Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-12-05
WOODSTOCK, VT, WEDNESDAY, DEC. s, 1883.

and many ridiculed him, and among
the most prominent sneerers was
certain dealer in furs named Jacobus
Van Vechten, a close-Gsted old fellow,
to whom Van Arsdale sold many pelts.
Whenever Peter went to dispose of his
stock to the old fur dealer he would
chafe Peter by tauntingly inquiring
whether st, Nicholas had answered his
prayer and sent him u dover for his
daughter.
"No, no." the trapper would answer
cheerily; "but he will at the proper
time. Wilhelmina will be only eighteen
next Christmas, and about that time
st. Nicholas will send me the present
of her DOVER" The hard-fsted old
dealer would sneeringly laugh and call
Peter a fool, and tell him his prayer
would never be answered, and that his
daughter, in consequence, would die
an old maid.
Now, the old furrier Van Vechtcn
had great dealings with one Andreas
Van Terwilleger, who was an old miser
and a money-lender, and who had adj
vanced money to Van Vechten at large
interest to buy furs; and to make up
the interest and to get large profits in
his furs, Van Vechten, in turn, never
hesitated to cheat the poor trappers
who sold him pelts, and among his
victims whom he had swindled most,
was poor, honest Peter Van Arsdale.
On the lSt of December, 1850, there
was large account standing between
Van Terwilleger and Van Vechten, the
latter being greatly in his debt, as he
had borrowed an immense amount Of
gold from him to purchase pelts, and
he consequently had large stock on
hand because no ship had been charter
ed in many weeks to sail for Europe;
so he had plenty of furs, but no gold.
Besides owing the old money-lender,
Van Vechten was also indebted to
Peter Van Arsdale and others; and as
matters were getting hot for him, he
faithfully promised that if the other
merchants would charter no ship he
would do so by Christmas himself, and
thereby raise money and liquidate his
debts by the new year.
Peter Van Arsdale, who was patient
man, was one of the first who said he
would wait, but he had in the mean
time determined to call upon the old
miSer on Christmas Eve with furs
enough to enable him TO get money
sufficient for him to purchase Christ
mas gift for Wilhelmina and a few
things for his good wife. SO, when
the day before Christmas came he made
up his pack, and then kneeling, he
prayed fervently to ST. Nicholas to
prosper him and soon send him a
dowly present for his daughter; and,
kissing Wilhelmina, whom he request
ed to stay at home with her mother,
and telling the old lady to be of good
cheer until his return, he set out with
his pack of furs, assuring them he
would be back in TIE morning with
some good news, and they would have
a merry Christmas.
He started down the narrow trail,
for there was no Broadway then, and
as he trudged along he alternately
sang about old Admiral Won Trump,
who had swept the seas with his
nautical broom, and praying that st.
Nicholas would not forget about the
dowrv. Peter arrived in the settle
ment which then clustered around
the Battery, just as the tallow dips
and rush lights were being lighted
in the Beaver Tail Tavern" then
the only resort for the wayfarer in
New Amsterdam. After partaking
of some crullers and lighting his
long-stemmed pipe, and without wait
ing for supper, he went directly tc
see the old miser and offered him
his furs, telling him he did not wish
to dispose of them to Van Vechten,
because he could get no money,
which he must have that night
The old miser cursed Van Vechten
bitterly, and said if lie did not pay
him the money he owed him soon
he would be ruined, and then driving
a hard bargain with Peter Van Ars.
dale, he told him he was going tc
surprise him by making him a pres
ent This announcement almost tool,
the breath from the trapper, and this
is the way it came about: The olJ
money-lender said he had sent tC
JacObus Van Nechten that very
morning for his money for the last
time, threatening him with law, ant
that Van Vechten, instead Of sending
him the money, and to add insult tC
injury, had sent him great, fa
, goose, with a message that st
Nicholas had told him to send it t.
him as a Christmas gift, and that HI
, was so enraged at this deception o.
Van Vechten that he was about t
cast the goose out in the road wher
, the trapper came in, and he said tha
as Van Vechten had sent the goose t.
him in the name of st. Nicholas, q.
, much as to say that he (Van Terwille
ger) was goose, it occurred to him a