The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-25


sensible wished to go with them. but
ms ,n,s oner was rejected. - They rode to a
ntt'e cmlncncc ana stofe&d. They were
on the border line, tRqB danger lire
Mllch needed only to Dc crossed by
hSht1ng parties to mean Il war. "A sol.
ltnry falcon lowered high In the untar.
nished blue, and before them stretched
the Transvaal, it's vel1t rs yellow as a
sea Of gold. Old Zwager's farm lay
like dot in this, and over everything q
Sabbath quiet broodcd. but here the
spark could be struck which should set
South Africa atire. They felt the dc.
light of power, a sense of danger and
daring leapcd In their blood. and the y
rode straight forward rcsolutcly.
Iwagcrs place was built up in way
usual to that region. a stone wall en-.
eirclcd the squatty Dutch buildings
and served to keep the calves i'm the
front dooryard. A fence might have
been easier, but Zwagcr's grcnt-grand.
fathers had managed it this way. AMI
what had been good enough for thcn
was good enough for Hwager They
were admitted through the gate by n
lazy kaflir boy and. riding up to the
house, bchcld the owner.
Before the door in the sunshine 81
an old and grizzlcd Bocr-a Boer Of the
great trek. He stared ut them for y
moment silently and then again turned
his dull blue eyes upon the distant
view. But after some reflection he
removed his pipe and asked them brief.
ly, "What do you want?"
I'VE want some forage for our horses
first thing" Burton replied, and the
two dismountcd. Zwngcr reflected
some more and then announced, "You
can't have It,"
"Oh, we can't, ch" remarked Phil,
lips "Maylc that isn't for you to
say" The correction appeared to be-
lost upon old Hwagcr. He sat still and
gaZcd across the plain toward the blue
northward as though he expected
something favorable to come from that
direction. For years and years the
Older Beers had been wont to think OF
that free up country, the untrackcd
wilderness which could always be their
refuge when the annoying uproar of Il
rapid civilization came too near. But
| nothing could como out Of it now cX.
ccpt danger. and they were cut off
from 1t forever as surely as from the
blue sea across which their forcfathcrs
had wandered two centuries before for
place in which to stagnate comforta-
bly,. Old Zwagcr may have known
this much OF history from the home
spun traditions passed down from sire
to Son-StOricS Of old tricks and battles
for ones own idea Of things, dared by
men OF stubborn, fanatic breed, like
the RoundhcHlS OF old England or the
purtanS of the new. But England and
America had gone forward somewhat,
and two OF their representatives, we'll
up to date, stood now before this old
man of the people who had stopped
| for two centuries, and they hardly
knew how to take him.
1--WE want some foragcw Burton
roarrd, with fcrociouS emphasis.
| Old IWa-rr considered this demand
once more rs though it had been Il now
one. You can't have it," he then re.
piled. with undipomatic clcarncss, "be-
cause YOU are English SchrlmS" Gas.
calS).
! Phillips clinchrd his fist ana walked
up to him. YES: now'S your chance" ,"
encouraged Burton. The Katfir, safe
upon the wall. WAS apparently the only
witness, and he. being only niggcr
ana untAught, seemed to wonder that
mon OF those races should fall to fight.
ing. Phillips put his E$t close uD to
the Stolid face ll!"n took it away again.
always did understand that Won
Americans were IN uncertain set"
complained the Englshmnn. He strobe
up TO the Eocr himself and delivered
an ultimatum. You old. dense, beast
ly, uncivil mule" he thundcrcd. tell
the boy there TO get that forage! D'you
hcar?'
Inc ancient man never noticed them
They both perceived with ease that he
thought they were afraid Of him. "Oh
before ia stand that" Phillips tauntcd
his companion Presently Xwngcr aros"
TO his feet. ''NUu must now 10 ava,
from h"re.' hr proclaimed calmly
\ our language il not like the Srr:,
tHrrs.' lie wen, ami picked uD
heavy stick and Stlnly advanced uDo7
them.
They stood and watched him com,
the two Stvapping SnX3ns, and G.;
sudden they broke in full retreat. Move,
by the same impulse, they skunk ha"I
10 their hnrSr# and mounted without
word. Without IL word they left bchint
them HWA%"r'S place, and fer half
mile acres; tn" vcldt they rode Il lon:
way apart and would nol look mt ca,)
other. Finally they pulled up, M,
something had to he said
'Er nh -- most disgusting failure.
IN" El@!L,I!nI#n remarked.
II couldn't do it," the American re
piled. "hrcnu'c'-lc stole glnucc Il
ms companion and read in his eyes az
answering horror; it was the awf,I
horror and hatred of their race fo,
"Goody goody talk" - 'bccauSr," ht
cried triumphantly, 81 thought thcr,
might bc some more Beers hidden IL
the barn."
JuSt So a$Scntrd tho BritOn i'm re
IL a