The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-15

! the veldt conceal his progress. He goes
IN the privacy OF the night when It is
although the stars are full, the night is
| dim. The breezeS of the veldt are warm
! and gentle, impregnated with the fresh
| fragrance of the Molopo, although, as he
/ walks with rapid, almost running, foot
steps, leaving the black blur of the town
for the arid and stony areas to the west
new wind meets him, a wind that is
clear and keen and dry. the wind of the
wastes that Wanders forever over the
monotonous sands of the deserts. He
goes on, never faltering bending for a
/ moment behind a clump of rocks, screen
ing himself next behind some bushes,
crawling. upon his hands and knees. His
head is low, his eyes gaze straight upon
the camp of the enemy; in a little he
moves again, his inspection is over, aAd
he either changes to a fresh point or
startles some doing sentry as he slips
back into town.
A STORY OF LORD ROBERTS.
The marvellous way in which Lord
Roberts finds time personally to attend
to the<smallest details and to do so with
unfalling kindness OF heart, is well shown
by this instance, reported by the Cape
Town correspondent of The Daily Tele-
graph:
At Seymour a small town In the East
ern province, there resides Mr.. Smit, who
has two sons serving with our forces as
Volunteers-one at Modder river and the
other on the lines of communication. A
third son was last heard of at Bloem-
fontein. The sixth and youngest boy has
reached the martial age of fourteen, and
three weeks ago he besought permission
of his father and mother to go also to the
front. 1t was, of course, refused. With
in the last few days the father has re-
ceived a letter addressed to his youngest
son, Douglas Laing Smit. 1t was from
Lord Roberts. 1t appears that when the
parents refused to allow their son to be-
come a warrior at fourteen, he addressed
an artless letter to the field marshal to
this effect:
l want TO go and fight. I am fourteen
years of age. My parents won't let me.
Please write and use your influence with
them to let me go.
Lord Roberts did write, and this was his
reply:
Army Headquarters,
Cape Town, Feb. g. 1900
Sir: have received your letter on Jan.
80 While l appreciate very fully the
spirit of royalty which has led you to
| offer your services at the present Juno
ture. L regret 1 cannot comply with your
request, as it is contrary to the wishes Of
your parents. L trust however, that la
ter on, if they permit you to bear arms
for your country, that | shall hear you
have joined her maejsty's army.
With my best wishes for your future
career, believe me to be, yours faithfully
Roberts, f. M
This was the generals own handwriting
| Small wonder that "Bobs' has a warm
place in the hearts of all who come in
| contact with him.
| DUKES SON AND COOKS SON.
| A woman visiting in Cape Town writes
| to The Morning Post:
! I went to see the Canadian contingent,
who seem very fit. They were burning
| with the desire to join their comrades at
| front IN ha
the sea as well as the great change of
] the temperature-2O degrees below zero,
the Canadian winter, to 80 degrees Fab
renheit, South African summer. l have
| just seen off by train the Earl of Dudley
| and Viscount Valentia, for Naauwpeort
| to take up their respective commands.
| One of the great feature of this war is
| the way every Englishman puts his hand
1 to the plough, be he dukes son or cook s
son. Here may be seen Prince Adolphus
of Teck taking his meal on q plate COW
| cred with dust, and one knife and fork
| for Savorfes and sweets alike. The same
| with. the young Duke Of Roxburghe.
| Clifford, who says he could not stay away
| any longer. The hotel in which / am re-
siding is like one huge barracks, soldiers
of all ranks and from all quarters of the
| globe filling every corner. When they de-
| part their places are taken by others just
| arrived.
The Daily News correspondent al
| Colenzo, after witnessing Gen. Buffers
various attempts to reach Ladysmith and
writing when the final effort was on the
| verge Of success saysi
To one who has not accompanied Brit
ish army on-a campaign for a considera-
BILE time past the superiority of the rank
and file of the present day Is very notice
able. They are older, steadier and more
reliable than they used to be, speaking
generally, and more especially of the in,
fantry regiments There is something
very admirable about Tommy" There
is a delightful simplicity about him. Oi
course, he grumbles-he could never ge
on without that, and his language i!
shocking; but he is in many respects gen.