The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-03
KRUGER AND RHODES.
7Tick Blcycllsi fitzpatrick Met Both
In South Africa.
Com Paul Great Admlrer Of Washington
and Lincoln Cycle Carnival

Charles G. fitzpatrick. the one
legged cyclist. whose trick riding and
fancy rifle shooting are a most inter-
esting feature OF the entertainment at
Keith's this week, enjoys the distlnc-
tion OF having been a guest OF both
President Kruger Of the Boer republic.
ana OF Cecil Rhodes. a.ad during his
stay in South Africa, he had some most
interesting experiences of which he
talks entertainingy,
Every time 1 read anything in the
papers about President Kruger the
memory of my call on him IN 1896
comes up as vividly as though 90 had
been yesterday. / never saw such
man before or since. Every line OF his
face shows the shreWdness which he
has evinced since the beginning OF the
war, and the determination which
charactcrzes the whole Boer people.
Leo Winethal editor Of the Pretoria
Press, rode out to the old presidents
home with me- II seemed more like
meeting wealthy farmer than the
president of strong people man
capable of outwittlng one OF Engldnd's
greatest diplomats.
"He had seen some Of my riding and
was greatly interested in IL. After |
had told him. through Winethal as in
terpreter. how l lost my leg and came
10 do trick riding for a living. | said;
Well. we Americans lOast two OF the
greatest men the world has seen IN
some ages Washington and Lincoln
The old mans face frightened up in
an instant why. nay boy he said, i
l,,g
men than two-thirds of the american
people themselves. have stuSed their
lives from my bOyhood As soon AS
could read English | read the life o.,
washington and the career OF Abra-
ham Lincoln
Il, Is wonderful the foreign capital
which has gone into the TransVaaL
continued the rider. Its cities re-
semble more closely the cities of Ame-
rica rather than those OF any other
country ! have visited. The stores arc
run on almost identically the same
methods as our American stores. In
fact. 10 60 into n large shoe store or
johannesburg one could hardly tell he
was not In a large American store. for
exactly the same makes OF shoes are
offered for sale and almost the same
prices asked. The influence OF America
was especially noticeable az large an
nual fair ] attended az Cape Town.
rode at a bicycle carnival. which Nas
the feature OF the fair The exhibits
could not be told from those at the
large state fairs we have in this coun-
try FOR the American flags were even
more TT rvfdPrrce- otat-t--t H. OK hlhltlnn-
buildings than here In America
IAN intense hatred OF the English is
seen on every hand. II was in 1896 that
was in South Africa. Just after the
Jameson raid: and suppose their ami
mostly has Increased hundred fold
since then. At the Empire Music Hall.
where / was billed with a number OF
English artists. the novelty OF my act.
together with the thorough dislike of
anything English, combined TO make
my recention all the more hearty. The
custom there is for all the government
officials TO go TO the theater in a body
very often. In fact. every good show
that comes opens with a performance
at which all the officials are present In
state as they might be here at the
opening Of some public building.
zone day during our stay in Johan-
nesburg. we went out for a bicycle ride
SOME distance from the city. II was
rather late in the season, and one OF !
those terrible rain storms which occur /
In that climate came un when we We're T
anv village. % think ~ trying 20 re- /
turs through the rain and mud that !
night. We raped at a little low Boer I
shack The Ola farmer himself camc /
to the door AS best we could. we eX- 4
planned our predicament and asked X /
we could stay there over night. ] never 4
received a heaitier welcome in my life. I
The little woman pushed several little I
children aside to get us something 10 /
eat. our beds were made I'D on the /
floor: and ~ tell you the truth, I have !
been sleeping in beds In American ho- |
els when I have sighed for another I
nights sleep like the one I had on the
noor OF the old Beers farm house.
zone OF the pleasantest experiences / !
had during the six weeks I was i'm
south Africa was the bicycle carnival
given for the benefit OF the Johannes
burg hospital II was one OF the largest
affairs the city had ever seen. In the
north part OF the city Is the large Wan
lorers' athletic ground This is proba-
,ly the largest athletic park I'm Africa.
ls the people who live In johannesburg
ire enthusiastic lovers OF athletic
sport. There were over 200 wheels in the
parade. Everyone had done his best TO
get UP the most unique costume he
'ould think of: but the amusing thing ,
q me was the number of animals rep
esented. This seemed TO be the popular
hing, and | guess every animal 60 be
ound i'm Africa was represented in that
BICYCLE parade. But the enthusiasm FOR
he parade did not exceed. howe yer.
hat for the hospital The recei9.s were
ver $4,000. This pleased me. especially
Is it was originally my idea Of getting
~ the affair. After the races. !u which
had taken part. this medal WAS giveH
O me-" Mr.. Fitzpatrick showed hand
omcly carved medal In the sha 'e oi a
Ive- pointed star. with ITO Fitzpatrick
rom the People OF Johannesburs. en-
raved on Il.
Another pleasant eNr"r'ence which
snail remember Tor q long time Mr.
tilpatrick continued. was the enter
ainment gotten up for the school chill
ren Of Pretoria I was President Kru-
'er's idea and he invited rue up there
% ride In the entertain mont. Af:cr ;hc
flair he ask q me 60 come up to his
ouse ana hlva cou ae. which Is the
ropar thiB- thfrc After thit be
rought out long pipf ana asNeo me
u smoke some OF the Boer tobacco.