The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-18
To REALLY know what a people

are one must know their home
life. The Beers are probably less
understood than any other people who
claim a national existence. This Is
partly due TO their isolation In the great
continent, Africa, a place far out OF
the beaten track of trayel and unmo-
Tested by copy seekiSg journalists. It
h also partly due to the character of
the people themselves; there is nothing
so much that the Boer desires as 10 be
let alone.
The average Boer home is on a great
farm where the homestead stands i'm
the center OF a tract OF land often num-
berlng a dozen miles. The nearest
neighbors are miles away and the fam
ily may not see them for weeks at
time, except at the meeting house In
town, where all go on Saturday 70 re-
main for the service on Sunday
The Boer woman is very little like the
trim, handsome Dutchwomen OF her
ancestral Holland. She Is seldom pret-
~. Her complexion is he. principal
charm, and she guards this carefully
whenever she goes out. She is never
seen outdoors without a great peaked
bonnet on her head. her visits to church
being made behind an almost oriental
secusion OF wells. This is NECESSARY 20
preserve the pink and white OF her skin,
for the climate would otherwise soon
tan il 10 the color OF sole leather. Her
eyes are small and set close together.
and her features are Irregular. Her
cheeks are broad and fiat. and her hair
is naturally light in color. although
time and weather soon bleach IL from
its early straw color. AT a very early
age she loses all her teeth. for she Is
constantly chewing sweet cakes and
confectionery A European woman
would replace the molars that nature
has deprived her Of with well mounted
works OF art. but the Boer woman does
not do this she thinks it would be i'm
pious thus 10 try to duplicate the work
OF the Creator Her figure is thick and
almost waistless. While still a young
woman she begins TO grow fat and by
the time middle life is reached she is
often so unwieldy that the only eXer-
else she Is able to take is 60 waddle
Cumbersomely from one armchair to
another She is clad i'm loose, scantily
made gown devoid of trimming and APP
parenty waistless. The day garments
OF the Beers are also their nightclothes,
80 the gown is generally wTinkled
The education OF the women OF the
yedts is very simple. The older ones.
or at any rate many of them, are un-
able to read and write. even among the
better classes, but the younger people
show an immense interes. in letters.
There are no free schools and only the
children of the well-to-do are able 20 at
| tend the academies In the towns for
heavy fees are charged all scholars.
| one reason why the Boer children are
| fond OF their school and cry " they
are compelled to stay at home is be
/ cause IL is a break In the monotony OF
the day Life is dull in the Transvaal.
The school faculty usually consists o
a head master and sometimes woman
| assistant The woman seldom remains
a teacher more than one term, for th'
admiration Of the young Beer planter
| is so great for a woman gifted enough
! IN read and spell and thrifty enough
10 earn money with her brain tina
some well-to-do bachelor usually sooi
persuades her to marry hip. The de
nand for wives in South Africa is neve
| equal to the supply.
life In The Dutch republic is patri
archically simple. The Beers until re
Gently cared nothing about the gold o
I diamonds With WHICH lilcil iiCl PRIV
! inces were teeming; they wished a
live quietly and peaceaby on thei
| great farms, raising sheep and goat
and enough produce 10 supply their fam
| ily's simple wants. When the vrouv
| wants a new gown or mynherr n new
pair OF corduroy trousers or a higi
| crowned hat, he gathers up some os
! trlch feathers from the birds i'm tn
cat,,ps or drives to market a few of hi,
cattle and comes back amply suppliet
with what clothing the family thinks I
needs for the year.