Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-06
president sTEYN's ROMANCE
How Ue Met ana Married Miss
Fraser NJ BlOemfontcfn.


President Steyn, whose proclamation
"annevins portion OF Cape Colony north
Of the Yoal river created mixed feelings
Of amusement and indignation in London
yesterday, spent his earlier years with
his maternal grandmoth.r at Bi0emfol-
tein.
This good lady was th- wife NJ tho "a
| nous Boer leader and pioneer. Nessois-l
man with some sterling qualities Hh0-s
| memory the Beers hold iu the highest
reverence. MIS-. Vessels was ft wifs
J for such a husband brave determined.
| patriotic. gentle and loving.
The natives disputed every step tho
| "trekkng' Beers took IN their country,
but they were hardly more dangerous
than the lions which pr0Wlad about IN
large numbers. Many time Do tho dead
Of night Stoyu's grandmother. when Do
young married woman. hHi % fv from
impending death IN one form or another.
one child I'm her arms. another running hr
her side clinging 10 her skirts. Tn later
years when the Beers bad 'tlad down
10 cultivate their farms. and The Vessels
were able 90 look back on tho stormy
days that had passed. phrase that
Steyn and his brothers heard often from
their grandmother lips was. "fou arc
free men See 20 10 chat you remain free"
Sieyn dWels upon the memory Of this no.
bic woman with affection ana pride.
The marriage Of the president o. tho
Free State is quite a little romance in lt~
SELF. He was intended for "a legal clracr,
ana when nineteen years Of age lcf.
South Africa to pursue his studies I'm Eu~
rope. ON the same ship was % sweet,
winsome lassie or twelve. and tho boy
and the girl became boon companies %
the end OF the voyage. Stayn studi Il
with diligence and success Sometimes
he thought OF HIS little travelling compan-
ion. and wondered IL he should ever SCI
her again.
Six years passed. and Steyn returned
10 Bloemfontain a ful-nodaad hlrrfcr
lie had only been home n few days when
he attended % school function. nnd ono
OF the first ~ ssts he was introduced 10
was beautt young woman NJ eitl-
teen, tn whom - quickly recognized MS
ship companion OF six years before 'n-
der similar crcumsiancrs young pnoN.o
are apt 90 call such . coincidence 'des-
tiny" and Steyn and DIS sweetheart
were no exception to the rule. Ills otier
OF marriage was accepted. but S,eyn3
financial position DID not warrant MIN
I'm settling mp housekeeping just thDn.
He had plenty OF brains. but few BRIEFS
TO exercise them on. There was nOthl
for It but 10 wait and work.
Steyn travelled a great deal in clrc
and the letters for his sweetheart he .-
dressed secretly 90 O. mutual friend ui
whom Miss Fra5er-fOr such WAS iA'
Young woman's name-called every oNI
for her bilefs-dOux. Blocmi0ntein otfl
now IA no bigger than deccni-sil.l
English village: I'm those days Dc was I'D
small that everybody made point or
knowing everybody else's business. 'on-
sequentlv. people were quick TO noue'
the friendship that had sprung up De-
tween Miss Fraser and Steyn.s Ifi'ho llt
the barrister's absence. ana me EeN.i"i
impression was that This ifi'hu was ,iy-
ino IA steal Sfoyn's sweetheart from MN
tbus moving himself a. traitor 10 Steyn
and unworthy o. recognition by any
honest fair-deallng resident or bloem-
fonteini Friends deserted the unhappy
man. where once Doe was met with smiles
he was nothing but froWns, but he stucE
Loyalty 10 his trust despite 10 alL
when Stoyn returned 90 bloemionicil
people received him with yelled eNpfes-
sions OF cOmmiscratl0n. Steyn coul4 no-
understand II. Ho FASTENED TO the resi-
dence of the man who had been acuns
as his "post-man" and inquired mo
meaning % t. am lie roarcd win
laughter when ne heard OF the concli-
sion his fellow townsmen had jumped
TO and how surprised those good bur nl --
guided folk We're wren they saw tna
rising young barrister and "tne base de-
celver" walking arm IN arm through l.'
streets may be readily imagined. AZ
last Bloemfontein learned the lrllh.
They had much TO ask forgiveness Tor
from The man upon whom they had 700
quickly passed judgment and no W.
feted and banquetcd for many -'3
thereafter. The marriage or A"''e"''
Steyn and Miss Fraser roundtn or
,r.ttv lille romance. but whether '"'
ppost.man'' acted as best mani mere
T. such an once at Boer weddins-pe-
p0nent sayeth NOT a., e,s,
In mis- wise did the man VINO ls hh1
ring 80 prominently IN the ltansHar
war meet. WOO and win 'l"'n ''ns
bride.