The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-20
Beers AT HOME.
Inside Picture OF Affairs in
Their Republics.
story ofa Maine woman who Has Been
There.

Mrs. Fannie I. Aohdor, formerly OF
Benton, Me-, has been In Watervilie anu
vicinity for some time visiting relatives.
Twenty years ago she married Mr.. Ach-
dof,, who lie engaged In the south Afri-
can trade. Mrs. Aohdoff has lived In
Cape Town, johannesburg and Durham
for months at time. Her husband Is
German, with Q decided friendship for
the Beers. In fact, he is In South Africa
now, somewhere within the Boer hne'.
HIS Lass communication was from Coles
borg. In Cape COLONY. Touching upon
the war, Mrs. Achdoff said:
"My husband Is interested in general
stores all through South Africa, and
have kept myself posted regarding the
condition of things In that land. have
passed nearly 10 years OF my married life
among the people that are lighting the
English. We have known OF the immense
work OF fortifying the natural avenues
north from Cape Town. The prepare
lions have BEEN In progress for the past
Eve years, and no one knew 1t any better
than the English, yet they never tried to
obtain any plans OF for tihoat.ous. restin g
on the theory that English arms will
always prevail anywhere. They have
found out their mistake BY this time.
1.-THE hills TO the north were prepared
for fortiflostion at least i've years ago, to
my certain knowledge. ltwas common
thing for large parties of exoureioniets
TO 20 down from Lsdysmith to .visis the
scene Of operations looking 20 the future
national defences i have been over ene
y,ry scene Of the trenches and gun pits
| that held back Butler early In the month.
made the "trip on horseback for the fun
OF 10, as many thousands OF other people
have done. Yet. with all this open
preparat alton on the part OF the Beers,
under the very noses of the English gar.
risops, and for ths speoitiet purpose o..
defeating the possibility Of another Eng
Iish invasion, the latter were perfectly
unf amiliar with the plan OF forth Ca
| tions when the war WAS dsclared.
al have read much about the Boer being
born with rifle in his hand and brought
M on horseback. In my experiences there
never heard Of any remarkable rihe
shooting or any expert riding on the par
Of the Boers. Az q matter OF fact, found
them to be a remarkably slow people, and
| the fact was common and plain 10 us >
that they would do most anything rather
than fghL
MY husband wrots me Just before the
war broke ont that the main hope OF tins
Beers was that the English would at
tempt to come into the Transvaal to the
| relief Of the garrisons that were on the
| list to first come under the attention oil
the Beers. In that letter he said III the
EnQlish should try to come into the
Trans evaai BY the regular routes to
Lady smith and kiInberiey. which VIII
naturally DO the places descended upon oy
Kruger's men, they will be as Impossible
to penetrate az the Gibraltar itself. There
10 plenty Of help coming, In case war
does come, from the SOURCES that have
for many years stirred the natives to
hostility to the Engiish; In fact, IL Wal
comes, England will ind herself confront
ed with the b st military genius OF CON
tinsntal Europe"
al think that my husbands prophecy
has been proven too true. l guess every
body 10 satisfied by this time that the
English are mot fighting Boer genius
alone. My husband has indicated to ms
that there has been fear that the Eng
lish would succeed in stopping the Inn
portation of bread stuffs into the Trans
vaai, for he has said that II that was the
oAse 1t would be all up with the Beers IN
six months.
"You must understand that the BneI
army Ia made up from the farms, ano
tGht lutTS hIo low W w VIC iot baAHb eSN
Products spoil In that section OF the
world quicker than In other countries
It Is bsst for my husband that the Boerl
win, but can tell you one thing, thu
Beers as q people would never have gon'
into this war for love Of President Kruger
or for love Of country. had not othei
nations, through cunning represe natives
urged It. -
independence 10 all very we'll here IL
America, where ind spendencs was horn
|, but down there In South Africa II is |
, much different thing, a. you will leari
when this war 10 closed. The Beers ar
, lighting the English more because they
have heen told by other nations tina
they have a grievance than because they
. believe 1t themselves, and, while thin
, the English have done wrong In this IN
stance, they are doing no more, IN m!
, opinion, than any nation should do b.
Its oitizens.
. "If the Beers had some young diplo
matio head to take charge of their affair
this war would never have come on, bu
President Kruger has been told that b
Is sharp and able, and he believes u
Talk about the Beers and their suuggi
for indspendenoe-do you suppose Their
win ever be Independence In that Ian