The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-12-21
A DAUGHTER
OF THE VELDT
How Two Enemies Met
On "LOVers' Walk

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About six miles from our lines | ran
against dainty little farmhouse cud-
died up against the slope of a shrub
covered kOpie. On one side Of the
dwelling a trelliswork of vines broke
the wind at both front and rear. while
a pretty flower garden, fragrant with
flowers, spread far away in front of
the substantial dwelling. I was admir-
ing these things from my horses back.
when it suddenly dawned upon NE that
l had possibly played the mbccile in
straying so far from camp. But it was
too late to hang back. If the farmer
folk were friendly. | was in luck. for
the inside of such a dwelling could not
be i'll supplied with creature comforts.
If, however, they We're hostile, | was
at their mercy. | had no desire to
match my ponys pace against the fight
Of a MauSer bullet. so. hummiug Il
song and thinking of a psalm. | rode
forward rs if certain of Il kindly vel
come. An elderly Bocr with kindly
face met me mt the door ana gave me
the time Of day with all civility, a me-
gro lad took hold of my bride and
swung myself out of the saddle lust in
time To receive a civil greeting from
the farmers Wife healthy. Wholesome.
substantial. we'll fed and clothed. They
invited me inside. and There their four
-
me. They all talked English MS well as
could. ana before | had been There 20
seconds I had arrived ut the conclusion
that | should never got n better chance
to study the language of thc p,opIc Of
our foes and determined to sacrifice
myself upon the ninty shrine Of duty
Three Of the maidcns were plain faced.
good. honest looking Girls. hut the
fourth had a face like Young urcarh-
er's first public praycr-a face that
many Il man would risk his life for.
So much of my whole career has
been passed amid the Youghcr ana
mere rugged scenes of life that a de
scriptinn Of dainty womanhood comes
awkWardly from me. But have read
so much about the ugliness ana clumsi-
ness of the Rocr woman in British
Journals that | should like to try to de-
scribe this daughter Of the veldt. al
though ONLY n farmers DAUGHTER. | do
not know if she should be called short
or tall. but her check could have been
nestled comfortably on the shoulder of
a fairly tall man. | don't know how
much hair she had. but there was
enough of it to make a fellow feel rs
if he didn't care a rap if half the earth
was bald. 1t was not red nor yellow:
II was like honey kissed by sunshine.
She had the sort of forehead which one
never sees on the face of fool. ma
lures signboard for an cmDorium of
brains. Her ewes were large brown
and fearless. not bold nor vet vaver-
ing. Her mouth was perfcct-not one
of those sepulchcrs which disfigure
some feminine faces, not childishly
small like bud bursting into bloom
but a stronS. true mouth. large enough
for a prayer to slip through. but not
big enough to swear with. Her waist
would lust about fill the crook of a
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 wave as it
breaks on the beach in the bay. not the
stiff lath and plaster model one is ant
to see walking around the streets of
cities. Her hands were shapely, brown
and strong, cracked little by wind
and weather: not toy hands, but hands
that could spank a baby or help hus-
band back to paths of rectitude when
all the world had damned him past re-
demption.
So she looked when | saw her, and l
said unto my soul. Verify. it is a coed
thing for his enemies language" 1t
was the fifth evening after that, and
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 dincd with the
farmers, the plain sisters had made
music for me. They had lifted their
voices in song also, for was an hon
ored guest, having been enabled to do
some little deeds of kindness through
the favor of the courteous general to a
reletion of the ladies' who was pris-
oner In our lines Ihey had given me
blankets ana rugs Tor the poor Deggar'
ana the general had handed them 70
the man.
me night was peautllul one So
lighting cigar rahioied down TO,
ward the quarter lllie iohg avenue OF
orange trees. 1t was 10 DC my l"Sl Wis.