The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-08-17
An Ancient Dutch Village

Wormcldingcn is curious village. Its
trees and houses closely resemble big lot
OF Nuremberg toys just unpacked. Imagine
double row of dwellings, all squat, all
pretty, all spotlcssly clean, all vivid colors,
all built exactly in the same way, with the
same materials, placed in two long lines,
symmctrically mtcrscctcd by straw col0rcd
woodwork. Before these two lines of
houses plant two rows of little old trees,
with thick trunks and sparse foliage, ali
clipped, shaped and pointed; all of the
same size and forming a kind of screen, no
thicker or higher at one end than at the
other, nor in the middle than at the two cx-
tremtics. Then in the strcet-dustcd.
cleaned, scrapcd unremittingly; where the
houses are washed and waXcd until Won
could not find spot upon them, nor so
much as straw lying about where tho
trees have brushed and combcd look, and
not leaf is out of It's place; picture pop
ulation OF honest folks all dressed after the
same fashion-thc son like the father and
the father like the grandfather; the little
girl like the grown up girl and the mamma
like the old grandmother. and you have
Wormcldngcn as nearly as I can give an
idea of theplace. Be careful to remember that
each little house, taken separately, isa pref
ty bonbon box; and that the costumes,
taken separately, are charming. These
peasants. great and small, dressed entirely
in velvet and black cloth, with tn cir knee
brceches; their coarse stockings, their shoes
with silver buckles, their high waislcoats
with double row Of buttons in filigrce
silver, their coats cut into their waists,
their belts with silver clasps and their gold
buttons at the neck, look remarkably we'll
Complete this costume by a gracefully
shaped felt hat the brim raised behind and
sloping in front, so that 1t forlas sort of
visor, and you will have notion of tho
dress which is worn in -Bcvcland. This
costume looks pretty on the children, clc-
CANT on the men and picturesque on tho
old people, and it is always and every
where most original and characteristic
The uniform Of the women-for | really
must call 1t so-is equally curious and cqrl.
n ly tasteful. From their most tender
youth to the pltilcss age at which tho body,
bent by years, is bowed down toward the
earth soon to be its last resting place, the
form andarrangemcnt Of the womcn's attire
arc unvarlablc. From the cradle to the
tomb oil the stout peasants have bare arms,
the bust confined by a very tight bodice,
over which lies, in graceful folds, hand
kerchicf, fastened by coral brooch The
face IS framed in Golf with wide borders,
which resembles q veil rather than CAP.
a flat piece of gold hangs down on the
forehead; corkscrcws of gold adorn tho
temples; on the neck Is coral necklace;
rings and brooches abound-in word,
these women wear a profusion Of valuable
ornaments. SO much for the upper part
of the figure, which is highly adorned and
generally slim and delicate, Tho slender
ness Of the women's figures is rendered
more striking by an enormous pctticoat,
three yards wide, which Is held out by a
monstrous hoop resembling bell the body,
from the waiet up, representing tho handle,
and the two slender legs the clappcr. When
seen from distance thus attircd and
standing still, tho women might easily be,
taken for large dolls. The ruined houses,
the mutilated buildings, the torn up squares
transformed into pits and holes, all form q