San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-02-07
DOLPH HEYLIGER.
Bv WASHINGTON IRVING.

Bv WASHINGTON IRVING.
In the early time Of the province OF
New York, while 1t groaned under the
tyranny of the English governor, Lord
Cornbury, who carried his cruelties to-
wards the Dutch inhabitants 80 far as to
allow no dominic, or schoolmaster, to
oficiate in their language, without his
special license; about this time. there
lived in the jolly little old city Of the
Manhattoes, o kind motherly dame,
known by the name Of Dame Heyiger.
She was the widow of Dutch sea cap
tain, who died suddenly of fever, in
consequence of working too hard, and
eating too heartily, at the time when all
the inhabitants turned out in a panic, to
fortify the place against the invasion of
small French privateer. He left her
with very little money, and one infant
son, the only survivor Of several children.
The good woman had need Of much
management to make both ends meet
and keep up decent appearance. How
ever, as her husband had fallen victim
to his zeal for the public safety, 1t was
universally agreed that something
ought to bo done for the widow" and
on the hopes of this something" she
lived tolerably for some years; In the
meantime, everybody pitied and spoke
well of her; and that helped along. :.
She lived in a small house, in o small
street, called Garden street, very proba-
bly from garden which may have
flourished there some time or other. At
her necessities evory year grew greater
and the talk of the public about doing
something for her" grew less, she had
to cast about for some mode OF doing
something for herself, by way of helping
out her slender means, and maintaining
her independence, OF which she was
somewhat tenacious.
Living in mercantile town, she had
caught something of the spirit, and do
ternined to venture a little in the great
lottery of commerce. On n sudden,
therefore, to the great surprise Of the
street, there appeared at her window Q
grand array Of gingerbread kings and
queens, with their arms stuck akimbo
after tho invariable royal manner. There
were also several broken tumblers, some
filed with sugar plums, some with mar.
bles; there were, moreover, cakes OF
various kinds, and barley sugar, and
Holland dolls, and wooden horses, with
here and there gilt covered picture books
and now and then skein Of thread, OF
a dangling pound of candles. At the
door Of the house sat the good old danes
cat, q decent demure looking parsonage
that seemed to scan everybody that
passed, to criticise their dress, and now
and then to stretch her neck, and looh
out with sudden curiosity, to see wha,
was going on at the other end OF the
street; but if by chance any idle vaga
bond dog came by, and offered to bt
uncivil hoity-toity! - how she would
bristle up, and growl, and spit, and strike
out her pawsl she was as indignant as
ever was an ancient and ugly spinster
on the approach of some graceless prof
ngate.
But though the good woman had tC
come down to these humble means ol
subsistence, yet she still kept up feel
ing of family pride, having descended
from the Vanderspiegels, of Amsterdam
and she had the family arms painted and
framed, and hung over her mantelpiece
She was, In truth, much respected by al
the poorer people Of the placei her houst
was quite q resort of the old wives oi
the neighborhood; they would drop In
there of winters afternoon, as sho sal
knitting on one side of her fireplace, hel
cat purring on the other, and the tea ket
tie singing before 1t; and they would
gossip with her until late in the evening
There was always an arm chair for Petel
de Groodt, sometimes called Long Peter
and sometimes Peter Donglegs, the cierl
and sexton of the little Lutheran church
who was her great crony, and indeed th'
oracle Of her ireside. Nay, the dominic
himself did not disdain, now and then
TO step In, converse about the state Of
her mind, and take glass OF her specia
good cherry brandy. Indeed, he nevel
failed to oall on New Years day, anC
wish her q happy New YearI and th'
good dame, who was a little vain OF
some points, always piqued herself OF
giving him as large o cake as any one II
town
have saH that she had one son. II,
was tho child Of her old age; but coulC
hardly be called the comfort-for, Of al
uniucky urchins, Dolph Heyliger was tn
most mischievous. Not that the whipstei
wss really vicious, be was only full d
fun and frolic, and had that daring
gzmesoune spirit. which Is extolled in I
rfch mans child. but eXecrated IN q poo
mans. lie was continually getting int
errapcs: his mother wns inoeasantlJ
harssssed with complaints of some vAg
gfsh pranks which ho had played OF
tslls we're scut In for windows that b,
had bruken; IN n word. he had nV
r,achod his fourteenth year before he va
VrunOuDocd By the neighborhood 20 be
auickcd Dog, the wickedest dog b tn
sresr Nay, one old gentleman, IN
clsrr4 oolored coat, with thin nd fso'
srsd ferret eycs, went 80 far a. % assur'
Dame TTeyliger. that her son would. On
,iav O. oshar. corne % the CaIlONsi
Nsf. ud-uithsta1li1g al this. the poo
oId sdul loved ber Toy. u seemed a
tlrouzh sise lOved him the batter, tn
uor-e l.e bohavtd: ard that he grev
r5lru fn tlCr faror. the rI0re hs frevE ou'
q favur With the void Eoihers ar,
fo.oli.h. ford hearted heincs: tbere's NJ