The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-16
Finding the 'sLGrniettes."

On coming into town from Utrecht l
leaned out of the window on approach
ing Amsterdam, my curiosity excited by
the tall white towers of the exhibition,
and as l gazed on the apparition my
eyeglasses fell off my nose and fell out
side the track. l rapidly took my bear
ings. We were within mile Of the
depot, near a railroad bridge.
At night when ready to go back to
Utrecht | reached the station an hour
too early for the train and resolved to
GO out and hunt up my lost "specs, "
which offset my optical delinquency bet
ter than could hope from any new
pair. l applied to the director" at
the station and, with few words and
many gestures, told him my desire. He
assigned to me man in uniform to
take care of me, and we walked out to
the bridge and began the search. When
we had walked up and down for
few minutes noticed that we had re-
cruit. 4 lounger by the roadside had
fallen in our wake and Joined US in the
search. In two minutes more woman
came out of house and bent her ener-
gies also to the task. Presently two
children came running across the fields
and reinforced US, so that there were
six people thoughtfully bent, hunting
for one poor pair of eye-glasses-or
''lorniettes, ''as they called them
Ten minutes later | gave it up and
turned back with the embroidered guard.
As we approached the station a boy
came running towards US from that di-
rection, shouting joyously and tapping
his arms: I'VE hebben der lorniette
gloomen! We hebben gloomen!''
The boy was all ont of breath, and he
could only say in Dutch, ASK him that
up the ladder!" pointing to man in
little box elevated by the side of the
track, at which converged telegraph
wires. The man himself now came to
the window and shouted enthusiastical-
ly in turn, and shook a bit of paper in
his hand.
Telegraph dispatch. I guess, said
my Dutch escort, and ran forward and
climbed the ladder, and brought it down.
1t read: wiz hebber de lorniette
gloomeni - with two exclamation
points after it.
handed the operator half a gulden--
twenty cents-and gave the boy, who
ran to announce it, four cents. A cloud
OF dust now rose in the rear, and |
heard clamor of joyous voices. Be-
fore we could regain the shelter of the
depot they were upon us. A little girl,
red-faced and breathless, was ahead,
who curtsied and held out her hand
bashfuily and said. s"Thank Won. sir.
My father found it." My guard and
guide looked piteously at me, and Igave
the long -petticoated herald two cents
Thank you, sir!'' said the next two
breathless ones, I'VE were looking for
it," Trying to get the hang of what
they said, in a moment of inadvertence
l gave the rascals couple of sixpences,
Il found it, sir, thank you," said the
woman whom had seen before; thank
you, sir, thank you" | had learned
''dank Z, by this time, so that | knew
it when | saw it.
Very well, said, in bad mixture
Of French, Dutch, American and Ger
man, "Ou ist der lorniette, confound it
all!''
Present it to the gentleman, my
daughter!'' said she, pushing forward
another long petticoated infant, who
did actually lay the eyeglasses in my
hand. / set them on my nose and gazed
at her. She bore the scrutiny without
f1inching, but softly piped ''dank Ur' l
gave the woman gulden (forty-two
cents) and the |. p. infant still softly
sighed ''dank U,'' and held out her
hand. lput some pence in it and the
grateful couple withdrew.
A stout youth now came forward and
said: Thank you, sir! l carried the
dispatch to the man up to 'tother end. :"
The guide told me what he said. gave
him half gulden and started for the
station. A woman with big bonnet on
hind side before intercepted me, said
thank you, and addressed me long
and earnest speech in high Dutch. !
didn't know what she said, but it must
have been something awful. Inferring
that one of her babies had been run over
by the engine while looking for my
property, I hastily handed her the value
oft, seven cents, and fled to the train
just in time to get aboard. Imention
this incident in detail because it Is char
acteristic of all Europe. .-Amsterda
Cor. Detroit Press and Tribune.