The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-12
life ON THE zUYDER ZEE.
ime Has Stood Still in Hoorn
Since, William Struggled
with Alva
butch Women Beat the World in
their Sphere, the Sacred
Kitchen.

he Breakfast an Ansir OF state-E diblea
and the Manner of Serving
Home Life.
pecial Correspondence of TIE INDEPENDENT.
HooRN, Noord Holland, Oct. 1.-Three
1ndred and seventeen years ago the Dutch
I'D Spanish fleets grappled in the shallow
aters of the Zuyder Zee off this quaint old
wn. Looking from my window across it,
arrow street see an irregular row of an
emit houses, whose gables run up like
ghts of steps, and which nod and bow
ciably to one another, as is much the pc.
,e custom of houses built in the yielding
il of the low countries. Across the brick
outs of three of them, darkened by age,
at famous sea light is still pictured. The
oh round sterns of the sixteenth century
ats stand out in relief on broad stucco
,nds. Smoking cannons stick from their
des. The sea runs in great waves. On
e middle house of the three, inscribed be-
'CcA UAo Lag bAlpb, 10 q bOhuZ6 lIOIu IN
Dutch song exulting in the victory.
Since 1878 one might suppose time in
corn had stood still. The building of q
" house has been an event of the greatest
rity, for HORNS prosperity is thing of
70 and half centuries past. and the al
ost medieval dwellings that have ac-
mmodated double the present population
va booy, ,,,oro tho :, or IF GIANT for tho =, oelc
successive generations. Now, as when
lillian the Silent was struggling against
va, the "gaper" yawns with open mouth
owe the apothecary's door. Now, as then,
owe the one portal of the ''Groote Kerk''
skeleton is carved in stone, and above the
her skulls. Now, as then, the trees lean
er the canals and the dikes bar out the
4, and the windmills seem to defend the
wn with their giant arms. Now, as then,
9 bakers boy blows blast on twisted
I'm when the days bread comes from the
en-, and the housewives start for the
sves This morning the shop next door
t out a gilt crown decked with box leaves
token that the fishing boats had brought
fresh behring's. The group of boys
tipping tops under the willows make a
Use like a charge Of cavalry when they
n in their wooden shoes.
U0 women VI 1OOTu, Will Uu0lF Wu1G0
ps and their picturesque gold hair orna-
.nts, form strange groups to modern eve
they gather in the doorways knitting.
leir costumes have altered little since
outen named Cape Horn for his native
Sn. Indoors the housekeeping ways
lack strongly of bygone times. The old
shioned Dutch pride in carefully ordered
pms and the subdued brightness of furni-
re and utensils still holds sway. The
H. 4 no go
that one wonders the very bricks were
long ago rubbed away. From sun up
til noon the houses which front on the
nails have their dooryards filled with mis-
laneous articles which are being washed
washed again. Mevrouw, my landlady,
pie checked, faxen haired, stands over
maids while on hands and knees they
,ur the street, which is paved smoothly
h bricks and kept almost as immaculate
IN end to end as a kitchen floor. The
y pigs which lie in the sun by the side
it are Dutch pigs, white and tidy. They
/, tethered by chains fastened to sta
F q near the door stones and look as if
" had Wallets to battle and dress them.
ce or twice week little open space at
b entrance to the towns filled with mat
sses. feather beds and blankets. The
ltents of all the bedrooms in Hoorn seem
be emptied into it for wholesale airing
beating and sweetening. Fifty women
, sometimes busy with switches at once
d the scene is curious and animated.
devrouw. my landlady, has an especial
rror of spiders. The energy with which
hunts them is sometimes destructive of
Mort, but one morning she admitted me
the sacred precincts of her kitchen, and
m that moment all was forgiven. The
n room with its huge oak ceiling beams
,he largest in the establishment and in
bitably the finest. It pleases one to pic
e the zeal and zest of housewifery to
ich it has given scope for more than two
lturies. The Dutch version of modern
age has been set in the throat of the old
mney, but the projecting hood, of much
IN shape as one may still see in few
italy open, giving one glimpse up
I'd at the sky. The floor is laid with
cks and the walls are tiled in blue and
lite in quaint patterns of windmills, old
tch soldiers, tubby Dutch fishing boats
cattle in pastures.
n one corner is circular staircase lead
to the floor above. The kitchen is so
oh in honor above other apartments,
ng the shrine of the most sacred Gull
~ mysteries, that it exceedsein height
other rooms, and this staircase gives
on balcony, 80 to call it. which runs the
IRE length of one side of The kitchen,
srlooking its operations and giving ao-
ls by doorway to the private sitting
I'M or bedroom of the mistress of the
use, the floor of which is six and half
seven feet lower than the kitchen cell
The staircase itself, down which
vrouw comes every morning, is worthy
some attention. 1t is fine piece of
odwork, though in house never patri-
IN. IN oak black with age, with curious
wings on the newell posts and with, for
ckets supporting the balcony. the fig
9 of clowns bent double and with bread
have not an idea of the names of the
,hen utensils. The Dutch housewife
ms to use six brass or copper or pewter
ngs where an American cook uses one,
that of humble tin. There is wide
If over the door whereon great platters
nd and catch the sunlight. There are
boards filling an end of the room. behind
ose small-paned glass doors all sorts of
lining things CLEAN. This have noticed:
steak broiler is curiously elaborate and
orative in its patterns, according with
Dutch feeling that the best is not too
ID for the kitchen. In my walks. l see
a and women putting off their wooden
es at house doors and stepping in stock
ed feet into the living room. A fanciful
son might connect the fact with the
ssulman's custom at mosque entrances,
with the practical Dutch it is not rev.
nee for the household gods SO much as
earnest striving to keep the kitchen
III.
breakfast in Hoorn is matter of state
ceremony. l have not vet been able to
isfy myself whether the manner in which
!. or is adopted through a conservative
lfatInn q n tai rr, hc xviohoa