The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-18
HOME LIFE OF
THE BOER WOMEN


weary and desolate Is the life on the
great harroOs no wonder the faces OF
lhe women take or that vacant inn
passive expression. The life OF the BSSr
housewife Of the better class is almost
colorless She rises with the rest OF
the FAMILY at daylight. and. after n
chapter from tho Bible read by, The
male head Of the house n basin and
towel are Iassed around 10 the mem
bers OF the family by one OF the Kaffr
maidservants. Each one dips a corner of
the towel into the water and oarnIesslv
brushes II over his or her face. Then
the hands are dipped i'm the water and
dried and the basin and towel are mass
ed on 10 the next one. In the Trans
vaal cleanliness Is not regarded as next
10 goodness After this breakfast is sory-
ed. 1t Is often eaten In the Kitchen and
is prepared by the Kafir servants ont
doors While the family was at its de-
votions, for the Beers believe that the
black people are descended from apes
and do not need salvation"
When the iamily is gathered about
the table, on which there Is always a
large dish OF meat. hong grace is said.
Only the men arc served at this first
table; the women eat alone. During
dish and every man 0rmly erasps his
fork as he makes mental choice of tho
piece he wants. The moment the
amen" is said every one makes n Tab
at the portion he has selected. and In
case two have fixed upon the same
piece IL is the most dexterous that bears
Off the prize. For breakfast there is
nothing but meat with bread and
butter served with coffee, the staple
beverage OF the Beers.
when the meal Is over. the housewife
ensconces herself beside "A little table
i'm the window OF the living room. A
shining coffee urn stands on the table
and from this the rouw now and thei
fortifies herself with deep drafts OF
strong coffee drunk from queer. handle
less cups. Should guest drop in dur
ing the day he will be served viii
coffee and sweet cakes, and betweer
meals coffee will be given 10 any mem
ber OF the family who may want IL
The children play about the vrouw anc
! the servants come in and out to receive
orders hut the housewife does not stir
At noon. when the sun shines down hot
and bright on kopje and karrOo, doors
and windows are closed and the entire
family retires for a monday siesta. The
beds are huge wooden affairs topped
with feather beds with sheepskns
Underneath as a foundation. Except in
the best houses, neas abound. and the
nap would be very disturbed one for
Europeans. When the sun has gone
down. every one goes 10 work again,
although there Is not much labor done
by any of the white people, the negro
servants, Kafiirs, Hottentots and Lulus
| toling while the Boer or his wife OF
daughter directs them. The story thai
| President Kruger's wife does her owr
| cooking is therefore fiction. Lik
all people who live I'm southern lati
tudes, the Beers are lovers OF their cas-
and consider ii beneath their dignity t
do anything that one of the black serv
ants can 90 for them
Only two meals a day are served
Dinner, which is put upon the table II
the evening is the principal one. In
their gardens there are plenty Of vege-
tables such as cabbages caulihowers
Indian corn, cucumbers, potatoes and
carrots In the orchards are all sorts
OF fruits and the vineyards are heavy
with great punches of luscious grapes
When the evening meal Is over. the
cattle are driven home To the lSraal'
and for awhile the family may sit GU
on the "stoep" or around the dool
watching the night come on. the south
ern cross and the stars shining witt
wonderful brilliancy in the dark blu
OF the tropical sky. The kafIirs an'
the Hottentot servants squat before tn
doors OF their huts few rods from tn
house and sing theif weird chants o
tell in a singsong tone their quaint fol
tales In which one may now and thel
hear stories that have been h9nde
down from generation to generation
Hundreds of years ago in the african
deserts were foreshadowed the storie
OF Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit an'