Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-04-13
THE BOER WOMEN
DIFFER GREATLY FROM WOMEN
OF ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

Other-aS Tar as temperament, tradl
tion and education can divorce human
beings, each from each-just so wild
is the gulf which divides the Boer wO
man from the womanhood of moderl
England and America. Both indeed
belong TO the sex OF its mother, aut
that eternal, inevitable fact consti
tutes the only similarity between
them. Regarded from this standpoiu,
the present war is, one might say, the
expression of the difference between
the Englishman and the Boer. bu,
even that vast divergence is small
compared with the chasm which al
the influences CT civilization have Gre
ated between the women of these two
nations.
Each century, even each decade, has
changed and nodded us. We have
grown with mans growth, kept pace
with his footprints. Not so with the
Boer maiden, wife and mother. Time
has passed over her head instead oil
taking her by the hand. She still re.
mains as she was in the beginning, as
we were in the primitive age of the
worlds history-the mere female in
the lowest, most elemental sense
alone, the other half of man.
l will begin at the top with the first
lady in the Transvaal. She is the
wife of President Kruger, popularly
called "Tante Sanna." In America,
am told, colored servants who have
been long in the family are called
Aunt" but in the Transvaal aunt"
is title of respect addressed to all el-
derly women unfortunately by the
younger generation. I shall never
forget the day when / was introduced
to "Tante Sanna," after my interview
with the President. Mrs. Kruger has
no position corresponding to the al.
most despotic power which her hus-
band enjoys.
I asked to be presented to her and
she received me as if deeply sensible
of and somewhat embarrassed by the
honor of my request. Our converse
ton, carried on through the medium
of an interpreter, was limited to the
health OF her fourteen children, the
price OF butter and the climate OF Pre-
toria, for "Tante Sauna" has never
read any book but the Bible and
could not sign her name to save her
life. Nor has nature given Mrs.
Kruger any personal charms to bal
ance her lack OF intellectual attri.
butes.
The fatal gift OF beauty rarely, if
ever, falls to the lot of the feminine
Boer. Such things as charm or grace
do not enter into her ambitions. She
exists for use, not for ornament in the
family circle, and her value in the
marriage market depends more on her
capacity for enduring all things in the
shape of hard man ual labor, added to
the usual domestic burdens incidental
10 the life of the far m, than upon the
possession of a pretty face or any
physical attractions.
Yet the Beers are much given to
marrying and giving in marriage. II
man remains unwed after thirty he
becomes almost an object OF suspicion
to his fellows. l remember Judge OF
the high court in Pretoria-since
killed in the recent action at Glands
Laagte-who told me that his disincli.
nation to marry had initiated against
his success in his profession. In the
selection of wife most young men
defer to the suggestion OF their
parents.
The element of romance does not
enter into consideration, for the Beers
are a practical people, in whom con-
tact with gold mining has developed
an inordinate affection for the pre-
cious metal. The daughter OF an off,
cial who has enriched himself by de.
spelling the despised Outlander has no
lack of suitors, nor she who exhibits
those qualities that would make an
ideal general servant. If the first is
not available the second is certain to
be. To marry for love is to the
Transvaaler simply pernicious habit
characteristic of the Rooinek,"
which being interpreted is the Eng.
lishman.
Boer courtship is not, however,
without its formalities. Among the
more ignorant section of the popula.
ton curious custom is prevalent.
After the choice OF the young lady
and the terms of the contract have
been arranged by their respective pa
rents, the young couple are left alone
with lighted candle placed on the
table between them. Not a word is
uttered, for the fate OF the suitor is de.
cided by the life OF the candle. If the
lady extinguishes the flame he knows