The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-05
OUR FOREIGN LETTER.
Especial correspondence OF the PREss.l

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION.
From Antwerp we went to the blaze and
glare Of the exposition, where everything
had the fresh color of new money. Buying,
selling and getting gain, each striving to get
the advantage of his neighbor, made the con-
traSt so vivid with the peace and rest of fin
ished work at Plantin's Museum, that our
relish for present vanities and baubles was
shocked. After looking about to see some
thing new under the sun the old fatigue of
the days at the Centennial began to creep
over our frames, and we were glad to retire.
The exhibit of the United States was
crowded into or meekly chose to occupy an
Insignificant corner But two of our inyen-
tons of Importance were there-sewing ma
chimes and Pullman cars; the latter is gain
ing favor in England, but it is not half as
much needed as our common railroad car,
the comfort Of which over the second class
carriages on the English railways can not
be set out in too extravagant terms.
THE HAGUE.
The journey from Antwerp to the Hague
lies through most picturesque farming dis
trict. One of us suggested illustrating the
twenty-third psalm with scene in Holland,
as no landscape could better picture the
green pastures and still waters, than these
rich meadows, upon which the purest and
fluffiest of sheep lie down to rest. From the
Bellevue we looked out upon the Kings
Park, where a hundred fallow deer roamed
in perfect freedom. Everywhere you drive
through long avenues of fine sweeping elms
and over the s0ftest greenswards. We have
not seen so clean and thrifty city since we
came upon the continent The buildings are
very plain, but the streets are broad, and
everybody has room enough; there is meme
of the jostling that is so annoying in France
and Germany. The Hague is said to be a
very wealthy city, and really there is so lit
tie poverty to be seen, that we asked, who
does the work? and does everybody live in
three-stOried stone houses, with polished
door knockers and lace curtains? We see
families living ON the canal boats, where
some spend their lives from infancy to old
age. They are even born, married and die
in these floating homes. AS we looked from
our chamber windows we could see young
children play ing games and chasing their
cats and dogs on the decks of these boats.
Why half of them were not drowned before
sunset we were at lost to tell. Even these
people have thrifty, Independent air. Here,
as everywhere in Europe, woman is co-work-
er with her husband, walking along the tow
path, and pulling the boats with long ropes.
We made excursions into the rural dis
tricts and we decided of all countries in Eu-
rope, we should like best to roam about H0l-
land for a whole summer. Everything is I'M
like home, and as charming as it is odd. AS
we looked into the blue distance the huge
windmills, painted in all colors, tapped
their great wings, the mastS of the ships
look strangely in the midst of the elms, tall
poplars and bushy willows, following the
net work of the canals, which cross and re-
| cross the cities. There is nothing very odd
| or remarkable in the city streets and houses !;
| but the Seashore and country abound in
| quaint subjects. We drove out to Schven-
| ingen, the place of the herring fishery, and
| for once we saw a neat and understanding
| fishing village. Indeed, the housewives are
| so orderly that they compel everybody to
| put off their wooden shoes at the door, where
we saw them standing in lows, like father
| Bruins Nanny Mutfs, and Tiny Cubs. Of
| course most of the people sit in their stock
ings while indoors. We drove along the
beach on the North Sea- where lay half
dozen old weather beaten Dutch luggers,
whose mastS were all tangled with tackle,
and upon whose sides the moss and sea weeds
were blended in rich browns and gold and
green splashes of color. The women were
helping the men unload the fish, all uncon-
scious of their artistic appearance. We
wondered why all the artists in Europe were
not there with paint and brush. 1t was a
damp day, and the COWS in the pastures
were blanketed, while the women sat on the
grass mending their husbands fishing nets,
with wooden clogs to protect their feet, but
with white lace caps on their heads. AS we
drove into the edge of the town we visited a
dairy, where we drank the sweetest milk on
| the Eastern Continent. A Dutch damSel in
| gaily painted sabots went lump lump
across the tile floor leading the way to her
| pantry for us to admire her red cannon ball
cheeses, and her jars of golden butter, for
| they have no temptation to use carrot juice
or annatto in this country. 1t did us good to
see our faces in the rows of shining copper
| cans and coolers upon the dresser, which
were waiting the evening milking The own
| er of this dairy has q little stall under the
| shade of an elm at street corner in the city
| where he sells fresh butter made each day in
nice little pats cheese, milk and eggs. Not
| a very bad idea for some enterprising Maine
farmer in the vicinity Of Portland to initiate.