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

OF their representatives, we'll up to
date, stood now before this old man
of the people who had stopped for two
centuries, and they hardly knew how
to take him.
"We want some forage" Burton
roared, with ferocious emphasis.
Old Zwager considered this de-
mand once more, as though it had
been new one. "You can't have
it," he then replied, with undiplomatic
clearness, because you are English
schelms" (rascals).
Phillips clenched his fist and
walked up to him. Eyes, now's your
chance" encouraged Burton. The
Kaffir, safe upon the wall, was appar-
emily the only witness, and he, being
native and untaught, seemed to
wonder that men of those races should
fall to fighting. Phillips put his fist
close up to the stolid face, then took
it away again.
always did understand that you
Americans were an uncertain set, :"
complained the Englishman. He
strobe up to the Boer himself, and
delivered an ultimatum. "You old,
dense, beastly, uncivilized mule" he
thundered, "tell the boy there to get
that forage, d'you hear?"
The ancient man never noticed
them. They both perceived with ease
that he thought they were afraid of
him. go. before I'd stand that!"
Phillips taunted his companion. Pres.
emily Zwager arose to his feet. "You
must now go away from here" he
proclaimed calmly, "your language is
not like the Scriptures. He went
and picked up heavy stick and stiff.
-ly advanced upon them.
They stood and watched him come,
the two strapping Saxons, and ex.
changed furtive glance. Then of
sudden they broke in full retreat:
moved by the same impulse they skunk
back to their horses and mounted
without a word. Without word
they left behind them Zwager's place,
and for half mile across the weld
they rode long way apart and would
not look ut each other. Finally they
pulled up, and something had to be
said.
"Er-ah-most disgusting failure"
the Englishman remarked.
81 couldn't do it," the American re-
piled, because" He stole a glance
at his companion, and read in his eyes
an answering horror-it was tie awful
horror and hatred of their race for
"goody-goody talk" because" he
cried triumphantly, "I thought there
might be some more Beers hidden in
the barn.
Just so," assented the Briton in
relief, and came little nearer, "My
own idea exactly" They rode along
together in detection, knowing more
about themselves than previously they
lad known. Around them the very
veldt seemed to be laughing over
something; and as they approached
the camp again suddenly they both
laughed too.
Couldn't be done" Burton ex-
planned briefly to the captain. sap.
pears, you know, that there was con.
cealed force in the neighborhood.
Hours afterward they left the camp,
and took the road toward Klerksburg.
They stopped once in the plain and
looked behind them at the border line
and all was quiet along it. Then the
Englishman, doubtless with his
thoughts upon old Zwager, said:
That war will come, though, as sure
as the sun is up there"
''Or as sure as there is gold in
johannesburg" the other agreed,
''but it won't be us that will start it.
We two weren't made, guess, to dc
dirty work"
He flicked his horse again, and grin.
ming cheerfully the unsuccessful ones
rode westward in the sunshine. New
York Sun.