The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-30

hrugef mucn discussed and often an
nounced autobiography is scarcely off the
presses and yet it is volume which is
creating the widest kind of comment at
the present time. Perhaps the fact that
the presses OF score of different coun-
tries were employed on the work may ex-
plain in part the universal stir which
the book has made, though, OF course,
1t 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 work
one would naturally expect to give a
great deal of information not now gen.
orally known and to throw considerable
light on many carefully concealed Incl
dents in the affairs Of South African
| countries especially concerned 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
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 con-
cerned
Two events of the times of which Kru-
ger has written stand out sharply-the
great trek and the Jameson raid. Kru-
ger thus describes the settlement 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 management of af-
fairs was out of the question. But the
Boer fathers and mothers, for all that,
looked alter 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
fcult to recover, and that to neglect the
rising generation 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
arond the table, they had to read 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
1T impossible. That is how my father
taught me the Bible, and instructed me
in it's teaching during the evenings. MY
ether course Of instruction was covered
altogether by a 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 weeds,
and this became the school-room for the
trekkers' children. This was done during
the whole journey to the Magaliesberg,
where my father settled.
When / was sixteen years old | was
entitled to choose two farms like any other
independent member OF our community:
one as grazing-place and the Other for
sowing with crops. I lived at Water
kloof and. in 1912. fetched Miss Maria du
Plcssis. from the country south Of vaal
to be my Wife
During journey which ne had under
taken in order to visit his betrothed.
young Kruger found that the torrentiaI
waters Of the Vaal were so swollen as
to render it 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 under condi-
tons which threatened almost certain
dared to cross the river that day with
his boat read him a fine lecture But it
was thrown away. Fortunately the en-
gagement cid not last long enough to
render repetition of this hazardous en-
terprise necessary.-Note by the Editor
Of the German Edition.
Tt is the Jameson Raid that one ex-
poets the powerful wrath of Kruger to
show itself in describing, yet this part
of the story is singularly calm and SEEM
ingly dispassionate. Kruger does not
hesitate to blame Cecil Rhodes with the
whole affair, but he also insists that
Chamberlain knew about and counten-
anced all that was going on. number
Of cahlegrams supposed to pass between
Rhodes and an agent in England are re-
produced and these very clearly impli-
Gated Mr.. Chamberlain The story of
DR.. JamesCns capture is very brief.
Meantime DR.. Jameson had advanced
with the greatest rapidity in the direction
of Johannesburg. The High Commission
er issued q proclamation calling upon
Or. Jameson and all his companions to
withdraw across the frontier (this pro-
clamation was shortly followed by Cecil
Rhodes resignation of the Premiership
of Cape Colony) The proclamation to-
gether with letter from Sir Jacobus De
Wet. the British agent at Pretoria. was
carried to Dr. Jameson by Ben Bouwer,
q Transvaal burgher. DR.. Jameson, how
ever, took rot the slightest notice of it.
Lieutenant Floff of the Kreugersdorp
police, who rode out to meet him and
to charge him to turn back, was taken
prisoner by his orders. A number of
Transvaal burghers, however. under
Commandments Malan Potgieter and
Cronje, had outstripped Jameson and Ia
ken UP their stand on the hills near Kreu-
gersdorp. Jameson at once turned the
fire Of his guns on the burghers position,
but, as soon as his troops attempted to
charge, they We're driven back with loss.
When DR.. Jameson saw that he could not
get through he faced about to the right.
in order to try to turn the Boer posi-
ton. He was stopped, however. during
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