Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-26
L~..-.s>> Observation-Disclosures. 1
| THE BORDER LINE,
! by MORTIMER 0. WILCOX.
! Copyright, 1901, by Mortimer o. WILCOX. 4
Observation-Disclosures
by MORTIMER 0. WILCOX.

Copyright, 1901, by Mortimer o. Wilcox.
fs-s-s-'-.-s-si URING the South African
D. 6 ] ! q !: !:
IL ~ ] crisis of 1898 an Ameri-
III Han I can named Phillips took
Il the night train for
IL Hill I Klerksburg, near the
" Transvaal frontier.
it A week before Phil
lips had seen the "Gold
Reef City" shivering in the panic of an
expected war. His thoughts as he
stared out of the car window may have
gone back bitterly to johannesburg, to
the ridge which has made SO many sor-
rows, and his own failure there. Clutch
ed in the hand, however, he held tele-
gram from his partner, Burton, and
this he read: "Come up to Klerksburg
next train Big thing possible here"
Around him men We're arguing heated
ly in various dialects as to where Jou-
bert would strike first, what would
happen to the uitlanders and when 1t
would begin to happen. The train ran
on hour after hour. 1t came to stop
at last and discharged its passengers
into the excited, questioning crowds
which filed the streets of Klerksburg.
1t was almost midnight, but there was
no quiet in the towns of the border.
A large young Englishman stepped
out of the shadows and touched Phil
lips on the elbow. Here you are" he
drawled. ''It's late. but you mustn't
sleep yet, Jack. You're expected"
"What Is 1t anyway" asked Phillips.
II don't know" replied the other,
"and know at the same time that it is
something worth our WHILE" He was
slower in his mental processes than the
American, and he now fell into deep re-
Election. at was Atherton who told
me to get you here. Appears that there
is something being planned. Come
along"
They turned into quleter streets,
walked for some distance and came to
house. The front of this was dark
ened, but there We're lights at the rear
and as they approached more than one
man came out and hurried away. Bur
ton held low conversation with some
one at the door and then returned to
find bis friend.
"Thcy want to see you alone in
there" he explained, "and Pm to wait"
Phillips went forward. A servant
ushered him through the house and
bowed him into lighted room. Three
men We're seated around n table there
upon which lay spread man Of South
Africa. In smaller room behind Phil
lips could hear telegraph Instruments
clicking feverishly, and now and then
message would be brought out and
placed upon the table.
London seems to be getting excited"
one of the three remarked.
They did not embarrass Phillips by
too close n scrutiny, but they were TAX
ing note of him. "Sit down, won't
you" said one Of them, a big man,
The speaker leaned back almost shyly
in his chair and turned his drowsy gray
eyes upon another who looked like an
ex-army officer. "You state the case,
Atherton," he said.
"Hem!" observed the latter. "Well,
Mr.. Phillips, suppose you would not
be unwilling to accept of good oppor-
tunity."
Phillips smiled grlmly. 81 rather need
to-" he replied.
"Ah. yes. Well, no ofrense, you
know, but we have been led to believe
that you are a-hem-rather a wild
young thing"
The Americans square jaw frightened,
and he arose. "You might have tele-
graphed that information" he observ-
ed.
mo. Sit down, please" said the big
man, land hear us through" There
was kind Of fascination in his man
ner difficult to explain.
You know" continued Anterior, his
eyes upon the table and speaking as IL
by rote, whether this country is in a
healthy condition now. You are from
Johannesburg and also know how the
uitlanders are being treated. Here In
Klerksburg we believe that war is in
evitable and that the sooner 1t comes
the better for us all. There are, how
ever, people who cannot understand
this situation, and they advise delay"
He nodded. perhaps unconsclously, to-
ward the room where the telegraph in
struments were clicking.
Not SO very many miles from here,
at a point which your friend Burton
knows, there is camp Of the border
police. 1t lies about two miles from
the frontier line of the Transyaal, and
ten miles on the other side the Beers
have also camp. Very good. Now
need not point out to you that Africa
is like bin Of gunpowder and that 1t
needs only spark to set it afire. Here
Is where that spark can be struck"
He put his finger upon the map. Just
as this point, over the line, is the farm
of Boer named Zwager. He is an old
Dutch rhinoceros, ready enough for
trouble. 1t would be very easy for any
one who went there-any one who was
rather wild and irresponsible-to pre-
cipltate quarrel. 1t would not need
extreme measures "a mere quarrel,
with perhaps little misusage, and the
Beers there In camp would do the rest,
for they would attack the border police
as certainly rs we sit here. After that
some history would probably be made"
Young Phillips whistled thoughtfully.
Its rather too rich for u.s." he said,
land not the incest job. especially see.
Ing that I'm an American. No; guess
not"
The big man raised himself up from
his chair. The lamplight fell upon him
redly us he stood. tall as a giant, above
the table where lay the map of South
Africa. "An American" he said. THAT
Is all the better. Americans are men
of our own blood, and this movement
Is for every man who knows what
progress means. 1t Is war which must
come, and in this world we must look
ugly facts in the face. People who are
afraid to do this say to me: But 1t will
be too dangerous they say to me-. 1T Is
wrong. But shy to them, we must
look facts in the face. The Beers are
now arming with Mauser Rifles | say