The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-12

ten TO fifteen children. Families Of more
than twenty children are not uncommon.
My President. Steyn, has nineteen broth
ers and sisters. Kruger. has living $50 de-
scendants-that is. he had when l last
heard from there but some may have
been shot since. Couples marry at the
ages Of twenty for males and about six
teen or seventeen Tor females CoBse-
Guently South Africa is populated by one
big family. Take the names De Villers.
De Wet Vessels. etc. and you wiz find
members Of the family all over the coun-
try
Il viii not say We are a vindictfve peo-
pie, as we are not, but we DO not forget
an injury in a hurry, and that is natural
as our people are so closely allied in
bonds Of relationship and friendship.
Generals Get No Pay.
The generals in our army get no pay.
They ask for none You can imagine that
our soldiers get no pay. In fact, get
none, nor would 1 accept If it offered.
zone feature OF the war has thrilled my
heart. It is the nobility displayed by
Americans and others. Some Of our best
lighting men left this country paid their
own expenses 20 our distant land. and are
undergoing the cruel hardships Of war.
The high purpose Of these men, going far
from their homes and all they love dearly
TO aid fellow beings battle for their cOun-
try is simply superb.
An erroneous impression, ! find has
gained currency ia this country. 1t is that
We have paid the expenses Of Americans
who have gone 10 South Africa TO aid US.
II is not true. They paid their own ex-
penses-
Just before the war began we had a
census made Of the white population OF
Natal. Transvaal. the Free State. and
Cape Colony II proved that fve-eighths
we're OF Holland Dutch extraction. one
eighth French. one-eighth English. one
eighth Of American. German, Norwegian.
and Swedish ezra Ction- in the latter
one-eighth the German descendants pre-
dominated
Kruger is OF German extraction. but
his ancestors lived long in South Africa.
Steyn's family dates back over 200 years
in South Africa Kruger's early ancestors
We're Cape ColoGists.
Execution Of General Scheepers.
General Scheepcrs. who was shot by
the English Ja-uary IS. was originally a
Cape COlonist, but became a Free Slater
before the war. and should not have been
condemned TO death. The killing OF him
iE cold blood stirred the Cape CoIonists
10 greater action. Scheepers was an edu-
Gated man and Of kindly disposition. re
was much beloved b. our people
His murder recalled the Slaughters
Neck affair Of 1913, when the English
hanged six Beers, compelling the poor
fellows families 10 witness their execu-
ton The gallOws broke before they were
dead. and they were strung up a second
time
The Beers VIII never be truthfulIy
charged with cruelty, as &c is not the
nature Of the people The English know
that Methuen viii be well treated. in
fact the English, from accounts I have
received, do not greatly dread being cap
tured by the B0er army. as they know
full well that they viii be as well cared
for as the conditions viii permit"
"Thunderer" Coutradicts English.
Suddenly Dr. MulIer's eyes lit up as his
mind drIfted from the horrors Of the
war. and be said;
Il read an article in the London Times
a short while ago which was such a fat
contradiction to the boasts Of captured
territory b. the Eng Ssh army as TO make
IL sound like an opera bouffe II was TO
the effect that in GriqUaland. Cape Colony.
new Dutch Colony republic. having its
own managers, etc, had been established.
One thing that proves. and that is the
great hope and perfect confidence the
people have In their ultimate success.
Striking Coincidence.
There is another incident which struck
me forcibly. General Delarey is now the
only Boer general Who has been in our
army service since the war hagan Cen
Methuen WAS the only English general
on our soil VINO has been there since the
war began"