The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-01-02
A DAUGHTER
OF THE VELDT
How Two Enemies Met
On "Lovers' Walk -

0-0-@-Dc-f:,-<.>-S $1,000 go
About six miles from our lines run
against dainty little farmhouse cud.
died up against the slope OF shrub
covered kopje. On one side Of the
dwelling n trelllswork Of vines broke
the wind at both front and rear, while
n pretty flower garden, fragrant with
flowers, spread far away In front Of
the substantial dwelling. was admir-
Ing these things from my horses back,
when 1t suddenly dawned upon me that
l had possibly played the Imbceile In
atraylng no far from camp. But 1t was
too late to hang bnck. If the farmer
folk were friendly, | was In luck, for
the inside of such a dwelling could not
be Ill supplied with creature comforts
If, however. they were hostile | was
mt their mercy. | Ind no desire to
match my pony's pace against the flight
OF Mauser bullet, So humming n
song and thinking of PSALM rode
forward as If certain of kindly wei
come. An elderly Boer with kindly
face met me ut the door and give me
the time OF day with all clvillty, n ne
gro lad took hold of my bride, and
swung myself out of the saddle Just In
time to receive II civil greeting from
the farmers wife-healthy, wholesome,
substantial, well fed and clothed. They
invited me inside, and there their four
daughters introduced themselves to
me. They MI talked Engllsh MS well as
| could, and before / had been there 90
seconds ] had arrived ut the conclusion
TINT ! should never get better chance
10 study the language of the people Of
our foes and determined to sacrifice
myself upon the tllnty shrine of duty
Three OF the maidens were plain faced,
good. honest looking girls, but the
fourth Ind n face like II young preach
er's first public prayer n face TINT
many man would risk his life for.
So much of my whole career hns
been passed amid the rougher and
more rugged scenes of life that II de
scrlptlon of dainty womnnh cd comes
awkwnrdlv from me. But have rcnd
so much about the ugluess and clumsi.
ness of the Boer woman In British
journals that ! should Hike to try TO de
scribe this daughter of the Veldt, al
though only farmers daughter. do
not know if she should be called short
or tall, but her cheek could have been
nestled comfortably on the shoulder of
fairly tall man. | don't know how
much hair she had, hut there was
enough Of It to make II fellow feel as
II he didn't care II rap IL half the earth
was bald. 1t was not red nor yellow;
1t was Ike honey kissed by sunshine.
She had the sort of forehead which one
never sees ON the face Of fool, ma
lures signboard for mn emporium of
brains. Her eyes We're large, brown
and fearless, not bold nor yet wavcr.
ing Her mouth was perfect not one
OF those sepulehers which distgure
some feminine faces, not chldlshly
small like IL bud bursting into bloom.
hut strong, true mouth large enough
for prayer to slip through. but not
big enough TO swear with. Her waist
would just about fill the crook of
mans arm and make him feel that
there was no room for anything else
under heaven. The arch of her bust
was like the curve ON wave as IL
breaks on the beach In the bay. not the
stlit lath and plaster model one is apt
TO see walking around the streets of
cities. Her hands Were shapely. brown
and strong, cracked little by wind
and weather; not toy hands, but hands
that could spank II baby or help hus-
band back TO paths of rectitudc when
all the world had damned him past re
demption.
So she looked when / saw her and |
said unto my soul, Verify, 1t is n good
thing for his enemies language" 1t
was the fifth evening after that, and |
had registered my fifth visit 10 the
farm, when an event hefell which put
an end to my studies In Dutch for the
time being. | had dincd with the
farmers. the plain sisters had made
music for me. They had lifted their
voices in song also, fer was an hon.
ored guest. having been enabled To do
some little deeds of kindness through
the favor of the courteous general to Il
relation of the ladies who was prls
oner In our lines They had given me
blankets and rugs for the poor heggar,
and the general had handed them to
the man.
The night was beautiful one, so,
lighting cigar, rambled down to-
ward the quarter mile long avenue of
orange trees. 1t was to be my last Wis.
1t, for our troops We're on the move at
dawn. AS l sauntered forward
heard the rustic of womans skirts
amid the bushes on my right. and, look
Ing in that direction. | saw the navy
blue dress and the red gold hair of the
girl who had been teaching me Dutch,
had not many seconds TO look al Ter.
but brief rs the time was | had long
enough to notice that one hand held
the blue skirts switched up so that
about foot of white petticoat was
also noticed that she was