South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-09-01
A Dutch Lover.

A young gentleman in Amsterdam had
been, q year or two ago, paying his sd-
dresses, without success, to a young lady.
The father of the maiden was altogether
obdurate, and could not be induced to
favor the suit; but the swain had observed
certain symptoms which led him to believe
that his attentions were not wholly unac-
ceptable to the lady. When the festival
of the st. Nicholas December 5th) ap-
preached, some waggish friends proposed
q plan of offering his hand and heart, the
d%rollery of which might possibly soften
the unwilling father, and assure the lady
of the entire devotion Of his person.
On the eve of st. Nicholas a long and
rather narrow box, with some holes in the
Lid, was conveyed to the house of Mynheer
-, addressed to Jufvrouw, with the
SWANS compliments, in addition to which,
without the latter's knowledge, the face
tious friends had painted, in large letters,
" Zen dixie vrijer"-a fat lover. The
box arrived at the usual ive-o'clock din
ner-hour; and the daughter, seeing the
box in the hall, and, reading the address,
wished at nee to open it. But her father,
who perhaps smelt a rat, and knew better
than his daughter the possible humors of
the day, said:
"No: let us have dinner first, and
meanwhile have the box brought into the
dining-room."
With some trouble the box was removed
there by the maids.
Dinner dragged its slow length along,
was artfuIly protracted, and the opening
of the box kept in allegiance until 1t was
almost time to go TO bed.
Then the hammer was missing, the
- - o1-1l -Nf ha fnY1nd anA of
last the opening of the wonderful box put
off until next morning.
"Goede-nacht, slap good" All de-
parted. save Mynheer =, the father.
With bed-candle in hand, he went to the
box, listened carefully for a moment or
two, and then, giving the box a slightkick,
proceeded to moraIize aloud:
"What q fool that little donkey of a fel-
low is to suppose l will ever let him have
my daughterl 1 wonder what he has sent
her? What can these little holes be for?
Ali here is n of mevrouw's knitting
needles; let US poke one in and see if we
can make out"
"For Gods sake, don'tl" said a stified
voice from the box, "or you will poke my
eye out"
be y"
al am Mynheer F." said the voice.
"For Heavens sake, let me out can't
stand it much longer"
"Will you promise never to speak to
nv daughter again, if Ido?"
"No, 1 won't-Tn die first"
avery well, then; goodnight"
"Don't be so inhuman; l shall be dead
in another hour"
"Wm you promisel"
"No," said the voice in the box, more
family, "neverl"
"Well, you are a brave little soul; I'll
let you out"
Sly father took out screw-driver and
hammer from his OVID pocket, where they
had been lost, and let out the poor lovers
very cramped but plump and comedy per-
son.
"Now, 1 am a free man" said the latter,
in a somewhat weak voice land no won
derl al give my free promise, as you have
saved my life, not to speak to your daugh-
ter again without your permission"
"Well," rejoined the father, kicking the
box, "if you have not done for her more
than most sweethearts would, you have
certainly got into less"
Small wit on one side, and diplomatic
gra itude on the other, made them so well
pleased that they shook hands, and parted
such good friends that r soonafter
overcame Myneer @'s repugnance to
the match, and, before the next St. Nick
olas now the lady, too.-APpkton's Jour
nal.