Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900), page 59 by A. G. Hales
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broke in on his stillness, as newspaper men who know the game are apt to do, for I wanted data, I wanted facts, and I had not swallowed his yarn as freely as he had swallowed my whisky.
"Born in this country?" I asked.
"Yorkshire," he answered laconically.
"Been in Africa long?"
"'Bout five years."
"Where did you put in most of your time before the war?"
"Johannesburg."
"Mines?"
"No."
"Merchant?"
"No."
"Hotel-keeper, perhaps?"
"No."
"Shopkeeper?"
"No."
"What was your calling, or profession, or business, or means of livelihood?"
"General agent, sharebroker, correspondent for some local papers."
H'm; I knew the class of animal well--general jackal; do the dirty work of any trade, and master of none.
"Where were you when the war broke out?"
He scowled savagely: "Johannesburg."
"Have the same hatred for the Boers before the war as you have now?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you pick up a rifle and have a hand in the fighting?"
"I'm not a blessed 'Tommy,' sir! Do you take me for a d---- 'Tommy,' sir?"
"No; oh, no, I assure you I did nothing of the kind. But--er, have you been in the hands of the Boers since the war started?"
"Yes, until our troops marched in here a day or two ago."
"H'm. Did they rob you?"
"No."
"Did they ill-treat you--knock you about, and that sort of thing?"
"No."
"Why do you hate them so bitterly, then?"
"Oh, I can't stand a cursed Boer at any price. Thinks he's as good as a Britisher all the time, and puts on side; and he's a cursed tyrant in his heart, and would rub us out if he could."
"Yes, the Boer thought himself as good a man as the Britishers he met out this way," I replied, "and he backed his opinion with his life and his rifle. Why didn't you do the same if you reckoned yourself a better man?"
"Why should I; don't we pay 'Tommy' to do tha