y beyond, tall and slender as they
were before."

This, in reality, is the end of the story, but the children
are wont to ask in chorus what the two heroes did next.

"They went back," says Vrouw Grobelaar, omitting all
details of how the return was accomplished; "and when the
Burghers went forth on the Great Trek, they went with them,
and lived long, had many children, and then died happy and
were buried."

"And what is the moral?" asked little Koos, who supplies
the part of the Greek chorus.

"The moral," replies the old lady in her most impressive
manner, "is that you should obey your elders, learn your
psalms, get up early, shut the door after you, tell the
truth, and blow your nose."

It will thus be seen that for a truly comprehensive parable
the above would be hard to beat.

LIKE UNTO LIKE

For the most part the Vrouw Grobelaar's nephews and nieces
were punctually obedient. Doubtless this was policy; for
the old lady founded her authority on a generous complement
of this world's goods. However, man is as the grass of the
field (as she would constantly aver); and it fell that
Frikkie Viljoen, otherwise a lad of promise, became
enamored of a girl of lower caste than the Grobelaars and
Viljoens, and this, mark you, with a serious eye to
marriage. Even this, after a proper and orthodox reluctance
on the part of his elders and betters, might have been
condoned; for the Viljoens had multiplied exceedingly in
the land, and the older sons were not yet married. But, as
though to aggravate the business, Frikkie took a sort of
glory in it, and openly belauded his lowly sweetheart.

"Mark you," said the Vrouw Grobelaar with tremendous
solemnity, "this choice is your own. Take care you do not
find a Leah in your Rachel."

Frikkie replied openly that he was sure enough about the
girl.

The Vrouw Grobelaar shook a doubtful head. "Her grandfather
was a bijwohner," she said. "Pas op! or she will one day go
back to her own people and shame you."

The misguided Frikkie saw fit to laugh at this.

"Oh, you may laugh! You may laugh, and laugh, until your
time comes for weeping. I tell you, she will one day return
to her own people, bijwohners and rascals all of them, as
Stoffel Mostert's wife did."

The old lady paused, and Frikkie defiantly demanded further
particulars.

"Yes," continued the Vrouw Grobelaar, "I remember all the
disgrace and shame of it to this day, and how poor Stoffel
went about with his h