Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-01-10

idmber threw thsir aims High and fell
their Shields Gathering beside them:
At once little Greta and Pretotius did
their part, and with incredible bravery
in such infants forebore even to trem-
BILE, but handed up fresh guns, while
the two defenders passed the empty
ones down to be loaded by these small
but trained hngets. Tie Zulus, how,
ever; did not fall back: Fari6us. dt
being taken BY surprise they dashed
at the littls fBrt, and q shower OF
spears came clashing dgainst tile stone
walls. Crack! again went the guns,
and again howl of pain resounded
through the night. The Zu!us were
AMIDST III touch Of the fort, and were
pressing onward; 81e on top of the
Uther, With their fsroc;oiis yells;when
d tall man among thsni with All iron
ring on Ills head, sign OF an induna
chief shouted command, and at
6ncs Ills warriors fell back.
dMBthef,," cried Piet, as they
seized fresh rifles, "don't let them
think that we are so few. Greta and
Pretorius, load as fast as you can.
Mother, let us fire continuously and,
thinking we a.e numerous, they will
retire:"
vrouw Putter Iloddsd eonsei1t; aud
at once these two valiant defenders Of
hearth and home began from the half
dozen firearms at their disposal to
pour bullets into the retreating crowd
of naked blacks, They could not tell
what actudl effect their missiles bad,
Save for an occasional cry from the
warriors, bit they Hoped that 81.
quick and withering fire Would de-
ceive the party. In this manner,
however, they used up good deal OF
mmarition from the two boxes of
cartridges Piet had carried to the
chicken coop: With hardly d pause,
the induna gave his savaGas their i'll
strhctions, and Sudden they ran
apart from one another u lie moon-
light and surrounded tn ,nhouse
and came at it from three Now,
indeed, the besieged were b put to
it, but never quailed. Gretl k the
lightest rife, and, little girl ough
she was, her father and brother and
even her mother had tatlght her to
use it. She took position, a white
faced heroine, at one side, and her
mother and Piet in their old places.
Down came the Zulus, casting spears
before them, and sheltered by their
long, tough bullhide shields. Crack
crack! cruckl swiftly the rifles rang
out, and still the zulus rushed on.
The fingers of little Pretorius were
busy on the floor of the hut, loading
the rifles now getting hot. Crack!
crack! The savages reached the wall;
one scrambled to the roof; he thrust
spear down q crack. The Beers wife
cried out; her shoulder was pierced.
But Piet's voice was triumphant as q
yell came from the induna himself,
81 aimed for the chief and got him"
cried the boy, and indeed the induna
seemed badly hurt, for he limped
back, supported, and again called off
his soldiers. Piet ran to his mother
and helped her bandagethe wounded,
arm.
SIT is nothing" she said, bravely,
and added more softly, "nor my life,
either, if children and home are
saved.
Suddenly little Pretorius cried out
in dismay.
"Piet," he said, "there are no more
cartridges. +"
It was true. One box was empty,
and the other covered box did not
hold ammunition. Piet locked and
despaired. Two gold prospectors had
been staying at the farm who used
dynamite in their work. They had
gone off at sign of trouble, but had
left some tools and things behind. In
this box which Piet had carr ed off for
ammunition, were instead some sticks
of dynamite.
"I-have betrayed-my fathers
trust!' cried Piet. "My mistake has
been our ruinw
And he flung himself in despair
against the wall. But his mother,
finding nothing but empty guns,
kneeled quietly down and prayed, her
babies about her. She hal done ell
she could. The rest lay with higher
power.
For moment Piet was crazy, and
then recovered himself. He looked
through his loophole. The zulus
were in group quite hundred yards
away, almost indisting guishable in the
night. Even as Piet looked they
moved and he knew they were about
to attack again. With shout of rage
the furious boy suddenly stopped to
the dangerous box he had carried from
the house, and then drew down the
rocks from the door and burst ont. In
his hands he carried two sticks of dy-
Mantle, carried such deadly things in
his hands. that stumble meant de-
struction. Yet he dashed ahead
through tho night, yelling. The Zulus
turned on him in amaze, thinking him
mad, and greeted him with shower
of spears. Unstricken, Piet ran to
within fifty yards of them, and then,
one after another, he threw at them
with all his might the fearful dyna-
mite. There was fearful concussion,
which dashed the boy to the earth, a
roar as of artillery, medley of fear
full shrieks from the unhappy Zulus,
and all was still. Vrouw Putter and
the children came out trembling, and
found Piet insensible, but of the Zulu
raiders no trace, save scattered limbs,
where the earth was thrown about,
leaving great hole. The dynamite
must have struck fairly in their midst
and had exploded with fearful effects.
That happened long ago. Piet is
today a man and owns the farm. His
father is dead, but the brave old
mother lives on with Piet and his wife.
Many changes have taken place Oh the