PAUL KRUGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

PAUL KRUGER.

WHAT HE IS REALLY LIKE

OFFICIAL PORTRAIT.

The various descriptions of Oom Paul sent to England being alleged unjust and incorrect, the "Daily News" has (writes ouf London correspondent) translated an official portrait from the pen of a Hollander, one Van Oordt. I don't think you would care for the whole two columns of his lucubrations; but here are a few tit-bits:—

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Mr Kruger is a strongly-built man; he looks shorter than he really is owing to his breadth of shoulders. His face is broad and somewhat high-cheeked; the eyelids aro swollen, and since the heavy cares of his life have drawn his eyebrows together, and drawn wrinkles on his brow, his eyes are contracted, and this gives his face a peculiar expression. A rather large nose stands over a very sharply-marked mouth, the underlip hangs somewhat, probably from years of holding the beloved pipe; but the corners of the mouth are fast closed and increase the strong expression characteristic of the President. A straggling beard surrounds his face, for In ancestral fashion he wears uo moustache. His great physique is shown by a pair of huge hands in which the visitor's seem to disappear as tin1 President grets him. HIS HOUSE AND HIS LIONS. The President lives iv his own house in Church-street, Pretoria, a house built some years ago to his order. An irou railing with stone pillars is in front of the house, which is protected from the sun by a verandah. Between the railings and the verandah, right and left of the entrance, couch two stone lions, the gift of the late Mr B. J. Barnato. "Whether they are British lions we know not," says the historian, "but the lion of Rustenburg sometimes strikes pleasantly these stone guardians of his house, partly in remembrance of the giver, who was a man with whom he got on well; and partly because the sight of them recalls the days when he himself stood in tho death grip of the king of beasts."The President's house is simply furnished, for he does not care for pomp though he rules a country as large as Germany. Much furniture he does not need since his favourite spot is the stoep. Here he may be found early in the clay till 8 o'clock and again from half-past 5 till sunset. HIS DAILY LIFE is simple and orderly. He rises at break of day iv old Boer fashion,and, after dressing, begins his day with Bible reading. Then conies his early coffee and his pipe, when he betakes himself to the stoep. Here, as a rule, are folk waiting to soe him, friends or sometimes petitioners. He listens to them all. To some requests he promises attention; others, if unimportant or illadvised, he meets with a joke, sometimes with a sharp rebuke. Through this custom he knows nearly everyone in the Transvaal. But whether his request be granted or not, each visitor goes away contented In the thought that "Oom Paul is certain to be right." The stoep is especially patronised during the Volksraad session, when Raad members have to be talked over. Thus, though an unlearned man, his arguments prevail, arguments founded on experience, the principles of statecraft aud Bible texts. Nor should it be forgotten that Paul Kruger is stiff-necked—some call him obstinate —and it is utterly false to say that he Is led by Dr. Leyds. Shortly before eight the President takes the simple breakfast in vogue among the Boers, then prepares for his visit to the Government Buildings, which he reaches sharp at nine. Of late he has been escorted by six mounted policemen, and even inside the building has a guard of two with drawn swords. In the Government offices he is employed for three hours. MR KRUGER'S WEALTH. "There is no doubt that His Excellency is very well off. He owns a large number of farms in the Transvaal, and has also much money Invested. Indeed, in the course of a debate on helping poor burghers, the President casually mentioned that he had lent money to the burghers without security, since he knew that his burghers were honourable. That the President saves much from his ample salary of i'7ooo a year and £300 for house-rent is well known. He givesiio dinners, dances, or such entertainments as are usually given by the head of a State, since these are not customary with Transvaalers. Auy well-behaved person may pay the President a visit, but he is not given to festivities, and lives the usual life of a well-to-do Afrikander. His Excellency is saving in'a good sense, since it is a South African virtue, and fortunately prodigality has not become a national vice. But the charge lof miserliness brought against him by his enemies is false." HARDIHOOD AND HUNTING PROWESS. In both senses of the word he is full of hardihood.During the War of Independence, with but a very small escort, he rode to the kraal of a recalcitrant Kaffir chief, and though he ran great risk of being attacked —for he seized the cliief by the neck and would have made him prisoner in the midst of his tribe-he got out of the difficulty, i and the chief remained quiet during the

"When still a youth he was out hunting, and, being anxious to get a rhinoceros, loaded with more powder than usual and fired. The gun unfortunately burst and shattered the top joint of his left thumb. He had far to go with the shattered and bleeding thumb before he could get help. He bound up his thumb as well as he could, but unfortunately it began festering, and threatened to mortify, so that the worst must be feared. Whereupon the youth, with amazing courage and Incredible toughness, cut oil the top joint of his thumb with his pocket-knife. The evil had gone too far, and the operation was of no avail. Quite coolly, Paul Kruger then cut off the second jont, and the thumb then fortunately healed. The man who could do this is not the man to be easily frightened. He possesses a strength of will almost bordering on the incredible, and it is no wonder that the thumb-amputator has become so hard a nut for the officials of Downingstreet to. crack." Much might be written of his hunting skill and feats of strength and activity. He beat a Kaffir in a whole day's race, though he stopped to fight a Hon on the way. He seized a buffalo by the horns, a buffalo which had fallen into a water pit and lay on its side, until he drowned it. These and many other such stories are recorded in this official history.