Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-23

sang their national air, lne Nolksl1ed a very fine song. It was quite com
 mon for an aged Boer to stand up anl l read the Bible without looking up from the book, for over an hour. The mel
 knelt in the grass during these ser
 vices. Their songs did not rise in or
 atorios of crashing splendor, nor were
 they echoed from the rooms or crowd
 ed theaters; they sang in natures
 great cathedral, whose walls were the
 mountains, whose roof was the blue
 arch of our world, whose cresset lamps were Gods eternal stars. l remember
 on one occasion We were in General
 Delarey'S camp. We sang the Folks- lied there. When We came to the
 words, that free folk are we.' the
 old general came along and shook his
 head mournfuny,, mo, no,'' he said,
 mo more free folk are We.''
 Louis BOtha, the young commander in-chief, is one of the most lovable of men. It is pity, however, that discipline was so lax in his army. He told me it grieved him much to see the burghers so insubordinate. One day I observed a boy of about IS years of age ambiing towards where the general stood, during a battle. When asked where he was going, he an swered he was foraglng. But we need all our men on the nrlng nnes,'' urged the commander. Well, but what business have you with me?'' asked the boy in sincere surprise. saw, however, one instance Of insub- ordination which I liked. Six Boers were walking and on their wagon were q dozen English prisoners riding Botha told them to make the prisoners walk and relieve the horses. No, General" they replied, these Eng fish are tired and have had no food for two days. We cannot let them walk Botha was highly pleased with this speech.
 Dom Paul, it Is said, planned all the successful moves of the Boers. Secre- tary Re1tz and President Steyn are both graduates of an English un1versi- ty It was an unusual situation to be seated with MT Reitz in the govern ment car at ATachadodorp, and, while he was attending to the moving of the long-toms and the provisions, to dis cuss with him the questions which was the greater literary genius, Ma thaniel Hawthorne or Washington 1ry ing.
 But the most surprising man of all the Boers is General Christian De Wet. He is B plain farmer. He talked to me often about Washington, and said that he had read only one book outside the Bible and that was Irving's Life of Washington De Wet has been sur rounded by the British about twelve times. He has cut through each time, and would have saved Cronje if that stubborn Lion of the Veldt would only have only left his laager and the wom- en to the British and brought out him. self and his men. l was with De Wet two weeks, and during that time saw one of the captures of q convoy.
 The Boer army was retreating one day before the expected advance of Lord Kitchener. With $50 men De Wet was guarding the rear. We had been riding .stolidly along, when grad ually there was stir among the burghers. l had grown. too wise to ask De Wet any questions when he did not want to. talk. So remained near him and watched, and soon dis cerned a blotchs against the sky. The Boers dismounted quickly, but Tith- out q word In few seconds the whole kopJe where they were was as silent as A deSert. Yet in every turt of er@se lurked death the reaper. s axua Fe eys tha black AtAtn tjf1B iiit0 A uke . 1UGe|