Steve hated these faults in his cousin, and tried to reason sense and honour into him. But, being several years the junior of his cousin, his opinions were considered as childish, and disregarded. So Steve could only view his cousin’s backslidings with patience and grief; which he did; as he was thrown into daily contact with his cousin through force of circumstances. In one thing or another he had to do with him every day, and really bore him a sort of cousinly affection, but this was unaccompanied by any respect.
When Steve’s cousin left for the Transvaal a sort of correspondence was kept up between them. Steve took advantage of this to write to his cousin and ask him to look for a situation for him.
At this time, through the force of circumstances--the want of proper schools, the struggle for existence against poverty, native troubles, and other difficulties--the youth of the Transvaal were seldom educated enough to take their proper places in the civil service of their country, or in the commercial, law, or other offices, so that the Government were forced to employ Hollanders, young educated Afrikanders from the Cape Colony and elsewhere, in the civil service; and merchants, as well as other employers, were forced to do the same, the only difference being, that for Government service a knowledge of official language--Dutch--was absolutely necessary for applicants, while private offices were not always particular, especially commercial offices. Hence the abuse the Government has had to suffer on account of employing so many of their Hollander brothers. These disabilities on the part of born Transvaalers are gradually disappearing through the fostering care of Government. Schools are State-aided in an instituted manner now, and young Transvaalers are continually entering Government service more and more every day.
For the reason given in the last chapter, it did not take Steve’s cousin long to find a good situation for him; and when Steve received the letter in which his success was told, and bidding him come up without a day’s delay, his joy was unbounded.
His preparations did not take long. By selling everything that he had which he could not take with him, and scraping together every penny he had, he just managed to get together sufficient to take him to Pretoria--his final destination. Why linger over Steve’s leave-takings from friends and relatives? why should we restrain him with our presence when he bids good-bye to mother and sisters? why visit with him for the last time the haunts of his childhood? Many of us do not require to be told what took place, many of us have gone through it ourselves, have cast a lingering look on a beloved walk, or favoured spot, have given the last pressure to the hands of dear ones weeping, have felt the choking sensation which prevents the voice from saying the last word we fain would say, but must leave unsaid through emotion.