Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-21
"Aunt Ess. r"
Translated from Arnold Mortier.l

became acquainted with her at Amster-
dam in the family of one OF my friends
Everybody in the house used to call her
EsAunt Esq Her real name, l think, was
either Estelle or Esther. She was rapidly
approaching GO; but her completely white
hair was the only outward indication Of
her age. Her skin was delicate and I'M
wrinklesl, her eyes full of spirit, and she
had superb teeth, which an almost ever
smiling mouth coquettishly displayed. She
must have been once very pretty; she was
still good-looking. And this persistent
beauty was further accentuated by really
extraordinary animation of manner.
The brightness of her eyes, her quickness
of expression, her rapid gesture, her pretty
speech, her always hurried walk-all indi-
Gated that this charming sexegenarian, ever
alert, obliging and busy, was devoted to some
very active calling, ard was thoroughly alb
sorbed by the worry of business.
In fact, Aunt Ess ''had been in business"
Did I say had been? She was still in bust
ness In her family it was generally pre-
dicted that this indefatigable woman-worker
would never find rest, would never be able to
repose.
For Aunt Ess was not millionaire by any
means
Although she was really well established in
business on her own account, she had always
lived in poverty-independent poverty it is
true, but absolute poverty nevertheless. She
had never asked any favors from anybody.
Even in order to induce her to take dinner
with the family once in a fortnight, the most
urgent solicitations were required. She used
to come clad in a grey wooden dreSS-always
sleevesEtight at the wrists, long waist, and
little flounces around the bottom. Then as a
general rule she would always bring some
confectionery for the children, would be very
kind, very merry; and if anybody CHANGED to
inquire about her affairs she would always
reply that business was ''tolerably good"
Nevertheless the business of Aunt Ess was
not of colossal Importance
The poor old woman lived in a regular eel
lar-one of those frightful Amsterdam cell
lars, damp unhealthy, veritable nests of
fever, wherein the visitor is astounded to find
clean and pretty businesses established, fruit
booths, shoemakers' and coopers' shops, fish
mongers' establishments, and even drinking
halls. One had to go down fight of about
a dozen steps in order to reach her little sta
tionery shop, no bigger than the cage of an
very little table-which served as counter;
three or four paste-board boxes full of reams
of writing paper of different sizes; an old
glove box in which steel pens, quill pens and
bad pencils were all jumbled pellmell together;
six ink jars and four rules. That was all. 1t
would not have been hard to make an inven-
tory of the stock In her busy season Aunt
Ess could make from u to Is FORMS
In fha eypuincr tina littln chOY1 franc
formed into a supper-room; at night, into a
sleeping-room The counter was turned
into a dilling-room; and the bed was an
armoire in the further end of the cellar-an
armoire with folding doors and only one
shelf upon which narrow mattress was
placed.
1t was in that underground place she lived:
and she had lived there for forty years when l
knew her. She lived honestly, loyalty, never
contracting one cent of debt, and neverthe-
less finding means to save up and treasure
away enough money for her dowry.
For Aunt Ess was engaged-Aunt EsS had
a betrothed.
1t will be necessary, ere continuing this
little narrative, to relate something about
betrothals in Holland.
When young Dutchman finds the young
Dutch girl of his dreams, and the said Dutch
girl has found the young Dutchman to her
taSte-the families of both having been duly
consulted and having given their consent
it is forthwith agreed that the twain shallre-
main betrethed for year or two.
From that time forward the future husband
and future wife live altogether for one
another, just as though they already be-
longed to enc another. They can come and
go as they please, or walk out together, with
out that chaperon who has become an ap-
parently indispensable feature of our French
social system. You can see the betrothed
everywhere together-at the theatre, on the
street, walking out for days recreation
lovingly leaning upon one another; the fu-
ture wife already under the protection of her
future husband. Never has this preliminary
intimacy shocked anybody; never has this
prologue to marriage been aught else than q
prologue.
One day when she was IS years old, Aunt
Ess had introduced into her family the man
whom she had honored with her affection,
and who had solicited her hand.
A poor little shop-keeper like herl
But he was even poorer, and in business on
a smaller scale; for Aunt Ess had shop, a
counter, pasteboard boxes full of reams of
note paper, and an old glove box full of
metallic pens-whereas the man of her choice
had no shop at all.
Or if he could be said to have one. it was
so small that he could carry it under his arm.
Karel was dealer in cigars-but not one
of those big SPECTATORS who fill their huge
warehouses with fragrant stock imported
directly from Havana. His whole stock-in-
trade-a peddlers stock-consisted of little
box that had contained extra superfine re-
galias before it fell into his hands, and IN
which he displayed, with astounding osten-
tation, choice cigars at 2 confines apiece. He
would offer these to the smallest retail deal
ers; never having more than hundred eli
gars at a time, and seldom being able to get
rid of them in less than fifteen days
This calling could not certainly bring him
in any more than what her intermittent sale
of pencils, pens and letter paper brought into
the purse of his betrothed.
Their engagement was thus effected under
rarely well balanced conditions.
1t was love match because they had mu-
+,,,I1x- obocan oach other t1rolloh affection