Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-23

sure enough, 1t did.
 We are sometimes told that the Boers are behind the times. l found them up to the times in most things, and ten years ahead Of most nations ,n weapons and the skill to use them. English officers told me that the Boer artillery was the most accurate In the world. Most of the artillerymen are from IT to .2 years of age: and all must be full-blooded burghers At sand river during fight stood my horse up near an Armstrong gun cap- tured at Sannah's Post. thought 1t was merely T curiO. A young Boer seemed to be fooling With It. He was putting In shells and taking them out. All at once bang went the cannon, my horse reared and was on the ground next moment. Then a terrible fusi- lade came over us. Still the boy ham, mered away, without any mode of sighting the gun. Shell after shell he landed in among the lancers. After a fierce duel between the lancers and the boy, night fell and we marched off. Mark this, it usually takes six men to handle such q gun.
 The Boer women are among the most beautiful and sprightly people of the world. l met at Pretoria Mrs General Joubert. She described for me the first battle Of Majuba Hill, which she really planned. She was one of the Eooruekkers of 1855. She said that in the nrst trek of ninety eight persons the trekkers killed d thousand lions. Mrs Joubert present ed me with q handsome photograph of the general. 1 said would frame it and put the ''vieurgleur' tthe Trans yaal flag around it. She warned me: Look out or MT Chamberlain will tear it down. Madam I said, 1T am going to a country where MT Chamberlain never tears anything down." She was delighted and laughed good for the Americans ..
 When 1 was at Prinsloos kraal, the katfirs of the farm were making me q meal. While they were thus engaged l rummaged through some old papers which had been thrown away by the kattirs. Among them l found lot of very charming letters written in fine English from the generals niece to him. They are Iull of gossipy bits of news and sly little touches of humor. The following are two selections:
 My Darling Uncie: Why do you never write to me? We are so anxious to hear from you. We are all quite well. r
 ''Eliza Fouche is to be married to Peter Bergh. It was the third time now that Freddy de Beers was en- gagged to her and Peter put him out. He Is so sad. poor Fred. We had dance at the Bisseaux Friday last. 1t was quite jolly. Louis Cronje was here on bicycle to-day. He rides 1t quite well; he is also engaged to Betty Swanepoel, I belteve.g With oceaEs of love and kisses from us all
 l remain your true little girl,
 FOLLY EOuCHE"
 In another letter she writes the same uncle whole lot of pretty bright sayings about the folk of the neigh borhood and closes: II am so fond of q ring and begged my mother for her ring, and when I got it on, it would not come on again, and now my finger is so sore. l shall engage myself every day only to get rings. Excuse blots and scribbling, my finger Is so sore. White soon. dear uncle." This young lady is certainly not over a hundred years behind the times
 The British entry into Pretoria was one of the imposing spectacles of the war. EIrsr came Winston ChurcmIi and the Duke of Marlborough riding like schoolboys a little ahead of the troops, dashing through the town and on to Waterval prison. where 4 ,OOO prisoners were eagerly waiting. Next came the Coldstream Guards: the Dublin Fusiliers, the Northumberland Fusiliers, the Canadians and the Scotch Highlanders. These filed in- to the great square in front Of the | Raadzaal or parliament house. We ! waited on the verandah of the Grand l Hotel for the coming of the "Bobs"
 At o'clock came General French, with his brown fighters like cham bull of Tartars; following him, look ing like half finished Greek bronze l rode Kitchener, the terrible soldier of Omdurman, with his head in glory and his feet in blood; Pole -Carew-. Hector Macdonald and Ian Hamil- ton. 1nconspicuous, q little wisp of q man, all hunched up on a small po- ny came ''Hobs' the darling of the British army. He stopped in front of the old Copper church, near the un- pedestal which waits for Dom Paufs statue. Then lifting his hand he gave the sign and the Union Jack was lifted upon the Volksraad build ing. There was a cheer from the ar- my and some of the bystanders; and the Transvaal passed from Boer to Briton.
 While the procession of 10000 of Briton's Dravest sons nIeu past Loru Roberts that afternoon. I mingled with the crowd in the square AS the marched in with the grand swing that led them up Alma and into the Cawnpore, a katt1r wom- an near me in the crowd shouted: "Ah, de rawkies, de mooi rawkies'-(the dresses, the pretty dresses. Hold your tongue, you wench," cried an old Dutch frau, don't you know that that Is an indecent dress for q grown- lp man to weary'
 4 Northumberland Fusilier was talking to the young lady who was with me. She rallied him saying: 1T 10 not think the people here are going to give you men very hearty well come. There are many women weep ng here today "fes, mem, there be many women in England to-day lweepfn' too," curtly answered the