Evening star., 1925-08-16

War, and there was more game about
then, including big beasts, to say
nothing of pythons. But Mrs. Smith
had no fear Of danger. and five miles
northwest of the little town of Ru-
pertsburg they took up their quarters
in an old farmhouse set in an infinity
OF sunshine and silence, and no sc oner
had they settled down than Mrs.
Smith discovered they had made a mis-
take. 1t had not been her deal. John
had insisted on being master for once
and had closed on the place. l think
II was ostriches he intended to grow.
AT all events, the place was not suit
able, and they only stayed there six
months, moving back south and MAX
ing small fortune in a way that has
nothing TO do with this story, which
is entirely concerned with the char
acter of Mrs. Smith
Having discovered communications
difficuit. labor unsatisfactory, locusts
frequent. droughts a matter of course,
and a python in possession of the
stable, she did not complain, never
once said Il told you So but just
settled down to make the best of 1t.
The python, sitting like demon on
its clutch of eggs-it was Matching
dill rot daunt her. She supervised the
shooting of it, had the eggs destroyed
and ordered the place to be cleaned.
Acting on the advice of female friends,
she always went about with a re
volver strapped to her belt. and the
kaffirs. after one week of her manage
ment, were different Kaffirs from what
they had been. and called her baas
mentally If not vocally. She was sun
burned, she wore a short skirt, her
sleeves rolled up and revolver at her
belt, yet she was just the same indi-
vidual as the girl who had sat be-
meath the hedge that Summer Sun
day afternoon in the field near Brain
tree. just as womanly, as decided, as
brave and common-sensical.
n fortnight, working the unfortu-
nate KaffirS as whitewasherS, car
penters, roof members and housemaids,
she had the place in order and fit to
be lived in.
Sometimes she would go to the little
town, f1Ve miles away, to purchase
things at the store run by German
named Bloom German of the old
type, spectacles and all complete: a
philosophical man, who came to have
a high respect for this customer, a
respect based on the wisdom exhibited
by her orders. The Boer farmers
wives used to buy in small quantities.
either from niggardliness or a dislike
or spending too much money at one
time or some more recondite reason.
but Mrs. Smith bought in bulk. and
so saved journeys and the risk OF dis
appointment. and paid on the nail,
getting a discount.
SO things went on, the monotony
varied by the coming of flight of
locusts and by d thunderstorm that
cd
world, in the middle of which. while
John was remembering past sins and
putting up silent prayers. Mrs. Smith
was putting cut tubs to catch the
rainwater.
The next incident after that was the
saving of Johns life from an ostrich.
Now, ostrich farming sounds safe
and easy work, but in reality it is
equivalent to the tending of Buff
Orpfngtons by a man seven inches
hight is sometimes free from dan
ger and sometimes ii isn't.
Hailed from the house by the cry of
Bass, bass"' she rushed out to find
John on the ground. an ostrich dane
ing on him and the kaffirs looking on.
She saved the situation by her pluck
and with the revolver.
You have the pluck" said John
one day when he was convalescing
He was about right. Nothing could
frighten this woman. And yet one
ened-badly frightened-and il hap
pened in this wise:
ONE morning John saddled his horse
~ and rode off to the little town on
some business, leaving her alone. The
Kaffirs were away on some other busi-
ness, and she was alone in the house
in the middle of that burning and
windless solitude stretching from
where you please to Bechuanaland
She was engaged in busting and in
an irritable mood. There was one in
soluble problem always being set for
Mrs. Smith by this old farmhouse-the
problem of Where does the dust come
from" 1t seemed to blow in when
there was no wind, and when there
was a wind it blew in worse. 1t set
tied on everything in an equita BILE
manner-on the kitchen table and the
crockery dogs-wedding presents con-
veyed unsmashed 1000 miles-on the
pie in course of construction and
when cooked, on the plates on the
dresser. on the dresser, on the milk
pan and the milk in the pan.
Dust had always been her enemy.
1t was one OF the few things that
could put her out, and this morning
as she busted the crockery dogs she
was put out and she could not swear
When women learn to swear, men and
other animals will undoubtedly have
an easier time and spring cleanings be
robbed of much of their misery.
Swearing being impossible, she went
on with her work with increased en-
ergy, and was just finishing off the
left-hand crockery dog when a sound
from outside told her that some one