The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-01-13

hold in their hands the fate of the Boer
republics. The one is commander-in-
chief, the other is second in command.
Of Joubert we have heard much, Cronje
little. The most descriptive picture OF
Cronje is from the pen OF Douglas
Story, the editor OF the late Boer news
paper, the Standard and Diggcrs' News.
1t was published in the London Daily
Mail OF Oct. 80, and the following is an
extract:
willy and iar-seeing as is Pet Jou-
bert, no man OF them all can handle
troops in the field as Cronje. He has
the eye OF hawk for position, the nose
OF jackal for signs OF weakness in an
enemy. His manoeuvering OF jameson
was that OF an Oliver Cromwell.
"Cronje was commandant at Potchef-
stroom, seventy miles to the south OF
krugersdorp, when Jameson crossed
the border. He co-operated with Ma
Ian and Potgieter, but the conduct OF
the fight lay with the cool head OF
Cronje.
Il rode out to the scene of Jameson's
defeat some time after the battle, and
realized how much OF the hunter there
is still in the Bocr fighting man. No
mere soldier would have herded his en-
envy so patiently into position as did
Cronlae into the fatal corral at Doom
kop
"All through the night succeeding
Jameson's attack on Krugersdorp,
Cronjc kept wairly hustling his enemy
into the place OF death. The brave,
oodless troopers, heavy with sleep, were
driven like sheep into the shamblcs.
When the morning broke, to the
right, to the lett and in the front OF
them Boer marksmcn kept their rifles
trained upon the raiders. Escape there
was none. But the battle was won in
nine hours, while jameson was help
lessly laundering on in front OF his re-
morseless enemy. Cronjc could not al
lord to wait until the troopers came
within hundred yards before he gave
the mercy blow.
And yet there was a time in the
darkness when Jameson almost escaped
from his hunters Cronje's son was
badly wounded in the early skir1nish.
For the moment the fathers instinct
overcame the generals discretion. He
bore his boy back to krugersdorp, and
left him with DR.. Viljoen there 1t was
fathers act, and one strangely unlike
| the rough farmers exterior OF the man
who mastered Sir John Willoughby
The lesson learned that pitful night
dictated Cronje's courteous assurance to
the defender at Maieking that the Red
Cross was safe from him and his
while Cronje was gone, somebody
Numbered; and the troopers in their
blindness, very nearly wandered round
the flank OF the beaters into safety But
it was not to be, and long before day
light Cronje was back to repair dam
age and arrange his final battle
That drizzly, misty night made
Cronje a war god among the Beers.
and yet these stolid veldt men give
little demonstration of their admira-
ton. The Beers are not a grateful ma
ton as the Americans with their Dewey
or we British with Our Kitchener are
grateful. Days after the battle I saw
Cronjc riding heavily down the Kerk
STRAIT in Pretoria heavy, big-boned
peasant upon a shaggy, tripping pony
No man touched his hat to him. few
accosted him.
And yet it is significant that Cron;e,
among the Beers, is always known as
Comnandant' Cronje There is rude
dignity about the man that compels so
much oil respect. Other men are known
by their Christian names, Slim Pet
Joubcrt, Dom Christian Joubert, Dom
Jan ENTHUSIASTICALLY, but rarely
nowadays Dom Paul Kruger. In
place apart stands Comnandant
Cronje.
SO far as my memory carries, Cronje
was not even specifically thanked by
the Volksraad Tor his great services to
the state at Doornkop. He was a
burgher: it was his duty to repel the
invader; he repealed hinl-and there the
matter rested.
They would have censured him had
he failed: they rcirained from comment
when he succeeded.
"Cronie. riding back to Pretoria. had
no guard OF honor to receive him, no
great civic junction to letc him. no
sword oi honor to adorn him. He was
plain Peasant Cronjc, returning, heavy
hearted, from his wounded sons pallet
in Krugcrsdorp Hospital, somewhat
weary in the bones from those long
hours in the stcaming saddle, nowise
clated, nowisc altered from his everyday
dcmcanor.
Since then Cronjc has received a
seat in the executive council, and is now
a parsonage with substantial state sal
airy: but the man is no way changed.
He was thought to be a supporter OF
the presidents when he joined the exec
utivc council, but neither Kruger nor
Toubert has found him amenable. He