Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-31

man returned, Moses Indignantly resign.
ed under the weight of two foe spri5g
box. The Boer had used only too ca,
tridges; six remain ed his property. His
veal on was a Martini Henry earbine an
which he placed an ivory sight.
The people are excessively fond q,
mnsic and dancing: conoertina, harmoni.
um and fiddle are their delight.
wlthered Hottentot dwarf will draw
strain from the soils of an old shoe strung
with sinew, and men and maidens viii
vigorously dance to 1t for hours. Fo,
dancing there is no touching she English
Africander, and his measures seem onits
original. The Beers have bad habit IN,
plifering. When the men and women
enter an uptown store, they are allowed
to carry off small goods like sweets or
ribbons, which they uncousciously paw
for in the bill. The farmers AZ not Of
ten ricn in money, their wool crops being
mortgaged sometimes for two seasons
ahead. Young bloods are impudeDt and
wild. A smart curveting horse and hat
with g white ostrich plume usGally denote
this species. When Boer drinks he ia
an entire fool. In order to keep firm
hand over the young men riding trsns-
port, the elders of the Free State passed
a bill prohibiting the sale of
liquor at wayside canteens, and
thereby lost large revenue. How
ever, there are smugglers. The Beers
are great religious Journalists and at Ger.
tain times they and their families ride in.
TO the villages from great distances to
celebrate the Nachtmaal might meal OF
communion) their wagons loaded with
produce presents for the parsons. At
this time business is brisk and the streets
are like fair. Yet where natives and
land are concerned, the Beers constant
violation of the commandments does not
need pointing out. One old Boer was
candid. Returning in 1882 from the
early gold fields, ! was one night c9mped
along side q wagon at the foot of the
Amajubal, beside the fire, exchanging
coffee and tobacco in hospitality with the
Dutchmen. We spoke in low tones of
the Amajuba fight; and the old Boer who
was present on the crest, said: "You, (the
Englishl could not have won the fight,
and the Beers did not win it; the Lord
God was up there" Ny own opiuion is
that there was no plan and lots of panic.
The Beers are by no means modest and
their family conversation are at times
boisterously indecent. Household ar
engagements, save on rich farms, are
necessarily meagre and the traveller must
be prepared to sleep on the floor in the
midst Of four or five sisters and their
three or four brothers, all grown up, and
the head couple snors on an elevated and
ponderous feather bed IN a ourtained
corner of the room. While sleeping at
superior Transvaal farmhouse, it is well
to examine the mattress; if it rests on
sheep skins, throw the skins out. The
most curious traits shown by the Beers
are in their counting customs. Ayourg
Boer whose heart has been moved by
some charming meisje asks permission
to "sit up" The girls dowry will be 200
hammels (sheep, and, il the suitor is con
sidered desirable in regard to land, per
mission is granted. The old vrauw Then
places two yellow candles upon the rough
table, and the pair are left to themselves,
when the courtship proceeds until the
last spark on the black candle wick dies
out. Rightly or wrongly, the action of
salt on the dying wick is supposed to re-
animate the flame; and the artful pair
sprinkle il aoocDdingly.-St. james
Gazette.