The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-02-17
loom PETS Fort.
AN INCIDENT or BoER LIFE IN THE TRAHsVAAL'
BY p. Y. BLACK.

grown boy Of Is years; Greta, q child I
OF Ii; little Pretorius. and the baby a
4. ooodlv garrison to defend the hearth!
But abe saw that hearth-she saw the /
dear walls her husband had built 70
bring her home as bride; she saw I
the fields he had titled and the barns i
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 Malula know
that we don't? The Zulus cannot be
near. and if they are, the farmers have
out their scouts, and they say the Eng
lish from Natal ara also ready. De
fore they reach our farm the boers
must meet them, and surely the saw
age shall be stricken.
PET had an idea as he stood IN
the broad yard looking at the house,
the chickens came clucking about MIN
in their search for food.
Ali day he worked busily, leaving
his mother to the children, aud py
nightfall he had prepared fort 70
withstand a siege. Two or three times
during the afternoon he had slipped
off to the top Of the kopje, where ne
could look afar, but each time he came
back, having seen nothing Du' tns
rolling veldt They had supper ana
again Piet slipped away and came
back, but now with grim fare.
"Mother," lie whispered, "from the
west I heard the war song OF the
Zulus. It came family with the wind
In the direction also of Van Bowen
farm the skies are red, and If go AT
| dark fear shall see the flames rising
from their barns"
The mother gathered her baby tight
, in her arms for moment, and then
l quietly asked her eldest: 80,
A care the guns cleaned and loadedr
| eyes" said Piet, ''and. mother, II
Won approve, we must leave the house.
/ It is too big and rambling for us two
9 to protect"
o "Leave the house?"
:. mot very far" said Piet, and OK
|, planned.
:; Tn that land Of few jewellers, space
> is not of much consideration: 1ns
:, farm buildings were quite widely sea.
- tered. and Farr,er Putter had bull
~ his cowbyres and pigpens and so on
y. 10 nroper distance away from his hous
% walls All the afternoon Pet had beel
-" marching. laden with packages an
:. bundles. between the house and tn
% ont. buildings. Now, when it was darn
- he nut out all the lights OF the house
o' IL tbo windows and doors wer
stoutly barred. az, a.
children asked. accustomed to rise an
he lie down with the sun, ana re! ~
w. swered cheerfully: I'm the cnlcAe
ich COOP"
an The children, at first astonished al
inc,edulous, were delighted when tn
wa discovered that their brother mea
ack what he said, for the sight OF I
chickens feeding had given the D
his the necessary idea If the house we
the too big. the coop could not be sccus
nile of that fault. About the rocky koE
ftly stones were plenty and more conve
,.ad lent than wood. Therefore, Pet b
lder aided his father in building solid
.itor fair to shelter the many fowls. IL
Piet stone, and high and roomy. Plet' q
hen ing the afternoon, had made on 81
and side. by careful removal OF ston
lack loopholes, and carried to the henno
noed the more precious articles in the no'
hin with all the ammunition and gu
a;sed Now the chickens, squawklng, "
P;et rntblessly turned out, and the IL
bul. family went in, the youngsters
aSIo r,;ng The door which PET
,l;ad stranothened was closed, and the
h his rison prepared. Vrouw Putter
j and not without experience in "
truck alarms. She looked roun" Wv
I'M of brave smile.
shot, "Well done, Piet," she said,
It his calmly began to examine the
d his wbiIa at the same time quieting
70 lie children. who. now in the dark
d the disturbed by such preparations, b
Pet 70 be afraid. Agan Piet slipped
ted to TO the kopie, and when he came
him. he said: :.Fiames are rising frou
at the Van Boeven's, and the war sol
q: coming near"
ae ths "Loud?" the vrouw asked, Or
. farm mot very" her son answered
De ten ing rocks against the door. =,
"a detached party, saiu
rope OF mother, quietly. "If the LORD
r boy. it, we will protect our own.
ew ride And she made them all kneel
home. and pray, and then sing psalm
,er met II was fitfully moonlight MI
the dry season, and chilly.
RS have clouds pursued the moon after
il and leaving the veldt In oar
.sd into then passing on and flooding tn
hat had with silvery beams. For q lon
,ad said arlwas very still. At last Pies'
' ing out of his loophole to tht
/. said saw a shadow among the shado'
-. us" this shadow moved and Gid
said the came swiftly up the slope on wn
chicken coop stood between tns
and the rrees by the river.
nertur- followed by another and ano'n
hink the another and another. coming
a nh. ,ha. Wild ducks in or wedge. al
.ba;r old the heart of the shadows cam
10. what bum-the song of the lmpis.
AVE- the "How many?" the mother e e
',.an .ha moon shone out, ana