The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1901-03-16
CAPE TOWN "HoorsRs."
How Receipt Of News Is Announces
10 an Eager Public In the ssutA
African City.

"Iisten, is that the 'hooterf All, ]
wonder what news It brings" The
shooter Is at this time a great feature
IN Cane Town life. 1t Is the hope n
the fear OF us all. And yet III notA-
iur but the steam siren Of the Cape
Times printing works, which "a SOUND
ed whenever any special war news Is
received from the front There are
many other steam sirens in town from
workshops and factories, from the
transports that lie covering the sur
face Of Table bay, and from the railway
engines that ply their tireless way
from hot and dusty Cape Town TO the
cool and pleasant suburbs, where three
great military hospital camps T
pltohed. or to the very field Of battleit-
SELF. in the far north. There are many
whistles. but there is only one "hootsr."
II has a peculiar base note, which, con-
ouerinR the %stiffess southeast wind
that ever blew to make life unbear-
able, has grown familiar TO all. There
Is no mistakiugi it, Itssound goes forth
10 all the town. and our hearts quicken
and our pulses tingle with anxiety to
know whether the news be good or evil.
The well Unknown blast may be heard
AZ any time between nine o'clock in the
morning and the same hour at night
saws the London Globe. Some days 1t
sounds often. then a week or more may
&c by in silence. 1t has not always
the loud, triumphant note of victory.
II has been the signal Of much sorrow
10 loyal British hearts. The city that
lies lp the beautiful Table valley Ia
not at its ease; It is divided against It
self. It has citizens loyal and true
many OF them at this moment proving
their devotion by bearing arms against
! the invaders Of the Cape Colony and
, Natal-but there are others TO whom
British victory brings no JOY, and 10
whom Boer success means naught but
Measure. But all, young and old, rich
and poor, loyal and disloyal, listen FOL
/, the 'hooter." The very child In the
. nursery cries out: There's the
hooter,' a telegram IS coming" wher
, the dull, booming note strikes his ear
Thousands Of people-Jew and Gen
i, tile, British. Dutch, Malay, Hindoo
/, Kanir and Hottentot-in fact, repre-
sentatives Of all nations and all Ian
: puages-leaving their ordinary pur'
, salts, rapidly make their was through
!, the heat and dust OF the day or In th'
cool Of the evening to Cape Times OF
fee In ST. Georges street TO get a copy
OF the special telegram they know Il
being issued. The tbrong is o curiouI
one. for Cape Town, with the multi
! tude Of refugees added to its ordinary
: population, Is perhaps at this time III,
most cosmopolitan community in thu
!. AnnirA-Al arsi intensely eager 10 hsa'
the news, but no one questions HI
neighbor, though here and there tn
lucky possessor Of the fresh, damp tel
/, egraph shares Il 10 silence with thos
who stand by. Sharp little Malay boy
in red fezes and black, bare legs ar
" driving a good trade by selling for
"tickey" (threepence) the sheet the.
have just secured, by dint Of mue'
pushing and squeezing through impo,
sible spaces, for a third of that well
known coin.
The crush at the door OF the issuin
Office is sitting and odoriferous, but n
NJ one is dismayed. News, news at an
cost. But-then comes the wonderfr
et part of it-be that news good or bat
there is no outward demonstration o
y the part Of the crowd or the individual
Of and this is because no emotion Is fel
u Has there been a British victory? Tn
nj loyalist heaves a sigh Of relief and got
pr his way with q jaultier step and llgh'
nd er heart. Next to him has been stant
mr. ing one who has read the same new
n perchance from the same sheet. II
of too, says nothing, but looks round an
ed goes TO his own place downcsst an
in. disappointed. Again, II the tidings |
av uniavsrable TO the British arms, man
who we're gloomy before lift up the
in heads and rejoice, not altogether opsI
,ss ly, for that they dare not do at the pre-
emit, though they are gathering cou
,ec ace, and hope sons day to be able
81. throw of the mask Of hypocrisy; b
ed stiil they rejoice. The crowd that wal
aid for tidings Of war is not thrilled by OF
hi common current Of loyalty. The q
pi. cult is broken. Sympathy Is wantin
ost All are not true,