The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-05
THE PEOPLE OF HOLLAND.
Springfield Republican Letter. ]

4SPIiukncio HepuOuCau Gctkci.I
 The man is .lord of all" in Holland, and woman is almos, without the shadow of estimation. He IS sort of bear, tame and good-natured, but still full of the bruin element. His country women are actually afraid of him, especially when outside of their own door. Not that the men are dangerous, for rarely is it heard that the bears have bitten. Look out on the street, and you will see that the ladies walk in the road and the gen. tlemen on the sidewalk. Always so, no matter how muddy or dusty the road IS, or how many teams are passing. Watch them, and you cannot help but notice that the gentlemen and ladies never speak to each other on the street. That
 would be breach of etiquette that so-
 ciety would hardly pardon.
 Even when a man meets his wife he is
 rot permitted 10 ask what he shall bring
 nome for dinner. The gentleman bows
 hrs;, the same as in France, and lady
 may have bows from men whose names
 she does not even know. And the bow irg IS marvel. The forehead almost touches the knees in the act, and there is no half way about it-no nodding or a sweeping touch of the hat, but an entire removal O. the hat to supplement that in- tense bow. Everybody bows, then take of their hats to one another and pro- foundly bow. Your friends coachman or lackey does the same toward you as his master does, and the servants are just as polite to each other. A lady is bowed 10 by all the friends of her father, husband, or brother, and your house. maids friends as well. Every man bows to the house of his lady aequain,ances when he passes bows, smiles and raises his has, no matter whether the ladies are visible or not. If they are visible they return the bow with an over-polite bend of the whole body.
 A lady is never known to pass a club house or knot of men on the street If she is obliged to pass up a street where there is club she does not dare to brave the dreaded windows, but will cross the street until she is past the house, and then cross back again. 1 have seen lady of my acquaintance make the round of several streets to avoid club house, being at the time in 3 great hurry to reach an apothecar whose shop was next beyond the club. If a lady, alone, or accompanied by other ladies, mus, needs enter confectionery, a library, or other places where men will naturally go, and hnds a gentleman or two there, she will retire as pfeeipitately as If she had seen a case of smallpox. The men know this, but unless my lord, the man, has quite finished his business. he will not retire. The lady retreats Tn a most undignifled manner, and she hu- man bear finishes his book or chocolate, even though the ladies are waiting at the door for him to leave.
 But change comes over the woman at home. No longer is she the afraid body of the street. She has at hand the kettle of hot water, the flat-irons, and other articles of defence thar a woman can use if necessary, and no longer does sae fear the bears. She is quite at home" She does no, put herself to any trouble for the sake of her guests. In the morning she never dresses for break fast, but comes 10 the table en dem;- her hair on the crimping pins, a calico gown, loosely buttoned overskirs by no means new, with no collar, her shoes unbuttoned, and frequently with out stockings. After breakfast 1t is quite a while before she gets dressed, and if she receives callers, she goes into the parlor in her breakfast toilet. Gentlemen never think of coming to the morning meal unless in full dress, or at least well-dressed and clean, yet they never remonstrate with their un,idy wives or daughters
 But the social etiquette is not to be to that ot the table. If the one is curious, the other is supremely droll. l, is amusing to see the people eat They take their plateful as soon as they are helped and cut it up into mor- sells. Then they lay the knife in front of the plate, and leaning on she table with their left hand, proceed to eat all with a fork. l never saw food eaten otherwise except that some desserts are shoveled with spoon instead of the fork, two spoons lying with knife and fork at each plate. All this is etiquette. Beside the plate hand-rest is sometimes placed for 1t IS necessary that one should half re- cline on the table. There is no such thing as changing covers, and be the courses two or twenty they are served on the same plate and the same knife, fork and spoon are used. The napkins are kept in service until the washerwoman has to meet big bill for soap. One supper al which was guest shall al- ways remember. A, 9 o'clock the hostess left the cupboard, spread the table-closh and placed the dishes. Then she brought out the spirit-lamp, which she lighted with a match from the match. box on the table, and having ground some coffee in a little hand-mill she set the e1fefiere