Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-03
AMONG THE BOERs.

have found that the general impression
with regard 10 the South African Boer
q that he II much maligncd and
abused individual, Of stern religious
convictions, simple. honest and Indus
trious. who only asks to be let alone to
enioy the fruits Of his labor and sit
with hin "vrouw on kinders" beneath
his own vine aud ne tree. This picture.
I foFrct TO say. h Ear from portrnying
the rcai character Of the beers Rs
class. naturally here and thcro may be
found shining exception but taken az
whole. the noor race. both men and
women. arc as unsavory crow IN
manners and morals as Il has been my
misfortune 10 meet In Africa. Europe or
America. do not speak on this
point without warrant. aa from my OPP
purtunltics a. a medical mans wife.
ilvlng absolutely among thom for 30
many years. I was able to personally
see and know Of details concerning
their family lives to an extent that to
most "Uitnndora" would have been
quite impossible. and which secm al
most Incredible when related at second
hand
Al "Naachtmaai," their special COM
munion service. which takes place In
the Dutch church once In three months.
the village would be- fun Of beers from
the outlying FARMS who drove In aud
stayed several days IN the small houses
OF the vlllnre-mcn, women aud chill
dfou hetdcd together like sheep In a
pen.
Almost the FIRST thing to do on enter
Ing town. after FIRST "outHpauning" the
horses, was TO visit the doctor Tor some
rcal or fancled nllmeut. Mudlclne.t taxi
Ing " 90 them pleasing dissipation,
and The nastier the mixture IN taste
ana smell. the greater faith they ropuse
in ~ efficacy A small medicine Vial
~ teaspoon doses, 10 be tnkon two or
three times n day ~ regarded with "a
cuntemptu0us and duuhting eye. but
full-aized black beer bottle u some
nauscoua concoction. with Instructions
10 swallow two large tnblospounfuls
cvor1 few hours, viii be borne away
With much complncenCyi and, Indeed,
~ the patient be not warned. double
the dose ordered By the doctor viii be
taken In many cases. with the Idea THAT
good thing.
There IL also fearful Joy In gazing
NJ o. tonth-pulllnE or the lanclng Of an
nbeccsa, performed on some relative or
| friend. Moreover, they never u they
can possibly avoid II. pay cash. but re-
charged" henvlng a satisfied sigh with
| a Thank God. that's setticdi"cxpression
on seeing the sum entered In the debit
| book.
Always upon Naachtmaal days, before
the usual rush 90 the doctors office
commenced. II was quite customary 10
carefully put away and lock up, all
small articles Of value; ana experience
/ having taught that anything possible 10
/ pocket, which might Inadvertently be
/ left lying about would Inevitably dis
/ appear In the cnpncious toccases OF
/ some Bocr or Boercss's garments. They
/ feel no shame AZ all IN stealing. ana
/ think II u really "slim" (clcver) thing
/ To got the better % one another or. best
Of all. cheat "vurdomde roolnok"
The ahopkcopcrs used. a. matter Of
/ course. 20 remove from the counters all
small packets q goods Ike candles,
etc. knowing w n TIE acuulaltlyc nature
of their customers and there were god.
/ ~ people who had sometimes journeyed
I many miles 10 attend the special COM
munion servicei They are q trying race
20 attend IN sickness. II the medicines
pioHsii'c do roi have INN 'dlatc erect
they are fond Of experimenting them
| with myatcriaia and wonderful cnncOc-
tionH known ~ hubs medlclnen' thouae
modicineal. which sometimes combine
with the doctors prescription In pro-
| ducinE curious and surprising aymp-
toms. the origin of which IL 90 the UNI
fortunate medicn unaccountnhly OBJ
scurc. They have other remedies stu
| more unplensnnt-such a. goat eNcrc'
mcnt, swallowed IN the form u pills, foi
indigestion. oil from addcrA extracted
! by frying the whole snake, Tor bites and
various kinds " swelllnEs manure poul,
tees. parnffn and huck-fat. EXTERNAL
~ applied Tor pains ana Inflammation
and last but not least. the atlll warn
entrnilH 0f animals. applied ~ poultlcc'
In various disorders ~ womeu' They re-
sort 60 muuX other nuHtrums equally
nasty. but I think the enumeration ol
these few samples will b. sufficient w.
matrntiou ON this point Frank i.cslle''
Popular Monthly Tor November.