The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-29
An Incident of Doer Life L
THo e. = ss..,s
By p. Y. BLACK.

1P DIP
*9:A7::~:
The fires on the hills were the warn
ing. The farmers were Communicated
that is, every ablebodied man be-
tween 1G and GO in the district was
called to take his horse. his "biltong"
or dried beef ration, his rifle and am
munition, and proceed at once to the
rendezvous, thence to proceed against
the fierce and warlike Zulus, who had
again raided the Transvaal. Farmer
Puttcr saddled up and hurried off, rs
his first duty was, but first lie called to
him Piet. his son, and solemnly spoke
to him.
"Son Of mine," said the farmer sol
dier, "you are not yet man tall enough
to face the Zulu impis in open field,
but to your care give mein vrouw and
your little sister Greta and Pretorius,
your brother. You must, If need be,
play mans part, for, since the two
gold prospectors left the farm at the
sign Of war, there is none to take COM
mand of the Kaffir servants but you.'
Then Piet said without bravado:
''You may trust me, father, for,
though be not q man. still I am q
Boer"
So the farmer rode away, and Piet,
thus promoted to command, withdrew
into the sitting room, and almost ut
once his trouble began. His first care
was to clean and load all firearms.
These hung on the walls, and some
were old fashioned and without am
munition to fit them. But Piet's eye,
seeking his own pet light rifle, which
he had won in shooting match
against all boys Of his age for many
miles round, missed 1t. He was star
tied, for it is almost criminc to mcddle
with another mans glory-his rifie-and
he sought Pretorius to see If that ambi-
tious youth had taken it down. Preto-
RUS had 1t not, and Piet ran out to call
Maln!a c ::i;attiys servant, with sudden
fear in his soul. ,s Il
Malula did not come at the call, and
Plet. with a pale face, thought for n
moment, Gnd3then, taking his old gun
and belt, IeapeH bareback on horse,
without q word to alarm the family,
and rode off unseen at gallop. He
rode to the cornf1eld, where the native
laborers should have been working.
The green corn waved in the wind de-
serted. Not man was in sight. He
dashed to the meadows down the val
ley. where the herders should have
been with the cattle. Here, in spite Of
himself, tears sprang to his eyes, for
the cattle were gone, and the herders
nj do
were silent as were those of corn.
'They have deserted us as soon as
my fathers back was turned" cried
Piet in dismay. "And they were not
Nulus! Can it be n general rising among
the Kaf11r tribes?'
At that thought he trembled, but ne
had still vigor enough to ride to the top
Of q kopje near by. From the peak he
had view OF much country, and saw
cloud Of dust far away, which he
guessed was made by the stolen cattle.
"Never mind" said Pet; "if we beat
the Zulus, we shall get them back with
interest"
Then he dug his heels into his horses
cibs and dashed down the hillside. He
had seen, half mile away, black fig
ure moving swiftly across the veldt,
and the sun glanced from something
borne on it's shoulder gun, Malula.
Before the traitor servant was aware
Of pursuit, Piet was within 400 yards
Of him. Then the Kaff1r heard the
tcrse's hoofs and turned. For q mo-
ment the black seemed inclined to run
but changed his mind as the boy shout
ed TO him en.-.!Gv. ss..;s;;u;s .;a;;i;arsie.iyy
raised the stolen rifle to his shoulder
Plet threw himself from the horse as
bullet whistled over the vacant sad
die. The boy. already q hunter, replied.
with but da,hasty glance through his
eights. and Malula uttered howl and
staggered and fell to the ground struck
in the chest Piet felt q spasm Of hor-
ror. Deer a-plenty had he shot, but
never till now q man, so that his heart
for a fash stood still, and his own face
was deathlike. He rode slowly up to
Malula, and found the Kaffir writhing
IN o death agony. Piet again dismount-
ed. and attempted to offer aid, but the
savage repulsed him. With look Of
hate he glared at the boy. and cried in
his own fongue:
am one, but tonight come the Zulus,
andsno white thing on the farm shall
I've. For mine there shall be ten
deaths!',