The National tribune., 1899-10-12
THE REAL BoER AT HOME.
Paul Kruger Not Typical specimen-Reli.
gious and Gloomy.
Ne,, .yyA.I Co.,

INtV Ofh Suft
1t is a mistake to take Paul Kruger and
his surrounding politicians as types of the
Boer: Also, it is mistake to take the
dweller in the towns as typical. To un-
earth the real BOer one must seek the wide
and solitary veldt, the hidden valleys. the
distant hills, and there, on his farm, draw
him out and study him. Your true Boer
despiseS the town. He is essentially an
agrleulturist and hunter. Up to 1892 he
never saw a railroad ia his country, and he
was bitterly opposed to its coming. He
argues that the railroad will drive away
the game, and, without anything to shoot
at, life will not be worth living. He is
extremely conservative, and with strangers
brusaue and taciturn, but if he finds you
are harmless he can be very hospitable.
He does not drink deep. He is religious,
with gloomy, stern religion. Like all
people whose belief in the Bible is of that
uncompromising kind he is more or less
superstitious. He is moral. He does not
believe in divorce laws. He marries early
In life. and is convinced the highest bless
ing is an abundance of Children. He is
sturdily built, as a rule, thanks to his way
of life, which is the same as that of his
father and his ancestors for many genera
tions-an open-air life with lots of beef and
cabbage and milk. He is good horscman
and remarkable marksman. He under
stands that the man who can shoot straight
anu WITHOUT excitement makes, nowadays,
the best soldier. He fears God and loves
his country, but cannot understand the
need of n taxgatherer. He is, in fact, the
backwoodsman of last century in the United
States come to life in Africa.
81 At the first hint of gray in the eastern
sky, at the first crow of the cock. the farm
household is up and stirring, and breakfast,
with the usual strong coffee me 3ocr loves,
Is over by the time the sun rises. The men
are out and about at once, looking after
Just the same chores as on an American
farm in the West, save those who are off to
repienish the larder by shooting n SPRING
box, hartbeeSt or some such species of
deer. The women have plenty of work
about the house. The genuine old Boer
farm furnishes itself every necessary to its
occupants. The furniture is often made by
the farmer, or he has great unwieldy,
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 sleeps wool, and make
has to buy is farming implements, and OF
these he prefers the primitive sort, though
enterprising agents have introduced such
things as moving and other machinery.
During the day he works leisurely, con-
tent to make a living out Of the ground. He
has been seen sitting in his wagon for
hours watching an entcrprising, hustling
worked continuously with all kinds of new
tangled machines, producing far moro
from tho earth than his wants required,
because he wished to market the surplus
and mako money. He has been seen thus
shaking his head in pity and not unmingled
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, mcdftating on the want of faith
these uitlanders have, who cannot trust the
future to God and be content with to-day.
1t Is not, however, all peace. AS the
American backwoodsnlan was continually
on his guard against Indians, so the Boer is
every ready to take the field against q
kaffir tribe or the British. Then the plow
and the bee are laid aside, and the rife is
cleaned Carefully, but not now for a pleasant
hunt after game. The call to arms is
simple; mobilization. is primitive. 1t
amounts to little more than if Kruger or
Gen. Jouber. were to shsut at the top OF his
voice, so that the whole county could hear
him: "All hands OH deck for actiOni" At
the war cry tho patriots know they have
been "commandersd." There is no squab-
bling about volunteering, or enlisting, or
drafting. Except the wsmen, the very old
and the very young, everybody responds,
even the boys OF 3 and 14-but the average
Boer boy is a pretty stout and healthy lad,
and has been taught to Shoot since he was
10. Each man takes his horse and his
rife and proceeds to the rendezvous Of his
district. The pastors are with them, and
with prayer and psalms the farmer-soldiers
march out to defend their country.