Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-09

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you mast no,u 90 a,Day from here" ht
proclaimed calmly.
saw around them the wide circle OF
earth and sky-their spirits gayly rost
to this adventure. Darkness found
them still six miles from the camp OF
the border police, but Burton knew the
ground, and they pushed forward. FL
nally, when 1t was grown so dark tha,
they hardly could see the ears of theil
horses, both pulled up suddenly, fol
from the veldt upon their right they
heard a voice as of one in distress.
"Who are your" Phillips called
There was no reply, but figure arose
from the dafkened plain and stood
tottering before them. They swung
themselves out Of the saddle, and g
match fiared in Burton's hand. cap
pears to be kind of a man." he drawl
ed, after cynical inspection.
"Gem'n," came from the figure
"scuge me If l am not quite m'self.'
His words, like his high silk hat, ap
peared to have been crumpled up by
the catastrophe. "Medchins all smash
ed, horse gone off; 'bandoned, you see
on the lonely plain" He lurched upon
Burton's neck. "Scuge me-" he walled
cheerfully, "but | am so drunk"
"You are, indeed" assented the 9th
er, "and that's your horse about 20 feet
from here" 1t was so, indeed. AL
though the patent medicines had all
been smashed, the faithful steed re-
mained. He seemed to glance at them
with a look of resignation and sub
mitted without comment while they
hoisted the rider up again.
might as well take him along" said
Burton in disgust. appears to be
picked well, but ought not, you know,
to remain out here" The rescued man
tumbled off now and then like the
White knight in "Alice," but by rid
Ing one on each side Of him they gen
orally caught him in midair. Proceed
Ing thus, they reached the camp of the
border police and were greeted with
ironical applause. Burton knew most
of the men; letter which he brought
made them still more welcome. They
ate and afterward among their hosts
lay back at ease around the campfire
Invisible horses champed and shuft1ed
upon the plain around them, the troop
ers smoked and looked up at the
watching stars, and presently for lack
of something better they began to
have fun with the patent medicine
man.
He stood up in the freight, which
fickered upon his silly face, well pleas,
ed to have such an audience. "Gem'n,'
said he, don't mock fellow man
These friends of mine, who brought
me out Of danger, who knows where
they Themselves may be tomorrow
Who knows what peril lies before
them? Then, I shay, don't mock
victim of circumstances. It's wrong
gem'n."
"That's right" somebody said. "Wisl
that the victim had left us some Of hi
circumstances, though. I'm thirsty"
But the orator, now in the moralizint
line, scared to still loftier heights ant
touched affairs of state. "Thish war;
he cried; "oh, my, what an iniquity
You young men pant after fame ant
fortune, but lisht to my ripper wisdom
For again I shay it's wrong, gem'n."
"Wrong, is itT' said the captain o
the police. He thoughtfully blew SOM
tobacco smoke at the stars, and then NJ
spoke deliberately, as one who does no
often air his views. There was littl
uneasy stir amoag the men around him
for it was to these he spoke. "The mig
ger who has had Boer over him ha
sat in hell but he isn't In much wors'
case than the uitlanders down yonder
Englishmen treated like dogs and ol
land which ought to be Englands
Wrong, is it? Have the Beers KEEP
their word with US? Wrong! Well
my good friend, would merely poin
out to you that a war which woul'
change that government, such a wa
would give liberty and security to ev
cry man, white and black, In South Al
rica; would give another solid countr!
to the race that can point to Its recor'
and say, I leave things better than
found Them I would just merely poin
out to you these trifling facts and asl
you, why is a war like that wrongP
The patent medicine man had stoot
appalled,, with his mouth wide open
during this speech. he staggered back
ward now, tripped over a saddle ant
went down with all on board. Rolling
helpless upon the plain, he hurled up a
the sky, like the proud mother In tn
Joke, his final word of triumph:
because 1t Is. So there"
In the morning the two adventurer
had last word with the captain ant
! then mounted their horsee The medi
cine man, who was now sober II no
sensible, wished to 60 with them, bu
this offer was rejected. They rode to
little eminence and stopped. They wer
on the border line, the danger lin
which needed only to be crossed b.