The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-08
QUE Err SPRIGS OF GENTILITY.
One Who Knows Tells of Social Con-
ditions In Orange Free State.

duchess de Belimere in Chicago Record
The president of the Orange Free
State. although not so well known as
President Kruger, is quite as thorough
a statesman Grandson of the noted
Boer chief. Vessels, President Steyn is
himself a Boer to the core grew up
among the Beers and recognizes none
but their interests. The first twelve
years of his life was a monotonous Sc
ries OF planting and reaping. a hard
farm life which possessed no brighter
spots than an occasional dance at a
neighbors house, his stern fathers
parting Injunction ringing in his ears:
Remember. my son. tomorrow morn
ing must find you in the fields at the
usual hour
President Steyn recalls as very happy
days the three years spent with his in
dulgent grandmother at Bloemfontein.
when he attended Gray's college. His
studies there completed. he returned
home to serve his apprenticeship on his
fathers farm. where he remained until
10 wears old. when the visit of a prorai-
nent stranger at their humble cottage
marked the turning point in his career.
The guest was Justice Buchanan. Per-
ceiving the youths extraordinary in
tellgence and capabilities. he proDhe-
sled brilliant future for him. induced
his father to send him abroad. and not
long afterward had the satisfaction Of
seeing the lad installed with his goods
and chatteis in an OK cart on the way
to the coast. The next six years We're
spent in studying law in England and
Holland
1t was Just at this epoch that the first
CLINT of romance entered his life. He
met his wife wh~n ne sailed To EurODe.
but she was then graceful, fiaxen-
haired maiden of only IL. whom he did
not see again until his return TO South
Africa. six years later. But even in
this lapse of time he had not forgotten.
and no sooner had he arrived at the
coast than he FASTENED TO call upon a
handsome young woman of Is They
We're shortly betTothed- but he had not
the means to marry. and 50 the young
man plunged most enthusiastically into
work which meant both a wife and q
career.
Backed by a solid education. intimate
knowledge of the people with when. he
had TO do, Boer perseverance and
pluck. success greeted him at every
turn He became successfully lawyer
at the supreme court. attorney general.
judge. and. at the age of IS, president
of the Orange Free State.
President Steyn's six years of circuit.
rlClng d1OrOeu MN ample opportunity
to rough it" in every sense of the
term. TO mingle with all classes and
conditions of people, and, to quote his
own words, the numerous interesting
and amusing incidents which befeil me
during those days would furnish ma
terial for a neat-sized volume of me-
moirs. There is one anecdote. espec-
tally, which the president never wear
les of telling. Though the Free State
innkeepers are renowned throughout
South Africa for their extreme cour-
tesy and affability. yet the rule had
its exception. 1t happened that Adj
vccate Steyn arrived at village pos
sessing a solitary uninviting inn and
a still more disagreeable proprietor.
who insisted on putting five men in
tiny room. dark-for Ii was minus even
a windov-and damp. having two beds
and a mud floor for the couch OF the
fifth man. Steyn took the proprietor
to task for these accommodations. in
sisting on something better for his
money but to no purpose. Exasperated
beyond measure. the advocate indig-
nantly exclaimed: Then know one
thing; YOU shall not have our partv
for dodgers when we come back here
in six MONTHS"
You can't help yourself" retortesi
the other. with a sneer This is the
only hotel in town"
When Steyn returned the party
pitched tent outside the village, and