The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-18


Mr.. Fox. nh. Docrs themselves arr
without imagnatlof, and tho practical
mother OF tho house Is probably tnralng
over In her mind some Scheme in rd-
gard 10 the household r she thinks NJ
all for no people seem TO have SO thor
oughly effaced thought and retired into
that beauhc state of Contemplation
akin to- Nhyana az the well fCd fclf
satisfied Boers. When 5edtlmr coacz.
the watch dogs are turned iooap ana
the family retires 70 its feather couchcS.
Should a stranger come Co tha Goor
even IN the middle OF the night the hos
pitable Beers will turn out OF their bods
and give one up 90 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 %
mud as rule, and painted white or red,
! They are soon covered with luxuriant
vines and are therefore picturesque
They contain from four 10 six rooms.
the vOorhuis or parlor being opened
only or state days The walls of all
the rooms are painted green or blue or
mauve and the parlor is hung with pic
turcs representing scenes from the BIZ
BILE. In the parlors Of houses in the
large towns one may now and then hcar'
piano or an organ, played by ths
daughters who have been away 10
school The parior Is not remarknblo
for its luxury even in the best houses.
wooden benches and tables and Gor-
geous family Blble being about all ;.
contains. Some very modern folks have
large photograph album, but pho
tographers are. as a rule. but little
patronized. \ folding door generally
divides the parior from the dining room.
which is just behind IL.
on Sunday every family goef TO
church. II too far from toWI, Worship
\ is held i'm the parlor Al the Beers be-
( long 10 the Dutch Reformed church.
/ and the minister, or predikant. as they
| call him. is a more important person
/ even than the rector in an English VIII
lagc. He settles Dramatically all moot
ed questions Of morals and when any OF
his parishoncrs departs from the
straight and narrow pathway as IL is
understood in the Transvaal, he is haul
ed before the predkant and his elders
and roundlY 'lcctured for his failing.
The great social events OF the Bocr
woman's life are the days when thn
prodlkant comes 90 dine with her fam
lily at weddings, christcnings, con-
who cannot go 10 church every Sunday
. on account Of The distance from town
! hitch up the six spans OF oxen 10 the
l white covered wagon, ana. laden with
presents from the farm 20 be presented
. 60 the prcdikant. go trundling over the
! karroOs and mountains 10 the nearest
: town where they take communion on
sunday i'm the church and aflerward
/ partake OF feast at their town houscs.
for nearly all the wel-to-do Beers have
town houses and farm residences. Tho
town houses are closed except at such
times as they drive i'm 10 church. Some
times they have two country houses be-
tween which they divide their time.
according to the plentifulness of grass
In one place or the other Women ana
children pile into the great OK wagons
in which they sleep and live until the
new home is reached. The food is cook
ed over an open fire which is kept
lighted all night. for. while the days are
warm the nights on the kagroos axe
/ very cold Beside this there is danger
J from the wild beasts that roam over
e the lonely plains and from wandering
= bands OF black banditti TO sleep thus
G under the stars with the wall Of the
0 J plover and the howl of the jackal 30
= ones ears and the danger Of death al-
ways at hand would try the nerves OF
a man, but the Boer woman hss 70
/ nerves. Indeed she sleeps as soundly
! under the sky as in her feather bel
under the tin roof at homo. She can
shoot as well as the men. and IL there
were a night attack would probably
; shoulder her own gun and help drive
? back the maraUders. Not alone u1-
errng shots, but fine horsewomen as
, well, in the old days when there was
! strife between the blacks and the
whites, parties OF Boer women have
: often alone and unaided defended the
e lager or fort from the savages who
4 expected 10 find them easy prey. In
, tensely patriotic, they teach their chill
4 dren Ia love freedom, fear Cod and hate
@ the English This is about their creed.
Q Schooled i'm q rough school and with
r Dutch obstinacy i'm their blood. the
!, Boer women will be dangerous enemies
n 10 the all conquering Britons, for they
n viii. like the Spartans OF old, send their
j. husbands and brothers ana sons and
n swecthcarts out To rcpel the invaders
3 with the injunction with your shield
/ ! coz on IT," MADGE POltlEh'