The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-07-11
CONVEYED BY A SPARK
MESSAGE OF THE PEACEFUL BoER
TO HIS FIGHTING BROTHER.
An English Correspondent Describes In
Picturesque Language How the Brit
fsh Plans Are Revealed to the
nurpbers In tho Eield

Stormbergs. and in its place a new
warfare has sprung up. warfare on
the run, says the Pretoria correspond
ent of the London Chronicle. The
British are in Pretoria; they hold the
towns and the railways. aud the live
~, waspish commandoes are active In
their endeavors to make the outside
country unlnhabitable.
There are in the Transvaal tranquil.
wbite-washed. iron-roofed dorps.
through which the trains run twice
daily with a homely punctuality;
where shopkeepers grow fat in trade
with the big garrisons and officers Gil
comfortable billets as Provost Mar.
shals. District Commissioners and
what not, which are none the less in
state of actual siege. so fa as their
surroundings go. In the streets and
market places. in the shops and pretty
houses, there is nothing-save the ever
lasting topic of conversation-to indi-
cate the presence OF war and the prox-
Unity of an armed foe Good-natured
soldiers lounge through the place and
guards change with a clasp and rattle
ut the corners of the streets. 1t looks
rather like Germany in khaki. and the
good relations which prevail among
the townsfolk and the soldiery height
en- the resemblance. Surrendered
burghers, who have buried their Sun
day-best Mausers, and temporarily
suspended active operations, smoke on
their stoops with an outward air of
patrlarchal benevolence that discred-
its caution and invites good faith. To
them the Britisher. with his belts and
bayonets, ranks and files, stars and
grades, is an ever-interesting anomaly;
pushing creature to be tolerated TO
a certain point. but to be sniped at
and rushed on proper occasion. They
come and they -. these burghers. re-
garding oaths of neutrality like the
laws of the old constitution, framed
for the advantage. and not for the op-
preston OF the wise men.
This is view of the inside. Beyond
the plckets it is otherwise. From the
hills which rise abruptly like islands
standing out of the water. the gray,
comfortless veldt rolls nakedly to the
very skirts of the town. the skyline
is bare and clean as the edge of a
knife. and, looking straight before one.
one seems TO see the rim OF the earth.
An OK stalks solemnly across his graz
ing ground; he is the only moving
thing visible between here and the
sky An innocent outlook: most
open that the cosSack post striding
slowly from one boulder to another
and back again--it Is well to have
cover at hand-alm0st permits himself
to think of home-Gnd that girl. Ia
the Transvaal the night drops quickly;
''at one stride comes the dar,." The
twilight. for the few brief minutes
that it lasts, is exquisite. 1t smooths
out the creases of the day. healing
where the sun has touched. easing
where the dust has stung, cooling the
brain and comforting the body. The
cossack post does think OF home: he
remembers just such another evening.
Then talk was not OF war.
But-a light, mere spark. winks
across the miles. 1t might have been
a star, accommodating over the edge
OF cloud before making its debut
at the dance OF the zodiac. On the
other hand, it might have been n sig
nal lamp. an affair Of lenses and piv-
OTIS. tie tongue of fate The cos
sac., posts home whisks aloft TO bide
better while, and his eyes nail them
selves on the point where that light
appeared and went out.
He waits perhaps five minutes. Then
it lodges up again. Dot-dash dash
dash-dot, it says, blinking brazenly to
his very face. The code Is very
strange one; nothing is to be gathered
from watching the message He shoul.
ders his rife, and steps briskly over
the parched grass toward his home
side man. They are signalling to the
town. where some of the patriarchai
surrendered ones are making the most
of their time among the soldiers who
do not practice keeping secrets or hav-
ing secrets to keep.
The light is announced from post TO
post, and clever young lieutenant is
dragged from a card table to observe
what he is too clever to hope to under
stand. They are men of arms, these
soldiers. and do not recognize the
brain as II fighting unit-yet! That
VIII come, but only after the next big
licking.
Meanwhile. n dear old boy with q
most benevolent beard. and owning
TO sixty years, despite his straight
hack and keen eye and fresh cheek
Is leaning out of a window watching
lamp flashing through the darkness.
His name IL Petrus johannes Coetzes,
and he has four sons On commando
nnd three more buried Down by the
Tuge!a. His wife aud married dnugh.
ters are out yonder en- the farm, pro-
tectcd from plunder ana insult by the
fat OF Great Britain. ana their eggs
and poultry are very comforting to
the poor fellows out in the hills with
their rifles. His cattle. It Is true. were
Communicated by an irresponsible
origadler, racing northward with his
column to join French, but who, new
ertheless, found time to leave a receipt
in full, insuring generous payment
And Petrus Johannes Coetzee finds
the British officer very afrable and
sympathetic, and takes great interest
IN the army news that he hears.
His friends outside carry on an af-