The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-02
VOL. XXIII.-NO. 80.

part, never to meet again. A hurried
leave-taking followed, warm pressure of the
hand, fervid good wishes. They were
gone, and left behind them blank sense
of loss and pain-these people, whom had
known only for short summers night
After my companions had left, remem-
Der little about the voyage down the Rhine,
till towards the afternoon, when the con-
ductor warned me, asleep on one of the
sofas in the saloon, that Dordrecht was
close at hand. Here l met with disap-
pointment. The porter of the hotel was
awaiting me with letter from my mother.
Bad news had come from England-my
sister Bells fdHce had broken or otherwise
damaged his leg, and my mother had started
with her for home early that morning, by
way of Brussels, Paris, and Dover Well,
there was no need for me to follow them in
haste. l would go on to Rotterdam BY the
steamer, and take the boat for Harwich on
the following day. 1t was not till we had
left the old town far behind, and had en-
tered the maze of waters about Rotterdam
crowded with steamers and gay barges-
that remembered that l was vexatiously
short of money. had relied on getting
a supply from my mother; and now 1
found, after searching all my pockets, only
just enough, with very trifing margin,
to pay my fare home,
In general way there would be no par
ticular hardship in spending night out of
doors and avoiding the hotel bill in that
way. But [ was overwhelmed with sleep,
having been travelling necessarily for sew
eral days, and longed for nothing so much
as to stretch my limbs on comfortable bed
Well, there were, no doubt, many decent
places at Rotterdam where one could get
bed for couple of shillings. took the
conductor of the steamer into confidence,
and he at once gave me tho card of kind
of boarding house, where the charges would
be quite within my margin.
Presently we were alongside the Boomp-
jeo, that pleasantest of quays, with its ave-
nues of trees, its solid, old-fashioned build
ings, and lively, bustling surroundings.
The steamer was at once invaded by
crowd of porters, touts, and other monde
scripts, and one of the latter seized my
portmanteau, and made me mis- chosen prey.
l gave the man the card of my hotel, and
grunting out "Ja, jar he led the way to
the shore, waving his hand in the air as a
signal to somebody on the quay, no doubt,
that he had secured prize. Half-a-dozen
hands were held up in different directions
among the crowd, and as we passed along
the quay my attendant was Joined by two
other men who helped him to carry the
portmapteau, We passed along several
narrow, tortuous streets, we crossed canal
or two of dark and uninviting appearance,
and at last turned into a gloomy, hand
somely carved gateway, and stopped before
heavy, massive door, let into kind of
arched recess adorned with carvings of
floral and heraldio emblems. The door
was opened by an old woman, with an
elaborately wrinkled face, who was busy
with brooms and mops and pals. My con-
ductor led the way up stairs-up narrow,
curving staircase all done in red distemper,
and reminding one of the companion-lad-
der of ship-up we went higher and
higher, the stairs becoming sleeper, mar
rover, and more gloomy at every stage
We came to pause at last, and, pushing
open door, my porter led the way into
large, bare room-bare Of furniture that is,
for the ceiling was richly decorated, and
the panelled walls were adorned with fruit
and flowers finely carved, but much hacked
and defaced. There were tables all along
the room, covered with oilcloth, where one
or two groups, seemingly of emigrants,
were sitting with bags of provender beside
them, drinking beer out of huge mugs, and
discussing bread and onions, cheese and
garlic, with much apparent relish,
In one corner of the room sat a family
group of care-worn, homely people, who
seemed to be in charge of the establish
ment. A woman was mending stockings;
another was at work with sewing-ma-
chine; children were busy over their lesson
books; and a pale and studious looking
youth, in spectacles, was making entries in
a big book. To this last my conductor ad-
dressed himself, evidently on the subject of
my soiourn there. should have liked to
join in the conversation, but the pale youth
spoke only Dutch. Thus l was very much
at the mercy of my nondescript porter from
the quay, who seemed to be taking carte
blanche as to arrangements for my recep-
ton. The young man in spectacles looked
puzzled, undecided; but at last he handed
key to the porter, who forthwith, in
triumphant manner, shouldered my port
manteau and led the way up more flights
of stairs, ever growing darker and sleeper.
Then we came to a really handsome
chamber, panelled and carved like the
other, but much more elahorately furnish
ed velvet couches, gilded chairs, mirrors,
scopees, clocks, all kinds of bric-a-brac
numbered the room, leaving just space
for table and few practicable chairs,
and two massive box bedsteads, each occu-
pied by two enormous feather beds, These
last two pieces of furniture attracted my at
tention most, There was not the yestige
of any kind of accessories in the way Of
sheets, pillows, or holsters; but the feather
beds were deliciously soft and inviting,
Dismissing my managing porter with a
gratuity, which for wonder, he received
without grumbling, l locked the door with
the huge key, and kicking off my shoes,
Jumped into the middle of the feather beds.
Next moment l was fast asleep.
awoke with start and strange night
marish feeling about me. Itwas midnight,
and all the clocks in the room were Chin
ing the hour, one after another, in every
variety of tone. But late as it was, the
narrow street below was full Of life and
noise. Never had ! heard such babel of
sounds rising up in the middle of the night,
such shouting and laughter; street music,
songs from sailors taverns, a roar of voices
everywhere everywhere, that is, but in
this particular house, which seemed as
silent as the grave.
My room must have been seven floors
above the street; but the houses opposite
were equally tall, and every floor of them
was lighted up and wide awake, and doing
its best to swell the general uprOar. Just
in face of my window a supper party was
going on, all in full dress, with choice
dishes, and TASKS of wine and liquors of
every imaginable shape. The sight mademe
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