The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-09-28

n, q ,lF15sIe ~ " u. 1f7-1I-- --97 "a,
were restored. The looomotiveiis destroying
the pioturesqueness OF the world. Even here
in the Netherlands COSTUMES are conforming
more and moro every year to the prevailing
fashions Of France and England. The nobility
Of Holland are not diatinguishablei by their
dress from the ladies and gentlemen Of London
and New York, and the wealthy burRhers have
followed suit Only the peasants Chat is, the
fsrmers). and the sailors still preserve the
curious garb which We have seen pictures Of;
and 90 insulated are the various provinces by
water that the dress of the people Of. one sec-
ton IL q constant source of surprise and
Amusement to tho people Of smother. It was
odd enough, at the exhibition yesterday, to see
the visitors from Zealand 10 the South and Of
those from Friesland on tbs North inspecting
one another with as much curiosity as II they
had come from opposite ends Of the earth.
The costume that attracted the most attention
was perhaps that Of the rich PEASANT women Of
the north. This, in Its purest form, consists
of short skirt Of thick stuff, padded
with pillows at the hip (unless they have
some dreadful hip disease) with silk
apron OF bright green, or yellow, or pur-
pie, or red, reaching exactly to the bottom
OF the skirt; q bodice of black velvet, laced
across white bosom at the front, sometimes
with silver chains reaching around under the
arms, like the SWISS Her head-dress is .
startling vision. In the frat place she wears
her hair slightly banged in front, and over this
helmet or casque Of silver or gold-a solid
plato. bent to the head and covering it like an
outer skull Scarcely bit of hair is visible.
Across the forehead is bound o gold band an
inch or 30 wide, its middle set with heavy
brooch OF gold and gems, like an old-fashioned
breastpin. The earrings are not worn in the
ears, but hung from the ends Of this corouet,
dangling just over the eyes in such way as
sometimes to obstruct the line of vision.
These pendants are as bulky, costly and long
as tho wearer can ahord-heavy plates Of
topaz, amethyst and emerald hinged together,
and set sometimes with pearls, rubies or dia-
monds, covering both cheeks Over the he'll
met and coronet is worn demure white linen
cap, not 80 snug as to conceal the splendor, it's
white cape falling to the shoulders and it's for
ward tabs starched stiff and turned square
back and upward around the head again, Ieav-
ing two sharp points sticking directly out in
front beyond the face. Still over this. far up
and back, an elaborate bonnet is perched-
sometimes Partisan affair Of silk and lace
and archaeological corpses, and sometimes
hlgh, horal, crooked concern, like truncated
cos-scuttle with the jim jams.
UNIQUE HEADGEAR.
Frequently the jewelry store around the face
is modified and enlarged by the addition of
silver bed-spring, sticking directly out in front
from each temple. I don't know whether this
ornament actually was q bed-spring before
being set to its present service. but it looks
precisely like that useful article, being a
mi vCFx1 hit ~r,S~ao ~.
or four inches in diameter at the base, and
reaching out in front some elk or eight inches.
When thus equipped, the fair maiden or mat
ron looks as il she had taken to herself pair
of effective horns, and, though I have heard
nothing about the Significance Of the decora-
fence against the amorous unkheads Of this
neighborhood. think woman who really
meant business could learn to swing those horns
30 as to hit an intruder in the eye every time.
It il . wonder that King William Alexander
Paul Frederick Lewis and his parliament do not
ties, the wearing of such dangerous piece Of
headgear. 1t shows how the Dutchman must
have been trampled under foot by the Dutch
women, when they have not spirit enough left
to rise in rebellion against such monstrous
infringement of their rights.
good many Of the men wear round felt
hats, with bands variously embroidered in
silk; jackets of dark cloth, short and light,
opening in front to display vest embroidered
with red, yellow and green, and buttoned with
row Of silver coins short breaches of. the same
color as the jacket, bound around the waist by
girdle furnished with heavy boss of chased
silver; a scarlet cravat, aud fine wooden stock
ings to the knee In the case of the fishermen
the breaches had q most exaggerated contour
drawn snug at the pelt, but expanding around
tue hips into half a dozen breadths Of cloth,
plated and pulled. a
THE SIGNIFICANT HELMETS.
On inquiry learned that the gold and silver
helmets and the jeweled tillet across the fore
head with the pendants at it's ends, are worn
mainly by the wives aud daughters Of the rich
peasants. and are, in themselves, sign of
wealth. i he ambition of the farmers daugh-
ter is to acquire for her dowry golden helmet
This is sometimes presented by the lover on
his acceptance, or, ii he cannot afford q gold
one, hs presents a silver one of greater or less
thickness As I expressed curiosity concern
ing the curious faube. my landlord called my
attention to girl arrayed for the fair yesterday
1T is really god-fourteen or sixteen carats ne.
Who is she?"
"she is servant girl in that family in the brick
Gelderlaud, beyond the .Zuyder Zee. knew her
before she came here. That casque was presented
one and cost three or four thousand eulden."
1.-Two thousand dollarsl" exclaimed. He must
be rich. Who is he?"
mo, he is not rich: but he is industrious and
saving, like most Dutchman. He is common
laborer-a tilemaker down at Delft He has laid
aside In little savings enough to buy his bride this
do women ever sell this equipment when hard
"Oh, yes; but they must be very hard-pushed
first. Some lose their characters and then sell
added, thoughtfuy. that women have a way Of
wearing this headdress which indicates their char
acter Perhaps you do not know?"
expressed curiosity, and he went on.
1T is not difficult 10 classify the women from
this door as they go by-not accurately, but suffl-
GENTLY. All who are entirely virtuous, wish to
their heads. and scarcely let bit Of their hair
show. When they release lock, then they are
slightly fast. and their increasing willingness to
by the Increasing disorder of tteir front hair.
There is tacit understanding to this effect all over
Holland, and although laws have been passed to
tion woman who wears much Of her front hair
out from under her helmet is considered inviting
improper proposals upon the street,"
HOW THE CITIES LOOK.
Amsterdam aud Rotterdam look like no other
cities in the world. They have hydrocephalus,
like Venice-oceans Of water everywhere.
Amsterdam is built on some eighty islands,
connected by 800 bridges across the muddy
bitches they call canals. The buildings mainly
are Of Imprinted brick, with gable-ends tn the
streets, and they are erected, like those Of
Venice, on millions Of piles driven into the
mud But this alluvial deposit is not so firm
as the sandy sediment in the Adriatic lagoons,
and so it happens that almost all Of the houses
here and in Rotterdam are out of plumb You
cross bridge and instnctively hesitate to al
vance, for it seems IS If the buildings ahead
were about to tumble down and crush you.
On both sides Of the street they bend outward
towards oach other, so that their coruices are
two or three feet nearer than their bases. You
gather courage and proceed, and further on
topping chimney. and around it in circle are
various houses gravely saluting it None of
the buildings seem to fall down-at least I did
not detect any in the act-but they rise and en-
gage in their bricky saluaus at almost every