The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-05
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC


When the English shopkeepe:s began to
give US our change In the paper currency
of the Transvaal we knew Lord Roberts
was not far away from Pretoria When
We preferred gold they said that the notes.
which were torn in two and pinned to-
gether. were the only kind of money they
possessed, and then grinned a; us inquir-
tngly, as though they asked: What are
you going TO do about it?'
The signs OF the times were further adj
vertised IN the altered appearance OF the
shop windows OF the Dutch and English
firms. Where for weeks there had been
photographs of Boer laagers and carica-
lures from Dutch comic papers OF English
Generals there were now chrome portraits
of the Queen and the Prince OF Wales. pho
tographs of English actresses, English sta
t!onery, English sheet music and English
books.
At the Pretoria Club English burghers
who had cut the strings of champagne bot
:les to celebrate Colenso, Modder River and
Sannah's Post. became prophets of disaster.
foeetting that the end Of the Republic was
at hand, and urged others. while there was
Yet time, to swear allegiance to the people
who would rob them OF their land. English
hurghers who never had entered the club
before except in riding breeches and spurs,
and after leaving a blanket, bandoleer and
rife conspicuously in the hallway. now APP
peared in the sedate and sable garment of
the advocate. When you spoke to one of
these of the defense of the capital he looked
over your head. His mind was deep in his
law library; il had never, In fact, concerned
itself with any matter more martial or mill
tant.
Those Engiishmen OF poor and little souls
who had not dared to raise their voices dur
ing the days of the Boer triumphs now
found them again, now that an army Of 35,-
600 Tommies was only a few miles distant.
They began to swell and to swagger, taking
the biggest chair in the smoking-room, the
head OF the table at luncheon. whispering
and laughing together in corners. Each Of
these had made his fortune in the Trans
wall; each OF them held some office in Vul-
lures Row. Boer moIey was paying for his
children's education at the Model School,
for the Scotch and soda at his elbow; Boer
money enabled his wife to return every
season to London. to the place she always
spoke Of as home.
They were full burghers of the Transvaal.
and as burghers it was their first duty to
defend the Republic. But the foul and un-
kempt'' Boer had with long-suffering gener-
osity and good feeling absolved them from
this duty to the country in which they had
= elected to live.
IT understand your position" the Field
Cornet of Pretoria would say to them when
he called them to his Office, land you must
understand ours. You promised If We gave
YOU full burg1er rights that you would
fight for the Republic, and before you gave
that promise you should have considered
that some day you might be called out TO
fight against your mother country. How
ever. it will be arranged. Do not make any
questions now. but take your bandoleer and
rife and go with the other burghers to the
front. When you have shown your willing
ness to obey the Constitution you will be
recalled by telegraph"
And when the English burgher reached
the front it was invariably the case that
he found a telegram awaiting him. in which
he was Instructed to return to Pretoria. On
arriving there, nothing more was asked OF
him than that he should assist in preserv-
ing the good order at the capital by arrest
ing kaffir servants who were on the streets
without a pass.
This consideration for the English-born
burgher. which was always shown those
who protested against being sent to fight
tier own countrymen. Is an interesting
commentary Oh the tales told US by the en-
tire press of Great Britain, OF how c~olonials
and burghers. because they refused to join
their commando, were kicked to death by
the Beers. There were as many Englishmen
kicked to Death by the Beers, for that or
any other reason, as there were Catholic
nuns blown from the mouths Of cannon by
Lord Roberts.
But these renegade Englishmen quickly
forgot the consideration shown them, and
were the FIRST TO declare that Pretoria could
not be defended; the first to offer to go
forth to meet Lord Roberts and surrender
the city; the frst to desert the people who
had sheltered them when they came to them
from the London law courts. b~riefess, pen
niless and hungry.
They ran crouching and groveling to greet
the new face at the door, the new step on
the floor; they shouted aloud as they ran
that they were not as other burghers were,
and. to prove this. called for the death SEN
tence of the Republic which had befriended
them. These were the creatures-neither
fish nor fowl. certainly not men-who
first repudiated their own country, then
repudiated their adopted country ano
with a kiss betrayed her to her master"
During the week before the occupation OF
Pretoria it was impossible to learn definitely
even then from the Government whether OF
not it intended to defend the capital. Nc
one seemed to think 1t probable that ii
would do so, but there were many of the
! Boer Generals who were quoted as saying
Athat it must be held. On the other hand
foreign military experts pronounced EN-.
phatically against 1t. They declared thai
to protect its enormous perimeter 5000 mer
would be required. That was nearly the
whole fighting force OF the Transvaal wher
that force was near its greatest strength
There were no means Of feeding such &
force, and there was rot in that short timf
any chance OF collecting together the scat
tered and fleeing commanders and bringing
them back to Pretoria.
Another and a sentimental reason medi
ated largely against a siege. This was tn
regard in which Pretoria was held by tn
burghers for itself as their chosen city, a
their capital. They could not bring them
selves to think Of it in ruins-of its Folks
raad and Palace of Justice shattered. it
churches, homes and flower gardens de
stroyed. They preferred rather that !
should remain as they had known 1t, eve
though it fell into the hands Of the enemy.
Up to the time that 1 left Pretoria, which
was two days before Lord Roberts entere
the capital, there was little excitement an
no disorder. The inhabitants were reall
more concerned over the English soldier