Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-20
A TRYING NIGHT.


 ago lived in the town of Haarlem, on the l coast of Holland. He was a sturdy little fellow of 10, his | cheeks glowed with the hue of health and his l blue eyes beamed with the kindly feelings with which the heart that beat under his rough little jacket was full Father, he said one day, ''may go over the dyke and carry some cakes to old blind HeinrichT "Yes," said his fat old father, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, but be sure not to stay too late in the evening or your mother will be uneasy about you" Now of course they spoke to each other in Dutch, but as we do not understand that language we will use our native English.
 "All right, father" said little Hans, and he put on the woolen cap his mother had made for him and set off on his journey.
 He soon reached the humble cottage of the blind man.
 "Ah, it is you, my little Hans, said the cheerful voice of old Heinrich, as he heard the familiar footsteps on the gravel path. "You always bring the sunshine to this old heart of mine God bless you, my dear little Hans"
 "God bless you, my dear old Heinrich" cried the boy, throwing his arms around the old man. II have brought you some cakes mother baked for you, and will only wait to see you eat one before must go home"
 "What," exclaimed the old man, with his mouth full of cake, ''and you will not wait to hear me tell the story of the water sprite who loved & mortal and gave up her per petual youth and beauty to become his bride; or how the beautiful star grew lonely in the sky and threw herself down to the boat where her lover was rowing, and the frag- ments struck the water and became beautiful water lilies floating on its smooth surfaceF'
 ''No," said Hans, shaking his head, "your stories are very beautiful, Heinrich, and I love to hear them, but 1 have promised my father that will come home early this even- ing"
 Heaven hlesses the child who obeys his father" said old Heinrich. II will not de- tain you. Embrace me, boy, and run along home"
 As he went along by the canals, which are used in Holland in the place of roads, Hans noticed that they were quite full of water, for 1t was in October, and there had been heavy rains. Here he met three women tug ging merrily at a rope attached to Q small boat in the canal; and there jolly, fat fisherman smoking his pipe as he lay in his little cart drawn by two dogs, his head propped up by his basket of fish, while his feet dangled over the front of the tiny
 
 where the women were busy making Edam cheeses, while others were milking the COWS fastened to the wall If the stable by knots in their tails passed over nails. Here comes a wealthy burgher, driving his sleek, we'll fed team, for fine horses are abundant ill Holland but many of the people are too poor to own them
 Now he sees poor family embarking on canal boat, moving to another place in the hope of bettering their fortune, taking with them all their worldly goods, their lowing COWS, barking dogs, bleating goats, squawk- ing geese, cackling hens and squealing pig with string tied around his foot by which his rebellous majesty can be dragged. Now Hans stops to gather bunch of blue forget-me- nots to carry to his mother, who loves these flowers so we'll.
 The road is gradually becoming more soli- tary, and soon neither the joyous shout of the yillager returning to his cottage home, nor the rough voice of the carter, grumbling at his lazy horses, is heard. There is only the twitter of the birds as they cuddle up in their warm nests, and the whir of huge windmill that stretches its immense vanes against the distant sky, reminding one of 6 great four armed giant. But Hans is not afraid; he trudges steadily onward, whistling | the air of a merry song.
 The little fellow now perceives, however, | that the blue of the flowers in bis hand is scarcely distinguishable from the green of l the surrounding herbage, and he looks up in some dismay. Yes, the night is falling; not however, a dark winter night but clear I moonlight one, in which every object is nearly as perceptible as by day. Hans thinks of his fathers warning to him about coming home early, and is preparing | to quit the ravine, in which he is almost | A@z ,of. Il. suddenly slight noise, like the trickling oi water upon pebbles, attracts his attention His heart is filled with fear, for he looks ur l and sees there is q hole in the wood of one oi the large sluices, which are huge gates placed | at intervals in the great dike that protects | Holland from the encroachments of the Ger. I man sea, and the water is trickling through and threatening the country with overflow
 Now Hans understood the danger that threatened his beloved home as thoroughly ! as any intelligent Dutch boy would, but some of us may not be so we'll informed, so will try to explain to you what have found out about it from the books
 Holland is a very singular country. IT fact, you may travel all over the world anG not find another one like 1t. Nearly tho whole region is below the level of the sea which is striving constantly but fruitlessly to recover its ravished domain. The keel of it's ships are above the chimneys of it. buildings and the frogs that croak in thu bulrushes of its ditcaes look down upon tn, swallows twittering on it's housetops.
 Long years ago the ocean said to the Hol landers: "Ycu shall have no country here.
 But the Dutch people, who are a sturd, race and brimful of energy in spite of thei miserable, moist climate, which ranges iron % degs below zero to 105 above, replied t | ths ocean:
 "We will have a country here"
 So instead of sitting down weeping ant folding their arms and letting their home and their families, their hocks and thei herds be swept away by the overfows of tn sea, they went to work with hearty vii and preserved their lands from the wind ! and the water and the waves. Holland
 more than any region under the sun. illus
 trates the power of industry and perseveI
 ance. It shows from the first to the last tha
 to the active hand and steady will nothing
 impossible.
 So they built elong the line of coast hug
 dikes, somewhat resembling a milldam, an
 here and there they put huge wooden gate:
 called sluices. They employed men, calle N nluicers fo oman and Shuf thasa hiu 0ak paf&