, and l think ]
csn baptize you"
"Then all my sins will be forgiven"
asked Langaiula.
IAN your sins will DO forgiven" tho
missionary answered.
tfD,tf I rn,4cf MT ozrroxr ~ rvfraorW L a,,-
galula asked once more.
IAN save one" answered the mission
airy. 1t was a point Of doctrine.
"Then, l think" Langalula said, II
viii wait for a week, so as to make up
my mind which one Of them is dearest
to me-
But he said this deceitfuily, knowing
that all his sins were going to be forgiv-
en-, and determining in the interval to
marry another wife, whom he would
keep as his own when he put away the
others, for there was a young girl com
ing on, black but comedy, the daughter
Of Khamsua, a neighboring chief, whom
Langalula had seen and whom he wished
to purchase. Aud since the last love is
always for tho moment the greatest
the chief cared very little whether he
must PUT away all his other wives or
not ifonly he could keep Malali. She
had driven out all the rest of them. He
had watched the girl growing up at
KhamsuG's for years and had said to
himself always, whenever Malali is of
marTiageable age see if l do not buy her
and marry her"
In pursuance of this plan, as soon as
the missionary was gone, Langalula rose
up and took the fighting men of his tribe
with him that there might be no dispute,
and marched into the country of Malali's
father, whose name, as l said, was
Khamsua. When Khamsua heard Ian
galula was on his way TO his lend with
5000 assegGis, not TO speak Of winchester
rifles, he went out TO meet him with a
great retinue.
Khamsua cringed. Langalula said to
him, ~ am come to ask for Malali."
The moment Khamsua heard that he
was unspeakably terrified and flung him
self down on his face and clasped Ian
galuln's knees, for Khamsua was only a
small chief in the country compared with
Langalula.
30 my king" Khamsua said, 80 lion
of the people, / did not know so great
q monarch as you had set his eyes on
Malali, and before you asked Montelo's
people came and offered oxen ON hon
telo's behalf for Malali. and l sold her
to them because / was afraid of Mon
telo and could not have believed so great
achief as you had ever looked upon her.
Langalula smiled at that. "Oh, as foI
Montelo," he said, II can easily take hen
from him, and then / can get the mis-.
sionary to marry us"
Khsmsua, however, answered like d
fool. at cannot be. The Christians
are 80 straight laced. Montelo is aChris-
tian now. He was baptized a week age,
and Malali was married TO him in Chris
tian fashion. Even if you were 10 Kill
Montelo and take her to your kraal J
don't believe the missionary would mar
~ you"
Langalula turned to his men. xii
him, " he said simply. And they killed
him with IN Rssegai.
As soon as that was finished Langalula
marched on into Montelo's country.
When he arrived there, Montelo crcpi
out to meet him and tried to parley with
him. But Langulula would not parley
with the man who had deprived him Of
Malali.
1--WE win fight for it" he said angrily.
And they fought for it then and there,
and the upshot Of it all was that Ian.
galula's men conquered in the battle and
drove MOntelo's men, who had no win
chesters. back to their kings kraal, and
then killed Montelo himself and carried
his head on an assegai
BY the very same evening they occu-
pied the kraal that had u C been Mon
telo's, and Langalula's men brought out
Malah to their own leader. Langalula
looked hard at her. She was a glossy
black girl, very smooth skinned and
1.-THE and clean Of limb. The great chief
stared long at her. Malali hung hen
head and dropped her arms before him,
why did you go with Montelof' hc
asked AZ last, when Langalula would
haze taken your
4haMEl trcmbled with fear. II was
no foat Of hegs. How could she help
IT. "a woman there IS no free agent.
INV father sold me- ahe answered