St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-05-27
Sidelights from the Transvaal.
A Chatty Letter from a Former st. Johns
bury Resident.
Editor CALEDoNIAN:-

Jul y RSSAuSAN'
Editor CALIFORNIAN
Every Thursday when the postman
rings the bell at noon we rush for the
foreign letters and papers. To me there
falls Vermont parcel, and when my let
tiers are read, turn to the CALIFORNIAN.
Then if anyone speaks to me they may
see an outward presentment, but my
mind and thoughts are far away among
the snow drifts, the naples and the
pines, the scenes at Underclyffe, or in the
North church, or among the homes of
St. Johnsbury.
always read the Woman's Club notes
and wish the president and secretary
would let me creep in and share their
varied and delightful functions. And
any library bits of information | hand
over either to our library here, to the
POLYTECHNIC, or | save it for our own
South African Home Reading Union.
The Museum notes are interesting to
carry to our Zoo and Museum.
And the news OF the churches never
seems stale or dull to me. | like to
know what is done and every bit of in
formation about the Young Mems
Christian Association | read with great
interest. 1t is now p years since lived
in your town, but as read your paper
weekly and learn about your schemes
and various projects, feel as if | had
hardly been absent You can hardly
guess how many hints Gull for my own
Pretoria lines of work In comparing
the North Church Calendar for 1907
with ours | note more weddings and
baptisms here and nearly double the
admissions to church fellowship but,
alas, here the removals are very appal-
ling. In this town there is such a shift
ing population that there are few people
to rely upon for regular, steady, work.
We have eight districts and each elders
wife is responsible for the arrangement
of the Women's Association in her dis
trict. The meeting may be social,
religious, musical or literary, so that
anyone who can bring novelty and
brightness and help, may do much to
attract and keep her own circle.
Our new church is finished and is a
great comfort 1t is lofty and we'll
finished and has a beautiful memorial
window and very fine organ. Unfor-
tunately the terrible depression and the
many retrenchments which are being
made in every branch of service renders
it much more difficult to meet our hnan-
cial burdens than we anticipated. In
ordinary times the debt would been
cleared in two or three years. but now
the constant removals and the absence
of work especially for builders, contract
ors, carpenters, masOns, and lumber
merchants makes many an able bodied
man sad and respondent.
Many of the wealthy men of South
Africa are Jews; Others do business here
and keep their families and spend their
money in Europe, and nearly all the cap
italists seem absolutely Indifferent to the
needs of religion, education and the
problems that interest the philanthro-
pist,
Our city is little larger than yours,
but we have central gaol here, mag
nihcent stone structure that fortunately
would seem terribly out of place with
DOu. IlCIC dIC SdluCICQ llC lung SCL-
tence prisoners, and every Sunday morn
ing | have a service with the women,
from 80 to 100. and Mr.. Gray with as
many men, of many nationalities and of
varied histories. We have our three
Sunday schools in different parts of the
town and a very excellent Literary
Guild, and a Young Peoples Bible Class.
Any helps for the latter will be CRATE
fully received, as those sent in 1907 were
much appreciated.
There have been three very attractive
weddings of late. That of Miss Helen
Gotha, the Premier's daughter. has been
of world wide interest, but two others
among old Dutch families were also
largely attended and were very taste
fully and exquisitely arranged.
Our Zoo attracts many people, and
children never weary of the animals, the
flowers and the concerts which are
carried on.
We have had an unusually hot and
trying summer, but today a terrible dust
storm arose and we think our dry win
ter will soon be upon us, as the atmos-
phere is much cooler.
The following week is full one, in
Guiding a function at the Government
House, when Lady Selborne asks us to
meet Hon. Emily Kinnaird to talk over
the establishment of Y. M. c. A.; a
Young Mems Literary Guild social; the
Preparatory Service for the Communion;
the formation of w. c. T. U. in a neigh
boring town, and an "At Home" at the
Manse to our young people one after
noon and evening.
After busy days it is a comfort to turn
to the books which refresh the mind
while the weary limbs are resting and
your Athenaeum report was eagerly
noted in a recent CALIFORNIAN. Though
| seldom write, | am an appreciative
reader of your paper and | am greatly
pleased to have it sent to me in my far
away home through these long years.
MARY w. GRAY.
The Manse, Pretoria.
ADril 10 1908