The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-23

Il
AS one approaches Table Bay from
the inland, great mountains guard the
water. Through these are numerous
passes, called ''Kloofs," and, while the
scenery along them is of the grandest.
they are hard roads for cyclists to
tackle. The riders were now we'll into
the hills, and the American found, to
his disgust, that he had to spend as
much time pushing his wheel, as in the
saddle. The sun, also, was now noon
high, and the friends grew silent, mop
ping their brows, as they climbed the
! winding roads of the kloof. At one
/ of these aScents May dragged a long
| way behind, and Weldon reached the
top far in advance of his chum. He
sat down TO rest and enjoy the shade of
a tree, and as he threw himself on his
back, he glanced at the surrounding
] country. 1t was a comparatively bare
| spot he was on. The woods ceased for
/ a space, and a stretch of moorland
spread broadly out. This was dotted
with big black and gray, fungus-speck-
| led boulders, and seemed dreary
waste. Weldon cast his eyes over it
! before he lay Town, lighting his pipe,
and saw no manner of living thing A
minute afterwards he raised his head
and the pipe almost fell from his mouth
with surprise. Sixty yards away, on
a big rock sat a queer looking man
gravely observing the stranger and re-
naming absolutely still Weldon looked
! from his right where the, queer figure
had so suddenly appeared to his left,
and there also on another rock sat an
other strange looking man as grave, as
silent, as motionlesS, observing him.
Weldon looked from one to the other.
and his glance surveyed the open space
back of and between these apparent
sentinels. On large fiat topped rock
q in q Gil rN- oh r.f
similar figures, all very grave, all very
observant, the steady gaze of every one
of them concentrated on the bicyclist
Weldon was a little short-sighted and
he rose to his feet. putting on his eye
glasses to study these strange people
more minutely.
They don't look like The rati .es-
neither Hottentot nor ka.fiTs. Surely
they can't be the dwarf Bushmen,"
Then his glasses dropped and he
threw back his head with a loud laugh |
Baboons," he cried The ugly ras- |
cals-thats certainly one on mel"
At that shout the little conclave on
the rocks were greatly startled and |
there at once commenced among them |
such an indignant chattering as might |
have been in a decorous meeting of |
church elders, disturbed by a rude in
trusion. The sentinels scampered from |
their post to join in the general dis
cussion, and many of the almost hI-
man-like monkeys began to grim2ce at
Weldon angrily, and shake their paws
threateningly. But this made the iai |
only laugh more loudly. Their jabber-
ing rage seemed so futile and r,cIcu-
lous. a cheeky little member Of the
band suddenly ran out in advance of
the rest, and, with a gamin Ike EXPIRES
sion of contempt and anger. picked a
stone from the ground and threw it at
no hoo T11e -rol- ~ l. 1
Of stouter and old baboon, might
have hit Weldon, but the cheeky little
apes arms were not yet muscular
enough. The missile fell short. Still
he accuracy of the throw delighted
he American, who had never thought |
hat monkeys of any species could at
ack in this way. He cried out, laugh
ng:
Good for you, you young scamp, but |
7ou must do better if you want to learn
baseball. Like this, you know"
Lost in enjoyment of this unexpected
un with the balloons, he did not no
ice that May had come up the hill and !
vas now looking on with surprise
Weldon stopped to pick up a fair sized
'ebble. and. before May could jump
onward, crying out DON'T" the 5
american. in the very best stvle of the !
diamond had hoped moment on one :
GOT. and launched with skillful arm !
he stone ''over the plate" 1t was, in
IS results, too well pitched ball by
ar. 1t caught the unfortunate monkey
Who had thrown the rock fairly in the {
eek. and he toppled over like ninepin '
nd lay quite still. Weldon was aston '
shed and remorseful at the success of r
lis throw; the little prone figure looked q
o human and helpless. He turned to |
lay with a half laugh, but was sur a
rised to see his friend leap for his l
Wheel and to hear him call out: Come
n: you've done ii now; let's get out a
[ thisi" I
Whats the matter?''
Come on Don't you know a band p
{ balloons are fearless when together +
nd angry? They have been known to
rive away lion, and we haven't even
pistol between us. Come on. See,
ley're after usi''
Weldon looked at the group which he n
ad found so grave and silent. Now .
hey were wildly chattering. crying L
ut and lamenting over the senseiess
ody Of their young comrade.. Sudden &