Oom Paul's People: A Narrative of the British-Boer Troubles in South Africa, with a History of the Boers, the Country, and Its Institutions — John Shaqi
Oom Paul's People: A Narrative of the British-Boer Troubles in South Africa, with a History of the Boers, the Country, and Its InstitutionsHillegas, Howard Clemens
History
Oom Paul's People: A Narrative of the British-Boer Troubles in South Africa, with a History of the Boers, the Country, and Its Institutions
Hillegas, Howard Clemens
Afrikaners -- History; Kruger, Paul, 1825-1904; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History -- 1880-1910
He wears no cuffs, and the presence of a collar and tie may be
determined only by drawing aside the natural curtain formed by his
whiskers. He is uncouth in his manner, but he has great natural
attractiveness gained by a long life among hunters in the wilds. He is
suspicious of everything and every one, but that quality is easily
accounted for by his early dealings with negro chiefs, whose treacherous
habits caused him to become wary in all his transactions with them. In
later days this has stood him in good stead. He is slow to make
friends, but once he trusts a person voluminous proof is necessary
before he alters his opinion of the man. He never forgets a good deed,
and never pardons the man who does a bad one.
President Kruger is short in stature, measuring less than five feet
seven inches. His head and body are large and fat, but his legs are
thin and short. His head is just a trifle longer than broad, and almost
fits the English definition of "square head." The small eyes are
surmounted by bushy, white eyebrows, which extend half an inch beyond
his forehead.
When he is not sitting for a photograph his hair is not so neatly
arranged as it appears in the well-known pictures, but hangs loosely
down over his wide forehead, except when, with a hasty swish of the
hand, he brushes it aside. The hair is nearly white, and hangs over the
sides of his head in long tresses, which cover both his ears.
When he smiles the big fat circles above his cheeks are pushed upward,
and shut his small gray eyes from view. But when pleased the President
generally laughs hilariously, and then his eyes remain closed for the
greater part of a minute. Mr. Kruger’s nose and mouth are the chief
features of his face. Both are more extensive than his large face
demands, but they are such marvels in their own peculiar way as to be
distinguishing marks. The bridge of the nose grows wide as it goes
outward from the point between the eyes, and before it reaches the tip
it has a gentle upheaval. Then it spreads out on either side, and
covers fully two inches of area above his upper lip. It is not
attractive, but in that it follows the general condition of his facial
landscape.
The mouth is wide and ungainly. The constant use of a heavy pipe has
caused a deep depression on the left side of his lower lip, and this
gives the whole mouth the appearance of being unbalanced. His chin is
large and prominent, and his ears correspond relatively in size and
symmetry with his face. When in repose his features are not pleasant to
look upon, but when lighted up by a smile they become rather attractive,
and generally cause his laughter to become contagious among his hearers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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