Evening capital., 1899-10-17
president Kruger,l


had not been used for n long time.
While tinkcring with a charge the gun
exploded, tearing his left thumb In
shreds. Kruger's companions wanted
him to give up the hunt and hurry to
the nearest surgeon, but the intrepid
young Boer refused Taking out his
hunting knife he placed the lacerated
thumb on the stock of his rifle and am
putated it himself. BY tying about the
stump a piece of rawhide he stopped
the flow Of blood, and, winding around
il red handkerchief, he continued the
sport.
All through his life Kruger has had
narrow escapes from death. and his ca
reer, IL detailed fully, would be thrill.
ing. When only fourteen years old he
and his little sister strayed away from
the laager down in Cape Colony, where
the elder Kruger had settled on emi-
grating from Germany, and while play
ing were suddenly attacked by leop
ard. Young Krugcr's only weapon was
a jackknife. but shielding his sister
with one arm, he met the vicious spring
of the leopard with the other, and after
a bloody struggle succeeded In stab
bing ii to death.
His first duty. he believes, is to God.
and his second to Rhodes. whom he de-
tests like poisonous reptile. But for
Rhodes, Mr.. Kruger says, all would be
peace and quietness in the Transvaal
So long as this man is in South Africa
there is no rest for the Beers. and their
secret service agents may be found on
every street in Johannesburg. on the
lookout for Uitlander conspirators.
Kruger, in addition to his other ac-
complishments, is by far the best
preacher in the Transvaal, and the
Dutch Reformed Church boasts Of
some capable men there. He occupies
the pulpit i'm a modern brick edifice
across the street from his home about
once n month. and always talks to
standing room only. He uses no notes.
but speaks off hand from n text. and
does not hesitate To sprinkle q little
humor in the discourse In his speech
es before the Raad he quotes scripture
generously, and even more so in con.
versation.
AS for his private life. that seems to
be exemplary. After rising he prays
for n long time in his room. and. talks
over with the Lord" the questions Of
the day. When he develops convic-
ton in this way he proceeds to act up
on it. Kruger's piety once nearly cost
him his life A good many years ago
he suddenly disappeared, and when he
failed to show up searching party
was made up to hunt for him. At the
end of three days they found the future
President. who was then field cornet
living face down on the open veldt. He
had been proving three days and nights
steadily. without food or water, and
was nearly dead
Mr.. Kruger is now &c years old. and
has been elected to the Presidency four
times. His salary is $4,000. with ST.
SEQ for coffee. This he drinks black.
and so hot that the burghers say 1t
will scald the hair off dog. His life
has certainly been a remarkable one,
and Mt different stages he has been a
farmer. herdsman, hunter. soldier,
clergyman. ambassador, triumvir. fl
nancier. head of the army, and is now
serving his fourth term rs President.
Mrs. Kruger has been Mr.. Kruger's
constant helpmate through all the
wears of his public life, and their affec-
ton for each other seems to have
grown with each succeeding year. She
is Mr. Kruger's second wife. Kruger's
first wife was an aunt Of Miss Du
Plessis. and bore him one son. who
died. Sixteen children We're the fruit
of this second marriage, and of those
seven are living. The girls are com
fortably married to burghers in and
about Pretoria, and the boys take an
active interst in the army. One son-in-
law, Captain Eleff, has made himself
famous by building the most expensive
mansion in South Africa. He has ac-
crued a fortune in real estate opera
tions. and is supposed to be worth 81 ;
100000. One of Kruger's sons acts as
his secretary and another is captain of
an infantry company. Mr.. and Mrs.
kruger live in little two-stOry cot
tage, painted white and covered in
front with morning glory vines.