Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-12-04
enter, cried out:

den! Have you fled from the Parles-
vous! In any case, You are well
come"
"No; I flee from nobody. You
know / have nothing to do with poll
tics. l come to propose good spec
ulation to YOU"
eyes? What is it?"
81 have an order from the govern
ment for four hundred thousand her.
rings, to be delivered within month.
Can you furnish me with that num-
Der in, say, three weeks?'
cat what price?"
"Ten florins thousand"
"Ten florins! Yes, l will furnish
them"
Every well, and now to dinner; l
am half famished. At table we will
talk Of another matter"
Woerden introduced the subject of
the marriage, but Van Elburg could
not be persuaded to increase the
dowry he had offered to give his
drughter to the amount of Q single
silver. They nevertheless decided
that the wedding should take place
that day week.
The following day Woerden and
his son returned home. Hardly had
they left home when the young man
asked
"Then, father, you have changed
your mind?"
"How SOP"
"Have you rot decided to accept
the dowry offered by Meister Van
Elburg?"
"Let me manage the matter in my
own way, my son, and ask no ques-
tions."
When the wedding day came
Woerden and his son returned to
Brock. Van Elburg received them
kindly, but he was so furried and
nervous that William feared he had
some bad news for them. His father
however, had no such misgivings;
the old fox knew too well the cause
Of his colleagues disturbed manner.
"What is the matter, Meister Van
Elburg?" he asked with sardonic
smile. "You seem to be worried
about something"
"Ah, my friend, | am greatly en-
barrassed. l must speak with you" ;"
"What is it? Have you changed
your mind with regard to the mar
riage. Speak frankly; it is not yet
| too late.''
"No, no; it is another matter en-
tirely."
"Well, then, let us first proceed
with the wedding ceremony. After
wards l shall be quite at your SER
vice"
The company, therefore, repaired
to neighboring church, and in a
few minutes the young people were
husband and wife. When they re-
returned to the house, Van Elburg
asked Woerden to go with him into
his private room.
"My friend" began Van Elburg,
when he had carefully closed the
door, Gin accordance with our agree
ment, l should in two weeks from
now deliver to you four hundred
thousand herrings. Thus far, how
ever, l have been unable to procure a
single one. There are none in the
market; they have all been bought
up"
"Certainly they have. l bought
them up myself" replied Woerden,
smiling.
"But-but-how about my CON
tract?" stammered Van Elburg.
"You will fulfill it, Listen, friend
Van klburg, you will some day leave
your daughter handsome fortune;
shall leave my son at least as much;
it is therefore unnecessary to discuss
their future. This, however, is not
true of the present. | shall soon
give my entire business to my son,
while you give your daughter only
four thousand ducats. | would not
oppose the wishes Of the young peo-
pie; but when | consented to their
union | determined to compel you to
do your duty towards them. With
this object in view | contracted with
you for four hundred thousand her
rings at ten horins a thousand, al
though | then had all the herrings in
the market. Now in order to com.
ply with the terms of your agree
ment you must buy from me, and my
price is fifty florins a thousand; you
have, therefore, only to pay over to
me the sum of sixteen thousand
horins and we shall be square"
While Meister Woerden was ar
irving at this mercantile deduction
Van Elburg regained his wonted
equanimity.
81 see, see" said he; "you are a
clever tradesman. am fairly caught
and must bide the consequences"
Their conference ended, the two
old merchants rejoined the wedding
company, us though nothing unusual
had occurred between them.
A week later Van Elburg went to
Amsterdam, ostensibly to see his
daughter. Now the tables were
| turned.
"Ah, Mcister," cried Woerdon, Oh
seeing his colleague from Brock, 81
am in terrible dilemma. The time
is approaching when | must deliver
the four hundred thousand herrings,
and not cask can | find to put them
IMP
''That does not surprise me-" an
swered Van Elburg, smiling; ''you
bought up all my herrings, and
bought up all your casks!"