Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-12


without Imagination, and the practical
mother Of the house is probably turning
over in her mind some scheme in re-
gard to, the household If she thinks at
all, for no people seem to have SO thor
oughly effaced thought and retired into
that beatif1c state of contemplation
akin to Nirvana as the we'll fed, self
satisfied Beers. When bedtime comes,
the watch dogs are turned loose and
the family retires to its feather couches.
Should a stranger come to the door
even in the middle of the night the hos
pitable Beers will turn out of their beds
md give one up to the stranger, while
the house vrOuw gets up and sees that
the servants set before the stranger
the best her pantry affords.
The houses are one storied, built OF
mud as rule, and painted white or red.
They are soon covered with luxuriant
vines and are therefore picturesque.
They contain from four to six rooms,
the voorhuis or parlor being opened
only on state days. The walls Of all
the rooms are painted green or blue or
mauve, and the parlor is hung with pic
lures representing scenes from the Bi.
BILE. In the parlors Of houses in the
large towns one may now and 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 and gor-
geous family Bible being about all It
contains. Some very modern folks have
a large photograph album, but pho
tographers are, as a 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. If too far from town, worship
is held in the parlor. All the Beers be-
long to the Dutch Reformed church,
and the minister. or predikant, as they
call him, is q more important person
even than the rector in an English VIII
Ilage. He settles Dramatically all moot
ed questions of morals and when any of
his parishioners departs from the
straight and narrow pathway as 1t is
understood in the Transvaal, he is haul
ed 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, christenings, con-
j formations and the Nachtmaal. Those
who cannot go to church every Sunday
on account Of the distance from town
hitch up the six spans Of oxen to the
j white covered wagon, and. laden with
presents from the farm to be presented
i to the predikant, go trundling over the
q karroos and mountains to the nearest
town where they take communion on
Sunday in the church and afterward
partake of a feast at their town houses,
f<,,, ooy,Jry ryoII k,I a. :.
n town houses and farm residences. The
, town houses are closed except at such
| times as they drive in to church. Some
times they have two country houses be-
i tween which they divide their time.
. according to the plentifulness Of grass
. in one place or the other. Women and
J children pile into the great OK wagons
in which they sleep and live until this
new home is reached. The food is cook.
!, ed over an open fire which is kept
) lighted all night, for, while the days art
+ warm, the nights on the karroos am
t very cold. Beside this there is dangel
i from the wild beasts that roam ovel
: the lonely plains and from wandering
bands of black banditti. To sleep thus
3 under the stars with the wall Of the
j plover and the howl of the jackal II
ones ears and the danger of death al.
ways at hand would try the nerves Of
/. a man, but the. Boer woman has nc
4 nerves. Indeed, she sleeps as soundlJ
4 under the sky as in her feather bed
: under the tin roof at home. She car
. shoot as well as the men, and If Their,
i were night attack would probably
8 shoulder her own gun and help drive
y back the marauders. Not alone un,
i erring shots, but fine horsewomen a.
e well, in the old days when there wa.
s strife between the blacks and tn,
{ whites, parties of Boer. women hav.
i often alone and unaided defended tn,
: lager, or fort, from the savages whit
b expected to find them easy prey. In
o tensely patriotic, they teach their chill
4 dren to love freedom, fear God and hat,
e. the English. This is about their creed
g Schooled in a rough school and will
r Dutch obstinacy in their blood, tn,
k Boer women will be dangerous enemie,
n to the all conquering Britons. for the.
d will, like the Spartans of old, send thei
i. husbands and brothers and sons and
n sweethearts out to repel the invader.
S with the Injunction, with your shielt
4 or on it." MADGE PORTER.