The Topeka state journal., 1902-11-29

the present time. Perhaps the fact that
the presses of a score of different coun-
tries were employed on the work may
explain IN part the universal stir which
the oook has made, though, of course, it
must be acknowledged that the first in
terest IN this work arises from the feeling
tnat here perhaps is given Paul Kruger's
story of his life. Such 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 af-
fairs of South African countries especially
concerned in the Boer war
1t is not the purpose aere 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 convince 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 sharply
the great trek and the Jameson raid.
Kruger thus describes the settlement of
his family after the great trek:
AT last the wanderers had found
comparatively safe home. 1t is obvisuS
that the disturbed life which they had led
till then must have occasioned great
losses. To institute schools or churches,
or firm and regular mana cement of at
fairs was out of the question. But the
Boer fathers and mothers, for all that
looked after the education of their chill
dren to the best of their ability. They
knew that they lived in country where
everything that was neglected was diff
cult to recover, ana that to neglect the
rising general ton meant the ruin of their
nationality. 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 had 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 impossible. That is how my
father taught me the Bible, and instruct
ed me in its teaching during the evenings.
My other course of instruction was GOV
cred altogether by period of about
My masters name was Tielman Roos, who
found much difficulty in carrying out his
mission. Whenever the trek came to q
resting place and we out-spanned, small
this became the school room for the
trekkers children. This was done during
the whole journey to the Maraliesberg.
where my father settled.
when I was sixteen years old l was
entitled to choose two farms, like any
other independent member of our COM
munity; one as a grazing place and the
other for sowing with crops. 1 lived at
Waterkloof, and, in 1912, fetched Miss
Maria du Plessis, from the country south
of Vaal to be my wife,
During a journey which he had under
taken in order to visit his betrothed, young
Kruger found that the toTrential waters
of the Vaal were so swollen as to render
it impossible. But his ardor was greater
than the danger, and his strength might
ier than the force Of the stream. He drove
his horses into the water, and, dressed as
rix-
under conditions which threatened almost
certain death. The old ferrymaa, who
had not dared to cross the river that day
with his boat, read him a fine lecture.
But it was thrown away. Fortunately
the enga cement did not last long enough
to render a repetition of this hazardous
enterprise necessary.-Note by the Editor
of the German Edition
1t is the Jameson Raid that one expects
the powerful wrath of Kruger to show
itself in describing, yet this part of the
story is singularly calm and seemingly
dispassionate Kruger does not hesi-
tate to blame Cecil Rhodes with the whole
affair, but he also insists that Chamber
lain knew about and countenanccd
oil that was going on. A number of cable
grams supposed to pass between Rhodes
and an agent in England are reproduced
and these very clearly implicated Mr..
Chamberlain. The story of DR.. Jameson S
capture is very brief.
Meantime DR.. Jameson had advanced
with the great rapidity in the direction of
Johannesburg. The high commissioner
issued a proclamation calling upon DR..
Jameson and all his companions to with
draw across the frontier this proclama-
ton was shortly followed by Cecil Rhodes
resignation of the premiership of Cape
Colony) The proclamation together with
a letter from Sir Jacobus DeWet, the
British agent at Pretoria, was carried to
DR.. Jameson By Ben Rouwer, Transvaal
hurgher- DR.. Jameson. however, took not
the slightest notice of it. Lieutenant Eloff,
of the Kreugersdorp police who rode oat
to meet him and to charge him to turn
back was taken prisoner by his orders
number of the Transvaal burShers. how
ever under Commandants Malan, Potgfe-
ter and Cronje. had outstripped jameson
and taken up their stand on the hills near
Kreugersdorp. Jameson at once turned
the fire of his guns on the burgher's posi-
ton, but, as soon as his troops attempt
ed to charge, they were driven back with
loss When DR.. jameson that he
could not get through he faced about to
the right in order to try to turn the BoeI
position. He was stopped, however. dur
ing the night by Field Cornet\D. Fouche
and the next morning, when ille moved
still further to the right, he came III
against Comics burghers at Doornkop
who compelled him to surrender after &
short enEa cement"
Very little more is said of the trial.
1T is not necessary to, enter into de
tails concerning the trial of the conspira-
tors The government applied to thu
| Orange Free State to allow Judge
Gregorowski to preside over the trial. ths
object of the request. which was readily
granted was to obtain a judge who wa:
outside the quarrel and who could not be
regarded as in any way preiudiced agains
the reformers Most of them ESCAPED
with imprisonment or fines only the foul
leaders, Messrs. Lionel Phillips. Parrar
Hammond and ~sColonel Rhodes, were
condemned to death; but this sentenc'
commuted by the Executive Raad to
fine of 600. Thus ended the first ac
/ of the drama of which the last act ha.
1 Just been finished the blood stained
/ plains of South Africa
It Will be remembered that one of these