The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-05
ALTAR AND TOMB.
Marriages and Funerals in the
Dutch Colonial Times.

The law then required the publishing of
the banns three successive times in a relig-
ious meeting before marriage could take
place. After the first notice there was usu-
ally dance. and after the marriage festiv'-
ties were often kept up for three days
succession. 1t was customary for the groom,
after the ordeal of proposing the question,
to make his intended bride a present of some
kind, usually pair of silver shoe buckles,
sleeve buttOns. or snutf-boX.
Clersymen were not very plenty in those
days, and the marriage must be arranged 10
suit the dominie's coming.
1t is related that a young Dutch swain
and his rosy checked fancee, living near AL
bany, were anXiOusly awaiting their mar
riage day. They resided on the north side
of a creek, and the hard-worked dominic
making his way to unite them lived on the
south side OF the same stream. As the fates
would have 1t, severe storm arose, with
heavy rains falling the night previous to the
marriage day, and the creek became so
swollen as to make it absolutely impossible.
The waters were rising, and its current be-
came mere rapid every hour. The dominic
reached the usual fording-blace at the APP
pointed time, but 1t would cost him his life
to attempt to cross What was to be done?
He made one trial, then turned his horse to
retrace his steps, when he was hailed by two
voices on the opposite side, who entreated
him to remain, and which he recognized as
those Of the bride and groom. After some
debate, the dominic called out: Stop!
Stand we're you be, and l will make you man
and wife" In the meantime the friends of
the betrothed arrived from the brides house
in the neighborhood. 1t was a singular
spectacle. The dominic read the marriage
service on the margin of the creek. while the
bridal party stood on the opposite side
Altar the a the
TUNED to leave. Here was another dilemma,
which cast cloud of deep anxiety over the
good old mans face, usually SO tranquil.
stop den, myyOung friends, Won moment,
If you please. You cannot toss the four
guilderS across the creek, but you can leave
them at the first house below. Tell dem 1t
is Dominic van Benschooten's marriage fee,
and / will call and get it." He put these
directions in good Dutch, then mounted his
horse and rode off.
This recalls the story of the good old DOM
inie in Brooklyn, who came TO perform
similar office. The groom was English, the
bride wac Dutch. The masterful English
man wanted the service in English, and,
after some hesitation, and with many mis-
givngs, the dominic consented to do his best.
The service was nearly over when, encour-
aged by his apparent success in mastering
the English tongue, the worthy man said,
in Stentorian tones: 81 now pronounce you
two one beef"
rUUtTdlS III tilc early udNS were never
held in the church. The attendance was
usually so large that on the morning of the
funeral chairs were carried in from the
houses of families living near Mourning
was generally worn by the women of the
family, and the men wore a Grape band en-
clrcling the hat from the crown TO the brim,
a long piece being allowed to hang almost
to the shoulder. As time passed on this was
shortened by plnning it into a fold at the
back. which fold stood out at right angle
to the hat; and, finally, cutting off all the
superfluouS length, it appeared as the band
worn at the present day. The blinds of the
house were kept at first tightly closed, and
then were gradually bowed till the days of
mourning were over.
The Dutch could hardly be called a super
stltlous people, ana yet they had many
queer customs. The lOoking-glaSses in a
house of mourning were usually draped in
black, aud the coffin was never placed near
one. If the family owned many bee-hiveS
it was always customary to announce the
death to each hive, else, it was SUD- the bees
would all leave. The funeral was always
held the third day after death, and in sum
mer on the second day, as no means were
then known for preserving the body.
Chairs were placed round the coffin,
those at the head being. occupied
by the members of the family and
those at the foot by the near relatives.
Dutch ladies were famous for their attend
ance on such occasions, though no woman
attended the body to the grave, but after the
corpse was borne out remained to eat cakes
and drink wine. Ii the deceased was of
their scX burnt wine was served them in
silver tankards. These tankardS, even In
those days, were often worth E92 and some
times more. Burnt or muIlrd wine was
served only IN winter, sort of saDgaree be-
ing substituted in sHmmer. Burnt vine was
Madeira slightly Sweetened with burned loaf
sugar, which gave it a peculiar flavor. The
women always retired before the men re-
turned, who then resumed the feast.
When the coffin was removed from the
house it was placed npOn bier at the door
and covered with pail Of black cloth. The
church usually owned two pals, which were
always used on these occasions. The bier
was then borne upon the shoulders of the
bearers to the grave, followed only by the
invited guests and mouruers. As it was not
convenient to carry the dead great distances,
those who had lands were generally buried
near their homes. Rich persons who were
willing to pay literally were allowed to bury
under their seats in the church, the seats, or
pews, always being a part of the family
property. and as such willed. Those who
coveted the honor of a grave in church had
to pay about twenty times the price of
common grave. Private burying-grounds
within The village or town were rare, so
those without lands were usually inferred
i'll the church buryinG ground. No head
stones are found at the graves of the earliest
settlers the graver's art did not then exist
among them. and the marble and granite
had not yet been QuaIred.
After the interment the mourners and
guests returned TO the dood-feest (dead-feaSt,
on which the goedt-vrouws skill had been
spent to the utmost to load her table with
the choicest delcacies-cold and hot Joints,
and a II danties dear to the Dutch heart, in
add ition TO pies cakes and cheese, the most
prominent dish being one OF d0od-kocks.
These were thick disks alb ut four inches in
diameter, and similar in ingredients to our
New Years cakes. They were kept for years
as mementos of the departed. often being
handed down as heirlooms. These edibles
were supplemented by an enormous supply
of spiced wine and tobacco and pipes.
Wealthy persons, in anticipation Of death
in the family, we're accustomed to procure
large casks or pipes of wine, which were
spccd and put carefully away in the cellar
to be used only for the purpose intended.
Most of the friends coming from distance,
ample justice was done to the viands.-MRs.
Nj. ?. FERRIS. in Harper's Bazaar.
Who is there In this great metropolis that
ism: acquainted with some one named Smith?
are not so many of them as is generally be-
lieved. Ii one were asked to guess the num-
Der of Smiths in the city it would be quite
natural to place the figure as high as 10000
To be sure, the new directory devotes thirty
five columns TO the distinguished family,
but there are only 1924 of them. OF these
113 are plain John Smiths and I'D are john
with-an-initial Smiths. The Browns num-
Der 1859, and there are so Brownies.