Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-16

Our hostess showed us six dozen Dis
cults she had baked in the morning for
her husband and eldest son, who were
TO return that evening to the Natal
front. Every Boer carries with him
these biscuits, baked by the women
folk in their home, together with long
pieces of dried beef, also prepared at
home, upon which q man subsists for
weeks.
One woman asked for donations 10
her soup kitchen. Every morning from
10 to II o'clock she feeds the poor at
her home, giving them soup and bread.
That day she had fed more than hun
dred women and children, families of
soldiers and as meat, eggs, vegetables
and -four become higher in price every
day she feared she might be unable to
continue her good work unless others
came TO her assistance. She found
many friends willing to help her. An
other, the president of n club organized
to make winter clothing for the sol
diers, produced a list showing that dur
ing the week the club had cut and
stitched 500 jackets and as many trou-
sers. She explained to me that many
soldiers have no heavy clothing, and as
women had formed an organization to
sew, the Transvaal government fur
nishing the material.
The wife of General Louis Botha,
the Boer commandant general, n de-
scendant of Robert Emmett, came on
horseback. She is an excellent horse
woman and rides the horse of an Eng
lish officer taken prisoner at Colenso.
General Botha's popularity is shared
by his wife, who is most hoSpitable
and in her home at Nryheid continual
" entertainS visitors from all parts OF
the surrounding country. Another gen.
erals wife showed us 4 brooch made
of the bullet which in fight last week
went through the fieldglass carried by
her husband and lodged in a silk hand
kerchief in his coat pocket.
Miss Eloff, granddaughter of Presi-
dent Kruger, is a typical Afrikander-
tall and slender, with blue eyes and n
mass of golden hair. She is always
we'll gowned and imports many of her
hats and dresses from Paris. She is
we'll educated, a clever musician, rides
and shoots like a Boer soldier, and on
account of her sunny disposition is the
life of the household. Her father re-
Gently built n home near Pretoria, the
furnishings and decorations of which
were imported from Europe. After the
war began the family moved into their
city home, which adjoins that of the
president. Mrs. Eloff, Mrs. Kruger's
eldest daughter, spends much time
with her aged mother.
We were led through the house and
grounds by our hostess, who took great
pride in showing us her collection of
souvenirs and relics of TIE war.
among them n gun which belongs to
her son. 1t has ten holes made by
British bullets, and yet he has escaped
unhurt. 1t was as we were about to
leave that the hostess suggested that
we call on Mrs. Kruger. With some
embarrassment l remarked that as my
trunks had not arrived I should be
compelled to wait until 1 might have a
more suitable gown for calling on n
lady in so high Il position.
I'VE are n republic, and free and in
formal in every sense of the word" she
answered. "Tanta Kruger will well
come you with as bright n smile
whether you wear a calico sunbonnet
and come as the wife of a farmer or
whether you appear in the latest Pa
risian creations and are the wife of a
nobleman."
Having so easily disposed of the
question of dress for the occasion and
being anxious to meet the first lady
Of the land" L gladly assented to her
proposal of starting Immediately. Ar
rived at the house, we passed the two
guards at the gate, but were stopped
by a soldier in uniform, who apologize
ed for this interruption, but explained
that, 1t being wartimes and somewhat
dangerous to allow any one to enter
into the grounds, he would take our
cards to Mrs. Kruger. He soon return
ed and led us into the reception room.
In a sunny little corner beside a win
dow facing the street sat Mrs. Kruger,
a pleasant, friendly old lady. She was
gowned in black, her dress being of
alpaca. Over her dress she wore a
large but prettily made black satin
apron. The shoulders were covered by
small cape made of beautiful lace
and ribbons. On her head she wore a
cap of net trimmed with pretty lace
and ribbons and tied under the chin
with a bow. This was set back on the
head, disclosing dark brown hair part
ed In the middle and combed smoothly
to the back, where it was arranged in
a large knot. OF jewelry she wore a
pin and a few rings set with diamonds.
Her dress and cap were so nicely ar
ranged and her smile and greeting
were so pleasant that ones impression
of her was necessarily agreeable.
She rose TO shake hands with us and
to ask If the American lady could
speak Dutch. Upon being told that
had been in the country only few
months she said, But speak our Ian
guage that may hear how much you
have learned" Every one laughed be-
cause, for the moment, had forgotten
even the few Dutch expressions upon
which had practIced several weeks.