The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-08-07
BY P. Y. Black.

A...-...a.A
as usual, among the
richer. juicier grasses Paul could not.
He was doing double duty. The cattle
had to feed or lose value, but also the
house had to be watched closely lest
he were needed there 80 the pcrplcXcd
oxen were remorSClcSSly kept to the
shorter grass near the farm buildings.
AS Paul now caiicd to an obStrcpcr-
Gus COW and again looked back at the
quiet, deserted farm there suddenly
came to his startled ears an alarmed,
excited cry from inside the farmhouse:
"Kunjc - verdamter! Come back!
Thief! Robbcr! Paulw
Paul left the oxen to their own slow
devices and dashed to the house, whence
came the angry yells, his bare, frcckled
legs leaping across thorns and pebbles
and rocks with recklcssness born OF
lifelong disregard for shoe wear. He
sprang Into the main room, and there
In great, old fashioned chair sat Il
tall, white bearded old man, whose
pale face was distorted now with rage
and dismay. 1t was evident he was
very Ill, and 1t was noticeable that lie
moved his head very stihly and his
hands still more stiftly, while his legs,
which rested on another chair, he seem
ed quite unable to move at all.
"What is it?" cried Paul, running to
him. what Is 1t, grandfathcr?'
'Tbe ungrateful dog! The jackal!
Kunje-robberw the old Dom uendricls
Bpluttered, quite unable to explain by
reason Of his huge Indignation.
"What Is it2 What has Kunie done2
Where Is he?"
"Shoot himl He came In just now
and grinned and said he was going
back to his kraal-dd not want to fight
the English! Shoot him quick!
taught you to shoot"
"Shoot Kunte-the last servant to
stay with us!'
"He has taken my watch-it belong
ed to my grandfather-and your un-
cles rifle and your fathers best coat
Quick! He went out through the yard
minute ago. There is no place for
BIN to hide-it is open veldt. Quick!
Shootp'
Young Paul grabbed n rifle from the
wall and ran out. Certainly, 400 yards
away, there was the recrcant Katlir
servant, big black Swat man. walk
Ing off with his masters churchgoing
coat on his back and his masters rifle
over his shouder-w walking Off very
serenely, because he knew that behind
him were only an old paralyzed Boer
farmer and n young Boer boy So in
dignant was Paul at the sight that he
rested his rhe-alrcady loaded-on the
stone wall Of the yard and took aim
and for, young though he was, he was
still, like all Beers, marksman and
able to shoot straight would next in
stant have dropped the Kaffir when his
heart failed him. Hc had shot ut
beasts. but man, even n thieving
kaftir man. was something very diff
ferent Paul raised his voice and
shouted:
"Kunje! Wacht Elm beetje! Come
back. or my father will lay his siam
box on your back! Come, and III
speak for youw
kunje looked back, saw the rifle and,
like springbok, took to his heels and
IN moment was beyond Paups shoot
ing skill.
Did you shoot" cried the old man.
"Did you kip"
mo, grandfather" said Paul. putting
away the rifle. 81 was afraid to kill a
man."
AT that the old Boer who in battle
had Killed many men, black and white
nearly choked with wrath and so rail
ed at Paul that the boy was dazed and
frightened.
Coward" cried Dom uendricE
AFRAID! You are a pretty boy to call
yourself Boer! You to defend your
country, you to be n soldier, OF which
you have clustered so much! When
was your age already | had fought the
Zulus and shot them down! Wait till
your FATHER gets back from Pretoria
and he will thrash you-yes, with his
sJhmDok he Nsll thrash you-whcn
tell MIN you are no Bocr, but a coward
VINO lets his house be robbed!
faul went back then to his stolId
oxen without Gor he had been brought
up 10 reverence agc) word Of reply
But he was heartbrokcn. In his ears
the insects buzzcd the word "Cowardr'
ana the lowing kline booed "Coward"'
and the birds dying above him sang
Cownrd!' so that by the banks of the
stream he lay down and wept, for now
he, who had wished to be strong md
big and good marksman. like hi,
grandfather and father able to fight
back the warlike KafIir tribes and the
invading English, was Coward. cow
ard, coward" who had let his own
home be robbed.
NOW. at that time all South AfrIca
was In hurry burly. The Zulu war
win the English.was over, but English
soldiers were everywhere, especially on
the Natal frontier. where bands OF Ir
regular volunteer cavalry were con.
stantly patrollng The Reuter- farm
lay In the Transvaal close to Natal
ana. as already more war was talked
or between the Beers and the English
Reutcr. Paul's father, was I'm an owk.
ward position between two fires. as n
might prove. His Kaffir servants. last
or all kunte. had left him from sheer
rear or being drawn into the fight, ana
reuter- had gone to Pretoria, the cant
tai, to get the real facts and be ndvisnd
what to do. His wife was dead ord
Dom Hcndrick and Paul wore Inrt
nIone. ms 6fd, once grimly fabtin.
boer was now helpless, SO on little Panl
oevolved great responsibility, which
ms rather, always proud of him, had
yielded him with n smile.
You are head OF the family now