The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-06

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most advanced civilization, the Boer
woman IS by no means the nonentity
that her sex usually Is among unpro-
gresaiVe people. She Is not helpless
creature in a crisis like the present.
Her brothers have shown the British
that they are up to date in warfare,
and In her own way she will demon
strate that the right to be called new
woman is only matter Of opportun-
ity.
When the Dutch fought the Kafirs
II was a repetition Of the old expert
ence Of "trekl1ing" into savage lands.
The Kafflrs took to the warpath and
raided the isolated farmsteads. With
his rihe by his side the Boer tended his
aoclss. ana when the enemy appeared
hurried inside the stockade which encir-
cled his home and, with women to load
his weapons, kept up q steady FIRE upon
the black raiders.
The present war is a popular uprising,
and in the excitement Of the hour the
Boer woman has burst from her do
nestle restraint and not alone prepared
husband, ron and lover for the field.
but has urged them to action. They are
brave, strong and determined in the
fight fo- their beloved Independence.
their homes and their country. They
know every inch OF ground and have
q thousand advantages over the enemy.
They know, too, that when their first
supply Of men is cut down there will
not be others to replace them. as is the
case with England. ana yet the women
spur on their male relatives.
Shoot Like Pioneers.
The Boer women shoot like the pl-
oneer women Of our own western coun-
try. AT the outbreak Of the war the
large city hospitals of the Boer state
were taken in charge by the govern
ment When 1t was found that the
trained nurses were in favor of the
British they were ordered to leave, and
their places were filled by women from
the most cultivated families in the
Transvaal, who had prepared them
selves by course of training under
military instruction. over at colesberg
the educated Dutch girls were strewing
rose leaves in front of the Boer war
rlors horses and enchanting: Shoot
the EnEllshg See that you shoot TWEEN
" each!"
The wife Of Gen, Joubert comman-
der general Of the Boer forces, has al
ways campaIgned with her husband.
and not only looked after his mess ar
rangements, even cooking his meals,
but she is said to have inspired some
Of his military manoeuvres. 1t is not
generally known that Is was to her that
the defeat Of the English at Majuba
was largely due, The general consId-
cred the position unassailable, but Mrs.
Joubert. with all the fire Of her WON
ans patriotism, urged the attack, even
tually conquerins the scruples Of her
husband and the other ccmmandants.
Like the Spartan Mothers.
In the present war, which the Beers
look upon as struggle for freedom,
just as 1t was in 1881. the women assert
themselves after the manner of the
women of old Sparta. They viii! listen
to no suggestion of surrender. or even
Of compromise. It is warfare for their
homes, therefore holy war. The WON.
en- are very religious and sincerely be-
llevs that they are in the right and
that God is with their people.
The Boer woman has not struck for
her rights" for the simple reason that
her social influence is so sweeping that
she has no excuse for rivalry with the
men Of her country. The Boer home
centers about the Boer woman. She is
the queen of the domestic and social
realm.
Life on an isolated ranch is neces-
sariiy matter of much routine and
hard labor. That is exactly what 1T is
for the South African women. Like
their Dutch ancestors they are contin-
ually scrubblng and polishing, for, de-
spite frequent Iibels to the contrary,
they consider cleanliness next to godli-
ness and are willing to work in uphold
ing this conviction. clean and order
~ household is their pride. The wife
and mother dominates the home life.
But the strongest characteristic of the
Boer women is their rigid idea OF pur-
ity. The fatal gift of beauty rarely, II
ever, falls 10 the lot Of the Boer woman.
Such things as charm Of manner or
grace OF carriage have never entered
into her aspirations. She has always
been used 10 hard work. and upon her
ability to attend TO her household and
manage the farm depends largely her
prospects of marriage for only the we'll
to-do Boer keeps women servants, Even
then the housewife looks closely after
the work.
Although the women Of the upper
classes receive the benefits Of culture
benttIng .helr station. they are not
what advanced reiormers can types Of
1.-THE bower woman" Their energies
and tastes are naturally severely do
nestle. and all classes are dlligent read
ers Of the Bible. Some persons of leiB-
ure cultivate the higher forms Of litera-
ture. These are taking advantage Of
the good schools and Grey college in
South Africa.
Dance Ball Party"
The Boer husband and father is con-
tent with his home life; he only desires
hlE nina 10 nhner the pnRaInR hour, and