Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-09-25

number OF soldiers being sent to the
surgeons in the rear was increasing, and
nothing could he seen of the Beers but
distant horseinen or rapidly moving
squads far oil or occasional shnrpshoot-
ers many yards away or perpetual
puffs of smoke above powders and be-
hind the scrubby trees. Little drilled
in battle line and hollow square, the
farmer soldiers We're defending their
country In their own way. So the COL
umn passed on. So the Beers retreat
ed, harassfng front and flank, and the
English general growled and grumbled:
'sThe beggars are In force. Why
don't they stand up and flghtT
And little boy, riding alongside his
father to see the fun, SO sure were the
English that 1t would be little more
than a sham battle, looked up at the
officer and asked with surprise:
PA, isn't it time yet to begin to lick
them?"
Meanwhile the patriots had moving
among them their pastors, and before
the fight commenced their day had be-
gun with prayer to the Lord of Hosts.
Theirs was not the trim and soldierly
| appearance of the invaders. Old men
were there In the clothes In which they
| followed the pillow; boys were there in
the garb in which they herded the cat
tie or guided the long OK trains. Their
vlsage was grimly solemn man and
boy. AS they retreated along the trek's
tanks, holding together In squads. I'M
| disciplined save by the force engen-
dered by each mans love of land, each
mans determination to follow to the
end a common purpose. officers GAL
Hoped among them, cheerily and ear
Mostly encouraging them. Among these
officers was old Dom Jan. and for all
his years his eye was rs bright and his
form as erect In the saddle as those Of
his people 80 years younger than he.
He scanned as he rode the faces of
those sharpshooters whom he passed,
delivering deadly fire upon the enc
| my, and many he knew and many he
spoke to. But one he knew and yet
knew not, for the face puzzled him un.
til, finding Peter, his son. eager eyed
and busy. he pointed the stranger out
and asked If Peter knew who he was
and from what district he came; then,
looking at his boys face. he smiled and
said:
Hes not unlike you, my son."
So Peter. finding an opportunity as
they moved position, drew close to the
stranger apd Mt once knew who 1t was,
although the yellow hair was closely
cut and the trim, Cape made dress had
| given place to the rude dress of Boer
farmers lad.
"Marthav' he cried.
She looked Mt him with smile.
us there any other way or better
way in which l can prove did not
mean trenson?" she asked.
| He was bewildered.
"Where did you get these clothes?"
cousin uofmeyr is sick, and went
to his farm and took them"
He said nothing more for awhile,
then asked:
do you know that Lieutenant ven-
able Is with them?'
"He Is dead" she said.
Martha" he said after long pause,
father and were furious last night,
but-but-this makes things
From in front came prolonged cali
the Boer bugle call-and there was no
time to seek Dom Jan. A high hill was
Mt hand, and the Beers plan of battle
was nearing Its complete development.
1t was Majuba hill. Tho Beers retired,
and their relentless sharpshooting
slackened. The unfortunate English