Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1901 — YANKEE LAD IS A FIGHTER. [ARTICLE]

YANKEE LAD IS A FIGHTER.

Boots, a Waif from America, in the Field with the Boers. Thomas F. Millard, the war correspondent, tells the New York Sun the following story of Boohs, a 12-year-old Yankee, whom he met fighting with the Boers, and who may be still dodging bullets and lyddite shells. Said Mr. Millard: “His real name Is William Young, but in the laagers he Is known by the sobriquet of Boots. 1 think he came by his title honestly enough, for he drags nbout a huge pair of legging boots many sizes too large, and ornamented with enormous brass spurs. "Boots is a midget of 12—or at least he gives that as his age, though he doesn’t look It by three years. "Boots was born in the United States. When very youug he remembers being taken to England, whqnee he came to South Africa. His parents are long since dead, and since their death William. having no other relations that he knew of, has rustled for himself. “When this war began William espoused the cause of the Boers and joined the Irish brigade under Colonel Blake. The men who formed this ad-

venturous corps took a fancy to the waif and made him one of them. So it was that Boots saw all the bloody battles of the Natal campaign—Dundee, Newcastle, Nicholson’s Nek, the Tlatrand. und the many fights along the Tugela. Armed with two water bottles, the midget would enter a fight, and more than once has a wounded brigadier, on finding a cooling drink placed to his parched lips, looked up to discover Boots. If the fire were too hot to permit his wounded comrades being removed to a place of safety the boy would remain to attend them until the battle was over or night fell. "When Captain Hassell organized the Amerlcnn scouts ns a separate company Boots decided to Join his country men. Boots has a horse to ride, but his ambition is to possess a pony of his own, nnd n Mauser carbine, so lie can fight like the other scouts. For the purchase of a pony he has saved up £2 and 5 shillings, which will buy no horse In South Africa In war time. So Boots has to go without a pony until better times. But he hns hopes of capturing one from the British. “Meanwhile, since he cannot fight like a full-grown man, he makes himself useful around the laager. As to the future. Boots scorns to contemplate It. “ ‘What’ll I do when the war Is over?' he said. ‘I dunno. I'll do whatever I can. Mnyl>e. If the Boers lose. I’ll go to America.’ ” Most men devote a large part of earnings to their wives and ehlldrei-1 and work patiently from yon’.n until old age. How much there in to admire In the average mi.-! Vet how the men are abused! Any woman is free to shoot a man. Do_ people avoid you because you are disagreeable? And did you ever try "to overcome the habit?