Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-26
TRAVELS IN HOLLAND.
DESCRIPTION OF CITIES AND CUSTOMS
OF THE PEOPLE.
The Fount of schiedam schnapps-Dutoh
Joke on an American-Citi OF Ca
mails and Bridges Etc.

Written for the RECORD UNION by Prof. E. Kemenl
At Rotterdam we took the cars for the
Hague, the capital of Holland. On the way
we passed Schiedam, celebratedfor theman-
ufaeture of Holland gin. Astory, illustrative
of the muddling effect of genuine schie-
dam, and as joke upon the Americans, is
told by the Hollanders as follows: A
Yankee Captain used to visit Rotterdam
once year with his ship and take back
with him good supply of schiedam. He
had an old friend there by the name of Van
der Meulen, with whom he stayed when
ever he was in port. Although they were
old friends, their friendship was not de-
monstrative in the way Of conversation /;
for. as Van der Meulen was genuine
Dutchman and as sparing of words as the
Yankee was loquacious, their intercourse
was rather monotonous. The entertain
n. ent Of the Captain consisted of good fare
and attentions from the family, while his
friend generally gave him short answers.
But on one occasion Van der Meulen in
vited him to summer house in his garden.
The furniture was rustic and consisted of
a table and two benches. On the table lay
a couple of clay pipes and tobacco, and
Jug of schiedam had been placed upon it.
The host filled his glass and after empty
ing it began to smoke. The Captain fol-
| lowed his example. Thus they sat in
| u 6. Arxyi tho nualitu Of
genuine schiedam, when the thought &C.
Cured to the Captain to ask his friend to
relate to him something of interest that
might have happened during his past life.
STORY on AN AMERICAN.
After some entreaty his friend said he
would relate an adventure which once hap.
pened to him, and he began in his slow
and measured way. He related that he
had formerly brother living in the city of
Client. Flanders, whom he had not seen
for many years. Having longing to see
him again he started for the place. On his
arrival he inquired for his brother, and
was directed to the Courthouse, where his
brother presided as Mayor of the city. He
was agreeably surprised that his brother
occupied such a position, and went III
search of him. In the streets he noticed a
great commotion, met many soldiers wear
| ing strange uniforms, and learned that the
| French held possession of the town. Here
Van der Meulen filed his glass and so did
his friend At the Court. house he heard
his name loudly and repeatedly called, and,
upon answering that he was the man, he
was ushered through several rooms into a
large hall filed with officers who wore the
French uniform. Everybody seemed to
wait for him, and he was severely repri-
manded for his delay. Bewildered, he
wanted to know what was wanted of him
but instead of receiving an answer, he was
pushed forward into the presence OF little
man standing in front of the fireplace and
surrounded by Generals.
| THIS MAN WAS NAPOLEON.
(At this point the Captain and his friend
filled their glasses again. The Emperor
asked him sternly why he did not appear
when he was hidden. Van der Meulen not
knowing that his brother, the Mayor, had
fled at the approach of the French, and
that in consequence of his answering the
call they took him for his brother, was
in no mood to give civil answer. Besides,
| he hated the French, and did not 'know
| who the little man was who spoke to him. 81
he answered that he wasn't used to being
ordered by anybody, and least of all by a
| Frenchman. Hardly had he said this,
when he was seized and threatened by the
attendants. The Emperor, however, or.
dered that he should fulfill his mission.
Now this mission was to lead party OF
officers across the river to a little Dutch
fort, and to inform the garrison in his ca
pacity as a magistrate, that resistance was
useless, and that to avoid bloodshed, il
should surrender Immediately. Van der
Meulen was rudely pushed into the street
and made to walk at the point of the bay
onet. AT this stage of the narrative the
host and his guest took another glass Of
schiedam. The American became highly
interested and begged his friend to pro.
coed. The little room by this time had be.
come SO full of smoke that the two could
hardly see each other "Well, said Van
der Meulen, 81 didn't exactly know what
| they wanted of me, nor what their jab.
boring all meant; only En- avant, bougre,
marchez done, made me understand that
had TO go ahead. Whenever l wanted to
stopI
| RECEIVED CUFFS AND KICKS.
So we went along until we came to the
river, which was frozen, and as l mistrust-
ed the strength of the ice to bear my
weight weigh over two hundred
wanted somebody else to try first. But
no, the COMPOUNDED Frenchmen pushed me
ahead, threatening to spike me if l stopped
| again. My first step made the ice crack,
and cold shiver ran down my back. /
cursed my luck in general and the French
in particular, but went on" Here Van
der Meulen stood up and began to stamp
the floor as if moving on the ice. Now
this floor stood few feet from the ground
and was old and rickety. The Captain, in
his excitement, was standing on the bench
and anxiously following his friends move
ments. 81 had reached nearly half way
across, continued the Dutchman, "when
| found the ice getting thinner. l could
see the current underneath rushing past.
l kept cautiously stamping one foot ahead
to see whether it would bear me, when
suddenly 1 went down with crash into
| the waves" When Van der Meulen had
said this, he really did go down with a
crash for he had stamped heavily on a
weak board and went through the floor.
/ This stopped his narrative. But the good
Captain had watched him with such in
tense interest that without moments hes
itation he
JUMPED AFTER HIS FRIEND
Into the imaginary seething waters and
! caught him by the hair. It was hard
struggle, for the drowning man was heavy
and resisted his rescuer. The Captain felt
himself grabbed by the throat and received
several blows. He used all his strength,
but at last he felt himself getting weaker
| and saw that his last hour had come. A
few more desperate struggles and all was
| over. The next morning the Captain
| awoke with dull headache and felt sore
all over. Looking in the mirror he was as
tonished to find himself with black ey
and several bruises which he could not ac-