The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-18
'PLCCKY NAN VINO CONTROLS TAD
REPuDLuC o. DoERS.
VIA BEAST @ save Hts Little
Sisters LifeeHis lnao0ltaDle
Nerve and Pack Apparent Early.

ones.
~ to the Boer cause cannot be questioned.
shake their heads sadly. Conditions have
changed greatly since 1851. The dispute
between the British and the Beers ID q SIM
pie one The Beers have q r1ch country:
the British want II. and are trying, a. they
have been trying for years, to get posses
sion Of 1t. All the Beers ask IL TO be let
alone in the enjoyment Of their own. They
make no hostile demonstrations. save when
their homes and liberty and property are
threatened. Efforts have been made 10
goad them into some overt act Of hostility
that would AFFORD an excuse for crushing
them. but these have been unavailing. The
Boer Is slow and phlegmatic, but ne ID no
fool. He fights only when It Is necessary
TO rcpel invaders. and the British have
learned by sad experience that he 10 brave
and can shoot straight.
President Kragers,s today the soul OF the
Boer republic. This remarkable man was
born October 10. 1925. His parents were
Boer farmers. residing in Cape Colony. too
poo- 20 provide Paul with shoes The fu-
ture ruler OF the South African repubiis
had 10 trudgc over the African veldt in his
bare feet. He was chrisiened S. J. Paul
Kruger. bu. the TWO initials were soon dis.
used. though President Kruger uses them
In signing state papers.
His Fight With . Panther.
Fear was Unknown to Kruger from boy
hood. When he was in his 18th year his
father ssked Inn to take home his span Of
oxen and an empty wagon. He was ac-
compsried by Ais little sister.
Paul." said his father, take care Of
your sister"
Il will" he said. simply.
In those days travelling In Cape Colony
was anything but a picnic. Wild animals
were Plentiful. and many a traveller be-
came a prey 10 these beasts Everything
went well until Paul was within about nvs
miles of home. Here large panther made
his appearance. ~he oxen took fright and
bo..et. The 3ostling OF the wagon threw
the little girl to the ground. where she was
at the mercy Of the ferocious animal.
Without q moments hesitation young Kru-
ger jumped from the wagon and ran to his
sisters assistance. The panther stood with
cleaning eyes over the PROSTATE child.
Kruger was unarmed. but without a mo-
mAnt's hesitation he engaged the panther
in q hand-to-hand battle. It was q fierce
battle. Time and again the angry beast
clawed Kruger cruelty, but his courage anc,
strength never failed him. Like bulldog
he held his grip upon the panther,s throat
unit. he strangled the beast to death.
Kruger was badly lacerated. Blood. flow
&c from many wounds. but. notwithstand-
ing his injuries, ne carried his fainting sis
ter home. This exploit made him the hero
Of the sturdy Beers In that section. II was
the first indication OF the latent powers
that dwelt in the coming ruler OF the
Transvaal.
From boyhood Kruger hated the English
with q hatred which has only increased
with years HIS boast was that some day
he would raise an army to fight the En-
glish. When Kruger was young his peo-
pie moved TO the Orange Free-,State anc
later to the Transvaal.
Man Of Giant Physique.
Tho first time met Paul Kruger was At
Pretoria In 1879. Though past - years OF
age he was Hercules In physique. stand
ing over six feet in his stockings. and
strongly butt, without an ounce of super
huous flesh on his body. He ana Jaubert
were then arrayin1 the Beers for the great
struggle with England. which came In 1881,
securing for the Beers the right OF self
government.
In those days Kruger was poor compared
with his wealth of today. He had a large
family 20 which he was devotediy attach
&c. When / met him over fifteen years
| later. although the president Of the repuh-
lie. he was unaSSum.ng as In earlier
days. He asked me TO be his guest and
| In his parlor In Pretoria we talked OF old
days. Kruger had aged considerably in the
fifteen years. He stopped somewhat. but
| the Are OF youth CLEANED IN his eyes and
age seemed unable to dim his ardor. My
| conversation with him was carried on
through his secretary. "Oom'' Paul can
| speak English naentiy, but under no CIR
cumstances will he carry on conversa-
| ton in that language This procedure when
| in conference with British officials gives
| him an opportunity to collect his thoughts
before replying.
The motto az President kurger for years
| has been Patrick Henry's memorable ut
| serance. give me liberty or give me
| death" This sentence. translated into the
Beer language. hangs. handsomely framed.
| In his narior.
This herioc Boer ruler Is Amos. devoid
| =. earning. What education he has was
hard for him 20 secure. Yet he has haf-
| Ned men OF learning by his saSacity His
| knowledge OF human nature is wonderful
Once. n Johannesburg, there was elect
| Ell board Of health which was becoming
daily more powerful. TIE members were
mostly English, among them being a Mr..
| Holt. who was ul,ra-English In his views
This board was the only hope Of the Brit
ixh element for securing control Of johann
nesburg In November. 1854 President
| Kruger issued an edics that only the Beer
language could be used a, the meetings o.
the health board and oniy those who could
speak tire language were qualified TO be
Its members
The English funed. but there ~as moth
ing 20 do but resign The Boer language
IS as hard IN learn as the Chinese.
In November. 1884, I was Prexiien: Krvi-
gers guest when he drove home the last
spike in II. Deiagoa Bay railway. which
connects Pretoria with pelaeoa bay.
/; was inspiring scene when the pres
.Aential train arrived AZ Bronkhorsi Spruit
As The old president stepped from hts spe-
Ctai car Re was greeted by hundreds Of
Beer farmers. In the distance could De
seen the three grouped graves - The rear
guard of the British Ninety-second regt-
u1ent In q few words Kruger exhorsed
the Beers 10 stand by shair country: never
10 give IL ag 20 a foreign foe As ae made
this appeal he turned his eye sowar: the
last resting place es TIE British ssl-.iers
strong Liking for Americana.
He is decidedly part al 20 Americans and
has nc, forgotten the tine when q hand
tgl 81 Amer ans saved him from Brit
!sh mob This took place In 1850. when Sir
Henry Lock. then governor Of Cape Col
eny and high commissioner CT Africs
went 10 Pretoria 20 coafer with Kruger
concerning the command 10 British sub
tects 10 carry arms IN the Boer army TIE