The Irish standard., 1898-01-29
TIE FAMOUS PIfaSli,rNT OF TIii;
HOER REPUBLIC
|N1ERESTING SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
HIS GRANDFATHER a PEASANT OF
NORTH GERMANY.
EIGHT MONTHS SCHOOLING FOl PAUL.
WITH \ LARGE YEARLY INCOME HE
LIVES IN \ COTTAGE.

Paul Kruger, the celebrated leader OF
the Beers and president of the South
African republic, is, as he likes to tell
you himself, OF German origin. His
grandfather was a north Gcrman peas
ant. Germans did not emigrate in the
last century SO much as they do HOW,
although the young men sometimes took
service with the Dutch East Indian COM
pany They went to South Africa, which
was governed in those days by that conf
pany, and after their time of service was
over they married Beers, and thus be-
came nationalized
The Kruger family belonged to the
"Doppers." These people form that part
OF the Boer nation which cings with the
utmost energy to the old hereditary
customs and manners. When. for in
stance. tho hymn books were imported
from Holland, which contained besides
the old. we'll known psalms, hymns and
chorals, the Doppers could not be in
duced to sing them. AS soon as such
q hymn was raised in church they
shut their books. Afterwards they
founded Il church communion of their
own, taking as model the separated
church of Holland. Even in their way of
dressing they strictly follow the old
fashion. They wore shirts fastened at
the back; the men had shot Jackets, and
the women simple cotton dresses with
narrow sleeves. The women dIslanod
tho new fashioned ladies' saddles, and
sat on horseback in the same way as the
men. The rich families and leading men
objected to the releasing of slaves and
Hottqlrtot serfs, and to the English gov
ernors and officers deciding every thing
in the frontier wars. But why should
they stay in a country over which The
English flag was waving, when ON tho
other sldo of the Orange river the most
luXuriant and grass-grown plains cx
tended towards the north. There they
wero able to live as free and independent
people; they hoped to get Indispensable
merchandise from the Portuguese har-
bors of the cast coast.
On tho whole the Beers preferred liv-
ing under Portuguese sovereignty to liv
ing under English dominion, as in lhc
Portuguese colony slavery was still law
full. These colonies were the wished
for dwelling place of the first body OF
under the guidance of Lewis TrIchard.
They got as far as the northern regions
of the present Transvall republic, but
they were entirely eXterminated by an
invasion of tho Zulus and by the fever.
A year afterwards caravan again
crossed tho Orange river; with this Soc
ond expedition we find the Kruger fam
lily. Possessing as they did, numerous
focks, they were exceedingly cautious;
they did not risk any adventures, nor
did they explore the unknown wilderness
but remained ut first In the south of the
present republic, near the Caledon river
In this way they did not come in con-
tact with n band of robbers which mur-
dcred several Beers, with their wives
and children. Tho Krugcrs went in 1897
to Natal, and in 1342 they arrived at the
beautiful Magalics mountains, in the
midst of the Transvaal, where al last
they settled near Rustcnburg.
Paul Kruger was now II years old for
six years tho boy had had to 80 through
a hard time. Day and night he did not
take off his clothes; he was constantly
fighting the animals OF the wilderness,
and only too often he WAS mcnanccd by
the invasion Of hostile tribes. His foo |!
was of the simplest kind; sometimes he
had only meat and Kafllr corn by this
time his hands had become accustomed
to the weight of the heavy whip for driv-
ing the oxen and to the useful gun. lie
said afterwards, thinking of this timc
"Whcn was Il child had to look
after the sheep and cattle for my father.
In those days killed such IL great num-
bcr of lions, elephants, buffaIOcs and
rhinoscroscs that it is impossible GOr~lpe
to tell You the exact number shot.
| had to keep them away from the cattle,
great art Of reading, in scripture, and
| catc.hism he WAS forwarded by the in
| struction he got from his parents. At
! last for eight months he was able to at
tend a school, established by Il better
educated l'oer woman. This had been
the education the man enjoyed whose
name is On every ones lips, and who is
spoken Of with the utmost respect by
the greatest diplomatists in Europe.
When Paul Kruger had attained the
ago or % years he was made assistant
field corneL by his fellow citizens, and Il
| year after field cornct 0849). These
officials had to perform in times of pea"t
different little services for instance
settling disputes between the citizens
and leading the intercourse with the ma
tive chiefs. But at war time they com
manded division Of the enlisted troops