Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-05-17
Scenes In Holland.

Scenes In Holland.
When we finally got through .he
various locks and impediments 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 moderate fulGllment thereof.
II Is but fair to say that the canal was
evidently never intended to charm or
amuse to any intense degree, but 10 be
simple and solid and direct. II is no
small, mean runnel Of waterway,
but goodly wide and deep thing
that ship can get about in com
fortably If one must come down to
figures, 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-frlngcd banks were pictures pass
ing ever before rs Of trim sleepy vii
lagos and skirts Of towns, fat farm
steads. juicy pastures. sleek cows, and
rosy-chcckcd milkmaids with sleeves
rolled above clbOw-sO tightly that the
lusty arm below would be more than
rosy, it would be a dapplcd carnation.
There were the tcaming poldcrs 'and
the jaunty windmills in rich profusiOn
and variety. and ali the familiar OBJ
jects Of a pleasant Dutch landscape.
On the forward deck Of the boat was a
goodly pile Of market baskets and
boxes, and mounting 10 the top Of the
heap, we selected a soft baskct-ilrst
making sure that il didn't contain
cggs-as point of vantage and a
skctching seat. and then we remarked
10 the panorama before us, as Byron
did TO the ocean, that it might roll on"
Not that We felt unduly nippant 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 as a feature Of domestic and civic
architecture. Even on the better
class Of farm houses, and more notably
on the more pretentious country
villas skirting the canal. the gables are
fashioned in most fantastic shapes Of
curve and scroll, and the general i'm
preston OF riotous lines mcandcring
about the gables is further enhanced
by startling effects of painting and
gliding. We touchcd at few of the
little docks and landing places along
the waterway. and noted many delight
fully quaint bits Of color rs well "a
lots Of amusing characters and Incl.
dents. backgrounds Of cottages rich
with downy, yclyet-surfaccd tiles and
mottled brick, splashed with moss and
stain and Iichen. taking every tint that
fat humid air knows 80 well how 10
paint-if it has plenty Of time. The
window frames would be painted
dazzling white, the curtains Of spotlcss
dimity, the shutters and doors Of
brilliant green. the COW sheds and out.
houses Of shiny black pitch, and often
the trees would have about six feet Of
the lower trunk painted a "forget-me-
not" (cheap sort of blue. Lots of
flowers, plenty Of GaIen-haircd children
and blue-eyei 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. II would
be 4 strapping rosy dame with sleeves
well tucked up who would dcftly 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 certain charm OF
their own.---HGrper's Magazine.