The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30
A Daughter Of the Veldt.


1t is bad thing to travel in a country
during war time even when you are ia
miliar with its language, but it is far
worse when you only know enough OF the
native tongue to make yourself misunder<
stood. / have managed to get myself into
some gorgeously picturesque situations on
this account, and more than once havs
vowed to master the Boer dialect or wreck
my talking apparatus in the attempt. 1t
is not an easy language to learn. 1t is very
like their kopjes-steep, rough, rocky. and
disiointed; and, like the kopjes, you can't
take it by storm, but must climb steadily
and with patience, and make sure OF one
step before you venture on the next. II is
a superb language to use when one is driv
ing bullocks or blacks; the first sentence
seems to roll OF the lips like maledic-
ton, and the second chops of short like
the bark of a toy terrier l should ask for
no finer form OF speech on earth il l want
ed to curse mine enemy. but how on earth
they manage to make love with it passes
my comprehension. Still, l thought it
might come in handy if only to brighten
Australian horses with. and kept constant
ly on the lookout for chance to learn, and
verify my chance came unto me in due sea-
ed something else which may prove equally
useful in later life.
We had pitched camp for a week, in or
der to allow the ever dallying conveys to
catch up to us; so, obtaining permission
from headquarters, saddled up and rode
out to do little scouting on my own ac-
count. For l have long since learned that
it's no use hanging around camp If you
want to know anything about the real
70 Of . h. f1ll In. tha la nd
About six miles from our lines I ran
against dainty little farmhouse cuddled
up against the slope of a shrubcovered
kopje. On one side of the dwelling trel-
lis work of vines broke the wind, and on
the other a long, double row of orange
trees beautifed the scene. Tall, graceful
poplar trees whispered in the wind at both
front and rear, while pretty flower gar
den, fragrant with flowers. spread far
away in front of the substantial dwelling.
1 was admiripg these things from my
horses back when 1t suddenly dawned
upon me that l had possibly played the
imbecile in straying SO far from camp.
But it was too late to hang back. II the
farmer folk were friendly, l was in luck:
for the inside of such a dwelling could
not be i'll supplied with creature CON-
forts. II however. they were hostile. |
was at their mercy. l had no desire to
match my pony's pace against the flight
of a Mauser bullet: so. humming song
and thinking of a psalm. rode forward
as If certain OF kindly welcome. An ell
derry Boer with a kindly face met me at
the door, and gave me the time OF day
with all civility. niger lad took hold
of my bride, and / swung myself out of
the saddle Just In time to receive a civil
greeting from the farmers wife-healthy,
wholesome. substantial. well fed. and well
clothed. They invited NE inside, and
there their four daughters introduced
themselves to me. They all talked English
as well as / could. and before / had been
there twenty seconds had arrived at the
conclusion that / should never get q bet
ter chance to study the language OF the
people of our foes, and determined to sac
rifce myself upon the flinty shrine of
duty Three of the maidens were plain
faced. good, honest looking girls. but the
fourth had face like a young preachers
first public prayer-a face that many
man would risk his life for.
So much of my whole career has been
passed amid the rougher and more rugged
scenes Of life that description of dainty
womanhood comes awkwardiy from me.
But | have read so much about the ugli-
ness and clunsiness of the Boer woman in
British journals that | should like 10 try
to describe this daughter of the veiat, al
though only a farmers daughter. | do not
know IL she should be called short or tall,
but her cheek could have nestled comfort
ably on the shoulder of fairly tall man.
l don't know how much hair she had. but
there was enough of 1t to make fellow
feel as IL it didn't matter rap II half the
earth was bald. It was not red, nor yell
low; 1t was like honey. kissed by sun
shine. She had the sort of forehead which
one never sees on the face of a fool, Nat
ure's signboard for an emporium of
brains, Her eyes were large, brown and
fearless. not bold nor yet wayering. Her
mouth was perfect, not one of those sep
ulchres which dishgure some feminine
faces; not childishly small like a bud
bursting into bloom, but strong true
mouth, large enough for a prayer to slip
through, but not big enough to swear
with. Her waist would just ABOUT fill the
crook of mans arm. and make him feel
that there was no room for anything else
under heaven. The arch of her bust was
like the curve on a wave as it breaks on
the beach in the bay, not the stin, iath
and plaster models one is SO apt to see
walking round the streets of cities. Her
hands we're shapely, brown and strong.
cracked little by wind and weather; not
TOW Hands, but hands that could spank
baby or help husband back to paths OF
rectitude when all the world had damned
him past redemption.
So she looked when I saw her, and 1
said unto my soul: Verify it is good
thing for a man to know something of
his enemies language" and l made up
my mind to learn. 1t was the fifth even
ing after that. and l had registered my
fifth visit to the farm. when an event
befell which put an end to my studies in
Dutch for the time being. / had dined
withe farmer. the plain sisters had made
music for me. They had lifted their
voices in song. also, for l was an hon.
orcd guest. having been enabled 10 do
some little deed of Kindness through the
favor of our courteous general, to rel
alive of the ladies who was a prisoner
IN our lines. They had given me blan-
lets and rugs for the poor beegar, and
the general had handed them to the man.
The night was a beautiful one. SO. light
ing a cigar, / rambled down toward the
quarter mile long avenue of orange
trees. 1t was to be my last visit. for
AS 1 sauntered forward l heard the
rustic of woman's skirts amid the
bushes IN my right. and looking in that
direction l saw the navy blue dress and
the red gold hair of the girl who had
been teaching me Dutch l had not
many seconds to look at her. but. brief
as the time was. | had long enough to
notice that one hand held the blue skirts
switched up SO that about a foot OF
white netticoat was disDIayed | also no.