The next day to dawn was Saint Valentine’s (Wednesday).  The valentines were delivered by an early post, but the intended recipients had happily changed their addresses and were not at home to be caricatured.  The Sanatorium received a batch of compliments—­as a kind of satire on its pretensions to salubrity—­one of which played havoc with its bakehouse, and, what was still more serious, a batch of bread in process of baking.  The City Fathers, as per immemorial custom, were not forgotten.  One of them had his house and furniture damaged; another missile struck Mr. Bennie’s dwelling; while, at Beaconsfield, the beauty of Councillor Blackbeard’s verandah was marred, as also nearly were the persons of half a dozen workmen close by.  A few shells shot appallingly close to the bugler perched on the summit of the headgear.  The “sniping” still went on, but the Boers at Kamfers Dam appeared to be little affected thereby, or by the signs of alarm betrayed by their fellow-besiegers at other camps.  There was, alas! to be yet one more fatality ere emancipation was to burst upon us like a thunderbolt.  In the afternoon, while making his ablutions at a tap outside his bakehouse door, an unfortunate baker was struck down and killed.

Meanwhile proceedings pregnant with meaning were taking place at Alexandersfontein.  The evacuation of the position was going on apace, and was being watched with bated breath by the Beaconsfield Town Guard.  The numbers of the enemy ensconced at Alexandersfontein had diminished so materially that Major Rodger with a picked force of one hundred men ventured to try conclusions with the residue.  A sharp, decisive fight ensued; the few Boers left to defend the place were so startled that they soon fled, leaving bag and baggage behind them.  A few on the Boer side were killed (or wounded) and half a dozen were taken prisoners.  Of the Major’s men, two were injured.  Despatches found in the pocket of a prisoner went to show that Alexandersfontein had been used partially as a women’s laager; and I regret to have to record that a woman and a young child were severely wounded in the battle.

But it was the sequel to this remarkable fight that roused the people from their torpor.  Large quantities of provisions were found not only in the camp but in the hotel and houses of the neighbourhood.  The news spread like wildfire, and a great paean of triumph went up from a thousand throats.  From the various redoubts the citizen soldiers, regardless of risk, hastened in carts to the scene of confiscation.  The early birds got butter! there was no doubting it, for however impaired may have been our sense of taste, our dilated eyes were right.  Some folk carried away large sacks of meal and flour—­satisfied to enjoy carte blanche in bread without butter.  Others, again, bore off bags of potatoes in contented triumph; while not a few went home with onions in their pockets and a tear and a smile in their eyes.