The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-25

G. Hillegas, after personal study OF
the Transvaal has written and ID. Ap-
pleton & Co., have published a, timely
and very interesting book called loom
Pauls People" from which the New
York Tribune has been permitted to
make extracts. These we reproduce
The authors sympathies are with
Dom Paul's little republic in its
struggle with the British empire to
preserve its identity, and that fact
stands out plainly and unmisi akably
from beginning to end of the book
MIR. Hillegas sees i'm almost every Boer
an unpublished diamond and in almost
every Englshman in the Transvaal an
interloper and a bully. In the opening
sentence of his book he makes one of
those sweeping congratulations, which
are catching to the ear, hut betray a
carelpssness in drawing conclusions
which should put every thoughtful
seeker after truth who reads the book
on. his guard. He saws:
The population of South Africa NAV
be divided into three greats classes Of
individuals: First. those who are only
waiting for the time when they will he
able to leave the Countrywide Outland-
ers: second those who hope that that
tlne may speedily come--the native
porn whites, and third. those who have
no hope at all-the negroes"
DOM PAIL AND HIS NOSE.
1t is APPARENT, then, at the outset that
what Mr. Hillegas has to saw about tbe
Beers must be taken with lust grain
OF salt, though it is none the less pleas
ant reading for all that. and one cannot
but admire the authors determination
10 see the bright side Of things. Tror
instance. if President Kruger is NOT one
OF the homeliest men on the ton of tho
earth, then the camera in an atrocious
llar This is certainly no discredit 20
oom Paul, but here is Mr. Hillepas,s nj.
most tender description of tho rrea+
mans nose: S'e"'
Mr. kruger's nose and mouth aro
the chlet features of his face. Both ara
more extensive than his large face de-
hlands, but they are such marvaIs in
their own peculiar way as to be dis
uhguishing marks. The bridge of the
nose grows wide as it goes outward
ifOm the point between the ewes and
before it reaches the tip it has q gentle
upheaval. Then ii spreads ont on
either side, and covers fully two inches
OF area above his upper lip. 1t is NOT
attractive, but in that it follows the
general condition of his facial land.
sCape."
# that is not making the best of a
bad job, what is?
KRUGER IS NO DUDE,
President Kruger impresses one as
Delh% king in the garb of a farmer
genius in a ounces cap. At first
slSht he would be mistaken for an aWl;-
NaFd countryman, with store clothes
ana SILK hat intended for some one
eIse' his frock coat is far too small TO
reach around his corpulent body: and
ms trousers seem TO have a natural
ahtlpathy for his shoes. He wears no
cu1ts and the presence of a collar and
Tie may be determined only by draw
ing aside the natural curtain formed
Dy ms Whiskers. He is uncouth in his
manner, but he has great natural at
tractlNehess, gained by long life
among hunters in the wilds
President Kruger is short in stature.
measuring less than feet inches. His
mead and body are large and fat, but
MS legs are thin and short. His head
is Just tritle longer than broad, and
almost fits the English definition of
square head. The eyes are surmount-
ed Dy bushy white eyebrows, which eX-
tend half an inch beyond his forehead.
when he is not sitting for a photo
graph his hair is not SO neatly ar
ranged as it appears in the well known
pictures, but hangs loosely down over
his wide forehead except when, with
a nasty swish Of the hand, he brushes
1t aside. The hair is nearly white, and
hangs over the sides of his head i'm
long tresses, which cover both his ears.
When he smiles the big fat circles
above his cheeks are pushed inward |
and shut his small gray eyes from view.
But when pleased the president gem |
orally laughs hilariously, and then his
eyes remain closed for the greater part
of a minute. The mouth is wide and |
unganly. The constant use Of a heavy |
plpe has caused a deep depression on |
the left side of his lower lip and this |
gives the whole mouth the appearance |
of being unbalanced. His chin is large |
and prominent, and his ears correspond |
relatively in size and symmetry with |
his face. When in repose his features |
are not pleasant to look upon but when |
lighted up by a smile they become |
rather attractive. and generally cause |
his laughter to become contagious |
among his hearers"
THE BOERS' BEST SIDE.
From President Kruger to his people !
is an easy step, and Mr.. Hillegas brings |
to the consideration of this topic tie |
same resolve to bring out the best
points. He nays:
The Beers habits and mode of life |
are similar to those of the American
ranchman, and in reality there is no.
much difference between the two cX-
cept that the latter Is not so far r..
moved from civilization, Physically |
the Beers are the equals If not the |
superiOrs of their old time ehcmy, the |
Hulus 1t would be difficult to find |
anywhere an entire race Of sucn physi- |
cal giants as the Beers Of tn ~ ans |
vaal and the Orange Free stat. II |
an average height of all the full grbN,n |
males in the country were taken il |
would be found to be no less thau six |
feet two inches, and probably mon. |
Their physique, Notwithstanding .hcir |
comparatively idle mode of living, Is |
magnificently developed.
with the Boer his religion ig his |
first and uppermost thought. The on |
Testament is the pattern which be |
strives to follow. His religions tenn |
perament is portrayed in almost every |
sentence he utters, and his repatii' N |
of Biblical parallels and sayings is d |
custom which so impresses itelf upon |
the mind of the stranger that il Is but !
natural that those who are unacQuaInt- !
ed with the Boer should declare IL a |
sure sign of his hypocrisy. He does |
not quote Scripture merely TO moross |
hn ~ L. L. hnn q.