Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-09

wards visited the market square and saw other
costumes quite astounding. I suppose in no
country in the world can such peculiar head
dresses he seen as in Holland. or all shapes and
| sizes spotless white, and covered with fine en-
broidery and lace they give picturesque set
| tingof to the dull, homely faces. Further orna-
ments and many of them are in shape of huge
gold or gilded pins. Some are like miniature
shields on each temple, others like tiny chande-
| liers hanging out over the ears and others like
full-sized bed-springs projecting before the tenn
| Piles. l imagine q peasantwoman with head
| thus arrayed, and the whole surmounted by the
tawdry modern bonnet or hat, which she dons
on grand occasions. White-washed wooden
shoes were another peculiar feature of the COM
| mon people. In the ish-market we bought the
finest, largest plums any ofus had ever seen.
The Hague, like several other Dutch towns, Is
noted for its amber and merschaum. We saw
great quantities Of both, and found the pipes or
naments, ETC., made from them very cheap. We
/ visited fine bazaar in one of the aristocratic
neighborhoods. 1t was like an elegant museum
| in which young ladies speaking the modern Ian
guage escorted us about, explaining the different
curiosties. We were told that wealthy New
York people were amongst their chief purchas-
srs, especially of old Delft ware and old Dutch
clocks and furniture. We priced some old crack
ed Delft plates but concluded not to buy at the
| price given-about thirty-tiye dollars plate.
| Unfortunately it rained most of the afternoon
that we spent at Scheyinigen, the seaside re-
Sort about three miles from the Hague. 1t be-
gan to rain soon after we took the little train,
| which at first runs through pretty little park
| and then winds in and out through scantily COW
cred sand hills until it reaches the sea. The
rain stopped for a time while we went down to
the beach and looked at the people there assem-
bled. most of them IN the shelter of the immense
hooded chairs which were scattered along over
| the vast expanse of sand. The German ocean
| came rolling in looking SO cold, and black and
dingy, that we gave up at once all thoughts of
| bathing in 1t. We contented ourselves with
| strollins along the beach and looking at the
| pretty shops in the gallery. Schviningen seemed
| as if it might be very pretty, bright little
place a fine day. Its buildings were neat and
its roadways paved and kept scrupulously clean
through the fields of sand. We noticed the
bathing machines going around to the houses i'll
the village to pick up their customers, who
could thus prepare themselves at home for their
sea bath. We went back to the Hague by horse
cars, wandering in and out amongst the dreary
Dunes past the quaint old fishing village of
eohyiningen proper and then through beauurui
avenue lined with pleasant residences, passing
| on the way many of the fisherwomen in all their
glory of caps, voluminous skirts and huge white
wooden shoes.
IL was strange mixed crowd of people that
evening at table d hote. There were represen
tatiyes from ell European countries. Opposite
| us sat three Italians, q gentlemen, lady and
young girl evidently of high degree, and the
gentleman with many marks of distinction. The
lady at frequent intervals would gaze fondly at
the young girl and then give her several re-
| sounding kisses on the cheek.
That evening we travelled on to Amsterdam as
our time was growing short; reaching the me
tropolis of Holland about nine o'clock. We
drove straightway to the Old Bible hotel which
was in state of chaos apparently, owing to re-
pairs and changes. As we were being shown to
our rooms and the girls were planning another
English tea, we heard a familiar "How de do
and saw again our acquaintance from near
New York. We thought we had lost them at
Mayence. 1t was something like Venice as we
looked out of our window on the placid canal
below and the reflections of the many lights
therein. Venetian dreams were dispelled in the
morning, however. There was the water and
there were the buildings, but not bit of the
poetry. Still it was all very picturesque and in
teresting, but with busy look like the waterside
streets in New York or London. We inspected
wonderful bible that morning at the hotel, the
first Dutch bible ever printed, / believe, and
giving the name to our hotel. Afterwards we
our way through narrow streets of gabled clean
ing houses, over numerous canals TO the Rijk's
museum containing the finest picture gallery in
Holland The museum is also rich in old Dutch
furniture and ornaments That morning we
revealed in Rembrandt Van Steen, Terburg.
Teniers, Ruysdael, Gerard Dow and Wonver-
mans as we may never expect to revel again
unless We visit the gallery when the Hague col
lection is added to it. "Rembrandtish colors"
are at their best in the quaint old rooms at Am
sterdam. We also verified the remark on the in
evitable grey mare of Wonvermans. 1t said he
never painted a picture without introducing her
in ii.
Our remaining impressions of Amsterdam
are dim, as seen through haze Of fine rain. We
found that even the streets Of u Dutch city could
have scattering mud. As We were being borne
away deliberately to Utrecht and Rotterdam, the
train pausing and backing and waiting, we no
ticed the rapid growing suburbs of neat rows of
modern-looking houses, built on foundations of
sand which boats were bringing. Valuable i'm
proved city lots" in Amsterdam seemed in
most cases to be under water. What marvellous
people and country! On we travelled past canals
and vivid green meadows and past neat little
1-ill h. ha
swamped at any hour of day or night When we
reached Rotterdam the rain had ceased and We
had dry weather for our few hours of sight-see-
ing there.
We took but little interest in Rotterdam and
after visit to the Groote Kerk, stroll along the
principal street. and.along the Boompies whence
vessels sail for all parts of the world, we devoted
ourselves to the principal canal and its numer-
Gus boats of many kinds The Dutch women
evidently make very good sailors, as We saw
them in spotless caps doing sailors work on
board several boats We had left our travelling
companion in Amsterdam and felt somewhat
lonely. Besides we were to leave the continent
from Rotterdam, and this fact did not add to our
enjoyment. Since our landing one fine morning
at Dieppe we had spent nearly three months in
most delightful foreign travel with pleasant
companions. It Was therefore not remarkable
that we were sorry it was sill over.
A little steam tender took Us from the ooster-
knade, kind OF esPlanade, to our boat down
the Mas. II wss with said misgiyings that we
embarked on board the Sir Charles Young
bound for Harwick. There was nothing to com
plain of the boat II was perfect compared with
channel steamers running between France and
England We even had staterooms. At six o'clock
in the evening we LEFT Rotterdam. accom- panied
By boats. some OF them crowded with peasant
women who were going to their homes in the
waiery little towns down the Mass. A gray sky
gray river. bright green fields, clustering towns
with wind mills and church spires looking as If
they were sinking into the marshes out Of sight
such made up our outlook until darkness came
on and with il rain and the crossing of the bar.
We were then ont of the river, but think may
add. that with few exceptions we were AL in the
greatest misery. From eight O'Clock that evening
until noon the next day-for We were eight hours
late owing to the frightfcl storm-I suffered -
had never suffered before. although sea-sicknesz