Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1919-01-03

other South African up-cOun-
try town, it stands lonely on
| the weld. Probably some 81
years ago the site was occupied only
by large farmstead which increased
its size and Importance with the rise
of the next generation of the Marais
| family. Some one hit on the spot as
a good stand for native store, the
predicant was given a piece of land for
a church which could be the center of
religious life for a district covering
many miles, says the Christian Sci
ence Monitor.
! Twenty years ago the S. A. r.
| (SOuth African Government Railways
| ran a line through on it's way to tap
a more important center and set up
"Halt," which by this time has grown
! into a little wood and iron station
where the traveller bound for RoOidOrp
finds himself at six in the morning,
after having journeyed all through the
night. Quite early the preceding eve
ming he leaves the mountains and for
| hours traverses the open weld, the
high Karee-fat, dreary and covered
with scrub and cactus, with rarely any
sign Of habitatiOn.
The traveller will find the usual
rural collection of carts and convey
ances of all types standing at the
station outSpan, from the ubiquitous
Ford to the Old-wOrld OK wagon with
! its Il steers, beside which slept it's
| ri iS clio hnl
| of rhifloceroS hide. He had most prob
| ably been there for some hours, for it
| is not easy to time an arrival Of such
a team. The train may be two hours
| late, but no one appears to care in
this land where time seems to be so
cheap.
Houses All Bungalows.
In these towns practically all the
| houses are of the bungalow type and
land is cheap. Each house has large
| garden, sometimes large enough to
| be called a farm in most countries.
| The climate has called for two impOr-
tant modifcations-the lofty roof and
| the broad stoep. AS we wander round
| the town we quickly observe the inn
portant part this wide veranda plays
| in the everyday life of the inhabitants.
| It is the reception room for casual call
ers. "OOm Jan" can keep an interest
ed eye on the doings of his neighbors
and exchange the news of the day with
| all and sundry who have driven in
from the outlying farms.
The towns central outspan, which
generally speaking corresponds to the
| market squares of towns elsewhere,
| is particularly interesting at nacht-
maal This quarterly communion serv-
| ice justifes what is often wearisome
| journey. The trek wagon is hauled out,
| from IA to Is oxen are inspanned, and
| the whole family chambers up and
makes itself comfortable under tent.
| Full provisions are taken and gener-
ally gift in kind for the predicant.
AS one wanders round the outspan
| he will see one of the most heteroge-
| neou8 collections of humanity and its
| trappings. In the far corner is a
| typical group, wagon drawn up, the
oxen away grazing, the Zulu servants
tending the fire, preparing a meal or
| doing to perfection what Kaffir can
do almost from birth-nothing-he
does it more thoroughly than anyone
| else on the face of the earth. He
| finds complete contentment in sun
| basking. Sitting under the tent on
the wagon is the major portion of the
| family, while underneath are the
youngsters. Drawn up in lines are
other miscellaneous vehicles. The
whole scene, were the town buildings
removed, would recall scenes from the
time of the voortrekers.
Four important Buildings.
There are four buildings of impor-
lance In all typical dorps: First is the
polite kantoor (police depot which
is the center for large area. The
members of this mounted force have
| not only the supervision of a very
scattered body of whites, but also the
oversight of large native population.
It says much for the fair way in which
the natives are handled and for their
naturally peaceable natures, that the
offenses to be dealt with are usually
of a trivial character.
Next in Importance among the
buildings is the church; plain almost