The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-06-16
SOUTH AFRICAN o n
ne MES Are the Dress@aker.- Bat
The Wsaea Have . frrtp hard
uae Not~tthstAasiaE-

The Wsaea Have = Pr~ts Hard
Ttae NetwtthstAaSiaG-
-
ne native women Of south Africa
give their infants four or ave hot
baths daily. said Ms Eilen COED
enough. a prominent delegate from
tAe Soa.A African mission nsld, who
according to = speSial eo~-resPoodeni
a the 6obeDSnoorat attended the
ecumenical eonferenoe In New York
city. They consider it necessary for
the health and proper development Of
the child After these baths they rub
its little body with a pr Of paint
made by mixing . soft clay with OIL
This completes its toilet and, AFTER
feeding, il IS placed on its little nat
BY the nre 20 sleep
"A mother does not leave her young
child in her kraal when she goes out
70 gather wood. ietch water or work
her farm. but carries 8, pr her back in
. sling. which. BY the way, is nzde
By the mar Of the household One Of
the odd things about these haflr-
Zulus Is that the mez DO the sewing
They are both tailors and Oressmak-
erS. and fashion 4 bridal robe with as
much skill as they make a mans
apron or war shield Of course, you
will understand that they use the
same material, namely hide, for al
Of these purposes
But TO 20 back 70 the babies their
principal food. as oon as they have
learned to drink from = gourd Is the
whey which their mothers draw from
the ehbbered milk prepared in great
quantities for the men OF the house
hold.
~You must not fancy that the WON
en- think Of themselves in preparing
the food for the family. A woman's
taste l. OF too little importance. In
deed. l think such g thing Is not
known TO exist. Food Is prepared for
the husband and his friends according
TO his orders, and IL there should Dc
anything lef, over then the women
and girls may eat IL in smother part
Of their little hut, II not they must
satisfy their hunger with whey, or
fruits, for which the men are known
TO eare very little. The meals for the
men usually consist OF several courses,
.ot which boiled or broiled e OF
fish Is the arst, then follow vegetables.
OF seyeral varieties, fruits, the elab-
Der Of which have spoken, and 3
SORT Of hasty pudding. made Of corn
meal with ooarse brown sugar
sprinkled over it. Cooking IS n OF
the many duties performed by the
women, and most Of ii Is done in the
same vessel. an iron pot, with a second
pot Of the same sire fitted over st as
q cover. In this clumsy vessel they
manage TO DO very ereditable cooking.
Besides boiling their meats, vegetables
and puddihgs, they manage to steam
q loaf Of bread.
Their huiS Of which each woman
has one. is circular in shape, and 50
low that she can only stand erect in
the center. The Zulu woman keeps II
remarkably clean. when you consider
that IL IL the only place IN which sh,
and her family must live, and at nigh
the dOgz. goats, calves and chickens
creep in at the door and huddle in tb'
corners assigned 20 them. This dool
is the sole opening TO the house. II Il
about an feet high. so, Of course, eveI
the animals and children are com
PEELED to crawl in and out.
Like her sisters all over the world
she Is fond OF ornaments. and not onll
delights In covering her body am
limbs with beads. rings, bangles an,
all sorts Of strange articles as charms
but takes great pride in the numbei
Of scar she can show. Mothers Oftel
have the arms and bosoms Of thei
young daughters cut or burned for tn.
purpose Of making these beaut,
marks have seen the whole bod.
covered with little gashes which tn.
doctor was making and filing Wit
whatsPPearedto be a mixture OF char
coal and ashes You may be sure tina
girl sold for an extra price on aecoun
OF great beauty. when she came TO
manageable age.
Upon reaching the marriagtabl
age boin men and women shave thei
heads The men leave a circle on n
top and the women a tuit Of hail
This tuft OF hair, which is on III
crown Of the head. is smeared with
mixture Of grease and red ochre, an
gathered into a sort Of crest or TOY
knOt. Their clothing. until they do
their bridal costume, consists prir
eipally Of beads brass jewelry an
numerous strings % charms. Nativ
fathers are not In favor Of clothin
their daughters, as they consider It
useless expense. Legally, a woma
has no rights. but her father has, an
unless her husband can show jus
/, Erounos for complaint he cannot ri
himself Of his wife Their process b
law IL exceedingly tedious, and tina
! fact alone prevents many men fnor
seeking A divorce