Life in Afrikanderland as viewed by an Afrikander: A story of life in South Africa, based on truthCIOS
History
Life in Afrikanderland as viewed by an Afrikander: A story of life in South Africa, based on truth
CIOS
Afrikaners; South Africa -- History -- Fiction
The two sons were both big giants of young men, straight as a die,
broad-shouldered, deep-chested, healthy-looking and strong, handsome
in face and figure, with curly light brown hair, clean-shaven cheeks,
but wearing light handsome moustaches. Finally, as to moral character,
they were their father and mother’s children in deed as well as name.
But little Lettie was the angel of the house. I can’t describe her with
sufficient power to place her before the reader as I knew her. I will
attempt, but I know it will be a failure, and will give the reader
only a bare idea of her looks. Tall, slender, with a graceful willowy
carriage, what a poem in her walk, in her every movement and look! What
sweetness in those large star-like eyes, gleaming like dark-coloured
diamonds under the long-lashed eyelids. The lines of the face, the
shape of nose and chin, I cannot describe, I simply give in; I know
not to what style it belonged; I only know they were--_Beautiful_.
The mouth I can and will describe. _It was made to kiss._ The long
hair was worn loose, and flowed in waves down to the waist in a
dark, massive cloud. The dress was a loose, simple gown, fitting the
form sufficiently close to show the perfections of the figure; smart
costumes would only mar such a figure.
Steve will never forget the walk he took alone with Lettie to the
flower garden that afternoon; to him she was the fairest flower that
ever he had seen.
Reader! to prevent any future disappointment, I must here state that
Lettie is not going to be the heroine of this story; that Steve is
not going to marry her, or even to fall madly in love with her. He
admired and liked her, but after this visit she passes out of his life;
we shall hear no more of her. I have tried to place her before the
reader as I still see her in my mind’s eye, as a type of the better
class of Boer girls, whose figure has not been spoiled by bad taste and
knowledge of dressing, and, alas, by hard work too. For many a poor
farmer is obliged to help himself with the labour of his girls for want
of servants; and thus their shoulders become bent through constant
stooping and hard work, and their figures spoiled and ruined.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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