Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-01-10
"Oor11 Piet's Fort -
IN INCIDENT or B0ER LIFE IN THE TRANSvAAL.
BY. 2. Y. BLACK.

that we don't? The zdlus cannot be
near, and if the are, the FARMERS have
ont their scout md they say the Eng:
lish from Natul are also ready: Be-
fore they reach our farm the Beers
must meet them, and surely the saw
age. shall bs.strickeh." t.rs
f. Nothing more Was said abotit de-:
ser.ing the homestead. Vrouw Putter
went about her work quietly, but Piet
began to prepare. Now the farmhouse
was roomy and the garrison q most
petty one, and puzzle over the matter
as he might; the boy codld not ses h6#
its rough stone walls could be pro-
tected at once on all sides, if the at-
tacking force was to be large one.
His mother was as about as good a
shot as he, and even Greta could dis
charge gun at a pinch, but two or
three guns could not protect 30 ram-
bling building. Piet came to that
conclusion with o feeling akin to
despair, until, at last, as he stood in
the broad yard looking at the. house,
the chickens came clucking about him
in their search for food, and he had
IN idea. n
All dsy he worked busily, leaving
his mother to the children, and by
nightfall he had prepared fort to
withstand siege. Two or three times
during the afternoon he had slipped
off to the top of the .kopie, where he
could look afar, but each time he Game
back, having seen nothing bat the
rolling veldt. They had supper, and
again Piet slipped away and came
back, 'but now with grim fa"e.
Mother" lie whispered, 'sfrom the
west I heard the war song of the
zulus.. 1t came family with the wind.
In the direction also of Van. Boeven's
farm the skies are red, and if L 60 at
dark I fear I shall see the flames rising
from their barns"
The mother gathered her baby tight
in her arms for a moment, and then
quietly asked her eldest:
'Are the guns cle.ned and loaded?"
eyes," said Piet, tand, mother, IL
you approve, we must leave the house.
1t is too big and rambling for rs two
to protect"
"Leave the house?"
';Nos very far" said Piet, and e1-
planned.
In that land of few dwellers, space
is not of much consideration. The
farm buildings were quite widely scat
tered, and Farmer Putter had built
his cowbyres and pigpens; and 80 on
proper distance away from his house
walls. All the afternoon Piet had been
marching, laden With packages and
bundles, between the house and the
out-buildings. Now, when it was dark,
she: put ont all the Lights of the house
and the windows and doors were
sstout1y BARRED.
, "Where are egoing to sleep?" the
children asked, accustomed to rise and
lie dowa with the sun, and Piet an
swered ch hserfu!ly: "In the chicken
coop"
The children, at first astonished and
incredulous, were delighted when they
discovered that their brother meant
what hesaid, for the sight of the
chickens feeding had given the boy
the necessary idea. If the house were
too big, the coop could not be accused
of that fault. About the rocky kopie
stones were plenty and more oonveu-
lent than wood Therefore, Piet had
aided his father in building solid af-
fair to shelter the many fowls. It was
stone, and high aad roomy. Piet, dur
ing the afternoon, had made on each
side, by careful removal of stones,
loopholes, and carried to the henhouse
the more precious articles in the house,
with all the ammunition and guns.
Now the chickens, squawking, were
ruthlessly turned out, and the little
family went in. the youngsters gig
Cling. The door which Piet had
strengthened was. closed, and the gar
rison prepared. Vrouw Putter was
not without experience in wars
alarms. She looked round with q
brave smile.
"Well done, Piet," she said, and
calmly began to examine the guns,
-5hile. at the same time quieting the
children, who, now in the dark and
disturbed by such preparations, began
to be afraid. Agan Piet slipped away
to the kopje, aud when he came back
he said :: FLAMES are rising from the
Van Boeven's, and the war song is
coming near. %
"Loud?" the vrouw asked, briefly.
'.Not very," her son answered, pill
ing rocks against the door.
"A detached party said his
mother, quietly. "If the Lord wills
it, we will protect our own"
And she made them all kneel down
and pray, and then sing psalm.
1t was ftfully moonlight night in
the dry season, and chilly. White
clouds pursued the moon after hiding
it and leaving the veIdt in darkness,
then passing on and flooding the land
with silvery beams. For long time
all was very still. at last Plet, peer,
ing out of his loophole to the west,
saw 3 shadow among the shadows, and
this shadow moved and glided and
came swiftly up the slope on which the
chicken coop stood between the house
and the trees by the river. It was
followed by another and another and
another and another, coming on like
wild ducks in V or wedge. and from
the heart of the shadows came q low
hum-the song of the Impis.
"How many?" the mother asked, as
the moon shone ont, and Piet told
hsr there were about 20, with shields
and assegais, for in those days firearms
were not, common among the Kafir
tribes as now.
IA raiding party" said Vrouw Put
ter, end took command. Piet was
eager to fire at once, but she forbade.
Tie children were very quiet, though
trembling. The sayaoes came on and