Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-04-26
Scenes In Holland.

Scenes In Holland.
When we finally got through the
various locks and impedimcnts into the
canal itself, we soon saw that the artis-
tic promise of the land would need
much careful looking after if one would
! have a moderate fullillment thereof.
1t is but fair to say that the canal was
evidently never intended to charm or
amuse to any intense degree, but to be
simple and solid and direct. 1t is no
small, mean runnel of waterway,
but goodly wide and deep thing
that a ship can get about in COM
| fOrtably. If one must come down to
| figures, l will venture to say that |
fancy it is some hundred and odd miles
in length. Sufficient for the day, how
ever, was the fact that it would take
us to Alkmaar, and that along its
rush-fringed banks were pictures pass
ing ever before us of trim sleepy vii
lagos and skirts Of towns, fat farm
steads, juicy pastures, sleek COWS, and
rosy-cheeked milllmads with sleeves
rolled above elbow-so tightly that the
lusty arm below would be more than
rosy, it would be dapsled carnation.
There were the teaming polders and
the jaunty windmills in rich profusion
and variety, and all the familiar OBJ
jects of a pleasant Dutch landscape.
On the forward deck of the boat was
goodly pile of market baskets and
boxes, and mounting to the top of the
heap, we selected soft baSket-frst
making sure that it didn't contain
eggs-as a point Of vantage and a
sketching seat, and then we remarked
to the panorama before us, as Byron
did to the ocean, that it might "roll on"
Not that we felt unduly flippant or
needless; the occasion was too serious
for that.
The further north one goes in Hol
land, the more ones attention is called
to the rapid increase Of swirling orna-
ment rs a feature Of domestic and civic
architecture. Even on the better
class Of farm houses, and more notably
on the more pretentious country
villas siirting the canal, the gables are
fashioned in most fantastic shapes of
curve and scroll, and the general inn
preston of riotous lines meandering
about the gables is further enhanced
10y startling effects of painting and
gliding. We touched at a few Of the
little docks and landing places along
the waterway, and noted many delight
fully quaint bits of color, as well as
lots Of amusing characters and Incl
dents, backgrounds of cottages rich
with doWny, velvet-surfaced tiles and
mottled brick, splashed with moss and
stain and lichen, taking every tint that
a fat humid air knows SO well how to
( paint--if it has plenty of time. The
window frames would be painted
dazzling white, the curtains of spotless
dimity, the shutters and doors Of
brilliant green, the COW sheds and out.
houses of shiny blacl. pitch, and often
the trees would have about six feet Of
the lower trunk painted "forgetme-
not" (cheap sort of blue. Lots of
flowers, plenty Of flaxen-haired children
and blue-eyed girls, lots of ducks and
geese, any number of cats.
We noticed the prevalence of female
labor in "longshore" sort of way
about the various landings. 1t would
be strapping rosy dame with sleeves
well tucked up who would deftly catch
the hawser, and handy lively compli-
ments with the deck hands of the
steamer. They handled the lighter
freight to and fro, kicking about the
tubs of butter, and "shying" the bound
ing bullets of elastic Dutch cheese in
fine manly style. They gave them
selves curious "sea-dog" kind Of airs,
too, that lent them q certain charm of
their own --Harpe1'S Magazine.