FUHEST AND STREAM. 
at night, was identically the same, with this addition, they 
would never allow a lawyer to appear before them. Con- 
sequently, there was no pleading; nothing but the evi- 
dence allowed, and at its conclusion, a decision was given, 
with the distinct understanding that it was final. 
Just as I expected, the trial came oflf within a week's 
time, and I accompanied my young friends up to De 
Beers new rush on the night it was to take place, but 
was not allowed to enter the committee's tent, as they 
only admitted the contestants and their witnesses. After 
patiently listening to a mass of evidence on both sides, the 
decision was rendered that the claim should be equally 
divided between the litigants. The tent was immediately 
cleared, in order to make roortx^or the next party of dis- 
putants, while the youngster and myself started on onr 
three-mile walk back to Du Toit's Pan. On our way I 
was nfTered the rental of one-half of the jwingster's share, 
equal to one-fourth of the entire claim, at the usual price 
of 50 per cent, of my finds. I immediately accepted the 
proposition, and the next morning moved up to the 
New Rush, accompanied by my young friends, where the 
tent was pitched on the outer edge of the camp, and the 
American flag was duly raised. The surveyor was 
punctually on hand, to divide the claim, and a coin tossed 
for the choice. The boys won, and making their selec- 
tion, measured off one-half of it, to be worked by my- 
self. It took seA'^eral days for January and myself 
to clear it of the rubbi-sh, which had been thrown on it 
from tlie neighboring claims. We had to lug this in sacks 
nearly 200 yards. When it w-as finally ready for worlcing 
I concluded to invest in a proper sieve, having hitherto 
worked with a common riddle. Paying £1 for a board 
20 feet long by 8 inches wide. I used the half of it to 
construct a frame, on which was stretched wire netting 
fine enough to catch a half-carat stone. I was just in 
the act of finishing it. wlien a j^oung Englishman came 
along and inquired my price for making a similar frame ; 
as he had the netting on hand, I asked him £1, which 
proved satisfactory, whereupon it was delivered inside of 
half an hour, and I calculated that the cost of my frame 
was nil, and .^lugiired that my luok had changed sud- 
denly to up-grade. Putting a couple of wheelbarrow- 
like handles to one end of my sieve, and sawing a couple 
of notches in the bottom of the sides at the other end. I 
figured, by planting a couple of stakes with a bit of raw^- 
hide loosely strung between them, to insert tlie hide into 
the notches, and working back and forth with the handles, 
save a deal of back-breaking labor. The first test proved 
that my conjecture was correct, and in comparatively a 
short time my idea v/as in general use throughout the 
diggings. 
It was not long before it was discovered that the 
New Rush mine was surrounded by a well-defined reef, 
and all who had located their claims outside of it ,%lrew 
blanks in the diamond lottery. Consequently, they, were 
abandoned for mining purposes, but immediately reoccu- 
pied for sifting and sorting by parties working on the 
inner side of the reef. As every one had to leave 7 feet 
6 inches of the fronts of their claims for roads, there were 
wagon or cart ways 15 feet wide, crossing the mine regu- 
larly at a little less than 50 feet apart. As. I had not 
sufficient capital to invest in a cart and pair of mules, I 
selected a spot on the outside of the reef for sifting 
and sorting, to which all the dirt had to be carried in 
sacks on our backs, as hundreds of others were doing. 
We had been working in this way for several days, when 
one morning, just as we were beginning to sift and 
sort, one of the youngsters said to me : 
"Dad, I'll bet you a cigar that you don't find a diamond 
lo-day." 
"Done, my boy." 
The words had scarcely passed my lips when a sparkler 
rolled out on my sorting board which made me catch my 
breath. After gazing at it for a few seconds, I said : 
"Charlev, I've won your cigar." 
"Oh, that's too thin. Dad!" 
"Very well ! If I've found a diamond, can I have it 
without paying rental?" 
This made him rise up and look over my shoulder, and 
catching sight of the diamond, he attempted to snatch it 
up, l)ut I was too quick for him, and in a twinkling it 
was in tny mouth. In less than an hour afterward, it had 
been weighed and sold, turning the scales at 11^ carats 
and bringing me £180, one-half of which I had to pass over 
for rental, but the remaining £gp jingling in my pocket 
made me feel quite opulent, and I indulged in some pleasant 
anticipations of additional good luck in my little 31 feet by 
7 foet 9 inch bit of rented ground. From that date for- 
ward I made it a rule to sell my diamonds as fast as I 
found them, reasoning that so long as I held the crystals 
I could not compute ray wealth, but so soon as I had 
the sovereigns in hand, there was no difficulty in figuring 
my financial status. For some time after the opening of 
the mines, all diamonds were sold to speculators, who 
sent them to Cape Town, where they were sold at auc- 
tion to other speculators, who forwarded them to Europe. 
My faith in my wee bit of ground did not prove to be 
erroneous,- as my finds kept rtmning ahead of my ex- 
penses, and I was able to begin paying back to my friend 
the variolic amounts he had advanced, while I was fighting 
against tl^ frowns of fortime. I was anxious to have a 
Kaffir or two, but native labor was so very scarce and 
costly that it was some time before I determined to risk 
it. I had been on the lookout for several day.s, w^hen 
January came to me one morning with the information 
that he had given shelter during the night to a country- 
man, who had run away from his Boer employer on ac- 
count of receiving a terrible thrashing for some trifling 
bungling. On calling him him up I saw that he bore 
the marks of severe punishment, and I took him into my 
service from pure pity, and I never had occasion to re- 
gret it, as GiraflFe proved to be one of the best and 
most trustworthy Kaffirs I ever employed. 
As time progressed and our good luck continued, the 
boys and myself determined to join three other coimtrj'-- 
men in forming a mess, instead of taking our meals at a 
tent restaurant, as we had been in the habit of doing. A 
Hindoo was hired to act as cook ,and in a short time our 
bill of fare Avas changed for the better, at a less cost than 
we had been accustomed to pay. Bread and meat were 
comparatively cheap, but all vegetables were scarce and 
high priced. For instance, potatoes were worth £1 per 
bushel. Suddenly we became salad crazed, and I de- 
termined to try and produce the article, fresh and crisp. 
As everjf Saturday afternoon was a holiday in camp, I 
determined to make it to the Kaffirs' interest, both 
bodily and financially, to work, instead of remaining idle. 
Laying off a piece of ground back of our tent, 30 by 50 ; 
feet, I had it surrounded by a ditch and bank, the top oi 
which was crowned with a hedge of dry thorn bushes, in 
order to keep out the goats, of which there were quite. 
a number in camp. While this work was in progress, I, 
wrote down to Natal and had some garden seeds mailed" 
to me, and by the time they arrived my garden was 
thoroughly broken up and ready to receive them. I 
purchased an old ale cask, knocked out one of the heads 
and used it as a reservoir of all the slops, etc., which 
would Ihave been tossed away. From this source was 
obtained enough moisture to keep the vegetables in fair 
condition, so that in comparatively a short period I had 
the only green spot of groimd in the whole camp, and 
our mess enjoyed salads, radishes and occasional dishes 
of dwarf beans and peas. We had numerous visitors, 
especially on Sunday afternoons, who came simply to 
feast their ej^es. Among them were several old navvies 
who were in Hard luck, and at my suggestion, went down 
on the banks of the Modder River, where they could 
irrigate, and started small vegetable gardens, which proved 
more profitable than many diamond claims, as the first 
cucumbers which they produced brought $1.25 each, and 
other vegetables in like proportion. 
Fr.^nk J. Thompson. 
Sam's Boy.-XIV. 
School Days. 
Sammy's school education was like that of most Danvis 
boys of his generation got in the district school; taught 
in summer by a mistress; in winter, hy some College, 
student, who took this way of earning his tuition fees. 
As such Mr. Horace Mumpson first came to teach a 
winter term in "Deestrict Thirteen," or the "Hill Dees- 
tric'," as well known by one title as the other. He re- 
turned the next winter and the next, and again after his 
graduation, instead of beginning the study of what Solon 
Burroughs called a "puffession," Uncle Lisha explained 
this on the ground that "Mr, Mumpson wa'n't meaO;: 
enough tu be a lawyer, nor tough enough tu be a darkter 
or a minister, and lufted for tu teach school." At any- 
rate, he taught the same school term after term in the 
winter, until he became as regular a winter fixture of the 
battered old schoolhouse as its cracked and rusty old 
stove. The pale, soft-eyed, gentle-mannered young man 
was honored and respected by his pupils, though there 
was not a sixteen-year-old boy among them who could not 
throw him "arm'ii len'th" or "side holt," and he was such 
a favorite with the parents that each household in the 
district counted the weeks till.he should beoSril^ a member 
of it in "boardin' 'I'aoun'." ^ ' - ? 
The summers brought changes and,. variety, when a 
female was employed on the base of economy. Sometimes 
it was a gaunt, sharp spinster, who was a "school marm" 
by profession or long habit of never doing anything else,- 
She was always a zealous church member, and generally 
on the lookout for a bereaved deacon or class leader. 
Sometimes it was a fresh young girl who took this way 
tOi earn a little spending money or to help in the support 
of a large brood of younger children. . ; • ■ > 
Sammy was seven years old when, with his face freshly 
scrubbed and clothes unconifortably new and clean,, his 
mother led him unwillingly to school and put hiiji in 
charge of Miss Almira Skinner, a lady of many years' ' 
experience in life and school, teaching, which had not 
sweetened her tempei- nor increased her l6ve of children." 
By great good fortune he was assigned a seat from which 
he could reach the floor with his feet, and a desk that he 
could rest his new spelling book upon, and derived much 
satisfaction from scratching and carving various devices 
in addition to the countless ones it already bore. Huldah 
insinu.ated enough of her ample form into the space be- 
tween the desks to maintain an uneasy hold, while 
Sammy's lesson of three-lettered words was given him 
and until his eyes wandered from it to watch the elfish 
tricks of. Antoine's numerous progeny making defiant- 
grimaces and shaking their fists at the school mistress 
when her back was turned, and instantly fixing their black 
eyes demurely on their books when she faced them ; . 
when his entranced gaze became held by the naughty 
pantomime, .she violated the maternal instincts in with- 
holding reproof, and in slipping stealthily from the seat 
and out of doors. Then, with her heart smiting her. for 
deserting her boj', she sped guiltily homeward. 
It was not long before Miss Skinner's sharp eyes- dis- 
covered Sammy's, neglect of his work, and she repri- 
manded him so sharply that it appalled him, being, as 
he supposed, in the presence of his mother. What 
might he expect when left to his own weak defense, and 
lo, when he might turn his head ah instant frorh his 
book, she was gone! His heart sank from his body 
and left in its place the sickness of utter loneliness. The 
moment strength enough came back to his weak legs, 
without a thought of proprieties or consequences, he 
dashed wildly from his seat out of doors, and down the 
road at top speed, never heeding the imperative tattoo 
beat by Miss Skinner with her ferule on the shingles of 
the school-house wall, nor her shrill command, "Come 
back, this minute!" 
On he went, like a wild bird escaped from a cage, nor 
ever checked his pace till, panting and sobbing, he burst 
into the shop and threw himself upon a pile of leather. 
"Wh}% good airth an's seas, child alive! what is the 
matter of you? I s'posed you was tu school!" the old. 
shoemaker cried in great .sm-prise, 
Sammy hung his head and made no answer. 
"I hope aour man hain't been duin' naughty an' got 
a whippin' the very fust day he ever went tu- school, an' 
in the mornin' tew," his old friend inquired, wi.th a 
shade of reproach in his tone. . • 
Sammy shook his head. 
"Kinder lunsome, mebby?" 
The downcast head nodded. 
"But I thought his mammy went 'long for tu. wont- 
him, an' sorter smooth ofT the paigs?" 
"But she come off when I didn't know it," Sammy 
answered, coming to speech at last. "I was lookin' at 
Mr. Antoine's younguns cuttin' up shines, an' the school 
s 
marm gi' me a-scoldin'. an' I couldn't help it. I hed 
tu^eomel Oh, dear! I hate the plaguey ol' school, an' 
do' want tu go!" The poor boy broke down, sobbing 
SO: loudly that Uncle Lisha was afraid he would be: 
heard in the kitchen. 
"S-s-s-sh! They'll hear us a-talkin' on in the other 
room!" he whispered, as audibly. "Le's us sneak oflE 
'fore they du. I wish 't I hed me cut in here, but my 
shirt's tol'able clean— put 't on yist'day!" he remarked, 
inspecting the sleeves, as he slipped off his apron and 
drawing down his chin and the corners of his mouth in 
an odd grimace to assist him in fretting a better view 
of his shirt front. Then carefully brushing his trousers 
and washing his hands as well as he could in the 
soaking tub, he put on his hat, and led Sammy out of 
doors, the little boy wondering silently what was to 
come of it; with a sickening dread in his heart of what 
might be the import. 
They took a roundabout way, as much out of sight of 
the kitchen as possible, till the road was reached, and 
then conversation was resumed. 
"Be you goin' tu take me back there, Uncle Lisher?" 
Sammy ventured to ask in a quavering tone. 
"Why, yes, course T be! What would his folks say .if 
they knowed he'd run awa]'?" 
"I'm goin' tu run furdeir nex' time, an' go tu sea on 
a ship, same as you tol' mt your brother did. You see 
"I don't!" said Sammy, desperately. 
"He'd git awful tired o' runnin' so fur," Uncle Lisha 
said. 
"Did you uster haf tu go tu school?" Sammy asked. 
"In course. Everybody hes tu 't can, or we wouldn't 
know no more'n dumb beasts." 
. "They git along jes' as well as folks." 
"They can't read no good books, nor write no letters 
tu one nuther." 
^|Did you lufter go, Uncle Lisher?" Sammy asked. 
"No I didn't, more's the pity," the old man answered 
honestly. "Only for what fun I got aouten playin' noons 
an' re-cesses, an' cuttin' up in school time, not till the 
last winter 'fore I went tu larn my trade an' couldn't 
go no more. Then I duffed in like a good feller, an' 
lufted tu." 
"Did you ever run away, Uncle Lisher?" Sammy asked, 
^anxiously. 
^"More'n oncte, I'm feared I wa'n't none tew good," 
Uncle Lisha confessed. 
."An' did you git licked fust?" 
■ "Never missed on 't, an' as if that wa'n't 'nough, I 
ketched it ag'in when I got hum, That was the fashion 
them days." 
"Tou s'pose she'll lick me?" Sammy made out to ask. 
"I'm feared she'd 'most or tu. It's turrible for tu 
cut an' run the way you did," said the old man, sorrow- 
fully, and poor Sammy's thoughts were too busy with 
-the approaching ordeal for further questions. 
..•"Mornin', marm," Uncle Lisha gave greeting, as he 
rapped on the casing of the open door. 
Miss Skinner responded rather coldlv. looking curi- 
ously at the elderly visitor, and glancing at his small 
companion with a tightening of her thin lips. 
"We got took humsick sudden, so we cut stick for 
hum, but we're shamed on't naow, an' begs pardon, 
marm, an' won't du so ag'in." Uncle Lisha pushed 
Sammy gently before him, and made it plain to Miss 
Skinner in pantomine that he did not intend the apology 
to include himseK. 
"He was a very naughty boy," she remarked, with 
severity. 
;?"Yes, -marm," Uncle Lisha cheerfully admitted, "but 
It's the fust time we ever went tu school, an' everything's 
kinder odd an' mismated, which it bein' the case an' 
aour age hein' only seven, goin' on eight, we're a-hopes- 
m' you won't pinch aour toes tew hard a-gittin' broke 
ill, but -kinder -give the luther a chance tu stretch grad- 
wel." 
Miss Skinner uttered a non-committal "M-m— hm," 
and asked, "Be you the child's payrent or guardeen?" 
She taught grammar to her more advanced pupils, but 
otherwise had little use for it. 
"Wal, no, marm, not any one. Me an' my ol' womern 
liv^s tu his father's, an' I shoemake for a livin'. My 
name is Lisher Paiggs, an' if you was a-wantin' any 
leetle job o' tappin' or patchin' done, I'd be more'n 
praoud tu du it free-gratis-for-nothin', seein' you're, 
aour schoolmarm," 
A keen, professional first glance had shown him that 
Miss Skinner's footgear was in need of repair, and that 
frugality was one of her traits. 
"Thank you, Mr. Peggs," she said, in a softer tone, 
I was a-considerm' his youth, . and don't want to punish 
him too severe, but at the same time the'd be an end of 
all disciplyne if such breaidn' of rules wa'n't punished- 
some." 
"Sartinly, marm. .We wa'n't expectin' not tu- git 
punished some, but if you could gh a tol'able fit wi' 
suthin' besides whippin', we'd be turrible 'bleeged tu 
ye, marm." 
"Samuel Timothy," said she, in a judicial tone, after 
some consideration, "you'll take your spellin' book an' 
stand in the middle of the floor and study your lesson 
dihgent twenty minutes, and you're tu stay in when the 
boys go aout." 
_ With the delivery of the sentence she placed the book 
m his passive hand, and with the ferule indicated the 
place where he was to stand, but his feet seemed power-, 
less to move to place him there. How could he ever- 
stand there along for all those long minutes to be stared, 
at by so many eyes ! ; 
,_"Come, sir!" Miss Skinner commanded, sh^tpiy. 
Sulkin' won't help you a mite." ... - .•-,:.[ 
"Beg your pardon, marm, it hain't that;- It's fcattsfe 
we're bashfl," said Uncle Lisha, and with that took 
Sammy's hand and led him to the center of the room, 
where, stooping beside him, his big waxy forefinger 
sticking on the page as it went slowly down the column, 
he helped him go through his lesson, 
"C-a-t— cat!" he spelled in a gusty whisper, louder, 
than the buzzing of a bumblebee in the window, andr 
then explained, "Jest any cat, Polly's an' the ol' cat, 
an' ol' Tom, an' the hul bilin'. Bomeby you'll come tii 
kitten, an' it's harder, for all it's a leetle cat. D-o-g— dog, 
not aour Drive in partic'lar. nor a haoun' dawg, but 
any .sort on 'em, an' there you be ag'in; a leetle dog's 
