The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-10-14


Locking backward, it seems to be
rather peculiar thatl should haze con-
tinued TO take such an interest in my
surroundings UP to the last minute,
wien I was well aware that 1 was
within a few days OF some ~catastro.
phe, the nature of which it was I'M
possible for me to anticipate or inn
agine.
The crimson lines on my hand were
but the index of the mysterious condi-
ton OF my body, and as the time pass
ed and the strain and tension %increas-
ed. prepared myself with calmness
for the verdict of the Boer doctor, if
such was TO be my fate.
The memory of those last days is
very distinct and vivid, andrT can nc
count for every minute of the time up
to a certain point, but beyond that
there is a gap and a blank, a breach
OF several years for which I cannot
render the slightest account or re-
member the doings of . day. l have no
explanation to offer, nor am / under
obligations to any mortal to give an
account Of myself. They say it was
lunacy, but ] know better than that.
Lunacy cannot be the name of a state
a great deal more wonderful than the
condition of the sanest among you.
For during these years i lived Il life
and apparently enjoyed experiences
that madness would gambol from
and temperate, benevolent citizens de-
light in. To cap the wonder and the
climax. it never entered into the good
head of the faithful Hans, from the.
first day to the last, that he was the
companion and fellow traveller of any
one but n reasonable, sensible creature
like himself, and VET, as ] said before.
the interval was not part of my life.
How do | know, then, what happen
ed i'll this interval? Well, Hans kept
the record, and now n word about this
man.
Hans was educated in Natal, and
the schools in that colony are as good
as any in the world. 1t seems a little
odd to a stranger to run up against n
rough-looking transport rider or an
ordinary laborer in these parts and to
feel compelled to remain silent while
the eNuherant colonial intellect hilds
forth and dilntes upon men, things,
literature and universal history with
Il natural ard easy flow of language
that fairly staggers the average speci-
men of western civilization. And If
this is the mellow fruit, what can we
say of the blossoms and the buds?
Very little, l confess, for they are
unique and indescribable. The boys
are clever and p%recocious beyond con-
ception, aud they are natural and full
ledged philosophers as soon as they
can talk. So pronounced is this youth
full %profnndity that it gives the tai
ented creatures the appearance of
learning backwards, and so when they
are grown up you are impressed with
the assurance that they know every
thing but what they have forgotten.
So you find each individual. egotisti-
cal self 10 be the enter of a universe,
for the benefit and delight of which
all things have been created.
Now my friend Hans Botman pos
sessed a great deal of this colonial ge-
Mus without a sign or symptom of the
overgrown bump SO uncomfortable
prominent on the crnniums of his fell
low-citizcns. He had also another rec
concentration which is, i think an un-
discovered trait in nearly all new
countries. l mean a quietness of man
ncr and an indefinable delicacy of
feeling and sentiment than which
nothing in this human nature of ours
is more precious and pleasing. Then,
again. he had a certain faculty for
friendship which is by no means an
everyday gift. Its power and charm
is universal and this it was at the very
beginning that drew Hans and me to-
gether.
So it happened that in a year or
two he had attached himself to me and
my fortunes without n single word
having passed between us on the sub
iect. My failings and p~ecu]iarities
were Just as interesting to him as
they were %perpleNing to myself. So,
in curse of time, service became
friendship and from fellow travellers
we changed unconsciously and natur-
ally into brothers.
At last the time drew near when ]
became aware that L should require
his services and prove his friendship
more than e before, and / said to
him:
Hans. old fellow, remain with me
to the end.'
For answer he took hold of my
hand and held it firmly and affection
utely for a minute or two without say
ing a word. No reply could have been
more eloquent, more satisfying. 1t
was G solemn compact, drawn, sealed
and delivered, Il bond and n covenant
to signify that nothing but death
could part, us. Now you understand
the kind of man / had to deal with,
and so when l repeat that Hans kept
the record. it goes without sayingthat
l believe every word of his wonderful
story Just as surely as if I had kept a
diary of it myself.
Among the Beers in the neighD6r-
hood where we lived there was one
man in particular who had a very lin
sayory reputation. 1t was a curious
circumstance, and one which puzzled
me considerably. that even in the most
favorable weather disliked and
avoided his presence. and there were
| times when | detcsted him with an in
conceivable hatred. He was. a butcher
by trade, and if you could credit the
reports. Of his felIow-conntrymen he
was little less than II kidnapper and
murderer of Kaffirs.
BE that as it may. by nature he WA
certainly without soul or sympathy.
One day he came over to the store,
and according to the usual custom he
took hold of my hand and shook it
heartily. The contact caused me to
scream with pain, and to rush head
long from the store. Very soon / took
refuge in the stable and threw my
rms around Fuigo's neck i'll agony OF
body and spirit.
That was the last minute and the
last act of my conscious existence UNI
til woke up in Boston more than
three years afterward in u still more
curious and4remarkable situation.
But Hans says that / simply hung on
the horses neck for n few minutes and
then woke up like one who had been
dreaming. vas a new man; the
fever had left my blood, my spirits
were high and the crimson veins had
paled away into a faint rosy color. l
at once put the saddle on Fingo's back
and was 500 galloping across the
veldt az If 1 had in some way received
anew lease of life and happiness.
So far as Hans could detect my lam