The representative., 1899-11-09
WOMAN'SfIGnTW WITHzULUS
AN INCIDENT OF B0ER LIFE IN THE
TRANSVAAL.

The fires on the hills were the warning.
The farmers were Communicated, that is,
every able-bodied man between is and go in
the district was called to take. his horse,
his .'biltong' or dried beef ration, his rifle
and ammunition, and proceed at once to the
rendezvous, thence to proceed against the
fierce and warlike Zulus, who had again
raided the Transvaal. Farmer Putter sad
died up and hurried off, as his first duty
was, but first he called to him Piet, his
son, and solemnly spoke to him.
''Son OF mine,'' said the armer-soldier,
''you are not yet man tall enough to face the
Zulu impis in open field but to your care
I give mein vrouw and your little sister
Greta and Pretorious, your brother. You
must, if need be, play mans part, for,
since the two good prospectors left the farm
at the sign of war, there is none to take
command of the Kaffir servants but you."
Then Piet said without bravado:
You may trust me father, for, though I
be not q man still I am a Boer''
So the farmer rode away, and Piet, thus
promoted to command, withdrew into the
sitting room. and almost at once his trou-
BILE began. His first care was to clean and
load all firearms. These hung on the walls,
and some were old d-fashoned and without
ammunition to fit them But Piets eye,
seeking his own pet light rifle. which he
had won in shooting match against all
boys CT his age for many miles round, missed
it. He was startled, for it is almost GRIM
inal to meddIe with another mans glory
his rifle, and he sought Pretorius to see
If that ambitious youth had taken it down.
Pretorius had it not, and Piet ran out to
call Malula, native servant, with sudden
fear in his soul. Malula did not come at
the CALL and Piet, with pale face, thought
for a moment, and then, taking his old gun
and belt, leaped bareback on a horse, with
out word to alarm the family, and rode
off unseen at a gallop. He rode to the corn
field, where the native laborers should have
been working. The green corn waved in
the wind deserted. Not a man was in sight.
He dashed to the meadows down the valley,
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 were absent. The great
grassy fields 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 Zuus! Can
it be a general rising among the Kaftir
tribes?"
At that thought he trembled, but he had
still vigor enough to ride to the top of
a kopje near by From the peak he had a
view of much country, and saw cloud of
dust far away, which he guessed was made
by the stolen cattle.
Never mind" said Piet, "if we beat the
Zulus we shall get them back with inter-
est.
Then he dug his heels into his horses
ribs and dashed down the hillside. He had
seen. half mile away, a black figure NOV
ing swiftly across the veldt and the sun
glanced from something borne on it's shoul-
der-a gun, Malula. Before the traitor SER
want was aware of pursuit Piet was within
400 yards of him. Then the Kafir heard
the horses hoofs and turned. For mo-
ment the black seemed inclined to run, but
changed his mind as the boy shouted to
him angri1y, Maluia deliberately raised the
stolen rife to his shoulder. Piet threw
himself from the horse, as a bullet whistled
over the vacant saddle The boy, already
a hunter, replied, with but hasty glance
through his sights, and Malula uttered
howl and staggered and fell to the ground
struck in the chest. Piet felt a spasm of
horror. Deer a-plenty had he shot, but
never till now a man, SO that his heart for
a flash stood STILL and his own face was
deathlike He rode slowly up to Malula and
found the Kaffir writhing in death agony.
Piet again dismounted, and attempted to
offer aid, but the savage repulsed him. With
look of hate he glared at the boy and
cried in his own tongue:
81 am one, but tonight come the Zulu,
and white thing the farm shall live.
For mine there shall be 10 deaths!"
So he died. glorying in the hope of
speedy revenge, and the Boer boy leaving
him, recovered his new rifle and rode slowly
and mournfully homeward. Here his
troubled mother met him.
"Piet," she said, 1.-The Kaffirs have left
u.s.
II know" he said, and looked into her
brave face, and told her what had hap
pened and what Malula had said of the
nearness Of the Zulus.
'f my father had known it, said
her son, "he would not have left u.s.
He commandeered,' said the Boer
wife. 'It was his duty. Country first
always, my son.
But said Piet, in much perturbation,
"my father did not think the blacks would
fly. He thought that they, Basutos, would
fight their old enemy, the Zulu. If these
come, WHAT are we 10 90. snail We leave
the farm and trek to Van Boeven's?"
The Boer mother pressed her lips with
frown of pride
THAT was not well said my son." she
answered loom Putter said Stay AS he
obeyed his general and went, so we shall
obey him, and stay and fight till he comes"
1t was a Roman speech. Even as the
words came from her mouth, she looked
round and saw Piet, well-grown boy of Is
years; Greta, child of II; little Pretorius
and the baby-a goodly garrison to defend
tho HEARTH But she saw that hearth-she
saw the dear walls her husband had built
to bring her home as a bride; she saw the
fields he had titled, and the barns he had
raised, and seeing them, she would have
fought to the last scratch of her nails, like
a wildcat, rather than give them up.
Besides said she hopefully, what
could the wretch Malulu know that we
don't The Zulus cannot be near and if
they are, the farmers have out their scouts
and they say the English from Natal are
also ready. Before they reach our farm
the Beers must meet them, and surely the
savage shall be stricken
Nothing more was said about deserting
the homestead. Vrouw Putter went about
her work quietly. but Piet began to prepare.
Now the farmhouse was roomy and the
garrison most pretty one, and puzzle over
the matter as she might, the boy could not
see how it's rough stone walls could be pro-
tected at once on all sides, if the attacking
force to be large one His mother