The Story of an African Farm

Otto goes out to look for the lost sheep but does not find them. Instead, he happens upon an indigenous servant with a baby; she has been turned out of the house without food. Otto brings her some provisions from the house in secret. He returns to the farm, happy in his deed.

When he arrives, however, he finds that Em is crying and that Lyndall looks scared. Tant’ Sannie begins shouting at Otto: She has been told, presumably by Bonaparte, that Otto threatened her over the dismissal of the maid and that Otto believes that Tant’ Sannie is in love with him and will marry him, giving him control of her farm. Though Otto protests vehemently, Tant’ Sannie is convinced by Bonaparte’s lies. Bonaparte stands next to Tant’ Sannie, condemning Otto.

Lyndall is furious. She gives Tant’ Sannie a rebellious look, and Tant’ Sannie strikes Em. Lyndall threatens to burn the main house down. When Em stops her, Lyndall promises that when she grows up, she will always defend the weak from the strong.

Otto writes a letter to the girls, telling them how much he will miss them. He then weeps and packs a few things. After reading for a while, Otto goes to sleep. In the night, he dies.

Bonaparte waits for Waldo’s wagon to return. He laughs as he tells the boy that his father has died. They had to bury him before Waldo came home; the weather was too warm to keep the body.

Now, Bonaparte takes on the role of overseer. While he is supposed to be working, however, he searches Otto’s room, believing that there must be a fortune hidden somewhere: He finds only a small wedding ring, which he takes. He rests at Otto’s table, gloating at his machinations, when something taps him on the head. He whirls about, seeing nothing, and then notices that the ring is missing. Bonaparte believes that Otto’s ghost is haunting him. Later, Lyndall admits to Waldo that she let one of the farm’s ostriches out to harass Bonaparte.

Lyndall tries to talk to Waldo, who is distraught after the death of his father. He rejects religion, saying that no god exists who would allow such misery. Bonaparte complains to Tant’ Sannie that Waldo shirked his duties that day; though she commiserates with Waldo’s grief, she allows Bonaparte to direct the boy. He tells Waldo to wake up early for instructions and then trips the boy on his way out. Tant’ Sannie and her servant laugh at Bonaparte’s trick.

Waldo is working on his inventive contraption to shear sheep. In his grief, this work is comforting. He is interrupted by Bonaparte, who asks him about the project. Bonaparte looks at the machine and claims that it is the work of a genius. He will help Waldo get a patent for it. Then, he suggests that there is only one minor improvement to be made. He places the machine on the ground before crushing it underneath his foot.

Em tells Waldo that she has found a box of books in the loft; they once belonged to her father, she thinks, and she tells Waldo that he can have them. Waldo seeks out the box and becomes fascinated with a book on politics and economics. He sits up there reading for quite some time while Bonaparte wonders what he is doing. He thinks that the boy has found food to steal.

Waldo goes about his chores, tucking the little book into his breast pocket. Bonaparte follows him, thinking about his old nickname, “Tripping Ben,” before he knocks Waldo into the pigsty. The book comes loose, and Bonaparte barely examines it before exclaiming that it contains improper material for children. Tant’ Sannie’s laughter at Waldo’s tripping fades, and she too condemns the book. Bonaparte throws the volume into the cooking fire. He asks that the key to the loft be placed in his capable hands henceforth.

Bonaparte argues with himself: He wants to propose to Tant’ Sannie, but he has been informed that she cannot remarry until Em is 16. If she does, Em inherits her deceased father’s farm. As he is contemplating this state of affairs, he sees a young girl on the porch of the main house. Tant’ Sannie’s niece, Trana, has come to visit. Though she is much younger than Bonaparte, she stands to inherit a great deal of wealth and property.

Tant’ Sannie brags to her niece about how much Bonaparte dotes on her. She tells her that Bonaparte is related to the queen of England and that though he looks older, he is only 41 (he earlier told Otto that he is 53). She also tells her that he is bald due to a potion that a romantic rival tricked him into using. That night, Bonaparte dreams “of Trana and her wealth” (119).

Meanwhile, Waldo agonizes over his impotence at the farm; he feels that everyone is working against him. He alternates between envisioning his freedom and recognizing his own insignificance in the greater universe. This gives him some release from his hatred.

The next day, Bonaparte accuses Waldo of stealing Tant’ Sannie’s store of dried peaches, which she keeps up in the loft. Waldo refuses to admit or deny his wrongdoing. Thus, Bonaparte decides that he must whip him, even though Tant’ Sannie chalks it up to the transgressions of all youth. Waldo does not cry or struggle; he merely stares at Bonaparte with a look that frightens the older man away. He locks Waldo in the barn, but Lyndall releases him. She promises him that they will one day have the power.

Tant’ Sannie decides to go up into her loft. She has always thought that she was too fat for the enterprise, but now she is curious about what is stored up there. Once she is in the loft, the servant takes away the ladder—it is needed for maintenance work—but leaves the trapdoor open.

Thus, Tant’ Sannie can hear Bonaparte come in with her niece, Trana. While Tant’ Sannie cannot fully understand his English, she understands that he is clearly courting Trana. She dumps a barrel of pickling liquid on him and yells for the ladder.

Bonaparte tries to elicit sympathy from Waldo, who simply tells the man to take whatever he wants and go. In the morning, Bonaparte leaves and never returns.