Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-10-04
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! COMMUNICATING OF THE SCOT :
BY ARTHUR APPLEN.

McTurk sat at his farmhouse door,
putting his pipe AMI watching his cattle
steal slowly across the valley. Not a
bad lot Of cattle; not a bad farm; OF
course, the veldt was not the Highlands.
but it was fairly good place. He had
made home, and saved little money
and perhaps in few years he would re-
turn to the bonnie .and of his birth and
take to wife the Draw lassie, and own
his gun and his rod, his dog. and his Bit
of land. Perhaps--if war did not march
with bloody feet across the veldt where
his farm lay.
Silence hung over the hills and val
legs; only sleepy cattle were visible,
with occasional birds tiittng 'twlxt
earth and sky; here and there clump
Of aloe, an ant hill. a hare creeping
above kopje Nothing spoke Of war
q war between the old country and this
vast, trackless, silent continent.
McTurk sat in the twilight and smok-
OF. He tried to picture cloud of men.
Engllshmen, with sllttering bayonets
swooping down yonder hill. and hlling
the gray valley at his feet. Rather a
goodly sight One % make the churlish
Beers. who were his only neighbors.
treat him and his farm with more re-
speot. He pictured regiment 10 gay
colors marching up that hill: stout lad
dies in kits and huttering caps. ladies
with music in their voices-and death IN
their arms when they charged. And bark
to the bagplpes! What matter If war
did march to his farm? Eb, but bed
welcome war if 1t brought his country
men with their swords and their pipes
He would kill his cattle for them, and
shoulder q rife himself, and march with
them to victory.
He counted his cattle. silhouetted
against the red sky. and wondered when
the soldiers would come; and he un-
slung his rifle, and STOOD in his doorway
cleaning It, hummng an old Scottish
war song And so they found him, tn
cornet and his troop.
"You expected us. then?" they said, In
bad English.
NcTurk started and turned. Tha!
was no British voice! Still holding his
rifle, he counted the men, took stock OF
their appearance, saw they were well
armed and mounted, and then continued
cleaning his firearm
ETH, we We're expecting you, but
we're not quite ready; we haven't all
, arrived. II you'd call later"
Come on, get your best horse, and
follow u.s."
"We'n be following you in few days
I kent; maybe too quickly for your
pleasure"
The Cornet signed to his men, and
they closed up.
;; Nov, then, you Scotch fellow. you've
got to come and fight with the BoeI
army. You're COMMUNICATIONS
understand"
McTurk shook his head. "You ken
come from Hielands?"
The Boer nodded. HsiA :.
"Then you ken can fight?" .iFs,.'
EYES,"
"Then IL you're a wise man you'll
gang AVA"
The Cornet made a sign to the half
dozen men surrounding McTurk, WHIT
promptly tried to seize him. They wer'
big men, but, as McTurk said. "the'
weren't Hielanders," and SO they go
hurt. A couple were felled like oxen,
third found himself entering the farm
house kitchen over McTurk's head, "
: the fourth wisely battered the Scotch
man with his rifle, whilst the others raj
a rope round him and tied him to on
of the horses. Then they bound III
y their comrades wounds, drank all tn
| llQuOT tUey COulu uuu, oiOhO Wy 49,
furniture, and rode off with their victim
. to the Boer camp.
"You shall pay .or this, curse you.
muttered the Cornet to the dangling
, body of McTurk.
But you ken can fight?" gaspe'
4 McTurk. "Weel, there are a THOUSAND
ithers from the same country as mysel
who'd consider me 10 fighter at all, an
they'll be making your Acquaintance
) very soon. Maybe you'll ken VIVA
fighting means then"
A day later, the Beer camp was reach
ed and McTurk was brought before tn
, Colonel"
b Look here" said he, you've got
!! fight do you want persuading"
! The Scotchman smiled. "You mau
ask the owners of the heads | craoke
\ yesterday"
: you'll be attached to the artillery.
you don't do your DUTY. I'll have 20
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