Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-23
CHAPTER III.
II WAS a STRANGER. AND YE TOOK ME

Il *. sA y
As the two girls rounded the side Of
the 'kopje" an unusual scene present
ed itself. A large group was gathered
at the back door of the homestead.
On the doorstep stood the Boer wom-
an, hand on each hip, her face red
and fiery, her head nodding fiercely.
At her feet sat the yellow Hottentot
maid, her satellite, and around stood
the black kafir maids, with blankets
twisted round their half naked figures.
Two, who stamped mcalies in wood
en- block, held the great stampers in
their hands and stared stupidity at the
object of attraction. 1t certainly was
not to look at the old German over
seer, who stood in the center of the
group, that they had all gathered to-
gether. His salt and pepper suit, griz-
Ely black beard and gray eyes were as
familiar to every one on the farm as
the red gables Of the homestead itself,
but beside him stood the stranger, and
on him all eyes were fixed Ever and
anon the newcomer east glance over
his pendulous red nose to the spot
where the Boer woman stood and
smiled faintly.
I'm not child" cried the Boer wo-
man in low Cape Dutch. land 1 wasn't
born yesterday. No; by the Lord, no!
You can't take me in! My mother
didn't wean me on Monday. One wink
OF my eye. and see the whole thing.
I'll have no tramps sleeping on nv
farm: cried Tant' Sannie, blowing.
mo, by the devil, no. not though he
had % times six red noses!w
There the German overseer mildly In
terposed that the man was not a
tramp. but highly respectable indi-
vidual. Whose horse had died by an &c.
cident three days before.
Don't tell met! cried the Boer wom-
IN. Ihe man isn't born that can take
Z me IN. II he'd had money, wouldn't
! oaeiif'ass-en morse? Men who
Walk are thieves. liars, murderers,
Romes priests, seducers! / see the
devil In his nose" cried Tant' Sannie,
ehaklng her INST ut him. "And to come
waiklng into the house of this Beers
cniid and shaking hands rs though he
ca IN, on horseback-ol, no. no"
ne stranger look on his hat. tall
Su,,ered chimney pot. and disclosed n
Daiu mead. at the back Of which was a
niue fringe OF curlcd white hair, and
ne bowed to rant sannie.
. , nat does she remark. my friend"
ne INJURED turning his crosswise look
Jug eyes on the old, German.
me German rubbed his hands and
ses.1a'ed.
An - well = ah - the - Dutch-you
hnoW--uo not ike people who walk
W tnis country-ah"
MY GEAR FRIEND" said the stranger,
laying ms hand on the Germans arm,
snould nave bought myself another
sorse, but crossing. I've days ago. a
Aum river, ! LOST my purse-a purse
WIN 1ooo N II. spent five days on
tue Dank OF the river trying to find it
-conidn't; paid Aaf!ir Ed to go in
anu look Tor IT at the risk of his life
co ~, ma It.
me German would have translated
THIS information, but the Boer woman
ea Nv ~ eur.
nv. Nv ne goes tonight See how
ss oIs az me, poor, unprotected
enale. ~ ne wrongs me, who is to
W ne Tisht: cried rant Sannie.
.uinh' salu tne German IN an
unuer.one, u you aidnt look ut her
Su.'e 50 mucn u might De advisable.
3. one-ah--sh e-mlght-imagine that you
Aheu Her 100 weil-in ract-ah"-
er,aln,y' my GEAR irlend. certain
su,u Tue strdnser' y shali not look
q. ne,.
oasins this, ne turned MS nose full
upon sinai Aamr years OF age,
.nat SINH naked son OF Ham became
ins.anly SO terrihed that ne ned to his
/. .hotners DlanKet Tor protection, howl
ing horfiDiy.
s Upon this the newcomer liked his
eyes penslNeiy on me stamp block,
lolulng ms hand on the head OF his