sence to take
his annual bath.

Messrs. Rose Lines and Solomon visit the jail daily.

SECOND WEEK.--In spite of hardships my dear husband's health improves.
He vows the death sentence has cured him. From day to day we are
promised a final decision from the Executive, but matters are still
drifting. Nothing will probably be done in this direction until
General Joubert returns to Pretoria, as he is one of the members of
the Executive Council. It is suggested to me by one of the Government
circle that a visit from me to Mr. Kruger would be timely. All which I
wished to say I would not be allowed to say, and just to pay an
aimless visit seemed a foolish thing to do, and, being outspoken, I
said so. A friend in whom I had implicit confidence advised me to go
by all means. I was possibly being used as a political pivot. After
some delay I did go, splattering through the mud in a wheezy old cab
behind a splayfooted white horse driven by a hunchbacked negro boy.
The interview lasted five minutes, and was perfectly meaningless. I
suppose it was meant to be that. Ten fathoms down under many other
things I could see that Kruger had strong heart qualities. Educated
and morally matured, he would be one of those grand characters who
make epochs in the world's history. We shook hands at parting and went
out of each other's lives for ever.

Mr. G. told me, as he helped me into the cab at the door, that Mr.
Kruger had received a cable from America in my husband's behalf,
signed by the Vice-President and a large number of the Senate and
House of Representatives. This information opened my eyes. I now saw
why a visit from me would be 'timely.'

Within an hour news was cabled by _some one_ to all parts of the
civilised world that the wife of the American prisoner, John Hays
Hammond, had received audience of the President of the Transvaal. 'The
interview was of long duration. What transpired was of a private
character, but it is believed to be very hopeful and satisfactory.'

THIRD WEEK.--Delays, shiftings, postponements, delays with excuses,
and delays without excuses. Each day strong petitions sent in to the
Executive. A continual stream of disheartened wives and friends on
their way to the Presidency, many going in the early dawn, as the
President--an early riser and of simple habit--was known then to be
easy of access. A pitiful picture lingers in my mind of a dozen
Reformers' wives in the deep golden yellow of an African sunrise