Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-12-14

ire most prominent sneerers was A
certain dealer in furs named Jacobus
Van Feehten close-fsted old fellow
to whom Van Arsdale sold MANY relts
WeeaeSer Peter went to dispose of his
stock 70 the old fur dealer he would
ehafe Peter by tauntingly inquiring
whether st. Nicholas hat answered his
prayer and sent h.m dover Tor Ills
daughter
"No no" the trappcr would answer
cheerily; "but he viii at the proper |
tn2C Wilhelmina will1eoniy eighteen
next christmas, and about that time |
St Nicholas will send me the present
Of her dover" The hard-hsted old
dealer would sneeringy laugh and call
Peter fool, and tell him his PRAYER
would never be answered, and that his
daughter, in consequence, would die
an old maid.
Nov, the Oil furrier Van Vechten
had great dealings with one Andreas
Van Ierwilleger. whoWas an old miser
and a money-lender, and who hal adj
yaneed money to Van Vechten at large
interest to buy furs and TO make mp
the inS9est and to get large profits in
his turs, Van Nechten, in turn, never
hesitated to cheat the poor trappers
who sold him pelts and among his
victims whom he had swinlled most,
was poor, honest Peter Van Arsdale.
On the lst of December, 1850 there
was a large account standing between
Van ferwilleger and Van Vcchten, the
latter being greatly in his debt, as he
| had Borrowed an immense amount of
gold from him to purchase pelts, and
he consequently had a large stock on
/ hand because no ship had been charter
Ell in many weeks to saii for Europe;
so he had plenty of furs, but no gold.
i Besides owing the old money-lender
1, Van Vechten was also indebted tC
Peter Van Arsdale and others; and a;
matters were getting hot for him, ht
faithfully promised that if the otheI
merchants would charter no ship, h,
would do 50 by Christmas himself, ant
/ thereby raise money and liquidate hi
debts by the new year.
] Peter Van Arsdale, who was patien
, imam, was one of the first who said h
, would wait, but he had in the mea
i .Af1e determined TO call upon the ol
? = ~ sn Christmas. Eve with fu
- ga 10 enabfe MN TO get mon,
I tlcient for him to purchase a Chris
Hids gift for IVilheImina and fe,
',"iigs for his good wife. So, whel
lilo day before Christmas came he mad
up his pack, and then kneelino h.
prayed fervently to St Nicholas f.
prosper him and soon send him !
dowIy present for his daughter. and
AsSlng Wllhelmina, whom he request.
ed TO stay at home with her mother
ana telling the old lady to he of good
cheer until his return, he set out with
his pack of furs, assuring them he
would be back in the morninq with
some good news, and they would have
amerry Christmas
lie started down the narrow trail
foF there was no Broadway then and
as ne trudged along he alternately
sang about old Admiral Won Trumn
VINO had swept the seas with his
nautical broom, and praying that St.
Nicholas would not forget about the
doWry Peter arrived in the settle
ment which then clustered around
the Battery, just as the tallow dine
and rush lights were being lighted
in the Beaver Tail Tavern" then
the only resort for the wayfarar in
New Amsterdam. After partakino
q some crullers and lighting his
long-stemmed pipe, and without wait
ing lor supper, he went directly TO
see the old miser and offered him
his Iurs, telling him he did not witch
to dispose of them to Van Vecbtor
because ne could get no money
Wnlcn ne must have that NIGHT
The old miser cursed Van Vecbten
bitterly and said if he did not nav
him the money he owed him soon
he would be ruined, and then DRIVING
hard bargain with Peter Van Ars
daS ne 'oid him he was going to
surprise MN by making him a pres
ent This announcement almost took
the breath from the trapper, and this
is the way it came about: The ola
money-iender said he had sent to
JaeoouS Van Vechten that very
morning Tor his money for the last
time threatening him with law. and
thai van Fechten, instead of sending
hin 'ne money, and to add insult 70
injury mad sent him a great. fat
goose with a messaoe tbo+ g.
Nicholas had told him to send if to
him as Christmas gift, and that he
was 50 enraged at this deception of
Van Iechten that he was abont 70 =,
cast 'n0 goose out in the road when
the traPper came in, and he said that
as Van Veehten had sent the goose ,t,' to
him in the name of St. NICHOLAS sss0 .. ~
much as to say that he ivan 3' TeTwllla' ,''
ger was goose, it occurred to him i ,,, a.
inc ,llo il' TO give it to Peter Van !
Ar'dalo as present from St. Nicholsa nl
as he knew he prayed to the saint. 'J,,,9l and
50 llo5 fns sOose' os which was big, fat one /.
indeed was duly transforrea -@' V4,e'