Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-02-12

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above the table where lay the map OF
South Africa. can American" he
said, 'that is all the better! Ameri.
cans are men of our own blood and
this movement is for every man who
knowns what progress means. 1t is
war which must come, and in this
world we must look ugly facts in the
face. People who are afraid to dc
this say to me: But it will be toe
dangerous they say to me, 1T is
wrong but l say to them, we must
look facts in the face; the Beers are
now arming with Mauser rifles /
say to them, My dear good people, I
admire your scruples, but remember
the ugly fact of those Mauser rifles.
Remember that, and then if you agree
that war must come at last, tell me
whether delay will not mean ten times
as many lives and 100 times the treas
ure.' A united Africa, that is my idea
an Africa free for the Anglo-Saxon
from Cape Town to the Zambesi."
The dreamy gray eyes had lighted
up; the words came faster and faster
in the glow of the great idea. And as
he spoke there breathed out of this
man something mysterious and won
derful, as out of unfathomed depths,
a spirit which could stiffen the hearts
of other men and drive them forward.
reckless of barriers. Young Phillips
gazed at him, and the cold suspicion
melted out of his face.
"I guess, maybe" said he slowly,
"that after oil am wild young
thing"
The big man glanced at the other
men, and little laugh all around
showed their appreciation of how
Phillips had risen to his chance. cal
ways did like the way you Americans
could grasp point" the leader said,
and shook hands.
The day after, Burton and Phillips
rode out Of Klerksburg, and turned
their horses eastward. They left the
railroad line upon their left, and, as
they struck into the open veldt and
saw around them the wide circle of
earth and sky, their spirits gayly rose
to this adventure. Darkness found
them still six miles from the camp of
the border police, but Burton knew
the ground, and they pushed forward.
When they reached the camp of the
border police they were greeted with
applause Burton knew most Of the
men; letter which he brought made
them still more welcome. They ate,
and afterward among their hosts lay
back at ease around the campfire. In
visible horses champed and scufiied
upon the plain around them; the
troopers smoked and looked up at the
watching stars until it was time to
turn in.
In the morning the two adventurers
had last word with the captain and
then mounted their horses. They rode
to little eminence and stopped; they
were on the border line, the danger
line which needed only to be crossed
by fighting parties to mean war. A.
solitary falcon hovered high in the
untarnished blue, and before them
stretched the Transvaal, its veldt as
yellow as a sea OF gold. Old Zwager's
farm lay like dot in this and over
everything a Sabbath quiet brooded,
which should set South Africa atire.
The felt the delight of power, a sense
of danger and daring leaped in their
blood and they rode straight forward
resolutely.
Zwager's place was built up in a
way usual to that region. A stone
wall encircled the squatty Dutch
buildings and served to keep the
calves in the front dooryard. A fence
might have been easier, but Zwager's
great graudfathers had managed it
this way, and what had been good
enough for them was good enough
for Zwager. They were admitted
through the gate by lazy Kafir boy
and, riding up to the house, beheld
the owner.
Before the door in the sunshine sat
an old and grizzed Boer-a Boer of
the Great Trek. He stared at them
for moment silently, and then again
turned his dull blue eyes upon the
distant view. But after some refiec.
ton be removed his pipe and asked
them briefly; "What do you want?"
1--WE want some forage for our
horses, first thing" Burton replied,
and the two dismounted. Zwager re-
flected somo time, and then an
nounced: "You can't have it."
go, we can't eh?" remarked Phil.
lips. "Maybe that isn't for you to
say. The correction appeared to be
lost upon old Zwager; he sat still and
gazed across the plain toward the blue
northward as though he expected
something favorable to come from
that direction. For years and years
the older Beers had been wont to
think of TINT free upcountry, the un-
tracked wilderness which could always
be their refuge when the annoying
uproar OF a rapid civilization came too
near. But nothing could come out of
it now except danger, and they were
cut off from it forever as surely as
from the blue sea across which their
I forefathers had wandered two CEN
turies before for a place in which to
stagnate comfortably. Old Zwager
NAV have known This mn oh of h;utory