Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-10-24
IN THE eoeR COUNTRY.
Hospitality Of the rutch Tarmers-fa'r'-
archal Habits.

of the country are wool growers, ana iihe
tbe rest of their kind, are the most nos
pitable people on the face of the globe.
Although living in almost abject poverty,
thew are ever ready to extend hanu oi
welcome to every stranger, particularly
if he be an American. have now trav-
eled over /, 900 miles by cart in the col
ony. and it has always been with tne
greatest difficulty that ] have persuaded
the Beers to take from me the price Oh
the corn the horses would eat
For DAYS we rode along without touch
ing at single village, and when night
came on we made for the nearest farm
house. As the farms are generally on
elevated ground the folks can see the
cart long way off, and as we pull up III
front of the house the old Boer and his
wife step out to bid us welcome, although
we are perfect strangers, and before we
have Done shaking hands the Kaffir SER
wants are busy outspanninS our horses,
while the good wife, or "frau," as she Is
called, hurries away to procure the best
cheer her humble dwelling affords.
The Beers, although so hospitable,
make a distinction in their attentions to
Englishmen and Americans, at least all
nv friends and have found such to be
the case. A few weeks ago, as pulled
up at a farmhouse about shutdown, weary
with my long days ride and covered
with dust, another cart containing four
men pulled up at the same time. we
were received in the usual manner, and
although there was really no accommo-
dation in the house for five unexpected
guests, it never entered into the mind OF
| our host to hint at such a thing. The
| occupants of the other cart were En-
glishmen, and my boy, Jan Fatboy, TAX
ing in the situation alta glance, and wish
ing to procure me the best possible quar-
tiers, told the old man that l was an
American. The result was that my
newly made friends occupied two beds,
while had one all to myself.
No matter how late traveller may
present himself, be he Jew or Gentle,
EnglshmaE or American, and ask a
nights lodging, the Beers door will in-
stantly open to him and some one OF the
family will cheerfully turn out of his
bed and give it to the stranger, and pos
Bibly find another for himself in the hay
loft.
The Boer, in the construction of his
dwelling, does not aspire to any higher
class of architecture than what pleased
his grandfather and father before him.
1t consists of four plain walls of I'M
burnt brick. Its floor is the honest earth
with coating of pounded ant nests
mixed with blood and cowdung. How
ever repulsive this may seem to your
ideas, it has nice, sweet, wholesome
smell, and were it not for the fleas which
infest every Beers house l could find no
objection to it, as it has very cool effect
in the hot, dry weather
There are generally only three rooms
and kitchen or ''combase' in the house,
the front room opening directly onto the
stoop with two bedrooms on either side.
The furniture is of the plainest kind; the
chief ornament, as well as the most use
full article, being the old Dutch clock
which stands majestically in the corner
numbering the days as well as the seconds
of the lives of these honest men. No ex
pensive oil paintings adorn the walls, but
conspicuously resting on an ornamental
table of ancient date is the family Bible
on which every Boer prides himself.
failed to find any other kind of litera
ture, with the exception of few schoo
books and the Ready Reckoner" which
every Boer in the country possesses.
am writing this letter at my friend
house-Farmer Won Dikpense. We have
just finished the evening meal, and as
write he and his family sit with mouths
wide open to see the pencil move SO rap
idly over the paper, for there is not ;
man of fifty miles around who coulC
write his own name in letters smalle.
than his thumb nail. am quite liol
among these people, being connected
as am with an American newspaper.
They are very religious, and NATURAL,
a peaceful people, but when their right
are tempered with they rise to a MAJ
and show that although they are ignor
ant farmers, they are skilled in the US
of the rifle, and prove it with deadly eff
feet upon their foes. They are very earl,
risers and go about their work long be
fore the sun is up. The men generally
pile out of bed about o'clock in the
morning, and the first man up hal
w hAehhO SOlAIC Gdll lllb IeSu
Such is the unwritten law. They
work in the veldt till noon. when They
have the heartiest meal of the day. Tht
heat Is generally intense at this hour, anC
as soon as the meal is finished the hous,
Is closed up to keep out the flies anC
every man, woman and child take them
selves off to their beds, where they sleel
soundly till the heat of the day is over
when they resume their work till sun
down. In the evening, after supper, thu
people sit round the room barefooted
when tub is passed round and each Der
son bathes his feet in it. At first used tt
object strongly, but found that the re
fusal gave offense. Now, however,
take care to get nearest the door, wher,
can have better chance of using tn,
tub first. 1t is an old custom and on,
that induces sleep.
When this foot bathing is finished til,
Old Boer gets down the family Bible ant
the prayers for the night are read. The,
sing without hymn books, and most lust
lily, too, and it is to be regretted that the,
know SO few tunes, for the only one
have ever heard is the tune of the On
Hundredth Psalm. They follow tin
teachings of the Dutch Reformed church
end every Sunday, no matter what tn
weather is, the horses are spanned int,
, the cart at an early hour to take then
to church, which in some cases is thirt,
miles away from their homes,-Cor. ga;
francisco Chronicle.
An Entirely New Court
, The whole court at Berlin is now en-
tirely composed Of new people. tn
friends Of the late emperor have dissn