New-York tribune., 1901-01-13
FLoWER LANGUAGE N PREToRIi.
HOW An ENGLISH woMA~ CoMMrNIcArEp WITH
HER CAPTIVE Ht SHASp
from The Pail Mall Gazette

From The Pail Mall Gazette
Mrs. Hipnet,. wife of tho resident magistrate
~ Nqutu, Zuuland who. with her little gin and
husband. was ta>eu pris"n~- % Pretoria. after
tn" caItur' If the maSistrlcy by tho EI'rs. has
some most interesting experiences t. tell 90 Nor
SoJDurn in Pretoria Mrs Higuett is daughter
~ the late Sir Mclmoth osborn. formerly Resi-
dent Commissioner Of Zuuland My husband
had "nly ten white police with HIM" snii Nl~
a..in~t thor. w.T, four hundred iu.rs aud
thrc- heavy guns. After they had dropped uv,
sh,!.s 4ut" "ur county yard. and "u. tn thu cl.rk'~
room, wh'r" hvr native p"l'" were stationed.
my husband. acting under "fd"rs from head
quarters. reluctantly surrendered. My HttI" Eirl
and myself were driven of u;d,r an escort. Via
I"'pmakaar To- Iudy smith. where We put
IN Il tram for Pretoria. I'm route Hne of tho
guards hoastiuElN pointed out NicholSon'S Mex
Where "" captured all your r""lnrks.' he cN-
ult'd
And how We're you trca!ed in Pretoria. Mrs
HIsnctIr"
.Vrry well. AN things considered Ny hus-
baud was confined with the British officers. and
l WAS allowed 1" lod-" ia IA, town under sur
N,ilancc After great deal of bother. WAS
granted permission to see my husband One a
fortnight for twenty minutes only, in room
Nhcrc i guard. who understood English. was
always present. listening 10 thu conversation,
and occasionally Joining in
"'fh" guard Was very WideaWak". hut we
nevertheless managed To devise secret code for
conveying news 10 our m IN "f hat was taking
place. outside Al the first Interview. when |
shook hands with my husband Ii" slipped a
small piece OF paper into my hand with the fol
lowing cod" of siSnIis on n.
..Ffst-Wear red flower or leaf to mean sue
cess for us.
'Second-Grcon leaves mean disaster to US.
Third White flower means Ladysmith go
ing strong
'Fourth-E!uc flower means success in cap"
Colony
Yes" smiled Mrs. IIignctt. and my husband
told mo how eagerly the poor fellows crowded
to the fence wait my coming one day had
L. wear green. II was after Spion kop, ana II
made my nraTt achc To do IT,
The Under Secretary II State for War De-
cnuza was most courteous. ard after Joui 'rts
death nc was Acting Commaudant- General 81
al. Tho I.uor forces for a fcyv days He treat. Il
tn. prisoners rs well hc could hut he WAS
under suspicion hinIsclf 10y the Pretoria COM
mandant Through the kind influences "f his
v.if,. who is an English woman. got m" com
northumberland - grant rs Il passport. and V"
thanks to the brief spell of authority enjoyed
las Mr.. D' SuuZa. .
."rhr most Iaughablc thing l can r"Snemh"r."
escort from Nqutu. and il was against his own
ccuntrymcn too. Among the Beers attaC Ains
th, rla.,istracy were Il lumber of y0ung Natal
rch,Is vho had never seen or heard n gun 81
heavy caiiblc fred before They We're all dr'i" n
uD clos, hehind it, and a. soon as th" first -h''l
was fred two Of them turned tail and gail"lrd
for anv length IF time till they had put thirty
miles between them and the dreaded guns I'm
routc they Mrr, stopped by Sundry pi"kctS. &"
whom they reported that they were ON the way
for Teinforcements-"