The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-11-09

WAllb OF MI tuo TOoMoN hfo phlOfeu
green or blue or mauve, and the par
Tor is hung with pictures representing
scenes from the Bible. In the parlors
OF houses in the large towns one may
now aud then hear piano or an organ.
played by the daughters who have
been away to school. The parlor is
not remarkable for its luxury even in
the best houses, wooden benches and
tables aud q gorgeous family Bible
being about all it contains. Some
very modern folks have largo photo
graph album, but photographers are,
as q rule, but little patronized. A
folding door generally divides the
parlor from the dining room, which is
just behind it.
On Sunday every family goes to
church. II too far from town, worship
is held in the parlor. All the Beers
belong to the Dutch Reformed
Church, and the minister, or predi-
kant, as they call him, is a more i'm
portant person even than the rector
in an English village. He settles
dogmatically all mooted questions of
morals, and when any OF his parishion-
crs departs from the straight and mar
row pathway, as it is understood in
the Transvaal. he is hauled before the
predikant and his elders and roundly
lectured for his failing
The great social events of the Boer
woman's life are the days when the
predikant comes to dine with her fam.
lily at weddings, christeniugs, confr-
nations and the Nachtmaal. Those
who cannot 60 to church every Sun.
day on account OF the distance from
town hitch up the six spans of oxen to
the white covered wagon, aud, laden
with presents from the farm to be pre-
sented to the predilkant, go trundling
over the karroos aud mountains to the
nearest town whore they take COM
munion on Sunday in the church and
arterward partake of feast at their
town houses, for nearly all the well-to-
do Beers have towu houses and farm
residences. The town houses are
closed except at such times as they
drive in to church. ! Sometimes they
have two country houses between
which they divide their time, accord
ing to the plentifulness of grass in Que
place or the other. Women and chill.
dren pile into the great OK wagor in
which they sletp and live until the
new home is reached. The food il
cooked over an open fire hich is kept
lighted all night, for, while the days
are warm, the nights on the karroos
are very cold. Beside this there is
danger from the wild beasts
that roam over the lonely plains
and from wandering hands of black
bandtti. To sleep thus under the
stars with the wall OF the
plover and the howl of tho jackal in
ones ears aud the danger Of death al
ways at hand would try the nerves of
man, but the Boer woman has no
nerves Indeed, she sleeps as soundly
under the sky as in her feather bel
under the tin roof at home. She can
shoot as we'll as the men, and il there
were a night attack would probably
shoulder her own gun and help drive
back tho marauders. Not alone un-
erring shots, but fine horscwomen az
well, in the old days when there was
strife between the blacks and tho
whites, parties of Boer women have
often alone and unaided defended ths
lager, or fort, from the savages who
expected to lind them easy prey. In
tensely patriotic, they teach their
children to love freedom, fear God
and hate the English This is about
their creed. Schooled in rough
school and with Dutch obstinacy in
their blood, the Boer women will be
dangerous enemies to the all con-
quering Britains, for they will, like
the Spartaus of old. send their hus-
bands and brothers and sons aud
sweethearts out to repel the invaders
with tho injunction, "With your
shield or on it.",-Trenton IN.
American.