Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-16
CALL ON MRS. KRUGER
Hopes and Fears of Dom Paul's
Devoted Wife.
GREAT TRUST IN PROVIDENCE.

rIf God Wills 1t, Our Side, Though
Few In Number Beside the English,
VIII VIM She Says-nany of Her
men.
There are two things which are con-
tinually in my mind said Mrs. kru-
ger, the TransvaaI presidents wife, to
me today, says Eda NJ. Metzler, the
New York Worlds correspondent, writ
ing from Pretoria under the date Of
April 20.
First, / am distressed at the thought
that the English are so neglectful
about burying their dead and leave the
bodies to be buried by our own men,
which many times the Beers find them
selves unable to do. At night l dream
/ see trenches filed with these poor I'M
fortunates, whose bodies have been left
upon the battlefield neglected and I'M
cared for.
my second thought is that of fear
for our women and children if the
English enter Pretoria. The women
are brave-brave as the men-and
would gladly fight to save their own
lives and those Of their children. But
we are so few against great numbers.
1 remember how many time in the
year 1881 my daughters and 1 fed from
our homes on the farm to avoid meet
ing English soldiers who came into the
country and visited every farmhouse
OF the way Nearly every woman in
Pretoria owns a rifle. My granddaugh-
tiers, who live a mile from town, al
ways carry pistols when riding in the
late afternoon or evening"
The women in Pretoria spend many
hours each week in rifle practice. Mrs.
Kruger is the honorary president and
Mrs. Peter Botha the acting president
of a woman's club which meets at the
Eloff, Mrs. Kruger's daughters house
4 most beautiful home, surrounded by
gardens, hothcuses, orchards and ten
mis- court. At little distance from the
house is n target for practice, near it
being n summer cottage in which tea
is served TO members of the club. 1
asked Mrs. Kruger how much longer
she thought the war would last.
THAT 1 cannot tell" she answered.
at will be as God wills. We trust in
Providence. We pray that the war
may end soon. If God wills it, our
side, even though its numbers are
small in comparison with those of the
English. will win. In the meantime
we fight, hope and trust in the Lord.
After recent battle two of our Of
fcers riding across the field came upon
n dying English soldier. He asked for
water and, after drinking, said:
Tell me, who is the Boer command
or all dressed in white and who rides a
white horse, but whom no one has ever
hitT
There is no commander dressed in
white they said.
but we have all seen him-all of
us. In every battle he is in the ad-
vance. He leads the men, speaks to
them and directs their movements.
You say there is no such commander?
Then 1t must be an angel And he died.
Were the president five years youn-
ger he would be fighting now. Only
his age prevents his being at the front.
However, our family is well represent
ed. l have sons, 6 sons-in-law and As
grandsons fighting. Our cousins and
other relatives are innumerable. One
grandson was taken prisoner, and our
people exchanged several English Off
GERS for him"
She expressed delight that the Beers
have so many sympathizers in Ameri-
ca aud that some are sufficiently inter-
ested in this war to visit the country
at this time, when travelling is so diff
fcult. Every dispatch or telegram
from the front Mrs. Kruger reads with
interest She expresses regret when
70 of cir
wishes most sincerely that the griev-
ances of the people might have been
righted without the loss of SO many hui
man lives.
On my taking leave of her she es-
corted me to the door. Then, seeing
the president seated on the veranda,
she took me TO him and introduced me,
not failing to tell him 1 am an Ameri-
can and much interested in Africa, the
war especially. The president shook
hands with me and talked few min
utes. AS 1 left Mrs. Kruger stood by
Eer husbands side, one hand in his,
it occurred to me, love,
and sympathy for Dom Paul,
who directs with so true hand the at
fairs of 4 nation upon whom now the
eyes of the whole world are directed.
Just before l had the pleasure OF 1
meeting Mrs. Kruger 1 had passed a
most enjoyable hour at an afternoon
tea given at the home of an Afrikander
lady who is a general favorite in Pre-
toria society. This gathering. n most
singularly delightful affair, included
the wives of two generals, several COM
of the field cornet, of the
secretary Of state and President Kru-
gers granddaughter, every woman the
wife or daughter of Boer soldier.
At the present time, the men being
at the front, the women have little
taste for society and meet only as init
mate friends TO enjoy a quiet talk. 1t
is needless to say there was no gossip
Ing, the one topic of conversation being
the war and its progress. the successes
"A (,fl