The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-01-28
THE BoER WOMAN.
Clain Enough, but Kissed From the Cradle
to the Grave.

to the Grave.
The Boor woman is unlovable in
appearance. Graoos and modern ac-
| complishmcnts are unknown to her.
Handsome sho is not, nor is her
temper angelic. Her cooking would
often kill an ostrich, and her voico
is not attuned to harmony. All
that Notwithstanding, tho most
kissed being on earth is the Boer
woman.
From the cradle to the grave she
is kissed-by great-grandfather and
great grandmother, by her grand.
father and grandmother; of course
she is kissed by her parents. She is
kissed by her grand uncles and
aunts, by cousins malo and female
to the last degree of kinship. She
is kissed by tho relatives of the
above and by their relatives. Her
brothers and brothers-in- law, her sis
ters and sisters-in law and all their
children kiss her. So does her sweet
heart and all her female friends and
acquaintances. Her husband and
children and all her relatives and fe-
male friends, residing long or short
under her roof, kiss her repeatedly
every day.
Whether she and her husband are
in good circumstances or not, he
buys or sells nothing without ask
ing her advice and abiding by it. He
undertakes no work without her
sanction. Sine commands her mar
ried son of so in the Same way that
sho did when he was 5. He oboys
and kisses her just as childlike. She
calls her husband by his Christian
name to her friends. To others she
speaks of him ms "tho baas." Ask
her if he is her "bans." No." he
is her imam" "What white wom-
an, I" shc asks you, "evor had a mas
ter? Do you take mo for Kaffir
woman?"
Tho Boer woman could not con-
ceive tho idea of having master.
In poverty most dire she has had
from infancy at least one black serv-
ant. Like hor mother before her,
she would sec her daughters perish
with hunger before she would allow
them to go rs domestic servants.
They arc in her eyes the equals OF
the most high born danes in any
land, and servants they shall never
be. She dotests the thought of her
sons working for an employer, but
often has to give way on that point.
The Boer woman has often been
held up rs lazy, dull, stupid and
dirty. A greater calumny has nov
er been uttered against any woman.
Her intense pride and love of indo-
pendence make her appear so to the
European lady or gentleman who
knows nothing of the conditions of
life that have formed her customs
and made her what she il at present,
The Roer woman, with her chill.
tlreD, would retire to tho most arid
desert OF Africa and 1.-Two on air soon.
er than dwell at oaso and in luxutS
where she contrasted unfavorablS
with her neighbort, sho scorns the
slightest patronage extended to her
no matter from whom.
She has inherited an innate love
OF bright colors and beautiful things,
When she cannot obtain these things,
she is content to wear the saddest
colored garments and not be trou-
bled by tho most sordid and dreary
surroundings.
Sho rules her "man" kind with "a
rod of iron. They do not know it,
however, nor does sho suspect it,
All of them would take oath that
the exaot reverse was tho case. Ask
her to speak in church or on q plat
form anywhere, and she would i'm
agine you to be crazy. THAT is q
mans business, she would say.
Nevertheless Mrs. Boer would sec
to it that her imam" or son would
say in church or on a platform just
exactly what she wished said.
Woman's rights as understood by
the American woman would be ut
terly inoomprehonsiblo to the Boer
woman were thoy over so clearly
explained.--Boston Transcript.