The evening times., 1900-03-22
A BLOEMFON4EIN PAPER
The First South African Journal
Received in Six Months.
Stories Told From a Boer stand
p0int-The Stormfng of Platrand.
A Boys First Experience-Burgh-
ers Listen to Sermons While Fac
ing the Cannon of the Enemy.

| NEW YORK, March 22.-One OF the most
| interesting documents that have come
| from South Africa since the beginning Of the
| Boer war half a year ago, is copy OF
| the Express" local paper published in
Bloemfontein. o. F. s., the very first paper
| Of the dark continent to reach America
since the Beers began their struggle for
permanent freedom. A copy of this paper
| dated January &C. was received yesterday
by Charles D. Pierce. Consul General of the
Orange Free State in New York. The
in the peculiar Boer Dutch. Some extracts
taken from different parts of it and trans
lated are as follows:
John d. Vanwyk, a 16-year-od lad, who
had never been away from his farm, wrote
to his parents about the storming OF Pla-
trand on January g.;
Dear Parents: / want TO tell you some
thing about the fighting 1t was a terrible
thing for me. / was on top of the kopje
with the advance of our men. Two Eng
lishmen came up TO within thirty feet OF
me. shot them both dead. Kootje Co
dendaal came TO me and said we would bet
lcE say BOOu-Dy t0e 0SHlluk got 10
be too hot. He and / were chums, you
know. Then he went up with ten boys TO
capture a gun. They got the gun. but
KOotje was killed.
Il have been here day. praying and
fighting. / am wondering how any of US
got out alive, but the Lord has helped us
out, and for this we cannot be too thank
full TO Him. Father and mother pray for
us all the time. We are expecting more
fighting soon but not with our laager. 1t
will be on the Tugela.''
From the Boer laager at Heilbron an
other young Boer Pierre Theron, under
date Of January %, says:
Last Sunday We had talk from DR..
Duplessis, OF Lindley, who made a stir
ring address. What pleasure to hear
learned man address US under Gods can
opy, with cannon muzzIes pointing their
noses at US from the enemy's position.
How happy we will be when we can again
worship God in our own little church, un-
hindered by greedy, upprincipled Eng
lishmen.
"On Saturday We had a sham alarm,
which helped 10 keep us in good fight
ing trim. There was considerable firing
but we saw nothing except a few torch
lights in the distance and searchlight.
Later in the day we took part in the
h6hNlHS at idlI Win Nut VI
God We were able to maintain our posi-
tion and take over 100 prisoners of war.
''Oh, it was terrible sight for me. who
had never been on a battlefield before, to
see over fifty dead and wounded lying
about Oh. what a spectacle il was, 1t
is terrible to have TO believe that the
thirst for gold can cause the spillng Of
so much innocent blood Where are
Rhodes, Chamberlain, and Milner? | wish
that they could only see for a moment
how many have dropped in the bloom of
their lives and TO hear the cries of the
wounded.
Never will forget it. Here one asks
for a drink OF water TO allay his thirst;
there is another. writhing in big pool OF
blood: in another place, a poor fellow is
struggling to fight on with one leg shat
tered under him and holding on to his gun
with the one arm that he has left. 1t is
terrible, terrible oh, England. how great
is your responsibility. | hope that all
burghers aided by Almighty God. will not
rest until this trouble is settled for good
and ever. With Him and His might We
shall be able TO do brave deeds
The hand despatch rider with the Boer
forces, that invested Ladysmith, sends an
interesting report of the battle Of Spion
Kop. saying:
''On Tuesday night January % the enemy
advanced on Spion KOp. Sixty members OF
the Vryheidvol fire department. who had
been on duty on the summit. retired. This
was the signal that the ascent of the bur-
ghers, planned 10 take place on Wednesday
morning was to be made as soon as thick
mist which enveloped the KOp. should
have disappeared.
The battle began at o'clock in the
morning One regiment of the English
was annihilated. Among the wounded is
Colonel Bloomfield. General Woodgate is
among the British dead