San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-15
A TRYING NIGHT.

ago lived IN tne UOWu VI ud<h ieni, I'll WIG
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 his
rough little jacket was full
Father he said one day, 'may go over
the dyke and carry some cakes to old blind
Heinrich
"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
GAN right, father" said little Hans, and
he put on the wooden 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
OlQ uldll udN0 piouShu JOu ooAliO NonSS
mother baked for you, and l will only wait
to see you eat one before must go home"
"What," exclaimed the old man, with his
mouth full of cake, land you will not wait
to hear me tell the story of the water sprite
who loved a 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
bor onH ha froO.
ments struck the water and became beautiful
water lilies floating on its smooth surfacep
"No," said Hans, shaking his head, "your
stories are very beautiful, Heinrich, and l
love to hear them, but have promised my
father that will come home early this even
ing"
"Heaven blesses 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 it was in October, and there had been
heavy rains Here he met three women tug
ging merrily at a rope attached to small
boat in the canal; and there jolly, fat
fisherman smoking his pipe as be 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
vehicle Then he passed a cool, clean dairy
where the women were busy making Edam
cheeses, while others were milking the cows
fastened to the wall of the stable by knots
In their tails passed over nails Here comes
wealthy burgher, driving his sleek, well
fed team, for fine horses are abundant in
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 lettering their fortune, taking with
them all their worldly goods, their lowing
cows, barking dogs, beating goats, squawk-
ing geese, cackling hens and squealing pig
with string tied around his foot by which
= his rebellious 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 well
The road is gradually becoming more soil
tary, and soon neither the joyous shout of
the villager returning to his cottage home.
nor the rough voice of the carter, grumbling
at his lazy horses, is heard There is only
the twtter Of the birds as they cuddle up in
their warm nests, and the wbir of a huge
windmill that stretches its immense vanes
against the distant sky, reminding one of a
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 his hand is
scarcely diStinguishable from the green Of
the surrounding heritage, and he looks up in
some dismay. Yes, the night is falling; not,
however, a dark winter night, but clear
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 raTine, in which he is almost
buried, and to go back to the beach, whcn
suddenly slight noise, like the trickling of
water upon pebbles, attracts his attention.
His heart is filed with fear, for he looks up
and sees there is hole in the wood of one of
the large sluiccs, which are huge gates placed
at intervals in the great dixie that protects
Holland from the encroachments of the Ger
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 well informed, so
will try to explain to you what | have
found out about it from tie books.
Holland is a very singular country. In
fact, you may travel ali over the world and
not find another one Like it, Nearly the
whole region is below the level of the sea,
which is striving constantly but fruitlessly
to recover its rnvished domain. The keels
of its ships are above the Chimneys Of its
buildings and the frogs that cTOak In the
b7lrushas of its bitches look down upon the