Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-08-05

Entered according 70 Aet o. sts ~ -. 80
sp ;:t cSSTt for the Northern District Of n York
CHAPTER I.
Tbs MD Tavern, and suspicion for ats INMATES.
Ar the time of which we write, this Island
Metropolis, the foremost city of America, was
IN its swaddling clothes--a Dutch baby, small
and weak, bnt of great promise-snd bore the
good old name of New Amsterdam. The
Dutch West India Company held the charter.
and Vim. Kleft was the Governor OF the Col
ony. The Indians were settled on all lands
of the Dutch adventurers; and under all the
circumstances of the times, it is wonder that
there were not more troubles than there were
In the dark night the watchman OF the pste-
faces who CHANGED to stand upon an emil
nence, could turn his gaze IN no dIectioh
without meeting the dim light OF the Indian
camp fires. And so on all hands, save to the
seaboard. the fires stretched away-from vale
to vale. and from hill to hill-bounded only
BY the wave dashed shores of the continent.
Thus were tie affairs of New Amsterdam
at the time when our story opens. Some no.
Bile men had settled there, and they had bro't
their virtues with them; but bad men had
come too and so vice and crime reared their
hydra-h heads in contrast.
1t was calm, pleasant day in July in the
year l64O. Close by the head Of what is now
known as Coenties slip, stood the city tavern
of New Amsterdam. 1t was plain, wooden
building, rooted with bark and straw, with a
sort of garden in front, within which, Nan
nette, my good hostess, had supposed only
flowers would spring up; but at the present
time she was not little surprised to observe
that where she had planted Queens daisy,
q huge pumpkin vine had made its appear
ance and in the pretty beds where she had
borr the mOrtI1CaflOn
10 see young cabbages springing up on all
hands. Ah-the good old burgher and host,
Jacob Won der Donck, had an eye to the
profits of that piece of ground. And there
he stood on this pleasant July day, with his
hands clasped behind him, and his pipe in his
mouth, complacently viewing,the result of his
gardening. He was a short, round bodied
man, some forty wears of age, with broad,
humorous face, and calm, sly twinkle OF the
small grey eye, which denoted shrewdness
and good nature, when needed, and which at
the same time seemed 20 indicate that he could
be severe if occasion should require.
Jacob Van der Donck,' uttered his wife,
approaching him unobserved, ''aren't you
pattern of sweetness and loves"
'Good Nannetle," returned Jacob, with
smile, sit gives me pleasure to answer such
questions when put by your own sweet lips.
am"
Yes you are o! yes. Of course you
are. II was very kind Of you to pull up my
flowers, and plant these cabbages, and pump
kiDs, and turnips wasn't it? Very kind !"
Certainly. What do we keep tavern for ;
Is it to see flowers? No. Its to feed the
hungry-and what better sign than food grow
ing directly in front of our housed Plant thy
flowers in pots, and set them IN the window.
and thou shalt see them often.for l swear thou
are oftener at the window than any where
else
Nannettee did not reply Immediately, for
she could not quickly make up her mind
whether to be angry, or to laugh at her hus-
bands wit, She was Flemish born, and OF
exceeding good nature; and, moreover, loved
her liege lord with strong affection. Howev-
or. she had just made up her mind TO smile,
and await her turn to put back the joke, when
person in the street attracted her attention to
such degree, that she at once forgot the
cause Of dispute with her husband.
"Look, Jacob she whispered, starting
nlnse to har oosnp-rivr.'e siaA There is Cas-
per Geldorp again, watching our house. What
can he want J He was here yesterday in the
same way, and so, too, on the day before.
don't like it,
The host turned as his wife spoke and ht
saw Geldorp standing upon the opposite side
of the street. and seemingly intent upon gaz
ing into the second story windows of the tav
ern; but the latter, as soon as he saw that hi
was noticed, moved quickly away, and wa
soon lost to sight by turn of the SIT ct
"Nannette, spoke Jacob, after some mo
ments of thought, "that looks suspicious
What can he have to call him watching around
here l.,
That's what I'd like to know" responded
the good wife, with shade of doubt upon her
features. elf the governor did his duty, he
would't be peepiEg around honest peoples
houses
After this the worthy couple turned them
selves to thinking, and at length Jacob said
"Casper Geldorp doesn't come here fol
nothing-that's certain
Ay! what can it be, Jacob He was watch
ing the chamber windows" added the wife
with touch of new intelligence in her tone
Sand now l remember she continued, witt
her head bent in thought, ''that he was look
ing in the same direction yesterday"
"Then he may be watching our new guests
81 think so, Jacob
sand if he is watching them, it can be fol
any good,' continued the host thoughtfully.
"Nobody ever heard Of Casper Geldorp
doing any good yet" the wife returned, quit,
emphatically.
sTrue-true," uttered the host, at the sam,
is only up TO crime and mischief always; anC
if he has his eye fixed particularly upon any
body, it must be for evil. He's surely got hi
eye fixed now upon Van der Veer. Van de
Veer is our guest, and we must warn him.
IHto our guests Mt once, and if there is dan
ger they shall know it,
Within one of the chambers of the Cit
Tavern-for so the humble inn was called
sat Peter Wander Veer. He was well form.
ed man, with frame of medium size, anc
dressed in garb which betrayed both wealth
and good taste. In years he was past the first
half century of life, aud the silver touches
were thickly sprnkled ulon his head His
feature were regular aud well defined, marx ed
by strong cast of intelligence and softened
BY the light of kindness aud humanity. He
mad been for some years engaged in the Dutch
East India trade, and had amassed much
wealth. Close by him, at one Of the windows
which overlooked the perverted garden and
the street. sat his wife, Theodora. She WAC
small in frame, with light hair and blue ewes.
and retained much Of the beauty Of her yontb
She had been one of the most beautiful mad.
ems of Amsterdam, and she was now one ii
the haadsomest matrons Of the new town :
She was not far from fifty years cfage, thouot
most people thought her younger She wa,
warm hearted generous woman, and needed
only TO be known to be loved Though SIN
had been OILY month in New Amsterdam
yet she had made some warm friends whsr
most people more readily make enemies. Sh
had taken two sick Indians to her own apart
ment and nursed them, and bestowed upo
them food aud clothing, and the result wa
fhafa l,rff hn rod Of fbae trsb