“Depend upon it you’ll get the itch, or some other disease; the blessing of the Lord’ll never rest upon it,” said the Boer-woman. Then suddenly she broke forth. “And she eighty-two, and goats, and rams, and eight thousand morgen, and the rams real angora, and two thousand sheep, and a short-horned bull,” said Tant’ Sannie, standing upright and planting a hand on each hip.

Em looked at her in silent wonder. Had connubial bliss and the joys of motherhood really turned the old Boer-woman’s head?

“Yes,” said Tant’ Sannie; “I had almost forgotten to tell you. By the Lord if I had him here! We were walking to church last Sacrament Sunday, Piet and I. Close in front of us was old Tant’ Trana, with dropsy and cancer, and can’t live eight months. Walking by her was something with its hands under its coat-tails, flap, flap, flap; its chin in the air, and a stick-up collar, and the black hat on the very back of the head. I knew him! ‘Who’s that?’ I asked. ‘The rich Englishman that Tant’ Trana married last week.’ ‘Rich Englishman! I’ll rich Englishman him,’ I said; ‘I’ll tell Tant’ Trana a thing or two.’ My fingers were just in his little white curls. If it hadn’t been the blessed Sacrament, he wouldn’t have walked so ‘sourka, sourka, courka,’ any more. But I thought, Wait till I’ve had it, and then — but he, sly fox, son of Satan, seed of the Amalekite, he saw me looking at him in the church. The blessed Sacrament wasn’t half over when he takes Tant’ Trana by the arm, and out they go. I clap my baby down to its father, and I go after them. But,” said Tant’ Sannie, regretfully, “I couldn’t get up to them; I am too fat. When I got to the corner he was pulling Tant’ Trana up into the cart. ‘Tant’ Trana,’ I said, ‘you’ve married a Kaffir’s dog, a Hottentot’s “brakje.’“ I hadn’t any more breath. He winked at me; he winked at me,” said Tant’ Sannie, her sides shaking with indignation, “first with one eye, and then with the other, and then drove away. Child of the Amalekite!” said Tant’ Sannie, “if it hadn’t been the blessed Sacrament! Lord, Lord, Lord!”