The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-01-28

ZELL's MAGAZINE for February opens
with an entertaining sketch of DUTcn
LIFE AND MANNERS (ILLUsTRATED,) from
which we make the following selection,
The tyranny of social customs is
the basis, as it is the bane, of Dutch life
Every one submits to it, and in his turn
exercises it the rich man in his own
manner, the poor one in his. We remem-
Der very characteristic case in point.
Custom does not permit riding on horse
back in the streets of Amsterdam-a
prohibition which doubtless sprung into
existence from the ancient cleanliness Of
the towns, and which has always re-
maued a tacit assumption if not a recog-
nized fact. a young progressist philoso-
pher endeavored in our presence to dis
regard this prohibition. A saddle horse
was brought, and he mounted it at the
door of his fathers house. Hootiug and
Kisses followed him to the very outside Of
the city, and the children threw stones
and sticks at the legs Of the animal he
bestrode. On the next and following
days he renewed his attempt with true
Dutch phlegm, when the people again
opposed him with the same perseverance
Crackers were exploded so often under
the horse feet that the life of the rider
was endangered, and no one, neither the
police nor public opinion, dared to inter.
vcne in his behalf His own father him
self, quite Indifferent to the want Of sue.
cess attending his sons rashness, said as
much to the effect that the Dutch people
had only exercised their right in resisting
innovation.
A married son or daughter never dimes
with the family without an express in.
vitation. The same sort Of formality is
also established between brother and
sister, for they only visit each other on
footing Of guests.
We were one day praising to Dutch
lady the conservatory ofa brother of hers
who lived in the same city. 81 have
never seen it" she said, "as only call
upon him in the evenings" As a rule,
never do married children live under the
same roof with their parents. Therefore
some difficulty arises for them in the con.
traction of marriage, since they must first
OF all secure home, and that is not al
ways au easy matter in many Of those
semi-aquatic towns, more particularly in
Amsterdam. Building ground is scarce,
and the pile foundations cost more than
the house itself Such extravagant ex-
penditure as was common at the third
period Of the Republics zenith of pros.
perity is not to be renewed often; thus
generation succeeds generation in the oc-
cupancy of the dwellings built centuries
ago. \ family must therefore emigrate
or die out before another can take its
place, and hence it is that the fathers of
families look out for vacancy before
marrying their children. In the mean
time the betrothal takes place, which,
under the double guarantee ofhonor and
Of Dutch sang froid, forms sufficient
bond of security even though years may
elapse before the marriage is celebrated.
Until then the young people enjoy free
dom OF social intercourse which suffices to
make the time pas. pleasantly enough.
They 20 outdoors and walk alone togeth-
er, like Charlotte by the side of Werter.
Among the higher lasses such liberty as
this does not produce any evil copse-
quences; with the lower. those which
occasionally do result are tolerated aud
condoned By public opinion "What can
induce John" said miller to US, "to
thiuk Of being married before next year
| had promised to give up my mill to him
then In the mean tiwc NY daughter
goes to his house every Saturday, and
they live ike husband and wife until
Sunday The rights Of betrothal arc
not always understood in so free man
ncr as by the miller, but many good and
( honest tradcsmen share the same dwelling
with young women without exciting any
reprobaton. Is this the result of indif
ference as to what is denominated man
nerS! or is it native and constitutional
/ impeccabilty? We dare not attempt tt
decide so delicate and mysterious a ques
ton. At all events, however, one may
read every day in the newspapers adver
tisements like this: such an one doing
prosperous business, desires a girl o.
young widow to look after the shop anC
his household. If matters should 60 OF
well, marriage will follow"
We were one day at tradesman'
shop, and said to the fair and buxon
girl behind the counter: Your husband
madam, undertook to do so and So" "H,
is not my husband sir" well you
brother, miss " Nor is he my brother
sir "Well, what is he then, my child p
She fixed her large candid blue eyes up
on rs and said "IIc is my betrothed
sir" We knew later on, that in that cir
cumscribed dwelling Of the small shop
keeper tyl those two young peopl
shared the same chamber, divided BY {
slight screen only. Oh, p1h pudor oh
sweet simplicity How much more chast
art thou that the canonical inhibition
which forbade intended spouses to liv
together under the same roof.
JAMES K. OsGooD & Co., are in tn,
field with their announcements for Febru