Wichita eagle., 1888-07-22
A TRYING NIGHT.

ago lived in the town OK Harlem, On the
coast of Holland
He was sturdy little fellow Of 10, his
cheeks glowed with the hue OF health and his
blue eyes beamed with the kindly feelings
with which the heart that beat under ais
rough little jacket was full
Father" he said one day, may go over
the dyke and carry some cakes TO old blind
Heinrichw
Yes said his fat old father, knocking the
ashes out OF bis 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 net understand that
language we viii use our native English.
IAN right, father" said little Hans, and
be put on the wooden cap his mother had
made for him and set OF 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"
old man II have brought you some cakes
mother baked for you, arc l viii only wait
70 see you eat one before must go home"
What" exclaimed the old man, with his
mouth full Of cake, and you viii not wait
TO hear uae tel the story Of the water spriee
who loved a mortal and gave up her per
pctual youth and beauty to become his bride:
or how the beautiful star grew lonely il
the SKY and threw herself down 20 the boat
where her lover was rowing, ard the frag-
r.erts struck tbs water and became beautiful
water lines boating cn its smooth surfaceir
No. said Hans, shaking his head, Your
stories are very beautiful, Heinrich, and l
love TO hear them, bat I have promised my
father that viii come home early this even
ing
Heaven blesses the child who obevs his
father said old heinrich Il viii not de-
tain YOU Embrace he, hey, and run along
home
AS he went along by the canals, which ere
used in Holland in the place OK roads, Hans
noticed that they were quite full Of water,
for It was in October, and there had been
heavy rains Here he met three women tug
ging merTily at rope attached to a small
boat IN the canal; and there g. jolly, fat
little cart drawn By two dogs, his head
propped up By his basket Of fish, while ais
feet dangied over the front of the tiny
vehicle. Then be passed a cool, clean dairy
where the women were busy making Edan
chees,s, while others were milking the cows
fastened 20 the wall Of the stable by knots
in their tails passed over peils. Here comes
q wealthy bzrgher, driving his sleek, well
F,I era w. 1fNr - IN,
Holland, but many Of the people are too poor
10 own them
Now he sees poor family ernbarkins on q
canal boat, moving % another place in the
hope Of lettering their fortune, taking with
them all their worldly goods, their lowing
cows, barking dogs, beating goats, squawk-
ing geese, cackbng hens and squeaIng pig
with string tied around his foot by which
his rebeihous majesty can be dragged
Now Hans stops to gather a bunch Of blHs
forgec--lenotS TO carry to his mother, wno
loves these flowers so well
The road IS gradually becoming moro soli-
tary, aud soon neither the joyous shout Of
the viIager returning to MS cottase home,
nor the rough voice Of tho carter. grumbling
at his lazy horses, is heard There is only
The twittsr Of tbs birds as they crfdIe no in
windmill that stretches ITS immense vares
against the distant SKY, reminding one OF
great four armed giant. But Hans Is not
afraid: he trudgr steadily onward, waisthng
the cir OF q merry solg.
Tie little feKow Rov pe-cctves, however,
that the blue of the flowers In his hand is
scarcely distiuguishable from che green Of
the surrounding heritage, and he looks up in
~k1~-r Ee-kN - All
however, dark winter night, hut a clear
moonlight one, n which every object Is
nearly os perceptibie as by day.
Hans thinks OF bis fatlsers warning 70 him
about coming home early, and is preparing
90 quit the ravfne, IN which he IS almost
buried, and 20 60 brack 10 the beach, when
suddenly siig u. noise, IKE the trucking Of
water upon pebbles, attracts lis attention.
His heart is flied with fear, for he looks up
and secs there Is q hole in the wood Of one of
the large sluices, which arc huge gates placed
ct intervals in the great dixie that protects
Holland from the encroachnsIts Of the Ger
man sea, and the water is triekfns through
and threatening the country with overflow.
Now Hans understood the danger that
threatened bis beloved home 81 thoroughly
as any Intelligent Dutch boy would, but
i
Will try 70 explain TO you what I have
found out about Il from the books.
Holland is very singular country In
fact, you may travel all over the world and
not ind another one ike il. Nearly the
whole region rs below the ievei Of the sea,
which As striving constantly but fruitlessly
to recover is ravished domain The keels
OF its ships are above the chimneys of its
buildings and ths frogs that croak in the
bulrusaes u its bitches look down upon the
swallows twihering on its housetops-
Long years aso the ocean said 70 the Hol-
landers: You shall have no country here,-
But the Dutch people, who are a sturdy
race ana orinful Of energy il spite CT their
miserable, moist climate, which ranges from
- oegs, below zero to los above, replied to
the ocean:
We viii have country here
So instead Of sitting down weeping and
folding their arms and letting their homes
and their fsnih-s, their decks and their
herds be swept sway by The ovafows Of tbs
Sea, they vens % work with a hearty viii
and preserved their lands from the winds
and the vttrr and the waves holland,
more thS1 any region under Ihs SUI. Illus
trates toe power Of industry and r-rsever-
sace- Il shows from the first to rhc last that
to tbs active hand ana steady VIII nothing is
impossible.
So they built along the line Of coast huge
likes, somewhat rsse1ablInS q Ini.ssiayu. and
mere and there they put hugs wooden gates,
called siuices They employed men. called
s,uiccrs, 20 open and smut SAeao big oak gates
,r s.ulees, which close the entrance Of tie
canals, AZ secure Holland nom the danger
- ubs-, II saez,s eroOxAd If Soii-r ;>r.s<