Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-10-21
HOME LIFE OF
THE BOER WOMEN

passive expression. Tho life or the nocr
housewife OF the better class ia almost
coiorlcsa. she rises with tho rest OF
the family az daylight and. anor
chapter from the bible read BY the
male head Of the house. "a basin and
towel are PASSED around to tho meme
hora 81 the family by one OF the kaflr
maidsorvonta. Each one dips a corner M
tho towel into the water ana cnrolcHgly
brushes " over bic or her face Then
the hands nrr dipped Ia the water and
dried ana The basin and towel arc pass
cd ON TO the next one. In the Trans.
vnal cieanllngss ~ not regarded a. next
to rodlincsa. Auerthithrcakfast ~ acrv-
cd. ~ is often eaten In the kitchen and
b. prepared By the Knmr servants OUT
doors while the family was az To- do
votionH for the Beers believe that the
black people are 'dcaccndcd from apes
and do not need salvation"
Whom the family ~ gathered about
the table. ON which there is always a
large dish OF meat. long grace n said.
only tho mon.nrc served at this nrat
table. the women cat alone. During
the grace uil eyes nrc Fixed on the meat
dish and every man firmly graHpa his
fork nH he makes mental choice of tho
piece he wants. The moment the
"amon" ~ said every one mnkcn r. jnb
ut tho portion ho haH selected. ana IN
case two have fixed upon the famo
! piece u " tho most doNtcroua that bears
N the prizr. For breakfast there o.
nothing hut meat with bread and
| butter served with coffee, the staple
beverage of the Beers.
when the meal o. over the housewife
unscunccs herself beside little table
| in the window ~ the living room. 4
] shining cunou urn stands on the table
nnd from this the Vrouw now and thea
/ fortinca herself with deep drafts n
strong cohco drunk from queer. handle
| less cups Should n guest drop Ia dur
] lnF the day be viii be served with
l coffee and sweet cakes. and between
meals coffee viii BE- given 60 any None
| hor of the family who may want u.
I Tho children play about the vrouw and
l the servants come In and out 90 receive
orders, but the housewife does not stir.
| A. noon. whom the sun Hhlnca down hot
ANA bright ON kopic ana karroo, doors
ani windows are closed and the entire
Z family rctlros for monday sicHta. The
beds are huge wooden affairs topped
| with feather beds. with HhcopHkina
underneath as foundation. Except Ia
the best houses. fena abound, and tho
nap would be a very disturbed ono cor
] Europeans. when the sun has gone
down. every one goes to work again.
although there 10 not much labor done
by any ~ the white people the negro
servants. Kanrs. Hottgntoia aud Zulur
tolling while the noer or his wife or
daughter directs them. The story that
President <tugerH wife does her own
cooking il therefore "a fiction. Like
nll people who live IN southern iati.
tudoH. the Beers are lovers OF their cas-,
and consider Il beneath their dignity %
do anything that one ~ the black ncry,
ants can 80 Tor them.
only two meals day arc served
Dinner. which IL put upon the table II
the evening, h. tho principal one. IL
their gardens thore are plenty OF vcEc
tables, such nH cnhhnrcn. cauilnuwcra
Indian corn. cucumbtrn. potatoes an,
carrots. In the orchards are nli sort
u fruits and the vineyards nrc hcnvl
with great lunches OF luscious grapes
when the evening meal u over. Ia,
cattle are driven home 60 the krnnll
ana for awhile the family may vic ou
on the 'stoop" or around the dooI
watching tho nifht como on the south
cru cross ana the stars shining with
| wonderful hrilllnncy In the dark blu
o. the tropical sky. Tho Kanrs an,
the Hottentot servants squat before thl
doors Of their huts few rods from IA,
house and sing their weird chants ol
tell In a singaong tone their quaint foli
tales In which one may now and thoi
hear stories that have been hnnde,
down from generation 20 generation
Hundreds Of years ugo IN the African
deserts were forcshadowod tho storicI
or Uncle Romua aud Brcr Rabbit aul
Mr.. Fox. The HoorH themselves are
without imagination. ana the prnctica
mother OF tho house 10 probably turning
over ln her mind some scheme in &c.
gard 90 the household N she thinks a