Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'Ii? ??atrhman iii ?ittoit i _ . ... , ? ? -? -_ .. _ _ _ _ jpHKSUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1S50. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's" THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone, tSWr Consolidated Aug. 2, 1881.1 _SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1887._New Series-Tol. TI. No. 44. ar ;? ?- Gr. OSTEEN, . SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : Two Dollars per annum-in advance. ADVERTISEMENTS. One.Square, first insertion.-...$1 00 Svery subsequent insertion. 50 .,-Contracts for three mon As, or longer will be made at reduced rates. ? All communications which subserve private Interests will be charged for as advertisements. ?? - Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. - ? KING AND QUEJEN. 'Ton are my Queen,'* the lover said, ' j In tender accents, low and sweet j And then he bowed his manly head, And knell down gently at her feet. *eBSse np, my King," I heard her say, -? "And^reign forever in my heart ; lt is -^t meet that you shonld play -The fawning courtier's humble part." s-d: ' And.hand in hand, across the years, _~ Th^y journeyed-on through changeless ^. ^J Spring; And love was never lost in tears .She was his Queen, and ne her King. '-The Current. fcrWtfD?R HAGGARD, 1COXTEC?KD.1 - CHAPTER XIX. ' HANS COETZSE COMES TO PRETORIA 1. When once he had. taken, the tum, John's "recovery was rapid. Naturally of a vigorous constitution, when the artery had fairly "tm?ted.h?soon.madeup for the great loss of "Wood, which, be had undergone, and a little moro than a month from the date of his Troend .was? physically, almost as good a mau as ?ver. ,; One morning-it was the 20th of March " Jess and he were sitting in "The Palatial" garden. John was lying in a long cane deck chair that Jess had borrowed or stolen ont of one of the deserted houses, and smoking a They sat in silence; John puffing away at his pipe, and Jess, her work-one of his socks "flying idly upon her knees, with her hands .clasped over it and her eyes fixed upon the lights and shadows that played with broad fingers upon the wooded slopes beyond. John finished his pipe? and, although she did not know it, was watching her face, "which, now that she was off her guard, was no ionger impassive, but seemed to mirror -the tender and glorious hope that was float? ing through her mind. Her lips were slightly .parted, and her wide eyes were full of a soft, strange light, while on the whole counten? ance, was a look of eager thought and spiritu? alized desire such as he had known portrayed in ancient masterpieces upon the face of the .parginmother. Jess was not, exceptas re -gardsher eyes and hair, even a good looking person. But at that moment John thought that ber face was touched with a diviner beauty than he had yet seen- on the face of woman. It thrilled him and appealed to him, .not as Bessie's beauty had appealed, but to -that other side of his nature, of which Jess alone could turn the key. Her face was more, Hke the face of a spirit than a human being's, ?tad it almost frightened him to see it. at "Jess," he said at last, "what are you think? ing of r . She- started, and her face resumed its .normal air. It was as though a mask had been suddenly set upon it i \*Wby do you ask?" she said. ^Because I want to know. ? never saw y ow look like that before." ?* She laughed a little. -?You would think me foolish if I told you . what I was thinking about. Sever mind, it bas gone wherever thoughts go. I will tell you what I am thinking about now, which is-that it is about time we got out of this place. My uncle and Bessie will bo half dis? tracted." "WerVe had more than two months of it now. ^Tbe relieving column can't be far off," suggested John; for these foolish people in "Pretoria labored under a firm belief that ono fine morning they would be gratified with the sight of the light dancing down a long ; hue of British bayonets, and of Boers evapor? ating in every direction like storm clouds be? fore the sun. Jem shook her head. She was beginning to lose faith in relieving columns that never .came: -. . "If we dont help ourselves, my opinion is that we may stop here till we are starved Out, which we pretty well are. However, its attise talking about it, so Fm off to get our cations. -Lefo see,have you got everything ?jon want?" Everything, thanks." "Weil,, then, mind you stop quiet till I come -fcack." * "Why," laughed John, "I aro as strong as a Iwrse." "Possibly; but that is what the doctor said, you know. Good-bye!" And Jess took her b% basket and started on what John used to .feebly call her "rational undertaking." She had not got fifty paces from the door before she suddenly caught sight of a familiar ?orm seated ou a famihar pony. The form was fat and jovial looking, and the pony was small but also fat. It was Hans Coetzee inane other! Jess could hardly believe her eyes. Old Sans in Pretoria ? What could it mean ? "Om Coetzee! Om Coetzee!" she called, as. Jae came ambling past her, evidently making ior the Heidelberg road. The o?d Boer pulled up his pony, and gazed ?round him ina mystified way. "Here, Om Coetzee! Here F "Alkmachterl" he said, jerking his pony around. "It's you, Missie Jess, is it? Now ?ehe would have thought of seeing you here?" "Who would have thought of seeing you heref she answered. "Yes, yes; it seems strange; I dare say that st -seems strange. But I jun a messenger of jeace, Eke Uncle Noah's dove in thc ark, you know. The fact is," and he glanced round to see if anybody were listening, "I have been sent by the government to arrange about an ?exchange of prisoners." "The government ! What government?" "What government? Why, the triumvirate, ?rf course-whom may the Lord bless and prosper as ho did Jonah wheu he walked on the wau* of the city.7* "Joshua, when he walked round the wall of the city," suggested Jess. "Jonah walked ?down the whale's throat." "Ah! to be sure, so ho did, and blew a trumpet inside. I remember now; though I jan sure I don't know how he did it. The fact is that our glorious victories have quite confused me. Ahl what a thing it is to be a patriot! The dear Lord makes strong the arm of the patriot, and takes care that he hits his man well in the middle." "You have turned wonderfully patriotic all of a sudden, Om Coetzee," said Jess, tartly. "Yes, missie, yes; I am a patriot to the none of my back. I hate the English govern? ment; d-n the English government! Let us have our land back and our volksraad. Al? mighty! I saw who was in thc right at Laings Nek there. Ah, those poor rooibaat je?I I shot four of them myself; two as they came up and two as they ran away, and the last one went head over heels like a buck, j Poor man! I cried for him afterward. I did j not like going to fight at all, but Frank Mul? ler sent to me and said that if I did not go he j would bare me shot. Ah, he is a devil of a j man, that Frank Mullerl So I went, and ! when I saw bow the dear Lord bad put it int? j the heart of the English general to be a bigger j fool even that day than he is every day, and j to try and drive us out of Laings Nek with ? thousand of his poor rooibaar jes, then, I tell you. ? saw where the right ky. and I ? said, 'D-n ihe Euglisb government! What j js the English government doing here V and j niter Ingogo I said it again." "Never mind all that, Om Coetzee," broke in Jess. "I have heard you tell a different tale before, and perhaps you will again. Tell me, how are my uncle and my sister? Are they at the farm?" "Almighty! you dont suppose that I have been there to see, do you? But, yes, I have heard they are there. It is a nice place, that Mooifontein, and I think that I shall buy it when we have turned all you English people out of the land. Frank Muller told me that they were there. And now I must be getting on, or that devil of a man, Frank Muller, will want to know what I have been about." "Om Coetzee," said Jess, "will you do some? thing for me? We are old friends, you know, and I once persuaded my uncle to lend you ?500 when all your oxen died of the lungsick." C "Yes, yes, it shall be paid back one day when we. have got the d-d Englishmen out of the countiy." And he began to gather up his reins preparatory to riding off. "Will you do me a favor?" said Jess, catch? ing the pony by the biidle. "What is it? What is it, missie? I must begetting on. That devil of a man, Frank Muller, is waiting for me with the prisoners at the Kooihuis Kraal." "I want a pass for myself and Capt. ISiel, and an escort. We want to get down home." The old Boer held up his fat bands in amazement. "Almighty!" he said, "it is impossible. A pass-who ever heard of such a thing? Come, I must be going:." "It is not impossible, Uncle Coetzee, as you know," said Jess. "Listen! If I get that pass I will speak to my uncle about the ?500. Perhaps he would not want itali backagain." "Ah!" said the Boer. "Well, we are old friends, missie, and 'never desert a friend,' that is my saying. Almighty! I will ride a hundred miles-I will swim through blood for a friend. Well, well, I will see. It will de? pend upon that devil of a man, Frank Muller. Where are you to be found-in thc white house yonder? Good.. To-morrow the escort will come in with the prisoners, and if I can get it they will bring the pass. But, missie, remember the ?500. If you do not speak to your uncle about that I shall-be. even with him, Almighty ! what a thing it is to have a good heart and to love to help your friends! Well, good day, good day," and off he can? tered on bis fat pony, his broad face shining with a look of unutterable benevolence. Jess cast a look of contempt after bim and then went on toward the camp to fetch the ratior-s. When she got back to "The Palatial" she told John what had taken place, and sug? gested that it would be as well, in case there should be a favorable reply to her request, to have eveiything prepared for a start, and ac? cordingly the cart wasbrought down and stood outside "The Palatial," and John unscrewed the patent caps and filled them with castor oil, and ordered Mouti to keep the horses, which were all well, though "poor" from want of proper food, well within hail. Meanwhile, old Hans pursued the jerky tenor of his way for an hour or so, till he came in sight of a small red house. Presently, from the shadow in front of the red house emerged a horseman, mounted ona powerful black horse. " The horseman-a stern, handsome, bearded man-put his hand about his eyes to shade them from the sun, and gazed up thc road. Thea he seemed to suddenly strike his spurs into the horse, for ' the animal gave a sudden bound forward, and came sweeping towards Hans at a hand gallop. "Ah! it is that devil of a man, Frank Mul? ler!" ejaculated Hans. "Now I wonder what he wants? I always feel cold down the back when he comes near me." By this time the plunging black horse was being reined up alongside of his pony so sharply that it reared till its great hoofs were pawing the air within a few biches ol liana' head... . ... "Almighty!" said tho old man, tugging his pony round. " "Be careful, nephew, bc carer fnlr I do not wish to be crushed like a beetle." Frank Muller-for it was be-emil-xL Ho had made his horse rear purposely, in order to frighten the old man, whom he knew to be an arrant coward. "Why have you been so long? and what have you done with the Englishmen? You should have l>een back half an hour ago." "And so I should, nephew, and so I should, if I had not been detained. Surely you do not suppose that I would linger in the ac? cursed place: Bah!" and be spat upon the ground, "it stinks of Englishmen. I cannot get the taste of them out of my mouth." "Your are a liar. Uncle Coetzee," was the cool answer. "English with the English, Boer with the Boer. You blow neither hot nor cold. Be careful lest we showvouup. I know you and your talk. Do you remember what you were saying to the Englishman Niel in the inn yard at Wakkerstroom when you turned and saw me? I heard, and I do notiorgeL You know what happens to a 'land betrayer?' " Hans' teeth positively chattered, and his florid face blanched with fear. "What do you mean, nephew?" he asked. "T-ah!-I mean nothing. I was only speaking a word of warning to you as a friend. I have heard things said about you by"-and he dropped his voice and whispered a name at the sound ?f which poor Hans turned whiter than ever. "Well," went on his tormentor, when he had sufficiently enjoyed his terror, "what sort of terras did you make in Pretoria?" "Oh, good, nephew, good," he gabbled, de? lighted to get on a fresh subject "I found the Englishmen supple as a tanned skin. They will give up their twelve prisoners for our four. The men are to be in by 10 to-mor? row. I told their commandant about Laings Nek and Ingogo, and he would not believe me. He thought I bed like himself. They are getting hungry there now. I saw a Hottentot I knew there, and he told me that their bones were beginning to show." "They will bo through the skin before long," muttered Frank. "Well, here we are at tho house. The general is there. He has just come up from Heidelberg, and you can make your report to bim. Did you find out about the Englishman- Capt. Niel? Is it true that he is dead?"* "No, he is not dead. By the way, I -met Om Crofts niece-the dark one. She is shut up there with the captain, and she begged me to try and get them a pass to go home. Of course I told her that it was nonsense, and that they must stop mid starve with tho others." Muller, who had been listening to this last piece of information with intense interest, suddenly checfed his horse and answered: "Did you? Then you are a bigger fool than I thought 3'ou. Who gave you authority to decide whether they should have a pass or not?" CHAPTER XX. TUB GREAT MATT. Completely overcome by this last remark, Hans collapsed like a jeliy fish out of water, and reflected in his worthless old heart that Frank Muller was indeed "a devil of a man." By this time they bad leached the door of tho little house and were dismounting, and in au other minute Hairs found himself in the pres- j ence of one of the leaders of the rebellion. He was a short, ugly man of about- 55, with ! a big nose, small eyes, straight bair and a stoop. The forehead, however, was good, and the whole face betrayed a keenness and ? ability far beyond the average. The great ! man was seated at a plain deal table, writing something with evident difficulty upon a dirty sheet of paper, and smoking a very large pipe. "Sit, heeren. sit," he said, when they en? tered, .waving the stem of his pipe toward a deal bench. Accordingly they sat down with? out even removing their bats, and, pulling out tl.eir pipes, proceeded to light them. "How, in tbe name of Ood, do you spell 'excellency?* " asked th<? general, presently. "I have spelled it in four different ways, and each one looks worse than the last." Frank Muller ?avr? the required informa? tion. Hans in his heart thought he spelled it wrong, but he did not dare to say so. Then came another pause, only interrupts! by the ' slow scratching of a quill across the dirty ? paper, during which Hans nearly went to j sleep; for the weather was very hot, and he was tired with bis ride. - ? "There!" said the -writer, presently, gazing at his handwriting with an almost childish ah of satisfaction, "that is donc. A curse on th< man who invented writing! Our fathers -die very well without it; why should not wc Though, to be sure, it is useful for treaties with the Kaffirs. I don't believe you have told me right now about that 'exceKency, nephew. Well, it will have to serve. Wher a man writes such a letter as that to the rep resentative of the English queen he needn'l mind his spelling; it will be swallowed witt the rest," and he leaned back in his chair and laughed softly. "Well, Meinheer Coetzee, what is it? Ah, I know; the prisoners. Well, what did you do?" Hans told his story, and was rambling on when the general cut him short. "So cousin, so! You talk like an ox wagon -rumble and creak and jolt, a devil of a noise and turning of wheels, but very little progress. They will give up thc twelve men for pur four, will they? Well, that is about j a fair proportion. Ko, it is not, though; four i Boers are better than twelve Englishmen any day-ay, better than forty!" and he laughed I again. "Well, the men shall be sent in as you arranged; they will help to eat up their last biscuits. Good day, cousin. Stop, though; ono word before you go. I have heard about you at times, cousin. I have heard it said that you cannot be trusted. Now, I don't know if that is so. I don't believe it myself. Only, listen; if it should .be so, and 1 should find you out, by Godl I will have you cut into rimpis with afterox sjambocks, and then shoot you and send in your carcass as a present to the Eng? lish," and as he said it he leaned forward and brought down his fist upon the deal table with a bang that produced a most unpleasant effect upon poor Hans' nerves, and a cold gleam of sudden ferocity flickered in the small eyes, very discomforting for a timid man to behold, however innocent he knew himself to be. "I swear"- be began to babble. "Swear not?t ail, cor. in; you are an elder of the church. There is no need to, besides. I told you I did not believe it of you; only ? have had one or two cases of this sort of thing lately. No, never mind who they were. You will not meet them about again. Good clay, cousin, good day. Forget not to thank tho Almighty God for our glorious victories. He will expect it from an elder of the church." Poor Hans departed crestfallen, feeling that the days of him who tries, however skil? fully and impartially, to sit upon two stools at once are not happy days, and sometimes threaten to be short ones. And supposing that thc Englishmen should win after all-as in his heart he hoped they might-how should he then prove that he had hoped it? Tho general watched him waddle through tho do*or from under his pent brows, a half humorous, half menacing expression on his face. "A windbag; a coward; aman without a heart for good or for evil. Bah ! nephew, that is Hans Coetzee. I have known him for years. Well, let him go. He would sell us if ho could, but I have frightened him now. and, what is more, if I sec reason, be shall find 1 never baric unless I mean to bite. Well, enough of him. Lot me see. have I thanked you yet for your share in Majuba? Ah: that was a glorious victory! How many were there of von when you started up the moun? tain?" "Eighty men." "And how many at the end?" "Ono hundred and seventy-perhaps a few more." "And how many of you were hit?" "Three-one killed, two wounded, and a few scratched." "Wonderful, wonderful! It was a brave deed, and because it was so brave it was suc? cessful. He must have been mad, that Eng? lish general. Who shot him?" "Breytenbach, Colley held up a whito-' handkerchief in his hand, and Breytenbach fired, and down went the general all of n ; heap, and then they all ran helter skelter down . the hill. Yes, it was a wonderful thing! They could havo beat us back with their left hand. That is what comes of having a right? eous cause, uncle." The general smiled grimly. "That is what comes of having men who can shoot, and who understand the country, and are not afraid. Well, it Ls done, and weil dono. The stars in their courses have fought for us, Frank Mul? ler, and so far we have conquered But how is it to end? You areno fool: tell me, how will it end?" Frank 3-Iulier rose and walked twice up and down the room before he answered. "Shall I tell you?" ho asked, and then, without wait? ing for an answer, went on: "It will end in our getting the country back. That is what this armistice means. There are thousands of rooibaatjes tuero at the Nek; they cannot therefore be waiting for soldiers. They are waiting for an opportunity to yield, uncle. We shall get the country back, and you will be president of the republic." The old man took a pull at his pipe. "You havo a long head, Fi .?uk, and it has not run away with you. The English government is going to give in. The stars in their courses continue to fight for us. The English gov? ernment is as mad as its officers. They will give in. But it means more than that, Frank; I will tell you what it means, lt means" and again he. let his heavy hand fall upon tho deal table-"the triumph of the Boer through? out South Africa. Bah! Burgers was not such a fool after all when he talked of his great Dutch republic; I have been twice to England now, and I know the Englishman. I could measure him for his veldtschoens (sboe>). He knows nothing-nothing. Ho understands his shop, ho is buried in his shop, and can think of nothing else. Sometimes ho goc^ away and starts his shop in other places, and buries himself in it, and makes it a big shop, because he understands shops. But it is all a question of shops, and if tho shops abroad interfere with the shops at home, or if it is thought that they do, which comes to tho sanie thing, then the .shops at home put mi end to the shops abroad. Bah! they talk a great deal there in England; but, at tho bot? tom of it, it is shop, shop, shop. They talk of honor, and patriotism too, but they both give way to thc shop. And ? tell yon this, Frank Muller: it is the shop that has made the Eng? lish, and it is the shop that will destroy them. Well, Sf) be it. Wo shall have our slice; Africa for the Africanders. Tho Transvaal foi- tho Transvaalers fh-st, then tho rest. Shepstone was a clever man; he would havo made it all into an English shop, with tho black men for shop boys. We have changed ? all that, but we ought to be grateful to Shep? stone. The English havo paid our debts they have eaton up tho Zulus, who would other? wise have destroyed us, und they have let us bent them, and now wo ure g"iu^ to have our turn again, and, as you say, I shall bu tho first president" "Yr- uncle," replied tho younger man, calmly, "and I shall be the second." Tho great man looked at him. "You aro a bold mun," he said; "but boldness makes the man and the country. I dare say you will. You have the hea<3; und one clear head can tum many fools, as the rudder does tho ship, j and guide ihem when they are turned. I dan: say that }'ou will IK? president one day." "Yes, l shall bo president, mid when I am I wiil drive thc Englishmen out of. South Africa. This I wiil do with tho help of tho Natal Zuiii-. Thon I wiil destroy rh<> natives, as FChaka d^tivycd? keeping only enough for ; skives.*That is my plan uncle; ii. is a good ? one." i "It is a big one ; I am not certain that it is I a ged one. But, good or bad, who shall j say* You may carry ir out, nephew, if you I live. A man w;th brains and wealth may ? cany out anything if he lives. But there is ? a God. I M ie ve, Frank Muller, that there is a God,""and I believe that God sets a limit to a man's doings. Ir' he is geing tor? far, God kills him. It' y>u live, Frank Muller, you will do those things, but perhaps God will kill you. Who can say ? You will do what God j wills, not. what you will." Thc olde?" man was speaking seriously now. j Muller foi* that tins was none of the winning "? cant people in authority among th** Boers j find it desirable to adopt lt was what ho j thought, and it chilled Mut'er in snit?' of his . pretended skeptieisin, as th< M'WVI-O belief of j an intellectual man, however opposite to our own, is apt to ehiil us into doubt of ourselves j and our opinions. For a moment his slumber, j ing sui^rstition awoke, and h.< Mt, half ! afraid. Between bim and that bright fa! ino , of blood and power lay a chill gulf. Suppose j that gulf should bc death, and "tho future nothing but a dream-or worse! His face fell as the idea occurred to him, and tho general noticed it. "Well," bc went on, "be who lives will see. Meanwhile you have done good service to tho state, and you shall have your reward, cou? sin. - If I am president"-he laid emphasis on this, the meaning of which his listener did not m "ss-"if by thc support of my followers I become president, I will not forget you. And bow I must upsaddle and get back. I want to l>e at Laingls Nek in sixty hours, to wait fer Gen. Wood's answer. You will see about Ihe sending in of those prisoners;" and he knocked out his pipe and rose. "By the. way; meinheer," said Muller, sud? denly adopting ? tone o? respect, "I have a favor to ask." - "What is it, nephew?" "I want a pass for two friends of mine English people-iii Pretoria to go down to their relations in V.*akkerstroom district. They sent a message to mo by Hans Coetzee." "I don't like giving passes," answered the general with some irritation ''You know what if means, letting but messengers. I wonder you ask me." "It is a small favor, mein hoer, and I do not think that it will much matter. Pretoria will not be besieged much longer. I am under an obligation to the people." "Well, well, as you like; but, if any harm comes of it, you will bo held responsible. Write thc pass; I will sign it." Frank Muller sat down and wrote and dated the paper. Its contents were simple: "Pass the bearers unharmed." "That is big enough to drive a wagon along," said the general, when it was handed to him to sign. "It might mean all Pretoria" "I am not certain if there are two or three of them," answered Muller, carelessly. "Well, well, you are responsible. Give me the pen;" and he scrawled his big, coarse sig? nature at the foot. "I propose, with your permission, to escort the cart down with two other men. As you aro aware, I go down to take over tho com? mand of the Wakkerstroom district to-mor? row." "Very good. It is your affair. You aro responsible. I shall ask no questions, pro? vided your friends do no hurt to the cause;"' and he left tho room without another word. When the great man had gono Frank Mul? ler sat down again on tho bench and looked at tho pass, and communed with himself, for be was far too wise a man to commune with anybody else. "The Lord hath delivered mine enemy into mine hand," he said, with a smile, and stroked his.golden beard. "Well, well, I will not waste his merciful opportunities as I did that day out buck shooting. And then for Bessie. I suppose I shall have to kill tho old man. too. I am sorry for that, but it can't bc helped; besides, if anything should bap HS SCRAWLED HIS BIO\ COAItSE SIGNATURE, pen to Jess, Bessie will take Mooifoutein, and that is worth having. Not that I want more land; I have enough. Yes, I will many her. It would serve her right if I didn't; but, after all, marriage is moro respect? able, and also one has more hold of a wife. Nobody will interfere for her. Then she will be of use to mo by and by, fer a beautiful woman is a power even among these fellow countrymen of mine, if only a man knows how to bait his lines with her. Yes, I sha II marry her. Bah ! that is thc way to win a woman-by capture;-and, what is more, they like it. It makes her worth win? ning, too. It will be a courtship of blood. Well, the kisses will be tho sweeter, and in the end she will love mc tho more for what I have dared for her. So, Frank Muller, so! Ten years ago you said to yourself: 'There are three things worth having in the world -first, wealth; second, women, if they take your fancy, or, better still, one woman if you desire her above all others; third, power.' Now, you have got the wealth, for ono way and another you are the richest man in thc Transvaal. In a week's time you will have the woman you love, and who is sweeter to you than all the world besides. In five 3'ears1 time you will havo the power absolute power. That old man is clever; he wiil be president. But I am cleverer. I shall soon take his seat, thus"-and he rose and seated himself in the general's chan "and he will go down a step and take mine. Ay, and then I will reign. My tongue shall bo honey and my hand iron I will pass over the land like a storm. I will drive tho English out with the help of the Kaffirs, and then I will kill tho Kaffirs and take their land. Ah!"-and his eyes flashed and his nostrils di? lated as ho said it to himself-"then lifo will be worth living! What a thing is power! What a thing it is to be able to destroy ! Take that Englishman, my rival: to-day ho is well and sti-ong; iu three days he will be gone ut? terly, and I-I shall have sent him away. That is power. But when tho timo comes that I have only to stretch out my hand to send thousands after him!-that will bo absolute power; and then with Bessie I shall be happy." And so ho dreamed on for an hour or more, till at last the fumes of his untutored imagina? tion actually drowned his reason in spiritual intoxication. Picture after picture rose and unrolled itself before his mind's eye. He saw himself as president addressing the volksraad and compelling it,to his will. He saw him? self, the supreme general of a great host, de? feating the forces of England with awful carnage and driving them before him; ay, hi; ?ven selected the battle ground on the slopes; ! of the Biggarsgerg in Natal. Then he saw himself again sweeping tho natives ont of South Africa with the unrelenting besom of his might and ruling unquestioned over a.sub? missive people. And, last of all, he saw some? thing glittering at his feet-it was a crown! This was the climax of his intoxication Then there came an anticlimax. Tin- rich imagination which hud-been leading bim on as a gaudy butterfly docs a child", suddenly changed color and dropped to earth; and then rose u;> ki his mind the memory of the gen? eral's words: "Cod sets a limit to a man's doings, ll" he is g. big too lari ?od kilishim." The butterJly bad settled on a coffin! CHAPTER xxr. .T!:SS GETS A PA SK About 10;.'?0 on the morning following her ? interview with Hans Coel7.ee. Jess was :ir j '"The Palatial" as usual, and J..?in w.-is just j finish hi ?; packing the cart with such few goo?i?". as they possessed. There was nut much chan" " of its bring of any material use, for he did notin the sdightest degree expect that . they would get t.I.iy pass; but, :i*> he cheer? fully said, it was na good an ainuseincni. ::s j any other. .'1 suv, .h ss," he sang out. presently, "come j here." * "What for.'"'answered Jess, who was .scated j on the doorstep mending something, and I looking at h*?r favorite view. "Because T want to speak to yon." She got up and ".vent, feeling rather angry ! wit!i herself forgoing. " Well,** she said, tartly, "here I am. What j isitr "1 have finished packing tho cart, that's | all." "And yon mean to tell me that you have brought me round here to say that T "Yes. of course! have: exercise is gor?! f?r : the young." And then ho laughed, and sho ! laughed U"\ IL was all nothing-nothing .'il all -but ? somehow it was very delightful Certa inl} mutual affection, even when unexpressed has a way of making things go happily, anc can find something to laugh at anywhere. Just then, who should come up hut Mrs Neville, in a great state of excitement, and as usual, fanning herself with her hat. "What do you think, Capt. Niel? thc prisoners have come in, and I heard one ol the Boers in charge sa}' that ho had a pass signed by the Boer general for some Eng! isl people, and that he was coming over to soe about them presently. . Who can it be?" "It is us" said Jess, quickly. "We arc going home. 1 saw Hans Coetzee yesterday, and liegged him to try and get us a pass, and I suppose he has." "My word! going to get out? Well, you are lucky! Let me sit down and write a let? ter to my great uncle at tho Cape. You must post it when you can. He is 9-i and rather .soft, but I dare say he will like to hear from nie," and she bundled off into the house to give her .aged relative (who, by tue way, labored under the impression that she was still a little gild of 4 years of age) as minute an account of the siege of Pretoria as timo would allow. "Well, John, you had better tell Mouti to put the horses in. We shall havo tb start presently," said Jess. "Ay," he said, pulling his bean! thought? fully. "J suppose that we shall;" adding, by way of an afterthought: "Are you glad to go?" "No!" she said with a sudden flash of pas - sion and a stamp of the foot, and then turned and entered the house again. "Mouti," said John to the Zulu, who was lounging around in a way characteristic of that intelligent but unindustrious race, "hi? span tho horses. We are going back to Mooi fontein." "Koos" (chief), said the Zulu unconcernedly, and started on the errand as though it were the most every day occurrence to drive off home out of a closely beleaguered town. That is another beauty of the Zulu race; you can? not astonish them. They, no doubt, consider that that, to them, extraordinary mixturo of wisdom aud insanity, the white man, is, as the agnostic French critic said in despair of the prophet Zerubbabel, "capable de tout." John stood and watched the inspanning absently. The fact was that he, too, was con? scious of a sensation * of regret He felt ashamed of himself for it, but there it was; he was sorry to leave tho place. For the last week or so he had been living in a dream, and everything outside that dream was blurred and indistinct as a landscape in a fog.^ He knew the things were there, but he did not quite appreciate their relativo size and posi? tion. The only real thing was his dream; all else was as vague as those far off people and events that wo lose in infancy and find again in old age. And now there would be an end of dream? ing; the fog would lift, and he must face the facts. Jess, with whom he had dreamed, would go away to Europe and he would many Bessie, and all this Pretoria business would glide away into the past like a watch in the night. Well, it must be so; it was right and proper that it should be so, and he for one was not goiug to flinch from hisdutv; Jaut he would have been moro than human had he not 'felt the pang of awakening. It was all so very unfortunate. By this time Mouti had got the horses up, and asked if he was to h?span? lo: wait a bit," said John. "Very likely it is all rot," he added to himself. Scarcely were the words out of his mouth when he caught sight of two armed Boers of a peculiarly unpleasant typo arid rough ap poarauce riding across the veldt toward "Thc Palatial" gate, escorted by four car? bineers. At the gate they stopped, and one of them dismounted and came up to where ho was standing by the stable door. "Cape. Niel?" he said interrogatively in English. "That is my name." "Then here is a letter for you," and he handeil him a folded paper. John opened it-it had no envelope-and read as follows: "SIP.-The bearer of this has with him a pass, which it is understood that you desire, giving you and Miss Jess Crofta safe conduct to Mooifontein, in the Wakkerstroom district of tue republic. Tho only condition attached to th? pass, which is signed by ene of thc hon? orable triumvirate, is that you must carry no dispatc hes out of Pretoria. Upon your giving your word of honor to the bearer that you will not do this ho will hand you the pass." This letter, which was fairly written and in good English, had no signature. "Who wrote this?" asked John of the Boer. "That is no affair of yours;" was the curt reply. "Will you pass your word about the dispatches?" "Yes." "Good Here is the passband bc handed over that document to John. It was in the same handwriting as the letter, but signed by the Boer general John examined it and then called to Jess to come and translate it Sho was on her way round the corner of tho house as he did so, having heard tho voice of the Boer. "It means. 'Pass tho bearers unharmed,' " she said, "and the signature is correct I have seen the general's signature before." "When must we start?" asked John. "At once, or not at all." "I must drive round by the headquarter camp to explain about my going. They will think that I have run away." To this tho Boer demurred, but final?y, after going to the gate to consult his com? panion, consented, and the two rode back to the headquarter camp, saying that they would wait for the cart there, whereupon the horses were insparned. In five minutes everything was ready, and the cart was standing in the roadway in front of the little gate. After he lind looked to all the straps and buckles and seen that everything was properly packed. John went to call Jess. Ho found her standing hythe doorsteps, looking out at her favorite view. Her band was placed sideways against her forehead, as though to shade her eyes from the sun. But where she was standing there was no sun, and John could not help gnewing why she was shading her eye?. She was cry? ing at leaving the place in that quiet, harrow? ing sort of way that some women have; that is to say, a few big tears were rolling down her face. John felt a lump riso in his own throat nt tho sight, and very naturally re? lieved his feelings in rough language. .'What the deuce are you after?" he asked. "Aro you going to keep the horses standing all day?" Jess did not resent this. The probability is that she guessed its reason. And besides, it is a melancholy fact that women rather like being sworn nt than otherwise, provided that tho swearer is thc man they aro attached to. But he must- only swear on state occasion?. At this moment, too, Mrs. Neville came plunging ont of thc house, licking an envelope as she ran "There, ** she said, "f hope I haven't kept you waiting. I haven't toh! the old gentle? man half the news: in fact, I've only taken bim down to th?? time when thc eommunica 1 ir.?is were cut, and I dare say he has seen all that in the papers. But ho won't understand i anything about it, and if he does he will guess I the rest ; besides, for all I know, he may ho j dead and buried by now. I shall have to owe ?' yon for the stamp. 1 think it's ihroejx-noc. ? Fl! pay you when we meet again-that is, if : we eyor d:> meet again: I'm beginning to j think t hat this siege, will go on for all der- ' ni ty: There, good by;, my dear! G ?rd bless j yon! When you ge* out of ir., mind you write ? to The Times, in London, you know. Thor?-. ? don't cry. Iani-sure I should not cry if I ] were going, to get out of this place:" for at this point Jess took tho opportunity of 7Irs. j Neville's fervent embrace to burst out into a ! sob or two. In another nilnntethcy were in the cart, j and Monti was scrambling up behind. "Don't cry, old girl." said John, laying his j hand npoii her shoulder. "What can't bc ! cured must I*? endured." "Yes, Johu," she answered, and dried her tears. At the headquarter camp John went in and ! explained tho circumstances of his departure. I At first thc oflieer who was temporarily in j command-tho commandant having bern j wounded at the same lime that John was- ; . rather demurred to his'going, especially when lie learned that, lie had passed his word not to carry dispatches. Presently, however, he thought better of it, and said he-supposed that it was all right, as he could not see that their going could do the garrison any hann; "rather thc reverse, in fact, because you can tell thc people bow we are getting on in this God forsaken hole. I only wish that some? body would give me a pass, that's all;" where? upon John shook hands with him and left, to find an eager crowd gathered outside. The news of their going had got abroad, and everybody was riinningdown to hear the truth of it. Such an event as a departure out of Pretoria had not happened for a couple of months and more, and the excitement was proportionate to its novelty. "I say, Niel,- is it true you aro going?" hallooed out a burly farmer. "How the deuce did you get a passr put in another man with a face like a weasel. Ho was what is known as a "Boer vernuker" (literally a "Boer cheaterTf that is, a travel? ing trader whose business it is to beguile the simple minded Dutchman by selling him worthless goods at five times their cost. "I have loads of friends among the Boers. There is hardly a Boer in the Transvaal who does not know me"-("To his cost," put in a bystander, with a grunt)-"and yet I have tried all I know"-("And you know a good deal," said the same rude man)-"and I can't get a pass." "You dont suppose those poor Boers are going to let you out when once they have got you in?" went on tho tormentor. "Why, man, it's against human nature. You've got all their wool; now do you think they want you to have their skin too?" Whereupon the weasel faced individual gave a howl of wrath, and pretended to make a nish at the author of these random gibes, waiting half way for somebody to stop lum and prevent a breach of the peace. "Oh, Miss Croft!" cried out a woman in the crowd, who, Ute Jess, had been trapped m Pretoria while, on a flying visit, "if you can get a line down to my husband at Maritz burg, to tell him that I am well, except for the rheumatism, from sleeping on the wet ground; and tell bim to kiss the twins for me." "I say, Niel, tell those Boers that we will give them a d-d good hiding yet, when Colley relieves U3," sung out a jolly young Englishman in the uniform of the Pretoria carbineers. He little knew that poor Colley -kind hearted English gentleman that he was-was sleeping peacefully under six . feet of ground with a Boer bullet through his brain. "Now, Capt. Niel, if you are ready, wo must trek," said ono of the Boers, in Dutch, suiting the action to the word by catching the near wheeler a sharp cut with his riding sjambock that made him jump nearly out of the traces. Away started the horses with a plunge, scattering the crowd to the right and left, and amid a volley of farewells they were off upon their homeward journey. For more than an hour nothing particular happened. John drove on at a fair pace, and the two Boers cantered along behind. At the end of this time, however, just as they were approaching the Bed House, where Frank Muller had obtained the pass from the general on the previous day, one of thc Boers rode up and told them, roughly enough, that they were to outspan at the house, where they would get some food. As it was past 1 o'clock they-were by no means sorry to hear this, and accordingly John drew up thft cart about fifty yards from the place and they proceeded to get tho horses out, and, having watched them roll and drink, proceeded to the house. The two Boera, who had also off-saddled, were already sitting on the veranda, and when Jess looked inquiringly toward them, one of. them pointed with his pipe toward the little room. Taking the hint they entered, and found a Hottentot woman just setting some food upon the table. "Here is dinner; let us eat it, "said John; "goodness knows when we shall get any more!" and, accordingly, he sat down. As he did so the two Boers came in, and ono of thcnrinade some sneering remark that made the other look at them and laugh in? sultingly. John flushed up, but took no notice. In? deed, he thought it safest not, for to tell the truth, he did not much like tho appearance of these two worthies. One of them was a big, smooth, pasty faced man, with a peculiarly villainous expression of countenance and a prominent tooth that projected in ghastly isolation over his lower hp. The other was a small man, with a sardonic smile and a pro? fusion of black beard and whiskers on his face, and long hair hanging on his shoulders. Indeed, when he smiled more vigorously than usual, his eyebrows came down and his whiskers advanced, and his mustache went up till there was scarcely any face left, and he looked more like a great bearded monkey than a man This man was a Boer of the wildest typo from the far borders of Zout pansberg, and did not understand a word of English. Jess nicknamed him the Vilder beeste, from his likeness to that ferocious looking and hairy animal. The other man, on the contrary, understood English perfectly, for he had passed many years of his fife in Natal, having left that colony on account of some little indiscretion about thrashing Kaf? firs that had brought him into collision with the peual laws. Him Jess named the Uni? corn, on account of bis one gleaming tusk. The Unicorn was an unusually pious man, and on airiving at the table he, to John's as? tonishment, gently but firmly grasped the knife with which he was about to cut the meat. "What's the matter?" said John. The Boer shook his bead sadly. "No won? der you English are an accursed race, and have been given over into our hands as the great king Agag was given into the hands of the Israelites, so that we-have hewed you to pieces. You sit down to meat and give no thanks to the dear Lord," and he threw back his head and sung out a portentously long Dutch grace through bis nose. Not content with that, he set to work to translate it into English, which took a good time: nor was tho rendering a very finished one in tho result. The Yilderbeeste grinned sardonically and put iii a pious "Amen," and then at last they were allowed to proceed with their dinner, which, on the whole, was not a pleasant one. But 1 lien they could not expect much pleasure under the circumstances, so they just ate their food and made tho be*t of a bad job. After all, it might have been worse; they might have had no dinner to cat [TO BE "TINTED. 1 Hon. Geo D. Tillman. The June number of the American Magazine, of New York ?ives in an ar? ticle on 'Thc Nation's Lawmakers,' a good engraving of H<>n George D Tillman and thc following highly com? plimentary notice : 'OMcr, but no less progressive, is ? George 1). Tillman, of South Carolina, who is head and shoulders above the majority of his fellow-members ; a man of culture and learning, extensive read- | ...g arni great mental force The steady \ broadening of his ideas may bc seen by j comparing his latest speeches with some ? of those lie made when he first entered ! Confess. His views upon the tariiT. | upon the encouragement ol* American I shipping, and upon the building up of a Navy are now exceedingly liberal lie j has thc mest utter contempt for clap- j trap or the arts of the demagogue, and j docs un* hesitate to attack them in his j tiuatbt but vigorous way. Ho is one of j the few men in the House of Repre? sentatives who are always listened to ; j not so much because bis speeches are ' amusiog as because they arc full of good hard sense. - mm -mmm. Colonel John J. Dargan, who shook j I lic dust of Carolina off and went to j Texas to make fame and fortune carly ! this year, like many others, has return? ed to hts first love, and feels satisfied now to live and die in the grand old .State.-Grew alle j\rcic*. Our State Contemporaries, The Georgetown Railroad. Georgetown Enquirer, May 25. Mr. E. F. Verdery, receiver, for? mally delivered possession of the George? town and Lane's Railroad to its new owners yesterday. MT. Graves acting as the agent of the Bank of New York in receiving the property. The name of the road, it is understood, wif? be changed to the "Georgetown and West? ern Railroad"-a title somewhat more pretentious, if not indicative .of future possible extension to the doors of our smoke houses and corn cribs. The new management proposes to put the road io thorough order and equip it in first class style. Camden Journal. On Wednesday night of last week a meeting of railroad men was held in Columpia looking towards the consoli? dation of the C C. & C. E. R.. and the Georgia & Carolina Midland R R.. the latter road to connect with the C. C. & C. R. R. at Black's Station, and running from there to Augusta. We understand that a proposition was made by Col. Johnson, General Manager, of the C. C. & C. R R , but the terms are not yet made pub/lie. This would give three outlets to thc sea-one at Cbarles , tom via the S. C. R. R., one at Port Royal via the Port Royal R. R. from Augusta, and the other at Savannah via the Georgia Central R. R. Col. R A. Johnson says that track laying will be commenced on the C. C. & C. R. R. from Camden in about 30 days About thirty miles of iron for the road bas already been delivered at the depot in Camden. Newberry Herald. The Oconee people have raised a nice question in connection with the liquor license. Seneca is a dry town by act of the Legislature. An act of the Legis? lature submitting the question of license to the voters of the county was passed. And at a recent election the county voted for license. NOTT the questioo arises what becomes of the special act relating to the town of Seneca. Picken* Sentinel. If you have a town council have one with the courage of. its convictions. Seneca City has set an example in this respect well worthy of imitation. Not long since the town election was held without any reference whatever to the question of .license* or *no license' for the sale of whiskey, everybody thinking that question had been settled against whiskey by the law. When the council met and the mem? bers became acquainted with each other's position on this subject, the three who were in favor of barrooms de? cided they would issue license. Law? yers, pro and con, were sent for, elabo? rate arguments were made, citizens spoke and wrote against it, seventy-two of the whole seventy eight voters by petition, begged the council not to issue license. All the matrons and fair mai? dens of the town, tearfully and tremb? lingly made the same prayer. -But all to no purpose. One member of the council who was clerk and on the dry side, 'lowed be would thwart'em. He would not sign the ordinance. He was so suddenly impeached that he thought he was a butterfly crushed under the corporation seal. The dry men then obtained an injunction, but we dare say it bas been fired out of a cannon ere this, unless it was made returnable before the connell. If this council should take a notion to build the Seneca River bridge or navi? gate the Keowee, these enterprises would be accomplished. Judge Norton has granted an injunc? tion restraining Messrs. W. C- Miller, W. H. Cole and A. C. Bruce, members of the Town Council of Seneca, from granting license to retail spirituous liquors in that place. The persons named, after giving ten days notice, may move to have the injnncition dis? solved, when the case will come up on its merits, and be beard and decided by the Circuit Court. The people of Sen? eca have naturally enough become arouesd on this subject. The Tillman Movement. Laurens Advertiser. During the last political campaign this paper spent a great deal of time in trying to solve the problem as to what constituted the Tillman movement. We heard of 'Farmers' movement' on all sides, and yet if you asked one if it was a political movement, the bare sugges? tion would give offence. Then you would find a mao who without answer? ing the question would begin a ha? rangue as to the right of farmers to discuss politics, and such stuff as every man knows is true, and has never been doubted by any one. Those who had political aspirations swallowed the myth -movement-without knowing or car? ing to have any well defined idea of what the movement meant. At a recent meeting of the Tillman ites in Edgefield at which the grand Mogul was present, and it is stated, the lawyers and doctors present could have out-voted the farmers, the Agricultural and Mechanical Association was swal? lowed up by the Central (Movement) Club bodily, funds and property. In giving an account of this meeting the correspondent to the Register says : 4It was generally deplored that the great farmers' movement throughout the State had taken on so much politics. In fact it was acknowledged even by Till? man that the masses were laboring under thc sole misapprehension that the I main and ouly object of the movement was political.' We must admit that the Advertiser bas labored under this misapprehension which Mr. Tillman deplores. We thought the movement political and leave to our readers to say if, so far as this county is concerned, we had grounds for this belief. But this correspondent says further: 'They say, if it is necessary to have thc politics iu order to command the requisite interest and enthusiasm to ac? complish the reforms in the manner and i mode of farming and agricultural pur? suits, then wc must have the politics.^ If this be thc plan, wc despair of seeing any good results from the move- j uicnt. If thc farmers will have polit- \ ?cal clubs, (and we would prefer to hear them called Democratic Clubs) separate aod distinct from the Agricultural clubs, they might accomplish something. Raf when they combine the. two, after the heat of the political campaign is over,, thc whole thing tumbles to the grounds. A Mysterious Letter. Edgefidd Advertiser. ? Capt. W. H. Branson, oar most effi? cient and conscientious Post Master,, has recently received a latter from some person in Illinois, enclosing five dollars, which requests the Post Master at Edge field to deliver the money to Johnson Bland, E?q , if living, and if dead lo? one of his heirs. There is no name signed to the letter and conjecture ta? rife as to who sent it, and the whys,, and the wherefores. Glanders Among the HustangSv Aiken Journal and Review. Mr C. fl. Mathis, of Elko, informed us that some of the mustang ponies which had been sold in the country be? tween Elko and Barnwell were breaking" ant with glanders. Some of the ponies |?ere examined by an expert employed by the State, and be pronounced- the case genuine glanders. Chester Bulletin, May 27, The Lee Light Infantry armed1 ra' Washington safely last Sunday morn? ing. The boys had a pleasant trip aud are delighted with Washington. The National Drill is a succ?s? bat is not as largely represented with soldiers as was expected. The total number of men io camp is about 2.800, in seventy organizations. One-third of the total are Virginians. Thirty-four commands have entered the competition for infantry prixesv one of which is colored. Four eoiored companies are in camp, two fro? Vir? ginia and two from the District of Co? lumbia. The Washington Post io speaking of our company says : 'The Lee Light Infantry, of Chester, S. C., arrived in camp between sine and ten o'clock, and took possession of the tents they had sent on before. From the flag pole over the entrance to the officers' tent there floated an old battle worn, bat carefully preserved flag, which the company's regiment had car? ried to the Mexican war. It waa mach admired by the throngs of people who roamed the camping grounds yesterday. 'The company is armed wrtb the Springfield rifle and its uniform is of cadet-gray cloth, of the pattern .pre? scribed by the State of Sooth Carolina. The Lee Light Infantry will not com? pete for any of the prizes, but it ex? pect? to participate in all the reviews," dress parades and guard mountings, and all routine duties of the camp. Telling on Himself! Ex-Gov. John C. Sheppard- tells the following good story of how aud? why he followed a male. 'It was several years ago, and in the spring preceding a cam? paign season. The 'borny hand of the working man; was a popular refrain, and Mr. Sheppard, being a candidate in prospective, and not willing to admit? like thc Western candidate, that he was 'not much of a lawyer/ concluded that he could obscure a brilliant reputation: in that line by more brilliant achieve men ts as an agriculturist. Accordingly he had a male geared and hitched to a plow, and taking the lines placed him? self between the handles and directed the animal to the field selected for the day's operations. The field was directly on the big road, which fact, it was con? fidently expected, would prove a tramp card in wioning for him the cherished agricultural reputation. But alas ! for the vanity of human calculations, for to bis disappointment and utter disgust not a living soul passed the road daring the entire day. And with the day ended his walk between the plow has?, dies. But he was elected all the same. Results of Half a Century. Queen Victoria has been os thc English throne fifty years, hence the jubilee now in progress throughout thc royal dominions. It would, indeed, be a year of jubilee, as the New York Herald has suggested, were Her Majes? ty to convey to Parliament a wish that the experiment of home rule in Ireland should be tried ! When Victoria ascended the throne the area governed in India was 600.000 square miles ; 1,380.000 now comprise that area The population of European stock has increased from 300,000 to s 500,000; the native population has increased from 06,000.000 to 254,000, 000, and the revenues from 19,000, 000 to 71.000,000 pounds sterling. Her Majesty's colonies and dependen* cics have grown : in area governed, from 520,000 to 7,000,000 ; population of European stock from 1,800,000 to 9,500,000 ; colored population, 2,100, 000 to 8,000,000; State revenues, 5,000,000 to 51,000,000 pounds ster? ling. ^ ^ Good Farming. A. M. Agnew, of the Turkey Creek region, is plowing six milk cows sod will- make a fine crop. Last year ho worked a poor mule and one milk cow. He made enough to do him and $500 extra which he applied to a debt.-*Ab bcvillc Medium. The old story that the United States Government is about to pay for Confed? erate bonds has been started on the other side of thc Atlantic and is not only credited there, but has revived in certain credulous circles in this country a confidence in the future payment of these issues of the 'lost cause.' The new boom was started by a column advertise? ment, in the London Economist, a bank? ing paper of high stauding in England, addressed to the holders of Confederate bonds. It alleges that a New York lawyer has been employed to plea<i the case of the bondholders before Con? gress, and intimates that the case is a strong one, and the Government of the United States has rendered itself liable by forbidding the Confederate States to redeem thc bouds. It aka intimates that the people of the United States are gradually coming around to the idea that the debt is a just one and should be paid.