220 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



an ancient cathedral. Obstinately refusing to come 

 under cover, or even to keep himself comparatively 

 dry by squatting under the kraal hedge, he would stand 

 for hours out in the rain, looking ill-used and woe- 

 begone ; a picture of squalid, unlovely poverty. 



We really pitied the old bird, and regretted our 

 inability to give him daily the fresh meat which, in 

 spite of frequent disappointments, he never failed to 

 claim, noisily and importunately, as his right. He 

 would come walking excitedly into the kitchen or 

 bedroom, clamouring, with all the persistence of 

 Shy lock, for his pound of flesh ; or would run after 

 Wells as the latter went to chop wood, knocking 

 against his legs, getting in his way to attract attention, 

 and keeping up his horrible clock-work noise, till we 

 wondered that that most patient and even-tempered 

 of men, with the hatchet so handy, was not provoked 

 into chopping off his head. 



At last a long drought set in, and poor Jacob came 

 still further down in the world ; for, as the ground 

 hardened, and vegetation dried up, the " mice and rats 

 and such small deer" of the veldt became more scarce, 

 and he had to travel longer distances in search of 

 his prey. We did all we could for him, and kept 

 quite a battery of mousetraps constantly set for his 

 benefit; but, compared with his enormous demands, 

 all we could give him was but as a drop in the ocean, and 

 we felt that he despised us for our meanness. He grew 

 daily more morose, and would vent his ill-humour by 

 picking quarrels with the dogs and other creatures 



