A PLEASING PORTRAIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6261, 10 December 1881, Page 7

A PLEASING PORTRAIT.

A writek in Vanity Fair says:—"l have read a curious letter from an adventurous young fellow who went to tlie Cape to see some fighting. He got his heart's desire, and seems to have enjoyed being iired at very much indeed. When there was no chance of engaging in more homicide ho struck away north on horseback. During his journey tlie following pleasing reflections occurred to him :—'Since this Boer scandal the Dutchmen treat an Englishmen like a dog. I have travelled right through the Free State, right through to Griqualaud West. I will tell you from observation what a Boer is. There is a lot of false sympathy got up for them at home. A Boer is a lazy, lanky, biliouslooking, dirty, mean, treacherous scoundrel. I have been refused a drink of water by one of them. These are the people that Gladstone humiliated us before. I could tell you instances of things that occurred during the Transvaal war that would make your blood boil. Sold ! We were sold. I have seen Englishmen deny their country, and I have blushed for my country myself. To think that we made terms with fellows who fired on wounded ! Those same rascals hauled down tlie English flag in Pretoria aud trampled it into the mud. They plucked English prisoners by the beard and spat in their faces. They insulted English women. These are facts.' The young man then grows so emphatic that his remarks verge upon impropriety. His letter struck mo as being a remarkable example of the feeling of ordinary men. I should not care to show Mr. Gladstone all of his observations; they are not complimentary to the revered statesman."