Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-21

J
esting public character. Upon being
introduced you first conclude that ht
has been greatly overestimated. He
seems nothing more than a shrewd ole
hunter, who, by constant contact with
wild animals and savage kaffirs, has
developed a WEAKNESS that makes aim
suspicious Of everything and every
body.
His legs are so short and slender
that you wonder how they bear the
weight of heavy, thick and solid
body. His head is big, and his neck is
concealed by beard, hair and coat col
lar, so that you cannot determine
whether or not he INDUCES in neck
wear At home he is usually putting a
short briar pipe, and as he handles
this you notice that the thumb of his
left hand is missing. There is a story
connected with this that Kruger will
tell you between puffs if he is in the
mood. It gives an idea Of the grit
which is a characteristic of the old
Beers.
| When Kruger was a young man he
was out hunting one day with rifle
which had not been use for a long
time. While he was tinkering with a
charge the gun exploded, tearing his
LETT thumb to shreds Krugers COM
| paniOns wanted to give up the hunt
and hurry to the nearest surgeon, but
the intrepid young BOer refused. TAX
ing out his hunting knife, he placed the
lacerated thumb on the stock Of the
rife and amputated it himself. By
tying about the stump a piece of raw
hide he stopped the flow Of the blood,
and winding around it his red hand
kerchief he continued the sport.
Physical robustness and courage
have contributed greatly to Kruger's
success as the leader of a nation. He
is absolutely fearless, though not reck-
less, and since boyhood has known
how to act quickly in an emergency.
When only IA years old he and a
little sister strayed away from the
Jaeger town in Cape Colony, where the
elder Kruger had settled on migrating
from Germany, and while playing
were suddenly attacked by a leopard.
Young Kruger's only weapon was a
jacknife, but shielding his sister With
one arm, he met the vicious spring of
the leopard with the other, and after a
struggle succeeded in stabbing it to
DEATH
One is hardly warranted either in
speaking slightingly of Dom" Pauls
legs, for they once ran a race that
made him famous all through the ma
tive tribes in south Africa. A Kaffir
chief had become celebrated for his
running ability and had never been
beaten until challenged by a number Of
young Beers, who chose Kruger to rep
resent them. 1t was dec4ued that the
two should run for II hours, and the
man leading at the end Of that time
was to have some sort of a prize. At
the end of II hours the Kaffir dropped
in his tracks unconscious, while
Kruger kept on to the finish, and, ac-
cording to one Of his companions, was
so fresh then that he took part in
hunting trip.
hood and the unkempt personal attire
that first inpresses one on meeting
Dom Paul, but when the man begins to
talk you forget all else but Kruger, the
diplomat and careful statesman. He
gave the writer a short interview re-
Gently for publication with the under
standing that the BOer side should be
represented from his own view point,
first inquiring if I were a spy from
Cecil Rhodes. On being assured to the
contrary by a number of Volksraad
members who were present, he fol-
lowed it up by another customary ques-
ton, asking: What is your relig
ion?"
These two inquiries give an insight
into Kruger's life. His first duty, he
believes, is to God, and his second TO
guard against Rhodes, whom he detests
like a poisonous reptile. But for
Rhodes, Mr.. Kruger says, all would be
peace and quietness in the Transvaal.
So long as this man is in South Africa
there is no rest for the Beers, and their
secret service agents may be found on
every street in johannesburg on the
lookout for Outlander conspiracies.
From all outward appearances Dom
Paul is intensely pious, and though
some insist that it is all hypocrisy,
there is no proof that Kruger does not
| live in strict accordance to his preach
ing. He was confirmed in 1912 by Rev
Daniel Lindlay, an American mission
airy, and from that day to this has led
a severely Christian life after the pre-
cepts laid down by John Calvin. He
! can quote nearly the whore Bible, and
! this has served him we'll in a secular
way, for hehas learned from it to speak
in parallels, terse epigrams that are
readily interpreted by his followers
and have more force than the most
brilliant rhetorical flights.
Kruger, in addition to his other ac-
complishments, is by far the best
preacher in the Transvaal. and the
Dutch Reformed church boasts Of some
capable men there. He occupies the
pulpit in modern brick edifice across
the street from his home about once a
month and always talks to standing
room only. He uses no notes, but
speaks offhand from text and does
not hesitate to sprinkle little humor
in the discourse. In his speeches be-
fore the Rad he quotes Scripture gen
erously, and even more so in converse
ton.
hot n