Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-12-07
The children were very quiet, though

remDllnR. Inc Sav8geS came on anu
halted, and came on again, now silent
and apparently puzzled at there being
no sign of life about the house. As
the coop stood it could not be readily
dscerned in the shadow of the slope,
Again the Zulus advanced.
"Mother," said Piet, ''if they get
close to the house they will fire it"
She nodded, but waited until the
savages were only fifty yards away,
then Fire" she whispered, and from
her own loophole and from Piet's at
the same instant streamed fame, and
the Zulus gave one great cry of rage
and astonishment, as two OF their
number threw their arms high and fell,
their shields Gathering beside them.
At once little Greta and Pretorius did
their part, and with incredible bravery
in such infants forebore even to trem.
BILE, but handed up fresh guns, while
the two defenders passed the empty
ones down to be loaded by these small
but trained fingers. The Zulus, how
ever, did not fall back. Furious at
being taken by surprise they dashed
at the little for, and shower Of
spears came clashing against the stone
walls. Crack! again went the guns,
and again howl of pain resounded
through the night. The Zulus were
almost in touch of the fort, and were
pressing onward, one on top of the
Other. with their ferocious yells, when
tall man among them with an iron
ring on his head, sign OF an induna
nj, tnf cIN kaI OF
once his warriors fell back.
Mother" cried Piet, as they
seized fresh rifles, ''don't let them
think that we are so few. Greta and
Pretorius, load as fast as you can.
Mother, let us fire continuously and,
thinking we are numerous, they will
retire" Vrouw Putter nodded con-
the induna gave his savages their in
structions, and suddenly they ran
apart from one another in the moon
light and surrounded the henhouse
and came at it from three sides. Now,
indeed, the besieged were hard put to
it, but never quailed. Greta took the
lightest rifle, and, little girl though
she was, her father and brother and
even her mother had taught her to
use it. She took position, white
faced heroine, at one side, and her
mother and Piet in their old places.
Down came the Zulus, casting spears
before them, and sheltered by their
long, tough bullhide shields. Crack!
crack! crack! swiftly the rifles rang
out, and still the Zulus rushed on.
The fingers of little Pretorius were
busy on the floor of tie hut, loading
the rifles now getting hot. Crack!
crack! Tae savages reached the wall;
one scrambled to the roof; he thrust
spear down crack. The Beers wife
cried out; her shoulder was pierced.
But Piet's voice was triumphant as o
yell came from the induna himself.
II aimed for the chief and got him"
cried the boy, and indeed the induna
seemed badly hurt, for he limped
back, supported, and again called off
his soldiers. Piet ran to his mother
and helped her bandage the wounded
arm.
''It is nothing" she said, bravely,
and added more softly, NOR my life,
either, if children and home are
saved"
Suddenly little Pretorius cried out
in dismay.
"Piet" he said, "there are no more
cartridges.
1t was true. One box was empty,
and the other covered box did not
ha1 OF
despaired. Two gold prospectors had
been staying at the farm who used
dynamite in their work. They had
gone off at sign of trouble, but had
left some tools and things behind. In
this box which Piet had carr ed off for
ammunition, were instead some sticks
of dynamite.
81 have = betrayed-my fathers
trust" cried Piet. My mistake has
been our ruin!"
And he flung himself in despair
against the wall. But his mother,
finding nothing but empty guns,
kneeled quietly down and prayed, her
babies about her. She had done all
she could. The rest lay with higher
power.
For n moment Piet was crazy, and
then recovered himself. He looked
through his loophole. The Zulus
were in group quite hundred yards
away, almost indisting gaishable in the
night. Even as Piet looked they
moved and he knew they were about
to attack again. With shout of rage
the furious boy suddenly stopped to
the dang rous box he had carried from
the house, and then drew down the
rocks from the door and burst out. In
his hands he carried two sticks of dy-
Mantle, carried such deadly things in
his hands that stumble meant de-
struction. Yet he dashed ahead
through the night, yelling. The Zulus
turned on him in amaze, thinking him
mad, and greeted HIM with shower
OF spears. Unstricken, Piet ran to
within fifty yards Of them, and then.
"a l. ~.