The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-08

Mr.. Fox. The Beers themselves are
without imagination. and the practical
mother OF the house is probably turning
over in her mind some scheme in re-
gard to the household II she thinks at
all. for no people seem TO have so thor
oughly effaced thought and retired into
that beatifc state OF contemplation
akin to Nirvana as the well fed, self
satisfied Beers When bedtime comes.
the watch dogs are turned loose and
the family retires TO its feather touches.
Should a stranger come to the door
even in the middle OF the night the hos
pitable Beers viii turn out OF their beds
and give one up 10 the stranger. while
the house vrouw gets up and sees that
the servants set before the stranger
the best her pantry affords.
The houses are one stored. built Of
mud as rule. and painted white or red
They are soon covered with luxuriant
vines and are therefore picturesque
They contain from four TO six rooms.
the voorhuis or parlor being opened
only on state days. The walls OF all
the rooms are painted green or blue or
mauve. and the parlor is hung with pic
lures representing scenes from the BIZ
bic. In the psrlors OF houses in the
large towns one may now and then hear
a piano or an organ, played By the
daughters who have been away 10
school, The parlor is not remarkable
for its luxury even in the best houses.
wooden benches and tables and gor-
geous family Bible being about ali =
contains. Some very modern folks have
a large photograph album. but pho
/ tographers are, as rule. but little
patroniZed. A folding door generally
divides the parlor from the dining room.
which is just behind 1t.
on Sunday every family goes 20
church. II too far from town. worship
is held in the parlor. All the Beers be-
long 10 the Dutch Reformed church
and the minister. or predikant. as they
call him. is a more important person
even than the rector in an English Wiz
lage. He settles dogmatically all moot
ed questions OF morals and when any OF
his parishioners departs from the
straight and narrow pathway as Il is
understood in the Transvaal he is haul
ed before the predikant and his elders
and rOundly lectured for his failing
The great social events of the Boer
womans life are the days when the
predikant comes 10 dine with her fam
lily at weddings. christenings. con-
formations and the Nachtmaal Those
who cannot so 10 church every Sunday
on account OF the distance from town
hitch up the six spans OF oxen to the
white covered wagon, and. laden with
presents from the farm TO be presented
10 the predikant, go trundlng over the
karroos and mountains 20 the nearest
town where they take communion on
Sunday in the church and afterward
partake Of feast al their town houses.
for nearly all the well-to-do Beers have
town houses and farm residences. The
town houses are closed except at such
times as they drive in 10 church Some
times they have two country houses be-
tween which they divide their time
according 10 the plentifuiness OF grass
in one place or the other. Women anil
children pile into the great OK wagons
in which they sleep and live until the
new home is reached. The food Is cook
ed over an open fire which IS kept
lighted all night. for. while the days are
warm. the nights on the karroos are
very cold. Beside this there IL danger
from the wild beasts that roam over
the lonely plains and from wandering
bands of black banditti. To sleep thus
under the stars with the wall OF the
plover and the howl OF the jackal IN
ones ears and the danger Of death al
ways at hand would try the nerves az
man. but the Boer woman has no
nerves. Indeed she sleeps as soundly
under the sky as IN her feather bed
under the tin roof at home. She can
shoot as we'll as the men. and " there
were a night attack would probably
shoulder her own gun and help drive
back the marauders. N0t alone UNI
erring shots but fine horseworncu fE
well. in the old days when there was
strife between the blacks and the
whites parties OF Bocr women have
often alone and unaided defended :he
lager, or fort. from the savaRes who
expected 20 find them easy prey. In
tensely patriotic. they teach their chill
dren to love freedom. fear God and hate
the English. This is about their creed.
Schooled in rough school cnd With
Dutch obstinacy In their blood the
Boer women will be dangerous enemies
to the all cOnqueripE Brit0ns. for they
win. like the SpartanE ~ Old. send thrir
husbands and brothers and Sons ard
sweethearts out % repel the invaders
with the injunction. with your shield
or on L." MADCE PORTER