Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-05-27
A Boar Homestead.
How THE rUEITASICAL DUrcHMAS LIVES II
THE FAR TRASSvAAL.

Let us visit one of the many home
s,teads III the gardens. The white-walled
house. although but one storied, Is well
elevated, and its roof is iron. Outside
shutters of pleasant green flank the tw"
windows, and the door between them Is
green and pannelled There ia, indeed,
some pretence to architecture, and the
whole is well kept and substantial. The
stoop is high and approached by steps.
The watcr-coursc beneath it IL masoned
ont with solid stone, and bridged with the
same material. Leafy trees Of divers
sorts shade the place and the stables and
outholIse in its rear We enter II voor-
huis, or front room, very lofty and but
slightly furnished Its walls are lined
| hy benches, and Il table stands III the md
die. There are pictures, it may be very
quaint and old world scenes III the life
of the prOdignl Ron, or Innings Of the
ma lger at Bethlehem, or the cross on
! Cavalry. A new piano may be noted, and
a good harmonium, and pious books with
! Dutch titles lie scattered about.
And there are flowers on the table and
mantle piece, photographs and albums,
/ for there are daughters III the house. In
some place of honor lies great old Iii
bile, n massive folio bound IN leather and
with brass clasps; it IN printed III foreign
looking type on ancient looking paper,
and full of the strangest pictures that ever
| delighted the antiluary or mystlfied the
child. 4 compnnionable book. upon dull
"r,'iiSinn, but Disappointing, innsmurh ns
lis date discovers 1t to have been printed
but the other day. Spittoons stud tins
| chambers floor, for it is the great recep-
tion room, and visitors SIT round 1t AMI
! smoke their pipes at times and scasons of
conference and waiting and many such
times there he. At the back Of tins voor
hIils is the dining room, entered by large
| and even handsome folding doors. In
both apartments the walls are painted
{ light blue, or green, or mauve; IN b"th
the ceiling il raftered and wooden, var
nishcd and dark The great feature Of
the dining room, apart from the usual
furnishings, * n small table near the
window, with char ON either side.
Upon this table stands coffee urn with
,.hniing dish beneath ii and the day has
scarcely turned before tins urn BEGINS to
steam and Ia bubble.
On its dexter side is seated the lady Of
the house, who pours ont collie" i"r all
comcrs, and with feet well planted ON II
box like foutstool, rules and manages her
household. Children play around her, II
cnlorcd girl sits watchful at her feet, and
at favorable moments her lord and master
occupies the corresponding char, utter-
familiar maxims and remarks and his
friend. sitting hnrd by, carries On an
, Intermittent conversation between wary
. mouihfuls of tho scalding beverage. lie
isa wcllbuilt man. not unlike the Eng
lish farmer Of our early days, hut more
sallow and less CHEEKY, more puritanlcal
and staid. His ancestors came from
France and Holland, but in this won
| ,lruus climatcof the Cape, perchance fo'
b. animal life the finest under the sun, then
offspring have developed into II race 81"
; p'H'ris, nohly grown and quite unlike
$ the typical lIollanders or Frenchman
u We converse in Dutch, the language h'
l. cares 10 speak, although his children M,
;, apt scholars IN the English tongue, anl
r by and by he takes us INTO his garden.
TnE Mayor of Burlington, Vt, is pal,
/ nj 1,