The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-08


men who consider themselves great
49, travellers
Is The boys name did not have al
To; American sound; it Malcolm Nc
Fee, and that is Scotch, as any one can
American was Because he happened to be born in the
United States on the slopes Of the Sierra Nevada.
,;++, One day Malcolm MeFee sitting in front Of the
little sheeron house in which he and his father lived off
In the interior Of of the British colonies in South
Africa when he the latter coming rapidly towards
some excitement He entered the house and closed the
door behind him. Then he put both Malcolm
shoulders and exclaimed: -'Ladde, laddie, but
going to strike it rich!'' : '-.- H.. -
Now Malcolm had heard this BEFORE 50 he waited
for further developments But the strange tale that was
told him succeeded at last in arousng his calmer
nature.
year previously the British government had con-
African Dutch republic. They had humbled the little
black native king and made him pay tribute but the
been reputed to be wealthy not forthcoming.
This is the key to this story and there Of going
and his father It is what they did that is interesting
and what took place afterward.
That night Englishman named Clifford, tall,
gaunt, fanaticaooking being, entered their hut He
accompanied by grayhaired wizened negro whose
ribs and joints showed plainly beneath his shriveled
dusky skin. rather remarkable council held-the
Englishman translatng the negro talked
HE says he knows exactly the place. Clifford said.
He saw saw them buryng it, and after they had walked
who dgged for him klledheads chopped off, you know.
That's the reason Tommy Atkins didn find anything up
sparklers! old Grumpah here says-handfus Of them.
Are you t game %an to try it, tell you frankly why
trusted, and will need money for the outfit.
say, old Juggins come, are you with mes"
This question was superfuous, any who had
known Malcom's father would have testified
Three weeks later two large ox-carts, with four
blacks to drive them and three white least two
white men, and boy-were trekkng the fiat
pains equipped apparently for hunting excursion into
the gameaboundng country where beasts with strange
horns and names are found in plenty and where the
HOn's Ofte hraaIx tho of no inh+
.Privation and hardship, death and disease, they
faced, and at last month later, with only wagon
arrived at the great fertile borderand that edges the
deep forest of the ouermost possessions of King Oban
G1 hf M aT had I for week
unhealthy of the year. They had traded their way
peaceaby far, with what natives they had met and
had encountered hostile resistance.
Leaving the cattle in charge of Of the natives in
little hidden valley the four and Malcolm entered
the shadows of the Forest For ten days they struggled
on cutting their way slowly through the massive
growth. Each one was laden down with heavy pack
coils of rope and iron bolts which came in hand7 after
ward. Besides, the three white men q can speak Of
Malcolm many carried rifles and wefled cartridge
boxes. ...a- -.
On the tenth day old Grumpah who was leading
stopped and made strange clucking sound the sound
He pointed with his long bony arm Half hidden by the
vines and weeds lay white rainwashed skeleton, and
only " ZEE lay a1 tSa 6eey yhs9e d
Obanis secret had been put past the revealing of it.
Grumpah talking excitedly now using long Words
but Malcolm had picked up little Of the language and
he caught the gst of it even before Clifford turned
and spoke. ..-..-+ H. "s ..--
told Grumpah says it is only five miles further on
he whispered.
For time they had been following quite a
distinct path, and it better going In little
over an hour, Clifford who had forged ahead uttered
shout that startled greatbed birds squawking out
of the treetops .-
'By George!'' the Englishman exclaimed, ''the old
fellow has not lied! Here is the place. .. .
It evident that clearing had been made and
at of great whitetrunked tree mound could
be covered and grown with underbrush but hanging
from the branch of tall bush strange object It
ordinary bottle with label blown into the glass,
elapper removed Clifford struck the bell with the end
Of rifle; it tnkled unsteady in the silence, and he
said Come in loosely. Mr. McFee's eyes, however,
were shining like Goals; he removed his coat and laid
about him with axe cutting away the shubbery and
clearing tho ground Evidently the mound had been
made bv hands-no mistaking that.