The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-11
The Karoo Wanderiahr.


And now he was bound to Kloofburg.
and perhaps to places as great and Won
| derful as Port Elizabeth. He had been
| reading books that unsettled him, for cur
ious waits of literature penetrate TO re-
mote parts of Africa, and he had picked
up some cant phrases about the necessity
OF a 'Wanderjahr' for some people.
Charlie rode on until, from height, he
saw the square tower of the Kloofburg
| Dutch Church enshrined in rows of Lom-
| hardy poplars. he was soon trottiDg
down the dusty street past small IRON
rooted houses. The place was lfelesS
enough. A few storekeepers in shirt
sleeves lounged at the doors of their
shops. and one or two drunken Hottentots
were chattering around the well in the
market square. He passed square
patch OF sand on which the ladies of the
| place, gorgeous in satin dresses. were
| playing croquet. A pompous little man
whom Charlie recognized as the poStmas-
| ter was strutting about affably. for he
f, had just received promotion, and as he
had endeared himself to tn local gossips
| by habit of divulging kilograms. he was
now being honored by a farewell tea at
! the hands of the Croquet club But Char
lie rode on until he reached the principal
| hotel, and, handing over his pony TO a
kaffir groom, he passed on to the shady
stoop, where one or two invalids were
| lying, languid, in deck chairs. The hotel
was full, but Charlie found that he could
share a bedroom with young English
man named Hickson. Hickson presently
appeared; he was a tall. blase-looking
man OF about twenty-five, ready enough
| TO chat. He had seeen several continents
and tried many trades. Like so many OF
! the worlds failures he had come 10 South
Africa TO try his luck afresh.
After dinner most of the people went
| of TO amateur theatricals, organized with
the purpose of giving new window 10
the diminutive English church jenkins
would have gone to see this phase of life.
but was disheartened by a rat-like man
on the stoop, who was saying that he
did not care to see people making asses
of themselves. This was A storekeeper
who disapproved Of the drama because
the stage manager had lately detected an
inaccuracy in his account and had trans
ferred his custom to another store. But
to Charlie, ignorant OF these details, the
man seemed TO speak with voice of au-
thority.
And so he Joined the knot of Ioafers.
men who considered the year wasted il
they had not spent 365 evenings at a
drinking bar. Now Charlie had always
lived abstemiously for his father. like
the house, thinking an occasional spree in
Kloofburg more salutary than the pres
ence of an insidious liquor in his dining
room. And soon he began to talk noisily
with the others.
Hickson was holding forth on suicide
and praising prussic acid. Jenkins, from
a spirit of contradiction. advocated the SUI
perior merits of pistols. In such a jovial
gathering the question seemed to be mere
dropped in favor of a discussion on sheep
scab. AS he had come to Kloofburg to es-
cape from sheep and their ailments Char
lie was glad when men began to return
from the theatricals.
The landlord OF the inn, jovial look
ing man. came into the bar with a banjo
in his hand, and was greeted with cries
of Give us a tune. Jacky!' Lets go
and cheer up poor old Gordon" said a
voice. and everyone assented. Gordon.
Charlie learned, was an invalid in an ad-
fulness had made him popular, and who
had. pathetically enough. expressed
hope that his last night on earth might be
merry one. The whole gathering troop
ed into the little smoking-room, where
Gordon was ensconced in chair. Jacky,
the landloard, broke into a childish song
with A banjo obligato. He had in his
eventful career once been public enter
tainer but little talert remained except
in an air OF assurance and an adroit hand
ling Of hi sinstrument. Song succeeded
song until at last a burly doctor in the
corner cried: won't you give someone
else chance, Jacky?" The aristocratic
temperament was wounded: the landlord
rose, picked up his instrument and bolt
ed. Hickson volunteered a hunting song.
Then there were cries for "Poegieter."
and the ratlike storekeeper stood up.
Sinking. and said: I'm afraid I can
only give YOU a recitation, gentlemen.
and I hope you'll tell me when you've
had enough" So saying. he started one
of those melodramatic pieces endeared to
modic lady reciters. He had just come to
the description of the cherubic child.
ture. when a sepulchral voice from the
doctors corner whispered: That's
enough" But Potgieter was not to be
daunted. and led his yawning audience 10
the point where the infant Is run over by
MS mother on a bicycle. He sat down
amid storm Of applause, broken by
proposal from the doctor that they should
all toss for drinks.
The room grew noisier Charlie found
himself beside dilapidated soldier. who
began to tell him thrilling stories Of his
Indian adventures. emphasizing the
points with a shaky forefinger
The room was full Of smoke. Three
men were singing at once and their voices
were hardly audible above the clink Of
glasses.
In the corner Gordon lay in his chair,
pailid, fighting for breath.
Suddenly a report. as Of some firearm.
was heard. What's that?" said the doc
tor. 'Oh. 7 expect its old Isaacs." some
fA5
There's an owl that comes around his
house. but he always sees tEo owls. and
he 5 sworn L shoG; them both
The revelry went on. Charles head
gan TO ache. and the soldiers stories.
which were steadily growing in strength.
somewhat disguised him. He rose and
made his way 20 the bedroom. Hicksoa
had FOR soma time vanished from the
smoking room. and Charlie called his
name as he struck a match.
There was no answer. but the splut-
tering match revealed Hickson lying on
his bed with his face to the wall. Charlie
approached him. when he suddenly saw
that the sleeping mans hand held r re-
volver He bent 70 take the weapon
away but as he touched the hand 2 shiv-
CT passed over him. Hastily Charlie rals-
ed his candle 10 look L Hickson's fa>e.
but when he saw il he cried aloud and
staggered back
Two OF three OF the reveiers camo into
the room. Are gu two fellows ightingas''
one OF them asked. But look al The fig
ure on the bed told him the truth MY
Go5t" he cried; that was the shot We
hesrd"'
The landlord came grunhling In Such
an event was bad for his house, he SAID
He seemed 20 be more annoyed than
shocked. Charlie broke away from the
crowd. now sobered. and soon left the
hotel behind As he passed he heard Cor
don's racking cough soon he vas On the