Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-01
TALES OF loom PAUL"
Notes Of Kruger's Home Lne-Some OF
His characteristics.

| Not one of the stories Of KrgEer's as
.uteness In deciding quarreis can equal
that which tells the way In which ais
pute between two brothers as to the divi-
sion of their inheritance was settled. Aft
| er nearing the accounts of both the broth
ers he gave his judgment as follows
| Let the elder brother divide the farm
and let the younger have the hrsl
choice" This decision Is quite worthy Of
ownership of the baby. 1t Is SC. simple
and yet 1t cannot be got round in any
way.
| Kruger is a Boer of the old voortrekker
| type, and though wonderfully gifted, has
never had his faculties sharpened and
brought into play by education or by
reading. As regards his Bible he Is a
semi-fanatic. and all his deeds are now
| tinged with the words he has read so
often. His speeches and his sermons are
| equally impregnated with the scriptural
phrases and parallels. These are much
better understood by the old Boers than
by English or young Beers. The presi-
dent is obstinate to an extraordinary de-
gree and contests the smallest details
with as much vigor as the greatest prin-
| ciples. II Is hard work when a new idea
| has to be got into his head. but 1t is
nothing to what it is when a preconcep-
| ton has to be removed to allow place for
the new idea.
| Kruger scarcely ever goes out of his
house and takes the afr on his stoOp.
| He takes no exercise. and but for his
strong constitution must long ago have
/ prey W Afie S'IeIldIy me- ne
scarcely ever pays any visits. the only
exceptions being when he calls on some
| member of the executive or upon some
home visited by sorrow.
During the last few years Kruger has
deteriorated, mainly owing to the con-
slant stream OF adulation directed on him
by concession hunters and other para
sites He is very vain of his position. and
used to gain their object with more and
more ease. During the last eight months
however, the president has been more his
OLD self again. As an illustration Of the
Things which now form tne topic Of CON
versation with him, ii may be mentioned
that the last words he spoke TO Mr.. Mon
tague White. the consul general in London
were relative to the appointment of one
OF his parasiticaI creatures to a position
IN London. No mention was made as 10
the policy to be adopted with regard to
England or any other matters of impor-
tance. Kruger confides himself frequent
~ to asking: What did Chamberlain
think Of my dispatches"
A good story is told about his prefer
cnce for the Taal rather than high Dutch.
4 dispatch had just come in from Lord
Derby. and DR.. Kupyers-now leader OF
the center in the Dutch parliament-read
IL out to him in Dutch. As soon as ~
had done Kruger burst forth into an ex-
preston Of his views on the matter for
about ten minutes. Dr. kupyers looked
more and more mystihed. and finally.
when the president had finished said Ia
heard little bits of Dutch. of German. OF
English and OF French and other bits
that can't recognize, but have no idea
az to the meaning Of IL all" His friend
replied: The part you cannot under
stand is Kafiir and the whole is the Taal
Then TO the president "Sprek Hollands
and Kruger had 70 go over il all again In
President Kruger when asked FOR his
opinion Of Mr.. Chamberlain. said He
is false and not to be trusted. He Is not
m rh. l..H
who by pretending friendship seeks to
obtain better position for striking a
blow. He Is as false as cat
Kruger used to admire Rhodes, and aft
er his earlier interviews was quite cor
dial. Now. however. he has quite swung
around and has no good word to say for
him When l was visiting, Kruger. one
day the talk turned upon the troubles in
Matabeleland and Mashonaland with the
natives. He closed the subject by sa wing
II Is all Rhodes: as long as he is there
go-Rhodes must goi' The one time
kindly feeling Of Kruger for Rhodes has
never been shared by Joubert, who has
hated and feared him since their first
meeting.
President Kruger's friends relate the
following story, for the accuracy of which
they vouch. Sir II. Loeb. they say, was
very self-satisfied with his position and
his good standing with all the people in
South Africa. When he was in Pretoria
he was with the president very often.
recognition OF his friendliness from the
old man. Kruger had expressed his re-
greet that Hercules Robinson-as he al |
ways called him-had gone. and Lord |
friend as Robinson was? | come here |
much oftener. | am sure. and ] feel sure |
that fill his place with you very well.
asked him why he liked Sir Hercules Rob /
,nson so much. The president. emphasiz- |
ing his words with a blow Of his hand on |
the table. said: Because Hercules Rob
inson was man of his word. Lord |
Loeb did not look for any more Conpli- |
ments for some time.
a curious story is told relative. to tn |
war started one of the high Transvaal |
officials wrote to a relative in England |
Il must tell you a queer dream an old |
Boer had He is an ignorant man and |
,an neither read nor write. But his dream |
made such an impression on him that ne |
got friend to write il down and sent it /
was carrying dispatches. He rode on I'M |
til he came 10 spruit-brook-on either |
side Of which grew reeds and oNerhang- |
ng trees. Crossing this spruit he saw |
sash around his loins standing in his |
pathway and calling on him to stop /
When the Boer refined up the stranger |
Kruger and say to him. ''Nu is de tyd
der tyden''-now is the time of times-and |
give him this letter, handing the Boor a
sealed package. Inen tne stranger
asked: DO YOU know who | am? | am
Daniel Well. the Boer dreamt that he
went to President Kruger and delivered
he letter. that he saw the president open
il and read from ii the following pas
sage from the Bible: Isaiah, Xiii; Daniel.
III: Luke. XII. verse 2. and. Luke, xii
Strange is it not? The president says
when this was read to him he got cold
from head to foot and he knows 1t Is
message from God. Now he says he i
'esigned; Gods will be done"-Altred
Stead in the Chicago Record.