Copyright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers. All Rights Reserved.
| published weekly. | NEW YORK, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1895. | five cents a copy. |
| Vol. XVII.—No. 842. | two dollars a year. |
CHRISTMAS ON MAJUBA STATION.
BY RICHARD BARRY.
December on the Majuba coast, and the day had been the hottest of themonth, as the log-book entry showed.
It was a few minutes past sundown, and the awnings that had covered thedecks of the old steam-frigate Sumter were being taken in to allow afreer passage for any air that might begin to stir with the nightfall.
The barefooted sailors trod gingerly about, carefully avoiding themetal-work on the hatch combings and the soft blotches of pitch that hadbubbled up through the deck seams. The only sounds were the chatteringof a large monkey that was swinging himself to and fro in theheat-slackened shrouds, and the discordant squawking of some tameparrots on the forecastle.
A group of officers lolled against the after-rail, and three or fouryoungsters, a little apart from them, had just finished a whisperedconversation. But for some minutes there had not been a loud word spokenthrough