The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-04

LONDON, May ga correspondent VINO
has visited the Beers in St Helena reports
their lot to be very comfortable. Cronje
and his wife and three members of his
staff are in Kent Cottage, perched on top
of hill, just such cottage as may De
seen on the outskirts of many an English
village. He says:
Imagine an unpretentious two-story
dwelling with slate roof and yellow washed
ground of green hillside. The WINDOW
frames and shutters are painted the same
shade Of green that you may see any day
at a Dutch farmhouse in the Paarl dis
trict of the Cape Colony. In front runs a
veranda, and there is a slightly raised
flower garden, but it is sadly neglected.
The garden is enclosed by black wooden
paling and still farther in front is little
more cultivated land with bananas and a
few other trees.
THE scene is simplicity itself, but for
the bell tent in the right hand front corner
of the garden and the steady tramp OF
khaki-clad sentries east, west, north, and
south.
ION the 'stoep' and beneath the veranda
for the best part of the day sits General
Cronje, dark of visage, somewhat long
bearded, and with hair turning grey. His
eyes are deep set, dark and ferretliSe,
and his demeanor is one of extreme re-
serve. Piet Cronje can speak English al
most as well as any Transvaaler of Dutch
extraction, but you may ply him in vain
with questions in English. He positively
refuses to speak anything but his native
taal and even then his replies are little
more than monosyllables.
He has little to say about anything
and is difficult to draw. OF course he feels
his position. You may see that written
large upon his face; but contrary to what
so many people think, he appears to be
very grateful for any kindness that is
shown him and fully appreciates the eff
forts that are made to secure his comfort,
Beyond this he is the sphinx.
1T is a strange character, this Of Piet
Cronje. Charges of terrible cruelty have
been laid at his door. and somehow when
you carefully regard his face you feel
sure that the man is capable Of violating
women and children's lager. Yet there
are some redeeming features, as, for ex-
ample, when the fire o; patriotism lights
his eye, and more particularly in the
homage paid to his wife.
All day long Mrs. Cronie, il rusty black
dress and black Boer 'kappie, is the de-
feated generals close companion. Others
who are blood relations may emerge from
the house and remain for brief while
beneath the veranda, but there is about
them the restlessness and impetuosity Of
the younger Boer when under restraint.
When, for instance, l was at Kent
cottage there came within hundred and
fifty yards, just outside the Gordon Of sem
tries, two young subalterns with field
glasses and snapshot cameras. OF course,
they were inquisitive. The general and
his wife were screened by the closed end
Of the veranda, but younger relative
was extremely annoyed. He was a fine,
TALL young fellow, in shirt sleeves and
the inevitable SLOUGH hat AS he caught
sight of the officers he gesticulated vio-
lently. flung his arms about, and muttered
in Dutch. Then he hurriedly entered the
house, but only 10 emerge minute later,
If anything, more restless than ever.
"Cronje and his wife have acquired the
art of sitting still. His attachment to
subject and he will Immediately make
reference TO her views and acts. Cronje,
the devoted husband, and Cronie of Pot
chefstroom, of Mafeking, and of Kimber-
ley, you come away feeling that the con-
junction is incongruous.
Quite different man is Commandment
Schiel. Here you have one who has re-
ceived training in European military
schools. There is much of the soldier of
fortune about him; but there is much that
is superficial and insincere. When / last |
saw Commandant Schiel he was prisoner |
on board Her Majesty's ship Penelope at |
Simons Town. Today he has recovered |
from his wound and occupies a tent stand |
Ing alone and within sight OF the house |
In which Napoleon lived and died. But il |
is the same Schiel.
AT Simons Town the sight OF ladies in |
a boat approaching the prison ship sent |
him into an ecstacy of delight, and he |
would chatter away with fervor about the |
dear ladies' Almost as soon as / stepped |
ashore at ST. Helena there was placed in |
my hands a photograph of Schiel being
driven along the main street on his way
TO Deadwood Camp. His eyes were raised,
and you follow their direction 10 an open |
window on an upper floor at which sat two
girls fes, thought, IL is the same Schiel. !!
Talk to him al Deadwood and there is |
the same assumption-it is no, real-of the |
old devii-may-care spirit
Next time / fight he says. Il; shall
be on the side OF the British But you feel |
lnstinctiVely that If he ever fights again |
IL VIII De on the side that pays him best
oh, the war will not last long he |
tells you; that is. If one thing happeus. |
II you beat the Beers well at Kroonstad II |
will all be over in three weeks
Then he will change his tune Tho nc
sumed gayety passes away and almost |
pleadingly he will tell you that he is no, |
at all well treated and that he has made |
application TO be allowed to roam the ISL |
and on parole. Yet all the time this in |
sincere creature knows that he has been |
guilty OF more attempts to escape than |
any other of the prisoners.
THE Boer prisoners are being well |
treated. This ! know as fact and as the |
result OF personal enquiries and obser&a- |
ton on the spot. But of course. there |
will be some directors. Schiel, for exam \
pie, declares that ;he British prisoners |
at Pretoria are permitted TO go out pic |
nicking and SO forth; and then he will |
make comparisons. But of this state |
ment We have no confirmation Other |
prisoners, however, speak well of their
treatment and do know as a fact that )
all oil them are better fed and get more |
Iresn meat than their guards.
Unfortunately sickness had broken ont
among The Boer prisoners before they lief, /!
the Cape. the sick, however. are ox
tremely well cared for. As write there
are twenty in the hospital out of the 500 |
Oh shore, and two have died. These were
accorded military honors and were buried
over the hills just beyond Cronje's new
home
Attempt nj Wholesale Poisoning.