The Portland daily press., 1900-01-03
MRS. JOUBERT AT MAyUBA
HILL.
"Reminiscences of the Beer Generals
visit-wife'sP Part tn Victory.


Inc STORY ms ueHor been sotu IN pEtnt
before, but Mrs. Joubert and. not Gen.
Pet Joubert Was the real hero Of Majuba
Hill, according to the General himself.
When the vice president of the Trans
wal republic was visiting In this city In
1890, he and his wife and little grand
daughter wsre the guests Of Q we'll known
Boer sympsthizer. One evening, sitting
around the fire, Mrs. Joubert. who Is
very proud of her husband, told the story
Of the British attack and dofsat at Ma
julia Hin, telling how she aroused her
siesping spouse and fairly pitched him
(she IL q woman of powerful physique)
out Of the tent before he would bslieye
the British were fairly upon them. She
took credit for the victory. and when she
had finished the story, her husband. who
had never takes his eyes from her during
the narration, said,
sit 10 trus she IL right, and but for
her tbs story of Majuba Aill would have
bean very different"
Mrs. Joube,t speaks no English. Her
little granddaughter translated what she
said into French for the benefit OF the
host and hostess. According 20 her
story, the wives Of the soldiery and ON.
GERS haa ooms. - b the custom Of the
Boer vrouw In times Of war, TO the camp
to remain over Sunday and attend
Injecting" vita the man. Bright and
early she was MP Sunday morning to
make the coffee for her husband. Going
outside, Mrs. Joubsrt looked up the hill.
and saw something cleaning In the sun
light, which she at once decided was
bay nets The night before IL had rainsd
hard. and the thick fog which followed
was now disappearing In . thin mist
She rushed back into the tsnt. and called
to her husband: "The British are on
the hill. Get up quick, and out"
ITO back to bed, woman" was the
sleepy retort Of nsr husband; "ths sand
isnt'ou Of your eyes yet. What do you
think the sentries are doings"
With that he turned over, and WAS
about to resume his nap. when his wife
shook him. She Is powerful woman,
her now irate lord, She made him 60 to
the door; and with his own eyes he saw
she was right. Cronje was hastily su m
moned. and within thirty minutes Jou-
bert without his ootfee) and 100 sharp
shooters were climbing up the almost
perpendicular face Of the hill, while the
main body of bstween six and seven hum
drsd Beers advanced in the regular way
to sham attack.
The British had taken advantage Of the
dense fog and BY a rapid march had
pa ssed inside the sentry line. They ad-
vancsd, about COO strong, TO meet the
Bosr force, never dreaming that any one
could attack them from the walled hill
behind. Down on their knees Joubert
and his 100 sharpshooters dropped, and
after one volley 100 BrItish soldiers fell to
the ground. Inc British turned and at
was sent into their rsnks BY the Bosrs-
Then there were many more dead or
wounded on the field. The Beers re-
turned to camp and had their coffee.
Mrs Joubert said she could not get her
husband to look 1t her when he was
leaving the tant NO." the General
spoke up, rsmiuisosntly. al turned my
eyes away; 1 could not look at you. l
| felt that l would never again see you"
During all their conversation Mre. Jou-
| bert addressed her husband as "Piet.
The Beers call him "Slim Piet," the
adjective In Dutch meaning foxy, oun-
ming.
When Gen. Joubert-which be and all
Dutch pronounce Yowburt"-leaving
his host said he wanted to present to him
little gift and asked what he would
like. "Give me n history Of the United
decision. He received Banoroft's history.
In eight volumes. When quitting the
house he gave the patriarchsl blessing to
ths inmates.
or the Impression his guest created, his
host OF that time said today:
Ell should never want to-eee his eyes
looking at me over riiie barrel. havs
never seen suoh keen eyes In mans
head. They are fascinating and make
you fear him. He Ia dramatically religious
Just like the old Puritans; there are
prayers night and morning and between
times whers hs Is.
Zone Of the objects of Gen. Joubert's
visit to New York was to purchase bat
tle-ship for the Transvaal republic. l
sent for Charles Cramp, and together VS.
there talked the matter over. l advised
him first to buy port The Transvaal
Portugal for the purchase OF Delagoa
Bay. and Joubsrt believed the deal was
about to be closed. While he was In the
United States, England got Portugal to
sign treaty giving 1t first option on the
bay whenever Portugal WAS ready to sell,
thereby putting at an end for the time
being any possibility OF the Transvaal
acquiring the right to this port. 1hIs
treaty, bslisve, still holds good, and
since last October England has bean In
possession Of the Portuguese end Of the
cable evsn.''
The Holland society gave q banquet
for Gen. Joubsrt while he was In the
city. OF this function his former host,
when asked II She guest OF honor had had
anything to say then about the policy OF
the Transvaal towards England, saia to
day: t,
"Not man who was there was able to
remsmb Der word that was said UT a
| thing that happened" which leaves the
infsrencs that the Boer General Is not q
total abstainer.
THREE FARMERS KILLED.
Louisburg, Pa, January 2.-Thres
farmers were killed to-day by an sast