The times., 1899-11-19
PRESIDENT sTEYN's ROMANCE.
How He Met and Married Miss Fraser
at BIOemfontein.
(From the London Mail.

President Steyn, whose proclamation
'annexing a portion OF Cape Colony north
of the Vaal River" created mixed feelings
Of amusement and indignation in London
yesterday, spent his earlier years with his
maternal grandmother at Bloemfontein.
This good lady was the wife of the IA
nous Boer leader and pioneer. Vessels
man with some sterling qualities. whose
memory the Beers hold in the highest rev
erence. Mrs. Vessels was a fit wife for
such a husband-brave, determined. patri-
Ctic, gentle, and loving.
The natives disputed every step the
'trekking' Beers took in their country,
but they were hardly more dangerous than
the lions which pTOwled about in large
numbers. Many a time in the dead of
night Steyn's grandmother, when a goung
married woman. had to fly from impending
death in one form or another. enc child in
her arms, another running by her side
clinging to her skirts In later years. when
the Beers had settled down to cultivate
their farms and the Vessels were able TO
look back on the stormy days thai had
passed. a phrase that Steyn and his broth
ers heard often from their graudmothers $
lips was: You are free men See to it
that you remain free. Steyn dwells upon
the memory Of this noble woman with at
fectiOn and pride.
The marriage of the President Of the
Free State is quite a little romance in it
self. He was intended for a legal career,
and when nineteen years of age ieft South
Africa to pursue his studies in Europe. On
the same ship was a sweet winsome las
sic of twelve, and the boy and the girl be-
came boon companions to the end Of the
voyage. Steyn studied with diligence and
success. Sometimes he thought of his
travelling companion, and wondered if ne
should ever see her again.
Six years passed. and Steyn returned to
Bloemfontein a full -fedged barrisJer He
had only been home a few days when he
attended a school function. and ore of the
first guests he was introduced to was a
beautiful young woman of eighteen. in
whom he quickly recognized his ship COM
panion of six years before. Under similar
ciTcumstan young people are apt to call
such a coincidence destiny, and Steyn
and his sweetheart were no exception to tbs
rule. His offer of marriage was accepted,
but Steyn's f'ancial position did not war
rant him in setting up housekeeping just
then. He had plenty of brains, but few
briefs TO exercise them on. There was
nothing for it but to wait and work
Steyn Travelled a great deal in circuit
and the letters for his sweetheart he ad-
dressed secretly to a mutual friend, upon
whom Miss Fraser-fOr such was the young
woman's name-CalIed every day for her
billets-doux. Bloemfoutein even now is no
bigger than a decent sized English village;
in those days it was so small that everybody
made a point OF knowing everybody else's
business. Consequently, people were quick
to notice the friendship that had sprung up
between Miss Fraser and Steyn's friend in
the barrister's absence, and the general i'm
preston was that this friend was trying TO
steal Steyn's sweetheart from him. thus
proving himself a traitor to Steyn and un-
worthy of recognition by any honest. fair
dealing resident of BloemfOntein, Friends
deserted the unhappy man; where once he
was met with smiles he saw nothing but
frowns but he stuck Loyalty TO his truss
despite it all.
When Steyn returned to Blosmfontein
people received him with YsiIed expressions
of commiseraJion. Steyn could not under
stand it. He hastened to the residence OF
the mau who had been acting as his post
man" and enqUired the meaning OF it all
He roared with laughter when he heard Of
the conclusion his fellow -tOwnsmen had
jumped to, and how surprised those good
but misguided folk we're when they saw
the rising young barrister and "the base
deceiver' walking arm in arm through the
streets may be readily imagined At last
BIoemfontein learned the truth. They had
much to ask forgiveness for from the man
upon whom they had too quickly passed
judgment. and he was feted and bauquetad
for many days thereafter, The marriage
of Advocate Stayn and Miss Fraser rounded
off pretty little romance, but whether
''the postman" acted as best mani
there is such an cfice at a BOer wedding
d5Foneut sayeth not.
In this wise did the man who is figuring
so prominently in the TrausyasI war meet
WOO. and win a charming bride