Mr. Gwynne wrote the obituary notice of Archibald Forbes, Mr. Fred W. Unger wrote a descriptive article called "The Inexpressible Veldt," and we were rejoiced once again to publish a contribution in verse by Mr. A. B. Paterson, of Sydney.
(_Edited by the War Correspondents with Lord Roberts' Force._)
No. 18. BLOEMFONTEIN, FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1900 [Price One Penny.
Monday or Tuesday, a pair of Field Glasses, a pair of Wire Cutters, and Leather Pouch. Please return same and claim reward.[16]
[Footnote 16: The victim of this bold theft out of our sanctum was Mr. James Barnes, our occasional contributor and assistant.]
The time by which Civilians have to be in their houses is extended to 9 p.m. on Sundays, to enable them to return from Church.
B. BURNETT HITCHCOCK, Lieutenant, Asst. Provost-Marshal to Military Governor. April 6th, 1900.
'Twas in the days of front attack, This glorious truth we'd yet to learn it, That every "front" has got a "back," And French is just the man to turn it.
A wounded soldier on the ground Was lying flat behind a hummock; He proved the good old proverb sound, "An army travels on its stomach!"
He lay as flat as any fish, His nose had worn a little furrow, He only had one frantic wish-- That like an ant-bear he could burrow.
The bullets whistled into space, The pom-pom gun kept up its braying, The four-point seven supplied the bass; You'd think the Devil's band was playing.
A valiant comrade crawling near Observed his most supine behaviour And crawled towards him, "Eh! what cheer? Buck up," says he "I've come to save yer!"
"You get up on my shoulders, mate! And if we live beyond the firing, I'll get a V.C. sure as fate, Because our blokes is all retiring.
"It's fifty pound a year," says he, "I'll stand you lots of beer and whisky." "No," says the wounded man, "not me, I won't be saved; it's far too risky!
"I'm fairly safe behind this mound, I've worn a hole that seems to fit me, But if you lift me off the ground It's fifty pound to one they'll hit me!"
So off towards the firing-line His mate crept slowly to the rear, oh! Remarking, "What a selfish swine! He might have let me be a hero!"
Our students of political economy have taught us that the constitution and laws of the old Free State were as nearly perfect as any that could be framed for a democracy.