Page 70 Advertisements Column 1

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 70

" Well, madamo, as Eugene Field said of himself, I was livin' in a tree when I was caught. I'm only a semi-civilised American. If you wish to appeal to my finer instincts, they perished long ago in the stress of this campaign. But if you will indicate in what manner " " Oh, you silly, talking fool. Do you know ■who I am? I am his widow." She pointed to the pictuic on the wall. "Was he killed in this war?" asked Corbetr. "You have my sincsresl " "No! no! no! I want some papers from this, ofiice. Gert, go to the office and get them." Ccrbett rolled one eye at the young Dutchman " Mister Gert? "he paid. '' Happy to make your acquaintance. This places the pffair on a different footing. May I ask you— mumwhere you come in?" " Compositor," said Gert of the black finger nails, without stirring. | '' Then I'm afraid your friend will be apt to loss a com.p. if you act on her instructions. Nothing in the office must be touched till the i arrival of "' " I tell you in three week? you will be_ driven out of Blocmfontein and s-hot to pieces ! 1 tell you there will not be a rooinek left in the country ! .1 tell you I will remeniber -this when you go' to prison for the winter ! 'it will be cold in the iron shed?. You will see ! Let me take away my prb, ate letters. rSTou only-want money. ?ou can sell all the '"Hullo!" said the ' Honourable 'Wilfred Daubeny, captain of the staff of the Fieldmafshai Ccmmanding-iii-cliic'. torn by Vincent fiK)m h«> firss fair meal in three weeks. j?e was as filthy as the ie.-t of the army. In one hand ho held a stick of avanturiuo sealing-wax, and in the olhev a cheap glass seal of Fieucli manufacture, representing a dovo with an olive branch o^cr the legend "Amour '"—all fished out -of President Steyn's pen-tray. "Thank God," said Corbett, fervently. "This gentleman, madame, will be only too happy to talk to you in the office — aver yonder.' Have you brought tho proclamation, Vincent? Youmusc se- v it i;p at once. Go on, Daubeny. You'll like her." He indicated the ofiice at the far end of the prosf room, and wiped his brow. " For undiluted erazinecs, Vincsnt, your war lays over our Cuban businesses. I can't say mere than that." Vincent produced ' a printed sheet ana paused, screwing up his short-sighted blue eyes. " How the deuce doss or.c commandeer a paper?" said he. t " There's -no precedent, if that's what s troubling you," said Corbett. "The English arc unhappy without precedents, I know. Let me try. Mister Gert and Co. '. in the name of God. and the 'Constitution of the United States — beg pardon, Vincent. I forgot it wasn't my war. Oh, yes. There's a loreman. So there is. What's youi name? " "AUen." . " That's a good start,.. said Vincsnt. " Now, Mr' Allen, set up this proclamation quick. It's for tc-day." „ "Have 3'ou any preferences about type? eaid Allen, smiling in spite oi himself. •• Type— type ! Oh, nice fat, black type, said Vincent. „"Here have I been a journalist all my'life7-and I don't 'know one type from,, another, Corbett." "'There's Grady outside," said the American. " He's been in the business. Appoint him to the staff at once. Hi, Grady ! You're appointed /sub-editor of > u he Blnomfontein Despatch. Come in and sub-edit." " I waE looking for you," said Grady of tho Unlimited Wire, dismounting. "Did you try to produce a paper without me? You journalist? You're a lot of penny-a-liners. Not half a bad plant, either." He sniffed round the office critically. " When you ye quite dono your professional article perhaps you'll help ns to bring out this dam proclamation," said Vincent. "Bobs* wants it thrown broadcast at Brother Boer as soon as possible. It won't enlighten Brother Boer, but it will please Bobin?." "Leave me alone; I'm drinking." Then to 'Allen, who was sorting the copy into takes. " Just use your old advertisements and any standing matter you've got " " It's no just likely to suit the present situation. It's sayin' that ye used natives fra Injia agains,t us." "We didn't," said Grady. " Personally, I think it was a, great mistake. A few Pathans would have done you a lot of good — but we 'happen to be a moral people. No, the standing matter is probably xisoless. Got any old ads. — stereo, matter? "There's the National Museum notice — an' hero's a Vereeniging coal advertisement," said Allen. "But they've commandeered all tho coal there an' it's a far cr3" to Vereeniging." I _ "Never'"mind." 'said. Corbett, -sitting on the table. "We'll be at Veresniging soon, and the National Museum's the one place I've always wanted to Eee. Look among the £. l creos." "Good old Melin!" said Vincent, turning over a pile of plated slabs. " ' The natural fcod for a babe is mother's milk.' My God ! D'you remember those kids at Kimberley afler the relief, Grady, an' the row of babies' graves?" "Yes," Grady answered, with a sudden ferocity. He had been five months in the field. " And the refugee trains, too. Here, you! "" — to AUen, who -jumped ot the change of tone. lT Lord Roberts's proclamation goes, in English and Dutch, on the front page. Fill in the rest with old advertise- i nients. Bring me a pi oof when you've done. You're responsible that the thing looks decent, and God help you if you try to play any funny tricks on uc. ' j "I'm not in the habit o' shirkin' my work," said Allen, stoutly. "I'm tick of it," Grady went on. "Kimberley and Ladysmith had to stand it, and Maf eking' s standing it now, but the minute these brutes get the worst of it they hang up a Union Jack and Bobs fawns on 'cm — simply fawns on 'em! Look at his proclamation. He'll be sorry for it before he's done. I know the Dutch." Here the Honourable Wilfred Daubeny came out of Dessauer's office sucking a burnt llmmb. " She's a lunatic — an absolute ravin' lunatic," he Faid, "an' this beastly stuff has droprced all over me. Must I seal everything here? There isn't much woxleft, and "—" — ha looked round the office — " what's the idea o' the operations?" - " Steyn's forgotten to take away about a ton of most interesting documents from his house/ said Vincent. " I saw the Intelligence department looking almost intelligent over it Ibis afternoon. Perhaps we shall Gnd something nice here." Allen was setting up the sentence — " The British Government believe that this act of aggression was not committed with the general approval and free will of a people with whom it ha=! lived in complete amily for so many years." He glanced at the portrait of tho late Mr Bergmaun, thought of the 3asuto proclamation, and aroaned.