The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-30

which is creating the widest kind OF
, comment at the present time. Perhaps
the fact that the presses of a score
of different countries were employed
on the work may explain in part the
universal stir which the book has
made, though, of course, it must be
acknowledged that the first interest in
this work arises from the feeling that
here perhaps is given Paul Kruger's
story of his life. Such a work one
would naturally expect to give a great
deal of. information not now generally
known and to throw considerable light
on many carefully concealed incidents
in the affairs of South African coun-
tries, especially cC%cerned in the Boer
war.
1t is not the purpose here to give an
extended review of the book. Indeed
the writer has been able only to glance
over a part of the advance proofs, but
this much has been sufficient to con-
vince him that here is an important
contribution to the history of the past
few decades so far as South African
affairs are concerned.
Two events of the times Of which
Kruger has written stand out sharp
ly-the great trek and the Jameson
raid. Kruger thus describes the set
tlement of his family after the great
trek:
"At last the wanderers had found a
comparatively safe home. 1t is obvious
that the disturbed life which they had
led till then must have occasioned
great losses. To institute schools or
churches, or firm and regular man
agement of affairs was out of the ques-
ton. But the Boer fathers and moth
ers, for all that, looked after the ed
ucation of their children to the best
- oh haf h.axy
lived in a country where everything
that was neglected was difficult to re-
cover, and that to neglect the rising
generation meant the ruin of their ma
tionality. Therefore, every Boer taught
his children to read and write, and,
above all, instructed them in Gods
Word At dinner and supper, as the
children sat around the table, they hao
to read a part of the Sacred Scriptures,
and to repeat from memory or write
down now this and now that text;
and this was done day by day, unless
unusual circumstances made it impos-
sible. That is how my father taught
me the Bible, and instructed me in It's
teaching during the evening. My other
course of instruction was covered
altogether by period of about three
months, with frequent Interruptions
My masters name was Tielman Roos
who found much difficulty in carrying
out his mission. Whenever the trek
came to a resting place and we out
spanned, a small hut was built of grass
and reeds. and this became the school
room for the trekkers' children. This
was done during the whole journey tc
the Magaliesberg, where my father
settled.
when I was 16 years old was enti-
tied to choose two farms like any other
independent member of our commune
ty; one a grazing place and the other
for sowing with crops. 1 lived at Wa
terkloof and. in 1912, fetched Miss Ma
ria du Plessis, from the country south
of WAL, to be my wife.
During a journey which he had I'M
dertaken in order to visit his betroth.
ed, young Kruger found that the tor
rental waters of the WAL were SO
swollen as to render 1t impossible. But
his ardor was greater than the danger
and his strength mightier than the force
of the stream. He drove his horses
into the water, and, dressed as he was
swan with them across the river I'M
der conditions which threatened al.
most certain death. The old ferryman
who had not dared to cross the river
that day with his boat, read him a FIND
lecture. But II was thrown away. For.
tunately the engagement did not last
long enough 10 render a repetition Of
this hazardous enterprise necessary. ~
Note by the editor OF the German edi.
ton. - Al
II Is the Jameson Raid that one *,
poets the powerful wrath Of Kruger n
show Itself IN describing, yet this par
Of the story d finRuiarly calm and
seemingly diFDaEsionate. Kruger doe.
not hesitate y blame Cecn Rhodes viii