Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-01-11
LEADING CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE ENGLISH PRIVATE SOLDIER.
ALWAYS READY TO FIGHT
Confident of his Prowess and Patri-
otto to the Observation-Disclosures
tional President Kruger and His
Even More Unconventional Wife
She Snubs English Callers,

The eyes of all the world are turneC
today toward men of two distinctive
classes-the boer and the English sol
der. Both have been so much written
about that they are tolerably well I'M
derstood, Generals Cronge and JouberI
being fair specimens of the enemy
with whom the English have to deal
Cronge is In command of division OF
the Transvaal army. He is the man
who defeated Jameson, and Is very re-
ligious after the prescribed idea that
what is to be will be. During the bonn
bardment at Krugersdorf he was seated
on the ground in an exposed position,
and when eXpostulated with replied.
God has called me to this work; If it
/ Is His will, | shall be shot; if not |
am safe here as anywhere, for it Is
impossible for me in that case to fall. .
Yet, in spite of his religious proclivt-
| ties it is charged by his enemies that
| he has been guilty of military trick
cry amounting to barbarism and has
no idea of nice points of honor. Gen
eral Joubert, the man who is giving
the English most trouble just now, has
also been charged by the English press
with being tricky Is so, it is after the
accepted principle that all is fair in
war. Honesty led him a year ago to
tender his resignation to the Volks-
raad when the beers were actively en-
gagged in British Bechuanaland, de-
ciaring himself une.~.e to hold office
under government which had DELHI
erately broken faith with England.
Mr. and Mrs. Kruger.
The central figure of the Transvaal,
President Kruger, is not less amusing
than interesting. He lives in such an
unconventional, off-hand Dutch way.
A lady who was passing through Pre-
toria some months since was sliced
with a most irresistible desire to see
the most talked about man of the day.
A friend who had the entree Of the
Kruger household consented to intro.
duce her. Arriving at the bungalow,
the introducer said: wait here;
will bring him out" She knocked at
the door, which was soon opened by
grandson of the president, Mrs.
Kruger is not seeing anyone" he as
serted Mons anse," replied the knock
er, "she always sees me. | will go in
and find out what Is wrong After
a few minutes she returned Mrs.
Kruger is in a vile temper" she said,
smiling. She is busting the dining
room preparatory to a meeting of the
executive council. Yes, she absolute
ly refuses to seen English people, be-
cause some months ago she received
party of English ladies and one OF
them remarked in her presence
What an old trump she isl An Eng
disappearing grandson kindly trans
lated the remark to his grandmother
in order to make her feel comfortable.
She looks awfully frumpy just at pres
ent, / must admit. The president is
having nap. He always dimes at IL
noon and sleeps for half an hour after
ward, so | am afraid we shall not sec
him"
AS they walked away the stranger
said: Il am so sorry to have missed
him." whereupon one of the two
guards stationed at the entrance to
the presidency, and who had evidently
overheard the remark, ran after her,
exclaiming: III fetch him for YOU.
Then he ran back and entered the
sanctum sanctorum. Sure enough, out
he came with President Kruger who
was batting mis- eyes like an owl and
smoking his pipe with most ill-tem
pered puffs, The guard handed him a
chair on the veranda and the stranger
was introduced. but she must have
been lacking in entertaining qualities,
for the president. after nearly eXpec
torating on her new boots, said sim
ply. Good day" and shutlled off to his
meeting.
Not Doubling Thomas.
When the old lady from America
was taken down to the London dock
she was told that the object OF her Wis
1t was to get good look at Tommy
Atkins as he started to the war. After
watching dozen hundred or more
OF him and the way he carried himself
she exclaimed And everyone of EN-
named Thomas, and every mothers
son of 'em misnamed; there amt
nothin' doubtin' nor doubtful about
EN-" That is as good as definition
Of Tommy Atkins the world over as
nobody can give. Not even Kipling in
his most vivid description has done
better. There is nothing doubling or
doubtful about him: what he does he
does with vigor and confidence in his
| own ability and that OF his command
ing officers. Having accepted the
queens shilling he stands by his bar
gain on sea or land; in battle or on
parade ground, When he is off duty
he is staggering around the little ISL
and with a chip on each shoulder. or,
| II he be in the cavalry, he is cutting
of imitation heads from pole with
one stroke Of the sword, and spearing
them with delight as they roll on the
| ground At home Tommy says,
These foreign civilians. with their
/ t.,, npafc opJ ppysr q hot hD~ a., ,>,.~y,