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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1900)
W. ibL M l 1 H jte k 1 &.!'. 1! LOST 3 ON THE.... VELDT 3 v T v? r r w w k w k w CHAPTER VIII. (Continued.) Hut they were hardly prepared for the sight that met their eyes. In the nhclter of tho kopje, her face turned towards It, lay a young girl, her print gown torn and stained, her fnco llko that of the dead, her eyes closed, her hair falling In tangled masses about he.r face. She waa frightfully pale, and at first they thought she waa dead. "Feel her heart, Preston," Bald Oreone, la a whisper. "What an ema ciated creature! Is sho dead?" "I don't think bo," said tho other. "Quick! glvo mo somo water, Greeno!" Tho other obeyed, nnd Preston put nomo to the white, stiff Hps. Tho liquid seemed to bring back n feeble Dicker of life. Her eyelids .half closed, then shut again. "Quick! get her on my horse! Wo must tako her with us," said young Preston quickly. "Wo cannot leavo her here to die, oven It alio dies In our linnds. Help me, old follow!" Tho girl was a mcro featherweight. CJrccno uttered an exclamation as ho lifted her, They carried hor to Pres ton's horse, and managed to hoist her up In front of the saddle, Grccno hold ing her while Preston mounted, "It's nil right," said tho latter. "I think I can manngo. Oct Into your own saddlo nnd lot us rldo no quickly na wc can and rejoin tho men, Greene." "I hopo she won't dlo In our hands," said Greene, as ho tumbled Into his saddle. The two speculated ns to tho ex traordinary occurrence ns thoy rode onwards. They woro young, nnd hnd perhaps a touch of romance in their prosaic English hearts, and tho lin gering traces of beauty In tho seem ingly dead face hnd touched them more than thoy would havo confessed. "What's to bo dono with hor when wo get to camp? Wo havo no placo fit for a wounded girl, though our quarters may do for wounded men," said Greene. "Perhaps wo can got her sent to Ladysmlth. Sho could bo looked after thoro," tho othor answered, reflective ly. As they woro ncarlng tho camp, suddenly out of tho darkness It was coming down rapidly two horses whirled toward them, a white man and a native. "Unit! Who goes thoro?" said Pres ton, ub the former galloped right In front of him. Thon ho added, with an oxclamatlon: "Rothes, old chap, Is It you? What on earth aro you doing liero? And you look 111! Aro you 111?" Tho other horseman's faco was ghastly, nnd for a momont ho soomcd to stay In tho saddlo; hut, rocovorlng himself with a groat effort, ho pointed to tho rfguro Preston was supporting with his ono arm. "What havo you thoro?" ho nsked, hoarsely. "I lave boon for bIx days scouring the voldt between this and Harrlsmlth, Becking for somo ono who has been lost upon it; and now I fear you havo found something. For pity's fiako lot mo see her faco. Lloutcnant 1'reston!" Without a word the young man dis mounted, still holding tho lnanlmnto figure securely; thon, lifting hor down, ho laid her gently on tho dry- land. Adair Rothes, who had sprung from bis saddle, bent over hor. A sound that wns nlmoBt llko a wild cry came from hl3 Hps; but no one heard It but Arthur Preston. "It Is Bhoi" ho said In a momont, In a choked voice. "Thank Cod slio Is Btlll living! You will glvo hor Into my chargo, Lloutcnant Preston?" CHAPTER IX. Thoro was a fnrmhouso not far from Newcastle, .whoso owner, n kindly Scotsman, Adair Rothes had known since ho came out to Natal. It was thlthor ho carried Bluoboll, not knowing whothor she would live or die. Tho farmer, Mr. Dalzlol, learn Ing tho factB of tho case ho had nl rcady heard of tho tragedy of Now Kelso insisted on Bonding his "spi der" at onco for Miss Elizabeth, not withstanding tho unsettled stato of tho country. Bluebell was laid In n pretty white bed in tho llttlo bedroom, which opened, llko many South African bed rooms, out Into the garden; nnd thoro whe lay for many hours llko ono dead, with hnrdly a pulso to respond to Rothes touch. Tho tldo of hor llfo was very low; It could not bo much towor. When at last It began to rlso again, to his nlarm It was with a wildly dis ordered pulse. Sho was in n high fo- ver. and raved deliriously and without cessation. How much tho man watching hor with agonized eyes nnd racked heart was to learn of all tho poor child had como through! "Water, wntor"' sho would moan. "Not a drop! 0 Clod, let mo dlo soon! Don't let inn euduro this maddonlng thirst longer! Hark! that "vas a lion's roar! Oh, I hopo it was! Bettor to dlo nt onco! And thoy say ono doesn't feel pain. It Is llko a mouse in a cat's claws! Oh, anything anything bettor than this awful burning thirst! My throat. It's like a red-hot coal!" Thon she would imagine hcrsolt in Mporo's power. ill i&i iit ii k k fc il'it4tt4 I . A STORY OF THE $ BOER CAMPAIGN f IN NATALiX IS By H. B. Mackenzie . '. row ; ? w w w w w w k w "No, no! I Bhall dlo beforo I marry you die a thousand times rather! 0 Ood, Is thoro no help for mo? Help mo, merciful, kind Cod!" Then hor volco sank to n whisper. "If Adair were hero ah, lie would help mo! Ho Is good nnd brave. Hut ho will never know now that I loved him." The volco trembled a little, and thon si lence blessed Bllcnco came. And Adair Rothos, with trembling hands, nnd eyes full of passionate, longing tenderness, bont over tho un conscious girl with an ngonlzcd prayer. "Merciful Ood, spare her to mo, If It bo Thy will! My darling my own dnrllng! And sho cried to mo- In her extremity, nnd I did not know of It! Bluebell. Bluebell!" Miss Elizabeth arrived In tho spider twenty-four hours after, rtnd could only wring Rothes' hand In sllenco, hor thin, sallow, unlovely faco work ing convulsively. "God will spnro her, Miss Eliza beth," Rothes said huskily. "Wo both owe n debt wo can never repay to tho young fellow who found her, for you know It wns not I who did so. Wo might never havo seen her again but for Lieutenant Preston." Rothes know his duty lay In Lady smith, yet ho could not tear himself from Bluebell's sldo until ho know whether it wns to bo llfo or death. Mercifully, tho delirium did not last long, nnd on tho third day, after a long sleep, nho opened her oyes, that had full reason In them, upon hor aunt. "Auntie, whore am I? sho nsked feebly. Oh, what a fearful dream I havo had!" When MIbs Elizabeth ran for Rothes tho strong man felt himself trembling llko a child, lfb returned with her quickly, but ho could not speak when Bluebell's eyes roso to his. "I have had such a fearful dream, Dr. Rothes," aho whispered, hor eyes appealing with dumb pathos to his trustful ones. "I nm afraid It was a reality, though. In my father dead? Did Mr. Moore carry mo away? And was I dying in tho voldt?" "It is all truo" holding tho poor llttlo weak hand In his own strong ono "but, God ho thanked, you nro safe now safo and In good keeping. All you havo to do Is to get well." "Did you And me?" she whispered. And ho felt the little hand quiver. Ho hnd determined not to speak, but tho question upset nil his determi nations. Ho sank on his knees, hold ing tho llttlo hand to his Hps. "I was seeking for you six days, Bluoboll; but after all It was a young officer who found you nnd gave you to my keeping. Oh, Bluoboll, my henrt Is torn In two when I think of nil you have gono through and I uuablo to holp you not knowing at first you wantod help I, who would glvo my llfo to savo you pain! My darling! my own dnrllng!" A llttlo wavo of color spread over her whlto faco; hor throat fluttered. "You lovo mo, then?" sho whis pered. "I havo loved you over since I first met you at Marltzburg, Bluoboll; but I never dared to hopo. Bluoboll, It pcemB wrong to speak of It at this tor- rlblo time; but you do caro a llttlo, nftcr nil, about mo? do you?" Tho little, wastod hand stroked his check. "I lovo you with all my heart. Adair. I know It that awful night when tho Boors" shJ pnused, shuddering. "You'll tako caro of mo. and not let thnt dreadful man como near mo?" Ho folded tho hand to his breast, and, bonding, kissed again nnd again tho palo llttlo face, checks, and oyes and Hps, Rothos went back to Ladysmlth noxt day. Tho battle of Ela.idslaagto had takon place, and tho hospital In tho llttlo town was full. Mr. nnd Mrs. Dalzlcl woro kindness Itself, and Insisted on tho Leslies stay ing as long na over thoy fait inclined. On tho Hrst day on which Bluebell wns ablo to get up Adair Rothos np pcared. It was two days nftcr tho battle of Ladysmlth, of which word had been brought to tho Dnlzlols. Bluoboll welcomed htm with a blush and a smllo that mado Rothea' heart throb. But thoro waa somothlng In his faco which made Bluoboll's hoart fret with mingled fear nnd anxiety. "You have somo news? What Is it? Toll mo quickly, Adair!" sho breathed, lifting hor faco from Its hiding place, "Yes, my dnrllng," Rothos nnsworod slowly; "I havo strango news for you. I do not know how you will tako It, Bluoboll; somothlng very torrlblo hap pened at tho battlo pn Monday. Somo ono waa killed thoro somo ono whom you know!" "It wns Gerald Mooro!" said Bluoboll quickly. Sho turned very palo, and shivered a llttlo. "I wont up to him, whon tfio battle was nearly ovot hearing him groan ing. I did not know who he was till I was beside him. Ho was moaning for water, and I turned to got him Borne. As I did so n wounded Boor near called: 'Look out, doctor!' I stepped asldo, and as I did so a bul let whizzed past mo, striking my oar. I turned nnd saw Mooro on hla elbow, a look of such unnatural hatred on his faco as I shall never forgot, his gun atlll In btB hand. As I turned h ut tcrcd a strango sound, the gun dropped from his hand, and he fell back ott the grassy knoil. When I reached him ho was dead!" With a llttlo cry Bluebell folded hor arms nbout her lover's neck. "Oh, Adair, thank God! thank God, you woro saved!" For a few minutes Rothes did not speak. His strong mouth quivered a little. At last ho cald: "Now comeB tho strange news I have for you, Bluebell. Papers were found upon Gerald Mooro, and tho officer into whoso hands thoy fell the general, Bluebell sent for me. He knows mo personally, nnd knows what you aro to me. Thoso papers affect you, nnd you only." 'A'.'alr, what can you mean?" sho nsked, In.stnrtlcd surprise. Adnlr took hor hand In his, and held It for a moment without speaking. "A barrier has risen up between you nnd mo, Bluebell a barrier such as I never dreamt of. I am a poor man you nro nn holress." Sho uttered an incredulous exclama tion. "It 1b true, Bluebell. Now wo have tho real reason of Mooro's determina tion to marry you. Ho had seen an ad vertisement in nn English paper, gono homo, learned everything, nnd camo hero with his mind (Irmly mado up as to his own course. As you know, your fnther nlwnys declared ho had been dono out of Tlnlavorstock. Ills cousin has had It In his possession for fifteen years. Maurlco Lcsllo had thrco sons. Your father never hoped to como into tho property; but, by n strango fatal ity, these sons havo nil died since. Maurlco Leslie, on. whoso mind it al ways preyed that ho had cheated your father out of his inheritance, has mado you his heiress. You not your fa ther." "Oh, Adnlr!" Tho girl clung to him, hor armB clasped round his neck. "I do not wish to bo an holress. I am happier as I am." 'It seems," said Rothes, "that your father's cousin died n few months ago. The lawyers are now searching for you. You must wrlto to them, Blue- boll. And I havo been thinking, dear, you-and Miss Elizabeth aro safer out of the country Just now. Wc must got you to Durban, thenco to Scotland." Sho uttered a llttlo cry, hor. face deathly white. "Adair! You wish to get rid of me, then? Oh, and I thought I thought you loved me!" Ho clasped hor closo, covorlng tho sweet faco with passionate kisses. "My own darling! But, Bluebell, do you think I am so selfish as to wish to kvop you hero during this dark time that Is coming upon us, when you might bo living in luxury nnd safety at homo?' "And yon in dangor, doing your duty hero?" she half sobbed. "Adair, aro you to havo all tho unselfishness and I nono? No, dear, I shall not go. I havo made up my mind." Thoy were married. Tho bride's fa ther had been but n month In his lone ly grave, and they wcro themselves In tho midst of that dark tragedy which had not then ended. But human lovo, next to divine, can lighten tho dark est sorrows nnd tho most terrible sur roundings. 'You ajo not nfrald," ho said, as, having bado farewell to tho weeping Miss Elizabeth, who had agreed to go moantlmo to Marltzburg, he led Ills wlfo Into tho pretty llttlo house that was beginning to look dcsolato and deserted in tho forsaken town. Sho raised her sweot faco to his. Her eyes wero full of tears, but they hnd a smllo In their depths. "I am sad at parting with poor auntie," sho whispered. "But I am glad, so glad, to bo beside you, Adair, and I am not afraid with you, dear. Why Bhould I bo. Wo nro togethor, nnd God la nil ovor, and He can tako caro of us In tho future as Ho has in the past." (Thn end.) Men's flhnrtroiiiliiK. A current monthly puts tho blamo of men's faults on women. It says: "Women make society; they aro ac countable largely for tho faults of tho malo portion of it, at least for tho growth nnd extent of fault. If men full short It is becauso women have not domanded higher standards. And It tho woman who works Is not treated with tho samo courtesy ns oho whose dollcn:oly gloved hand holds her own bank book, It la tho fault of that same dainty hand, which Is not held out In kind comradeship to ono thnt wlolda pencil or scissors. Men get their cuo from woman's treatment of women But mon nre rnrely unkind; theirs is rather tho nbsenco of kindness; nnd of tho two, tho latter woro preferable Ktivero SritU'i iiatruutloun. Thero Is a certain lawyer who jn hla youthful daj'B liked to y hookoy occasionally. Onco being required to bring n written excuse ho applied to a clnssmato to holp him out. So his friend wrote: "Dear Mrs. G.: Plcaso glvo Sam a whipping, and obllgo hla mother," nnd scaled It. Sam handed it In, perfectly satisfied; but Imagine his consternation whon tho teacher proceeded to carry out Instruction. All importunities were of no avail. Sam caught a whipping nnd loarned not to pluy hookey again. Worked llurtl fur II. "You scorn to havo quite a sum in your bank, Bobby," remarked tho visl tor. "Yes," said Bobby; "ma gives mo 10 conts a week for coming to the tablo with clean hands and faco." "Ton conts Is n good denl ot money far a llttlo boy to earn every week." "Yoh, ma'am, but I hare to do a ixrgi amcttut ot work for it." THE PATRIOT SPY. FRANCIS M. FINCH. To drum beat and heart beat A soldier marches by; There Is color In his check, There Is courngo In his eye; Yet to drum beat and heart beat. In a moment ho must die. By star-light and moon-light He seeks tho Briton's camn. Ho hoars the rustling flag And the armed sontrv'H tramn: And tho star light and moon light Ills silent wanderings lamp. With slow tread and still tread, . He scans the tented line; And ho counts tho battery guns By tho gaunt nnd shadowy plno, And his slow tread and still tread Glvo no warning sign. The dark wave, tho plumed wavo! It meets his eager glance, And it sparkles 'ncath the stars Llko tho glimmer of n lance, A dark wave, tt plumed wave, On an emerald expanse. A sharp clang, a steel clang! And terror In tho sound, For tho sentry, falcon-eyed, In tho camp a spy hath found; With a shnrp clang, a steel clang Tho patriot is bound. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo LEXINGTON AND ITS COMMON oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Tin village ot Lexington lies about ton lilies northwest of Boston. The first settlement was made there in IG40 near tho alto of what afterwards bocamo known ns tho Buckman Tav ern. Thoro still remain In tho village several well-preserved houses which woro standing nt tho tlmo of tho bat tlo of Lexington 125 years ago. They havo been well cared for and havo un dergone llttlo change. Thoy add much to tho historic lntorest of tho placo and nro annually visited by thousands of tourists. Tho locnl historical society has placed tablets on them enumerat ing tho dates and facts of especial In terest. Lexington Common Is In tho form of n trlanglo and stands nearly in tho center of tho village. At the tlmo of tho light on April 19, 1775, It wns nn open space and used as a drill ground for tho militia. Today it is a beautiful park. At tho southom end ot tho trl nnglo Is what Is known as tho Pulpit monument, In tho form of a granite pedestal surmounted by an open Bible. This monument stands on tho site ot tho first thrco' churches built by tho ;:olonists. Just behind It, properly protoctod, Is n thrifty elm which wns set out by Gon. Grant 25 years ago on tho centennial anniversary ot the battle. Near tho northwest corner of tho Common Is tho Mlnuto-men mon ument, at tho foot ot which aro burled thoso killed in tho battle. It Is quaint ly Inscribed nnd bears tho names ot thoso whoso Inst resting plnco It marks. In 1824 Lafayetto was given a public reception lit front ot this monument, and fourteen survivors of Tflpt. Parker's men shook bands with htm. Noar tho northeast corner of tbo Common Is a huge boulder mark With calm brow, steady brow, Ho listens to his doom; In his look thero Is no fear, Nor a shadow-traco of gloom; But with calm brow, and steady brow, He robes him for tho tomb. In the long night, tho still night, He kneels upon tho sod, Aid the brutal guards withhold E'en tho precious Word of God; In the long night, tho Btlll night, Ho walks whore Christ has trod. 'Neath the blue morn, the sunny mom, Ho dies upon tho tree, And ho moumB thnt ho can lose But one life for liberty; And In the blue morn, the sunny morn, His splrlt-wlngs nro free. But his last words, his message words, They burn, lest friendly eye Should read how proud and calm A patriot could die, With his last words.hls messago words, A soldier's battle-cry! From Fame Leaf and from Angel Leaf, From Monument and Urn, Tho sad of earth, tho glad of heaven, His history shall learn, And on Fame Leaf and Angel Leaf The namo ot Halo shall burn. ing tho plnco whoro Parker's mon wero drawn up. Engraved on the boulder Is a musket and Capt. Packer's com mand to his men. The original church on tho Common hnd no steoplc nnd a belfry was erect ed near by. In 17G1 a new bolfry was erected on Belfry hill, just to tho wo3t of the' Common. From this belfry rang out tho alarm on that momorablo morning 123 years ago. Tho belfry remained on tho hill until 1791; then LEXINGTON BELFRY. (From which rang out tho alarm on tho night of April 18, 1775, warning tho Americans that tho British sol dlora wero on their way from Bos ton.) It was removed to tho Common and Its bell was used to summon the pea- pla to worship, to toll for their funer nls, and to to.ll them nt 9 o'clock each night that it 'was tlmo to rako up tho flres'nnd go to bed. In 1797 it was bought by a son of Capt. John Purker and removed to his homestead, re maining thero for nenrly a century. Then it was purchased by tho Lex ington Historical society, restored to its original appearance and replaced on Belfry hill. Three buildings of great historical THE HANCOCK-CLARK HOUSE, LEXINGTON, MASS. interest stand one opposite each of tho thrpo sides ot tho Common. To tho enst Is tho Mcrrlam House, known at tho tlmo as tho Buckman Tavern, tho rendezvous of tho minute-men. It was flred on by" tho British regulars and tho bullet holes can still bo seon. To tho west of tho Common Is tho Monroo house, built In 1728. A bullot passed through tho glass over tho door and Imbedded itself In n bureau. Tho bureau, bullet and all, Is in tho possession of one ot Monroo's descend ants at Chicopce, Mass. At the north of the Common Is the Harrington houso.at tho door of which tho original owner died with his head in hla wife's lap tho morning of April 19. 1775. Only 100 rods northeast of tho Com mon is the famous Hancock-Clark house Tho original part of the house, which Is now tho rear L, as shown In tho Illustration, was erected In 1C93 by Rov. John Hancock. His son built tho two-story front In 1734. After Rev. John Hancock's death it passed into tho hands of Rov. Jonas Clark, who had married Hancock's grnnddaugh. tor. Tho ministry of John Hancock nnd Jonns Clark extended ovor a pe riod of 103 years. Young John Han cock and Samuel Adams wcro hiding with Rov. Jonas Clark In this house when warned to fleo by Paul Revere. A. M. D. Hindoo Aro Vegetarian. Tho Hindoo Is a strict vegetarian. Tho low cnslo Hindoo is a fatalist. So, when tho fnmlno stnlks abroad tho Hindoo submits uncomplainingly. Day by day he will subsist on less food, un til nt last, when a mero shndow, ho will drag hla bony self to n relief sta tion. Thero ho may got food or ho may not. If not, he crouches in somo corner, or out In tho Holds, under tho trees nnd nwalts tho coming of death. Mule Cutclini Turtle. A mulo patrols tho beach nt St. Augustine, Flu., In quest of turtles. When sho has found ono sho turns it on Us back, and then ambles oft to inform her master. A man nover accomplishes much till ho has got somothlng behind him to be ashamed of.