Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-10-04

cred in conjunction with commission
OF 10 per cent on the possible future
value Of its skin, and the paying OF 1t
made all the heart that Mr. Lowenfeldt
possessed ache for several days and
nights with pain which stimulated
his normally keen wits to really dan
gerous state Of activity.
The jew having thus paid his money.
il was for the heathen 10 do the rest,
and as a first consequence Of what he
did Pondo Kafiir whom he long had
under his eye for the working out OF
this particular scheme presented himself
ut the gate Of the new compound of the
De Beers mine for hire early on the fol-
lowing morning but one.
He had very disreputable looking
mongrel under his arm, and this with
only partly inteligible eloquence no
strenuously declined TO DO parted from.
The officials objected, but the kaffir
stuck to his point and his dog aud even
tually carried both through. for the COM
pound system was new and unpopular
then and native labor was very scarce;
so at last, as he was turning away To
offer his services elsewhere, he was call
ed back and allowed to take his cur In,
for he was fine, athletic, likely look
ing boy, and after all II the dog gave
any trouble q fatal illness would not
be very difficult thing TO arrange for.
The Pondo proved TO be an excellent
workman, and SO little WAS seen or
heard of the dog that its existence wss
forgotten long before the usual two
months engagement was up. "Byme-
BY" as the Kaffir called himself in ac-
cordance with the common custom OF
taking more or less grotesque English
names, found plenty OF old acquaint'
ances in the compound, as both Loo
Chai and Mr.. Lowenfeldt had foreseen
that he would, and by virtue OF sundry
invisible transactions between him and
them his dog improved rapidly in val.
ne, although its presence became even
more unobtrusiye than ever
About ten days before young Byme-
by's time was up one OF his most inti-
mate friends left the compound after
passing blamelessly through the then
usual formalities under the hands OF
the searching officials, and that night
contrived to convey through Loo Chai
and one All Foo, his servant, the well
come news to Mr.. Lowenfeldt that the
Pondo's dog would come out with such
a lining to its second skin as the expert
enced broker felt justified in estimating
at from fl0, 900 to gl2, 900 in value.
The Kaffir received five sovereigns in
return for his news, and with them and
his own earnings he proceeded, after
the manner of his kind, to blind himself
to the lights of heaven and divers bar
rooms for three days and nights, after
which he went back with light pouch
and heavy head to do another two
months spell in the mine. This time
he was the bearer OF message to his
Pondo chum to the effect that If on his
coming ont he would take the dog TO q
certain place other than the house OF
Loo Chat he would get e200 for it in
place Of the El00 that his master had
promised him. To this the Pondo, be-
ing easy of morals and longing greatly
for the possession Of wives and cattle in
his own land, incontinently consented.
The reason for this leading astray OF
the untutored savage may be quickly
seen in the fact that 10 per cent on,
say, eIO, 900 would be e1, 600, and this.
with the amount of the bill, would
make gI, 1850, which, when Mr.. Low.
enfeldt came to think quietly over the
matter, seemed to be most outrageous
price to pay to yellow skinned heather
even for o double skinned dog. and,
after due deliberation, he decided not to
nav ii, il he could find any means OF
evading payment.
The shortest and easiest way to do
this was to procure the arrest and con-
yiction Of Loo Chai as IN l. ID. b. before
the Pondo got out, and to this end he
succeeded in bribing Ah Foo with cash
down and the promise Of more to plant
four "traps," which he took from bis
own safe, in a convenient place In bis
masters store. But, as there is more
honor Of q sort among heatheps than
among thieves, Ah Foo gave the plot
away in the same hour, showed the trap
stones to Loo Chat, who had been sus
pecting some friendly action OF the sort.
aud, with his consent. took them away
with him for greater safety and his owr
reward.
Very early the next morning the po.
lice, "acting ON information received"
raided the store Of Loo Chat. turned IL
mostly into the street. and found moth
ing, its owner meanwhile looking on
with Q bland resignation that would
have we'll become martyr In . better
causs. A good deal Of language was
usea nv ..n executors oe ths Law OF