The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-06
PATHETIC INCIDENT
OF THE BOER WAR
british weekly

Near the battlefield of the MOdder
triver stood a little farmhouse amid a
clump of trees. ThitheT all day long
the Beers had borne their wounded
When the battle was over a CORES
pendent Of the British Weekly went to
the spot. curious to see whether the
Beers had carried away all their
wounded. The place was ruined by
shot and shell and everything was still
as death.
As the correspondent approached a
woman's figure, tall, notwithstanding,
appeared at the door. Speaking in a
low voice and in the best of English
she said:
There Is no one in the house now,
sir, but a dead man and a little child
You are an Englishman- You will re
speCt a home which has been desecrated
and destroyed"
Lifting his hat. the correspondent
said: Madam. if I can be o. any help
to you. I am ready-the more ready
because you are "a cOuntrywoman OF
my own"
Restraining with an iron will her
pent-up agony, she replied: Il want
no help. There is no help for me and
mine this side of time. You can come
in if you like. if you wish further
speech with me-
Entering the correspondent saw d
rude cradle with a babe in it, and a
y
a Boer fighting garb. THAT is my hus-
band" she said. I am fortunate, per
haps, that he has met death at his
own door and that I am thus spared
the suspense which has torn so many
hearts in South Africa since the war
began" Then she rocked the cradle
with a passion of tenderness.
You are not a soldier" she began.
'Will you sit DOWN. ] should like to
talk, if 1 may. 1 have been here all
day and I have never spoken a word.
Then she told how the day had been
a horrible nightmare TO her as she had
tried to help relieve the wounded, and
how she had refused to go away with
the Beers and leave her dead husband
SnatChing a Pickering candle and ap-
preaching the bed. she said: Look at
him well. He is one Of those who have
been traduced and lied about as cow
ards. breakers of faith, tyTants. eXtor-
tiOnists- There he lies-One of Gods
nOblest. A nobler never drew the
breath of life
She then told the story of how she
came TO be there, saying, as she again
rocked the cradle. He has had no
sleep today. poor lamb, and the guns
frightened him. If those VINO are re-
sponsfble for this war could only get
taste of its horrors, 1 think it would
come more speedily to an end It IS
only the glory they read and think Of
the glory and the gain. Of the cost
my Cod What do they care for cost
BOer or BritOu, they are all alike.
came out to visit my sister in Durham
seven years ago. I met my husband
at her house, and 7 never went back
He had a little money and he bought
this place just five years ago. We made
it together, and we loved it, Now II IS
destroyed. and he is dead. He was
l. H. Sal
interested him but little. My brother
is a lieutenant in the Co.dstTeams. who
were fighting today. Perhaps you know
him; his name IS EVerShed- Perhaps IL
was mis- bullet that killed my husband.
I hat is the horror of this war. To is
fight between those who are OF ought
to be brothers. My husband said God
would never forgive it to England or
South Africa
Would you like me to go back to
camp and make some inquiries about
Mr.. Evershed?" I asked.
Thank you" she said, but that is
needless trouble. If he is not killed OF
wounded ne viii come here. He knows
the name OF the place. Hark,"
I he little dog. ShuddeTiDg on the
hearth, the correspondent writes,
= ave shrill, uncertain bark, a heavy
Loot, the clank of a spur without, and
some one came within the door"
'Emmie. oh, Emmie. are YOU there
Inc speaker was an English lad. his
features working CouVuIsiveIy. his arm
in a sling, as he came limping into the
room. At the first possible moment he
had hurried painfully across the fields
to try and find his sister.
''Oh, jack" she cried. as she fell
upon his breast. The correspondent
left them, went away, with a sadness of
which he could not rid himself
such a scene as this needs no COM
ment- How oft it is repeated in one
way or another in every war. And vet
peoPle-are they still human beings? p
shout for war and talk of its glory.