The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

where hef rl0eT ulSlnOunt'u 10 l'No.I
and see that the runners did so rouuI
I the turning point. This was not hrt
idea OF dignihed treatment
The first failure in the race came az
the water: one boy ran through ~
spruit. but fell climbing up the bank
The others struggled UP tho hill and
round the rock. coming down the hI
again with great leaps, those who
started the fastest being passed 10y =
boy who began slowly, was not fsst
runner. but could stay" Tho nniel
was very close. now the slayer and now
a boy who made q ,purt being first {
think We were sorry when tho slow one
stumbled and lost the first place. The
prlze was much coveted one, for did
not mean unlimited mutton in the near
future?
Then came n horse race. Two " tNs
riding horses from our stables, Tom-T'
and whiskey. and several of the kanr7'
horses. ridden by their owners or own
ers' sons In the preliminary cant"r
Won might have thought We had tho
pick OF the Jockeys Of he world. luu.-
ing by the boys praising their own
powers and those of their mounts. ono,
a very small and plain ndividua
crouched over the neck OF his hpr-'
like a WoOtton or Maher in dHEu.".
The course was over half mil' IN
length, with a rise at the finish. My
pony now had to carry a weight OF 20
sponsibllity. in tho shape Of the starter.
10 the starting post. on they 60 Tom
Tit and a foreigner Ohis was horss
belonging to Kaffir from ncighoorins
farm were favorites. They started
level. soon came out from the rest, and
came along the fiat almost side by side.
Your Kafiir rider believes in getting
away quickly and tearing to prominent
place in front, where he often tires out
his horse.
The foreigner was ridden in this way.
I'M, tho willy rider of Tom Tit kept him
back Just behind the foreigner Tom TT
dragging at his bit to be free. As they
came along there were shouts and NcIIs
Of encour1 cement to the two IoaiIns
boys and waving Of arms and hats. and
great excitement When the rise in tho
course was reached Tom Tits rider
gave him his head and he shot forward.
passed the foreigner and won the race
with ease. His rider said: "Of cour'"
he won. was he not the pony Of tho
boss?" As 4 no less could be expected.
After this race Tom Tit became unbear-
as whenever another pony was brought
near him he thought another race was
in prospect. and refused 70 go slowly.
Then came the girls race The cook
girl was sent for from the house, and
she entered with the rest, the matter
OF the dinner remaining in allegiance for
the time being. The maiden with the
long blue gown borrowed a piece ~
string and looped up her skirt all round
her till I; only reached TO her knees.
the others laughed at her. but she knew
what she was doing. After much gig
Cling and pretended diffidence about
SIX girls started. The cook and the
very fat housemaid laughed 80 much
that the former was left at the starting
post. and the latter fell in a tumbled
heap on the grass half way along the
course. and remained there III the race
was over. incapable. The looped ma
maiden. whose appearance was rather
that OF a peg top, used her long legs
well. ran like a deer and easily won
the prize, a brightly oolored shawl
Then came the catching OF the greasy
pig. The winner was wise youth who
provided himself with two handouts NJ
sand and thus kept his hands from
slipping.
Then veterans race for Krfh-
women. But m spite of jeers from Nv n
male relatives and encouragement from
the girls they refused point blank ~
run. saying they were too old So 'he
prize a pound OF tea. returned again %
my store room.
II WAS now aftcrnoon-yuu caurut
! hurry Kafiir sports The day had been
a lovely one. hot. clear sun and the soft
, clouds chasing each other slowly across
brilliant blue sky. There were me-
Of the low. heavy. angry rain clouds
d which often bring afternoon thunder
storms at midsummer on the High
Neldt. We returned to tho house n
partake Of a meal that was too late for
a farmhouse dinner and too early for
tea. Then it was time for the cows
TO he MIXED and other work to he done,
: which lasted till sunset Al midsummer
the sun sets about :, and half an hour
; later IL is almost dark
: Later on the men folk made ready for
; firework display We brought basket
: chairs out on To the veranda and the
: fun began. our boys and their little
: friends took crackers and squibs and
ran about, making the kahr boys jump
? and laugh and run away. although ther
really thoroughly enjoyed IL. We had
rockets, catherine wheels. some OF which
came loose from their nails and ran
, about on the ground. showering sparks
; and confusion in their wake: Roman
: candles and some queer kinds of bombs
from China The great thing about
these was that you never knew II or
/ when the bombs would go Off They also
! smelt abominably. II is so nice to le-
: Off fireworks on a st.n warm night and
} rot have Ia SILVER and get Ihilblains II
the attempt
Then the natives went home to tn"'-
huts to discuss again and again .'a
contests of the day, chatterins, sn.r'-
ing ard singing as they went; and t'
late into the nirhj We could hear them
far away, probably dancing To thel-
8 monotonous singing, ana here and there
came the dim sound Of a mouth organ,
which seems to BE an almost iEseplral'~
adjunct to the sounds Of south
. African night
The s'ect a. the roses and poluu.t7
I hung heavily ana deliciuusly around .re
house and stole through opel doors and
wiz dows, Overhead were thousands 1"1
thousands ~ brilliant stars the South
' ern Cross clearer and brighter than
j mos, % them. Hike q fair jewel 90 'N"
diadem e the skies of the land uf the