New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-02
THE "FRIsIAN VROw.'
A DUTCH STORY.
From Hours at Home.

A DUTCH STORY.
From Hours at Home.
Saturday is q notable day in Amsterdam
1t was the same hundred and fifty years
ago. Spinning wheels then, like sewing
machines now, were put aside Tor the Day
thessnood and Overskirt were exchanged Tor
the close caul and yellow petticoat, and
women, old and young, rose into full ac,
stairs, windows and doors, pOrches and side
walks were deluged with water, and hus-
hands and brothers sought refuge in the
warehouse or beer shop till the timN of the
evening meal. Gods meal" they called it,
that Saturday night supper, when the
weekly thanksgiving of burgers and burgo-
!. masters was offered for the losses and
Gods wages-Of the six working days since
Sunday
The year was 1908. The street, Shippers
lane The house, Antony Van Stralen's.
The day, May %. at eight O'Clock in the
evening. The parlor, with its embossed
leather walls, where window stills and wash
boards were white as sand could make them,
was lighted with single wax candle, and
around the tile stove where a fire of wood
had been lighted to kill the damp, sat An
tony. his three daughters, Karl HOofdt. his
partner in more prosperous days, and Joan
81 Hoofdt. looking like a fourth and younger
sister. An aged aunt was more than half
asleep in her chair in the chimney corner,
and standing beside the table, spread with
napery of spotless white, preparing the sup
per OF buttered bread, toasted cheese. and
beer, was the good mother Vrow Van Stra-
len. in whom neither gray hairs nor poverty
had alterel<&h cheerful look, or damped
the hopeful heart. Dame Van Stralen. the
..Frisian Vrow," as the neighbors called
her, because she had come to Holland an
orphan girl from West Friesand. Antony
had married without a dowry- He was
deemed rich at that day-the mistortuncs
which broke the firm Of Stralen, Hootdt IL
Co., coming from the loss OF the Fraulien at
sea long afterward-but his partner always
said that had Hoofdt taken Peter Tiheman's
daughter, whom he might have had for the
asking her fortune would have saved the
old house from coming to grief. Bnt karl's
soul was purblind. The money-trusting
man did not understand the wisdom in
which the good Frisian Nrow had brought
up Antony's children, nor the sunshine
which, in spite of losses and failures, her
presence had made in his home for more
than thirty years
\, The feast waited for Antony's son, Auke
Stralen. His vessel dropped anchor that
morning in the Amstel after six months
voyage. Sailors wives and mothers know
what makes n red-let1er day in their calen-
slar Dame Stralen's heart was large enough
10 care for all her children. but her thoughts
were most with the boy who had braved the
perils of the deep. She knew. too. that her
love was returned, as did his messmates,
who used good-naturedly to wager that
Auke's first question TO the pilot would be,
lis my mother well Z" He had been seven
years at sea, ever since he was fifteen. His
earnings had been the support of the family.
He had climbed through every grade of sea-
manship, from reeting the tOresail to walk
ing the quarterback and as he now entered
the parlOr, shaking hands with the seniors,
saluting each of his sisters and the grand
aunt with kiss, and bashfully greeting the
pretty neighbor, his long and hearty en-
brace was given to his mother.
1T is Gods meal tonight, my boy. said
the vrow. her hand in both Of his, and her
blue eyes beautiful in their expression Of
matronly pride and love. You have not
forgotten ;"
ssMitherkin! Dear Mitherkinr' replied
the boy, raising her hand TO his lips, and
bending his head over her. II have never
forgotten, not once, that Gods work pays
sure wages"
Auke was still a ."boy" to her. whom he
addressed by that tenderest name. Mitlier-
kila--a word for which we have no syno-
nym; but his bronze face and sturdy frame
gave him almost the look of middle age
A. he sof fh.,re n lila saj]or's. dress of can
yas' With his n,Sasf nine in full plav. he
m;gbt have ~ ssesl for one of those pld.time
seanen from xshan, :. Skinner lanen had
been named
There vss,ss tsise when Karl Hoofdt had
Speculate ~ Z nss-,.h he-woen his mart
ners son M iSs own and only daughter.
and the vpi,ng TONS did not think that event
even imnossii,le VET Rnt Karl was think
i8.etberxise. Aukc made rood wares TO
AZURE III was temnerate and industri-
1aE we're NOT for his fathers LARGE
family ia might Law nv semcthino hut as
Was he vauld never h., Tort6 . silver
IJonm ynust do Letter than that > was The
comeinsion To wh;rh he was comm when
The ~cws AIsIs "a teilipg his mother over
TIE beer tnruea hIs ss1usina IS to another chan.
ma ! sss1 - -
Tho .an,o;r ara o,vner of the :. z,,raer
zeeS in which craft Aulse had niT,ovs
ss;i,a was .Jarob Steayansop who Inv c.r,
80 - 1900 aud Gin to the Ralt;c towms
and MI an back to Amsterdam. had re-,
ai i s,tSS:ient gains to open trade with
En@IanJ' H. late Hing hua been Hol-
lands stakeholder and London had a mar
set for ten and Chinese silks. Of which
Amsterdam was the emporium. But the
Znvder Zee. would not suit English trade,
and he had offered to sell her to Aul1e, to