The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-23

coffee. the f3oer loves, is over by the
time The sun rises, The men are out
the same chores as on an American farm
in the West, save those who are off TO
rep.enish the larder by shooting spring
box, hartebeest or some such species of
deer. The women have plenty of work
about HE house The genuine o,d Boer
farm furnishes itself every necessary to
its OCCUPANTS. The furniture is often made
by the farmer, or he has great unwieldly
carved chests and bureaus which have
come to him from his ancestors. He can
make his own shoes. His women dress
and weave his own sheeD's wool. aud
make their aud his eIqthes from IT, There
Is most nothing he needs to buy. He
does not care a rap for neckties or collars.
or storecloihes, and Il full beard is fash
ionabie. All he really has TO buy is farm
ing implements, and of these he prefers
the primitive sort though enterprsins
agents here and there have introduced
such things as moving and other ma
chinery.
During the day he Works leisurely. con
tent 70 make a living out of The ground.
lie has been sitting in his wagon for hours
watching an enterprising, hustling Uit-
lander with wonder, as the foreigner work
ed continuously, with all kinds Of new
tangled machines, producing far more
from the earth than his wants required
because he wished 10 market the surplus
and make money. He has been seen thus
shaking his head in pity and not unmin-
gled with contempt at such folly, for the
Boer is not mOneymaker. He does not
want bank account So he drives his
slow moving OK wagon away on the hot
and dusty trek meditating on the want
of faith these Uiuanders have, who can
not trust the future to God, and be con-
tent with to-day
He dimes heartily az noon and sups hear
tily at evening. His day hardly differs
from that of any farmer in any country.
only, If he sings at his work. it is likely
to be a psalm that he sings He smokes
a great deal while he goes about-a habit
derived from his forebears in Holland
He is fortunate in having no winter-no
frost, no snow only the dry season when
ms cattle suffer, and the rainy season,
when the rivers and ponds are flooded.
His house and barns are low and roomy
simply furnished, as 10 The house rooms.
The great feather bed Is usually The most
noticeable features unless perhaps. he
gior.es in little harmonlum Tor his
daughter 10 pick out hymn tunes on of a
Sunday. Just before The sun goes down.
at time which varies very Httle ali The
year round, the Boer calls his family to-
gether, and they have Household prayers
and pious singing. No lights are needed. or
if one is, It Is an oilfashioned lanthorn.
or more likely, a rush dip, floating in
cup Of home made talow. Ere the daylight
has fairy gone. the farmer has boiled The
door, and everybody is in bed.
His Amusements.
He has no amuse mouts, according to Fu-
ropean or American lights. Know ne moth
ing of theateis or picture galleries, he does
not want them. He hardly ever reads any
thing save the Bible, and that is a sacred
duty, and with stamnering and difficulty
The hunt Is his chief sport, for big or lille
game, and there is keen rivalry in The dis
play Of trophies. Also he has one favor
lie sport of much the same knd-the
shooting matches. For this, however he
does not dress up In picturesque attire as
a German does for a schuetzenfest but
goes to It with his folks in his usual dress.
seeing to il, however that his ride is IN
its best Trim. one township may challenge
another, or "Majuba Day."-th anniVer-
sary Of the battle IN which they whipped
The English in lSsl-may be celebrated py
a Srand meet Of all The ne.ghbors for sim
pie prizes. There is not, TO the outsider,
very much excltement-no yelling nor
waving Of handkerchiefs. 1t is "a her
grave function for even the children know
that IT is a kind Of examination during
which each patriot is anxious to show with
what a deadly aim be can shoot, when Tie
time comes, for his fatherland. He docs
not fine off crackers on Maluba Dav, nor
get drunk, nor howl, but accepts it as an
occasion for quiet Triumphant thanksgiv-
ing and a little patIiJlic oratory denounc-
ing the demands of the Uitlauders. When
the match ana The sDeeches are over ne
drives nome to bed ~ shutdown as usual.
OF course in The bigger towns-but there
is no really big towns In all the republic
things may be more animated.
Three or four times a year he goes 10
Nachtmaal, which Is equivalent 20 the
Scotch Fast Day or communion In
the little market square of the nearest
little burg there will stand a modest
whitewashed building like a barn This
is The church for the district. and here
at stated periods the farmers gather from
all about They don take their families
to hotel, though some may stay with