New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
A COLONIAL DAY.
HOW THE DUTCH HOUSEWIFE AND HER
FAMILY WORKED AND PLAYED.

HOW THE r1OCoH"'i ~ >--
FAMILY WORKED AND PLAYED
AT the first break OF day. every spring and sum-
mer MORN the quiet Dutch sleepers In the olo 'o"'
of Albany were reused by three Iouo o'as's vi
horn sounded far and wide by sturdy co"neru'
and from street and dooryard came IN QUICK ans"e.
the tingIe-jange, the kngle -klangle OF scores VI
loud- tongued brass and iron bells which nuns from
the necks of steady going hungry Dutch cows VINO
followed the herder forth each day 70 pastures
green. 80
On the broad town commons, or the fertie river
meadows, Uldrick Heyn and his chosen proper
youngster" his legally appointed aid, watched faith-
SuIlv all day long their neighbors' cattle; and as
honest herdsmen earned we'll their seawant ana
their handsel OF butter dallylng not In tavern ana
drinking not Of wine. as they were stormy ioroiu
den by the schepens until when early dews were
falling they quit their meadow grasses me'o", LUZ
Eat a quarter OF hour before the sun goes down
the cattle shall be delivered at the church. FROM
thence the patient kline slowly wandered or were
driven each 10 her own homestall. her protecting
cowshed.
In New-Amsterdam the cowherd was Gabrlei
Carpsey and when his days work was done ne
walked at sunset through the narrow lanes ana
s,ree,s ~ the little town. sounding at each door
ward Gabriel's horn a warning note Of safe return
and milking time.
Until mii-November did the morning cowhorn
waken the burghers and their vrouws at sunrise;
and when with cold winter the horn lay silent they
must have sorely missed their unfans eye-opener
Scarce had the last departed In the early
morn from her masters dooryard ere there rose In
the gray morning light from each vast-throated
chimney throughout each little town RANT pun
of pale wavering smoke. blown up with sKiirui oe'-
lows from last nights brands upon the hearth. Anu
quickly the slender line OF smoke grew ana grew
10 a great cloud and soon with the smell OF the
burning brush and light pine that were coaxihs INTO
hot flames the sturdy oak back and fore-ogs, there
were borne forth appetizng odors OF breakfast 10
greet the early morn, telling OF each thrlity huys
vrouw who within the walls OF her cheerfui ktcne"
was cooking a good solid Dutch breakfast for her
Cans OF bu,termk good beer. brewed perhaps
bv tho patroon washed down this breakfast OF sup
pawn and rye bread and grated cheese ana sausage
or headcheese; beer there was in plenty IN ahkes'
even in tuns. In every household. soon myhheer
filled his long pipe with tobacco. and departed with
much elaboration OF movement. sturdy, honest
figure Of decent carriage, neatly and sooerly ana
warmly clad with thrift and prosperity and con-
tentment showing in every curve or MS 100 well
rounded figure Adown the street he passed 10 lrdde
IN peltres or lumber II he were mi'dle-aged ana
well-todo: and were he sturdy and young, he
,hreshed grain on the barn floor or ground corn at
the windmill or feed wood en- the hillside or per-
chance were he old or young he fished In the river
all day long a truly dignihed days work, meet FOR
any sober citizen one requiring much judgment
and skill and reflection And as he hsned' again
he smoked, and ever he smoked. The Dutch are
obstinate and ncessant smokers. chronicles the
English chaplain Wooey whose diet, especially
~ the boorsh Sort being sallets and Drawn and
very often picked buttermilk, require the use OF
that herb to keep their phlegm from coaguiat'Hs
ard crrdling" The word boorish not term
OF reproach. was the frequent Appreciation
Dutch bore" over which some historians OF the
colony have seen At to make merry; both boor and
boa farr
once no more than lad; villain than peasant; ooor
was only a farmer: a varlet was but serving man.
a churl but a strong fellow.
What fishing to the goodman or the mousse
knitting was to the goodwife. soothing, mohot-
onous occupation ever at hand ever welcome. ever
useful: why, the family could scarce be clothed IN
comfort without these cheerfuly clicking needles
eoodly supply Of well-knit, carefully dyed stock
,ngs was the housekeepers pride. and well they
might be- for little were they hidden The full
knee-breeches of father and displayed above
the buckled shoes long expanse OF sturdy hosiery
and the short petticoats OF mother and daughter
did not hide scarlet clocks OF their own making
From the moment when the farmer gave the fleece
of the sheep into the hands Of his womenkind every
step in its transformation into stockings except
the knittng) was tresome and tedious that 1t Is
wearying even to read OF itcleaning washing, dye
ing carding greasing. rolling, spinning, winding.
rnsing. knoting-truly might the light, tidy. easy
The endless round Of "domestcall kind Of drudg-
cries that women are put to- Howell says,
would prove a very full list when made out from
the life OF OF these colonial housewives. 1t
seems to U.S. Of modern labor and drudgery-
void days, truly overwhelming list; but the Dutch
huys-vrouw did not stagger under the burden, nor
shrink from It. nor indeed did she deem any OF
her work drudgery. The OF thrift. OF plenty,
Of capability OF satisfaction was so strong as 10
overcome the distaste to the labor OF production.
She had as a recreation her trim little garden.
which usually graced the front dooryard garden
perhaps OF a single flower bed surrounded by gar
den herbs but homelike and beloved such gar
dens ever are. Many the tulip bulbs and
pink roots that had been brought sent over from
Holland. and were cherished reminders Of the
faraway Fatherand
Van der Donck said that in 1853 Netherlanders
had already introduced white and red roses. stock
roses cornelan roses. egantine gilly flowers
jenoffelins different varieties OF fine tulips
imperals white lilies, anemones, bare-damos.
violets. marigolds. summer sots, Glove trees
Flowers OF native growth were 'sunfowers, red
and yellow lilies. morning bell-fowers red.
white and yellow maritofiies.' There were no dull
borders with this gay and homey array. Along
side the flowers such vegetables grew-lettuce. cab
bage. spinach. parsnips. carrots. beets, radishes
parsley, creeses. eeks artichokes asparagus,
squashes, melons. cucumbers beans.
And she had her beloved poultry. Flocks OF snowy
geese went waddllng SLOWLY down the town streets
seeking the watersde; giving rich promise Of fat
holiday dnnsrs and pumper and more plentiful
feather beds; comfortable and thrifty looking as
geese always are. and ever indicative Of prosper
Gus, thrifty homes. they comported we'll with the
pipe smoking burgher and his knitting huys-vrouw
and their homelke dwelling
There element of beauty and picturesque
ness which idealized the little town and gave II an
added element OF life.
over all and everywhere
The sails Of windmslls sink and soar
Like wings OF sea-gulls on the shore.
The beauty OF the windmills probably not so
endearing TO the settlers as their homellkeness.
They made the new strange land and the new
little towns seem like home. and they helped to
turn to profit the rich harvests OF grain which were
the foundation Of the colonys prosperity. not
the rich peltres OF beaver as was at first boast
fully vaunted by the fur-traders.