The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-14
Sloan Drug Go.
22 w. Washington
New and Old Phones, 1877.

at all ever read about the various IA
natical people on earth who are celebrated
for not being afraid to die-the Sudan
dervishes. I mean and the stokd Turks
and pilfering Albanians, and now, last of
all, these wooden-headed Beers. OF some
Of these we are told that they welcome
death, Of others that they believe them
selves in Gods care. And what of these
English? are they afraid to die? Who would
say such thing-or think ii for @ mo-
ment-of these splendid fellows who have
led EnglandS ranks against every fanatic
on earth except the Turk? They are as
ready to die as any men, and they rank
above their foes as towers rise above the
lowly grass, because they risk their lives
with a full knowledge of what they are
doing and because in risking themselves
they risk the most enviable lot of which
any men can boast. The incomes, the es-
tates, the wives and sisters, the compan-
ions, the sports, the clubs. the comforts
and the luxuries with which these men
can surround themselves whenever they
will, are ties which should make life dear
er to them than the bare, hard lot of most
of the poor wretches whom historians and
poets have glorified for not fearing death;
every one of whom, / honestly believe,
fears 1t more than these SPLENDID. dashing
fellows, who keep on carving empires out
of the map to swell the size OF England.
Been to Government House?" / asked
one of these men yesterday.
NO" said he, "and I'm not going
am afraid they might send me somewhere
out Of the thick of things. L don't want
them to know I'm here. I'm going to
wherever it's liveliest. I'll be certain to
find somebody under whom / have served
or with whom | have fought. and so I'll
see the best of it,"
And that was the man who told me that
out of one hundred men with whom he
studied for the service seventy-five are
dead already, fifteen of illnesses and sixty
Of bullet wounds and spear thrusts.
1t is disgusting to leave these men and
turn into any one of the Cape Town hotels
RI Ind cttrr al l.,v H.. ~sok
refugees from Johannesburg and to hear
them cry like children as they tell you
what they will lose If the British do not
hurry UP and take the Transvaal before
| the Beers destroy Johannesburg. They
actually cry in their plates at dinner and
half-strangle themselves by sobbing as
| they drink their whisky at bed time. The
| Mount Nelson, the Queens, and the Grand
Hotels are all full of these merchants and
millioniares, faring on the fat of the land
| idle. loafing, all of every day, and discuss
| ing what per cent. OF their losses the
| British government will pay when they put
| in their claims at the end Of the war.
| Some came here as clerks, some as labor
ers in the mines, and some are merchants
who brought f10 worth Of goods out from
Birmingham dozen years ago. They tell
| you that they have left f100,O00 worth, or
| $4,000 worth of goods in their shop, and
| that altogether f25, 10000 is in danger Of
destruction in johannesburg.
"Oh mine Gott!" one has just been say
| ing to me; 81 can'd dell how much 1 shall
| lose by dis peezness. / shpeak nit much
| feeling, my trent. Blease excoose me cry
| ing. Vot do you dink? Do you dink L can
git back dirty-dree per cent of vot / lose
from de British government? Oh, Gotti den
lose f60 000-ain'd il derrible?"
They are pulling their long faces all over
the place and shedding their tears where
ever you meet them. 1t is enough to make
statue i'll to have to hear and see them
and move among them. Why don't they
| equip regiment of rough riders or make
| up battalion of volunteers among them
selves? Why don't they fight? The war
| have keener interest in Ii than any Tom
my any officer now the front. How
| can they see the cream and flower Of En-
glish manhood rushing down here TO spill
| its precious blood for them and never feel
| blush OF shame or pang of any emotion
| except grief over losses which will still
| leave many of them rich?
| Really, Cape Town is a wonderful place.
| 1t Is worth the journey to see the streets
| blocked by able young men and the hotels
crowded by rich refugees. while each
| nights train takes out the fearless gentle
men who are deliberately risking, not only
| their lives, but more Of worldly advantage
| than can ever come to these skulkers who
cling to the shelter Of England's guns and
/ weep while they wait for men TO die that
they may rush up to the British treasury
with their claims
| II the exhibition these refugees are max
| ing in Cape Town were as important as IL
| Is conspicuous. one would think the En-
1 glishmen I'm charge here would drop the
| contest where IL is and go home In disgust.
| But IL is only phase OF side issue. quite
| apart from the principle at stake