Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-03-22
CHAPTER III.
II WAS \ STRANGER, AND YE TOOK NE

CHAPTER III.
Il WAS \ STRANGER, AND YE TOOK NE
IN"
/ As the two girls rounded the side of
the "kopje" an unusual scene present
ed itself. A large group was gathered
at the back door of the homestead.
On the doorstep stood the Boer wom-
an, hand on each hip, her face red
and fiery, her head nodding fiercely.
+ At her feet sat the yellow Hottentot
maid, her satellite, and around stood
I the black Kaffir maids, with blankets
twisted round their half naked figures.
( Two, who stamped mealies in wood
! en- block, held the great stamperS in
/ their hands and stared stupidity at the
object of attraction. 1t certaiEly was
( not to look at the old German over
seer, who st9Sd in the center Of the
/ group, that %ey had all gathered to-
4 gethcr. His salt and pepper suit, griz-
/ zly black beard and gray eyes were as
/ familiar to every one on the farm as
/ the red gables of the homestead itself
! but beside him stood the stranger, and
! on him all eyes were fixed. Ever and
! anon the newcomer cast a glance over
! his pendulous red nose to the spot
| where the Boer woman stood and
| smiled family.
I'm not a Child,' cried the Boer wo-
| man In low Cape Dutch, "and | wasn't
born yesterday. No; by the Lord. no!
You can't take me in! Ny mother
! didn't WCan me on Monday One wink
| OF my eye, and see the whole thing
I'll have no tramps sleeping on my
| farm" cried Tant' Sannie. blowing
''No. by the dcyil, no. not though he
| had so times six red noses"
! There the German overscer mildly in
terpOspd that the man was not
tramp. but q highly respectable indl-
| y!dgal. who's" hn.sr had died by an ac-
c!dnnt three G.-s before.
Don't tell me-" cried the Boer wom-
an. THE man Isn't born that can take
| me in. If hc'd had money. wouldn't
he have bought a horse? Men who
! walk are thieves, liars. murderers.
Romc's priests. seducers! ! see the
devil in his nose" cried Tant Sannic,
| shaking her lst mt him And to come
! walking into the house Of this Beers
child and sinking hands as though he
came on bo"seback-oh, no, no.
The stranger took of his hat, tail
| battered chimney pot, ana disclosed
| bald head, at the back Of which was a
| little fringe Of curled white hair and
he bowed TO Tant Sannie.
What does she remark, my friend?'
he inquired, turning his crosswlse look
ing eyes on the old German.
The German rubbed his hands and
hesitated
"Ah 49, well 49, ali - the - Dutch-you
know-do not like people who walk
| In this country-ah"
my dear friend" said the stranger
laying his hand on the Germans arm,
! II should have bought myself another
| horse, but crossing, five days ago, a
| full river, | lost my purse-a purse
! with $500 in 1t. | spent five days on
! the bank Of the river trying to find it
couldn't; paid Kafiir 60 to go in
and look for it at the risk of his life
couldn't find It,"
The German would have translated
! this information, but the Boer woman
! gave no ear.
! mo, no! He goes tonight. See how
| he looks at me, n poor, unprotected
! female! If he wrongs me, who Is TO
do me rghtT' cried Tant Sannie.
81 think" said the German in an
| undertone, "if you didn't look at her
! quite so much It might be advisable.
Shc-ah- shc-mlght that you
| liked her too wcll-ln fact-ah"-
! Certainly, my dear friend, certain
| ly," said the stranger 81 shall not look
mt her"
/ Saying this, he turned his nose fun
| upon small Kanir 2 years OF age.
! That small naked son Of Ham became
| instantly so terrified that he fed to his
| mothers blanket for protection, howl
| Ing horribly.
! Upon this the newcomer fixed his
! eyes pcnsivcly on the stamp block,
! folding his hand on the head of his
/ cane. His boots were broken, but he
still had the cane Of a gentleman.
you vagabonds sc Engelschman|
said Tant Sannie, looking straight at
! him.
This was n near approach to plain
! English, but the man contemplated the
/ block abstractcdly, wholly unconscious
! that any nntagonlsm was being dis
/ played toward him.
"You might not be Scotchman or
anything OF that kind, might you"
/ suggested the German. at Is the Eng
/ llsh that she hates"
"My dear friend" said the stranger
81 am Irish, every inch of mc-father
/ Irish, mother Irish. I've not n drop Of
/ English blood in my veins"
/ and you might not be married,
/ might your persisted the German
/ "If you had n wife and children. now!
/ Dutch people do not like those who are
/ not married"
! "Ah," said the stranger, looking ten
dcrly Mt the block, 81 have n dear wife
I and three sweet little children. two
! lovely girls and n noble boy"
This information having been con
/ vcycd TO the Bocr woman, she. after
! some further conversation. appeared
! slightly Modified, but remained firm to
( her conviction that the mans designs
were cvll.
! For, dear Lord" she cried. "all
| Engishmen are uglyl But was there
! ever such n red rag nose thing with
! broken boots ana crooked eyes before?
! Take him to your roomw she cried TO
! the German. But all the sin he does /
lay Mt your door"
The German having told aim how
| matters were arranged, the stranger
made n profound bow to Tant Sannle
aud followed his host, who led the way
| to his own little room.
81 thought she would come TO her
| better self sOou," the German snld joy
| ously. "Tant Suunic Is not wholly
| bad fnr from It, far" Then, seeing
| his companion cast furtiyc glnucc at
! him. which hc mlstoos for one OF sur
! prise he added quickly: All, yes, yes,
| we are All primitive people here not
very lofty We deal not In titles.
! Every one Is Tunta md Dom aunt
/ aud uncle. This may be my room
! hc said, opening the door TT is
| rough, the room iB rough not a pal
ace, not quite. But IT may be better
than the fields, a little better" lac said,
| glaucing round at his companion
"Comc in come IN. There is some
thing TO cnt, mouthrul not the fare
Of ompcrorH orr kings, but we do not
| aturlu mot yet" he snid rubbing bis
! hands together aud looking round with
| pleased half nervous smile on' his