The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-15

''Oh, my father" said the Lily, ..oh,
my father. have pity on me; yes, yesl l
am girl-a girl. no wife-and you who
are old-you, perchance, have daughters
such as l. ard in their name ask for
pity. My father, have journeyed far
II have endured many things-to find
my way to kraal where my brother
rules, and now it seems that l have come
to the wrong kraal. Forgive me that l
spoke to you SO, my father; it was but a
womans feint, and was sore pressed to
hide my sex. for. my father. you know
1t is i'll to be a lonely girl among strange
men"
Now | said no word in answer for this
reason only, that when ! heard NADIA
call me father. not knowing me, and
saw her clasp my knees and pray to me
In my daughters name |, who was child
less save for her, went nigh to weeping.
But she thought that did not answer
because was angry and about to drag
her to this unknown chief and prayed
the more, even with tears.
"My father" she said, do not this
wicked thing by me; let me go and
show me the path that shall ask, you
who are old: you know that | am too
fair to be dragged before this chief of
yours. Hearken! all knew are slain:
am alone save for this brother whom
seek. Oh. il you betray me may such a
fate fall upon your own daughter also;
may she also know the day of slavery
and the love that she wills not" and she
ceased, sobbing.
Now turned my head and spoke to-
ward the hut. Chief" said, your
Ehlose is kind to you tonight, for he has
given you maid fair as the Lily of the
Halakazi" (Here NADIA glanced up wild
ly.) .'Come, then, and take the girl"
Now NADIA turned to snatch up the
assegai from the ground, but whether
to slay me or the chief she feared so
much or herself that know not; and as
she turned in her woe she called upon
the name of Umslopogaas. She found
the assegai and Strengthened herself
again, and 10! there before her stood a
mighty man leaning on an ak, but the
old man who had threatened her, he
was gone-not very far, in truth, but
around the corner of the hut.
Now NADIA the Lily looked, then
rubbed her eyes and looked again.
sSurely dream" she said at last.
"But now spoke to an old man, and in
his place there stands before me the
shape Of one desire to see"
"Methought, maiden, that the voice of
. certain NADIA called upon one Um-
slopogaas," said he who leaned upon the
IL
AYE, l called, but where is the old
man who treated me so i'll? Nay, what
does it matter where he is-there let him
stop. At least you are Umslopogaas,
my brother, or should be by your great
ness and the ak. To the man cannot
altogether swear in this light, but to the
* lean swear, for once it passed sc
very near my eyes"
Thus she spoke on. gaining time, and
all the while she watched Umslopogaas
till she was sure that it was he and nc
other. Then she made an end Of talk
and finging herself on him she kissed
him.
CHOW l trust that Zinita sleeps
sound" murmured Umslopogaas, fol
suddenly he remembered that NADIA was
NO ,sister to him as she deemed.
Nevertheless he took her by the han6
and said, "Enter, sister; of all maiden.
In the world you are the most welcome
here, for know, thought you dead"
But l, Umbova, ran into the hut be
fore her, and when she entered she found
me sitting by the fire.
ssNow here, my brother" said NADIA
pointing at me with her finger, "here i
that old Vi ,fagozan-that low fellow
who, unless dreamed but very littl,
while ago, wrought shame upon me
aye, my brother, he smote me, maid
with his kerrie, and that only because
said that would stab him for his inso
lence, and he did worse-he swore tina
he would drag me to some old chief o
his to be gift to him, and that he wa
about to do had you not come. Will yo1
suffer these things to go UNPUBLISHED, m
brotherY'
Now Umslopogaas smiled grimly an
made answer:
w L0V Woo ~ oAAoe w SeSAAOA AAAO JuS
now, NADIA, when you prayed me to pre-
tect you? Father, was it notY and
turned my face toward the blaze of til
FIRE so that the full light fell upon it.
Eyes, called you father, old man:
is not strange, for homeless wandere
must find fathers where she can, an
yet!--no, it cannot be-so changed, an
that scarf And yet-oh, who are yor
Once there was man named Umbovs
and he had little daughter and she wa
named NADIA. Oh, my father, my father
know you now!"
sAye, NADIA, and knew you from IL
first; through all your mans wrapping
KNEW YOU after these many years.
So she fell upon my neck and sobbe
there, and remember that l also wer
Now when she had sobbed her fill
Joy, Umslopogaas brought NADIA the Ii
MAS to eat and mealie porridge; she a
of the curdled milk, but of the porrids
she would not eat, saying that she W