The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-20

swamp!
Hark I heard. a. frsh-horn? Ought to
be near water any how! Let me look. at
my watch! By thunder! stepped at nine
o'clock That's when We were passing the
Park, and l. squinted up at the Tribune
windows, and saw the printers, with their
sticks and types, mastering lead soldiers
into columns, following a leader That's
ajoke deciare) to go into a press Of
fight tomorrow (By George there's an
other ,jokeD And l heard the old cylinders
at it under ground, as we numbered along
blessed old jamboree they 60 on every
night-squeezing editorial grapes into
black wine-that's ink, of course; all
mixed up, juices and lees, in daily morn
ing wine.press, l should y-(that's ajoke,
too, | guess
No leather stores, no market-sheds-aud
and, by George! where's our jim-crack
ferry-house! I'm wide awake and there's
the East River! And over ysnder's old
Brooklyn. BY thunder! | can't stand
this! New York's gone to kingdom come
and Pm landed in some back county, like
Cattaraugus-sure's yea live!
A shadow creeps behind me, on my left |!
A bank of earth, greenswarded, bordered
with tewery trees, their branches and long
leaves. waving like plumes above me I!
,.rN.dlonI h1. e. otnotol, nnptkprlN
the waterfront of broad river, with nota
smoke-stafo or ship-mast to be seen upon
it! ... . ....
Only one habitation, or roof tree to cover
humanity; that quaint gable-ended Ia
brio, with walls of mottled bricks, baked in
Harlem two centuries ago; not.in Harlem,
near Spuyten Duyvel Creek, on our Island
OF Manhattan but that ancient Haarleem,
on the river Spaarn, in those Netherlands
which sent out llendrick Hudson, in his
shallop, the "IIaf Moon," to discover and
givena1nc to our River of the North as
it was also called.
II say, old fellow! do you live in that
house ~ ..-
ask this question: because see man,
and by the cut of his jib, should judge he
belonged to old lendrick Hudson's ''Ilalf
Moon" two hundred years ago, if he
hadn't just dropped from that quarter
moon shining over US Dutch he is
Dutch as sour-llrout; lugger-built, with a
two foot pipe for bow-Sprit, as he looms
up alongside that shanty! Hullo !! old
man SQrechen ae Dcutsch?
What's that he says ?-SpreeH gil Eny-
c1sCh! guess know what that means! !
Old chap wants to converse in hgliShl
Well, here goes What do you call this
place, my friend
"Neuw Amsterdam, Myn IIeer !"
"What do you call yourseli?" . .
"Myn naam is Cornelius Dirckscn ~
"Where do you liyeY. ..,.-.'
"IIere, Myn Heer Onmy land. Twen-
ty acres shore and boucrie, bought with two
hundred guilders; and for the matter of
privilege to ply my trade-that' goes with
the land, Myn Heer -
"What'syour trnde, my friend p
"Yot can see my fcrry-boat ashore. j
have the business all to myself"
The old chap puffs his pipe, and looks at
me with big Dutch eyes, like door-kndbs I!
You better believe stare, too, with all my
eyes! Two hundred guilders! That's
about eighty dollars, he's got twenty acres
of this waterfront for, and the franchise of
Brooklyn ferry thrown in! By George
feel like taking off my that to Myn!eer
Cornelius Dircksen. | regarl his brown
breeohes with respect! | look upon his
old wide skirts, and piratical hat, with
Difference ! Hes a property holder, from
Peck Slip John street, haven'ta dohbt!
BY George! That's an ancient mariner
for you!
"Zmt gyJ cen glas rum drn.hen ?"
"What's that you say, sir?'
"Zeker! 70 be sure, should talk En-.
glish, Myn Heer ! Will you go IN, and
drink glass Of spirits, after your walk 2"
Spirits wonder if he ism a spirit him
self-this jolly old Dutchman! wants me
to 90 in to that shebang, and sample some
thing, in his back room Well, by thun-
der, I'm in for it! who's afraid?
"Thank you, Mr.. Dircksen ! Don't care
if do go in with you It's trife chilly
out here, your property !"
"You'll find it hot enough in my place
Myn Heer - answers that ancient mari
ner; and he looks att so queerly, with hi
door-knobs, almost feel like backing out
By George! who knows if he'll ever lie
Inc out of his hot place, once I'm in there
But he turns short around, leading to
ward his house; and as [ catch a squar
view of his Dutch rear, so natural-tha
re- assures me? So follow Cornelius Dirck
sen; and what he tells me over & lass O
Jamaica spirits | intend to remember
It'll probably get into my head!