El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-11


not infreauently happens that child
falls in. But that doesn't seem to worry
ANYBODY. They can all swim like little
ducks. If they bounce into the water.
they quickly bounce out again Some
times they scramble out to find that
their little sabots are slowly sailing
down the canal Then there is much
laughing and shouting till the truant
shoes are landed by means of long
stick.
It is in the winter time. however.
that the children of Holland most enjoy
life Then the canals are frozen over.
and a person may travel all through
this quaint country without taking oil
his skates. The Dutch skates have long
runners. which curl up over the toe
With this kind they can do no fancy
skating. But. then, everything the
Dutch people do is plain and practical
The boys and girls when they skate to-
gether do not go side by side. as we de
in this country. The boy stands right
behind the girl and puts his hands on
her waist. keeping step with her just
as soldiers do. In this way the boy can
push the girl along if he does not think
she is going fast enough.
Most all the Dutch boys have a skate
sail, which is almost diamond shaped
and is kept spread out by means of two
cross sticks This sail is held against
his back AS Holland is such low
country. there is generally a good,
strong wind sweeping across it. With
these sails the boys go skimming along
over the frozen canals for miles And
they can sail as close to the wind. too.
as in fine yacht.
Every one skates in Holland The
men go to work. the women to market
and the children to school on skates
The exchange in Amsterdam is called
the Beurs. Once year. at the end OF
August. the merchants and brokers
who transact their business there are
turned out and the place turned into
playground for the boys The building
is very old. and. according to a curious
and interesting tradition. the boys OF
Amsterdam. while playing there over
200 years ago. discovered a plot on the
part of the Spaniards to capture the
city, and so in commemoration OF this
the boys are allowed one day in each
year to play on the floor of the e1-
change
The people of Holland are very good
to poor little orphans There is one
place in Holland where about a thou
sand orphans are taken care of There
they take children mere babies and
keep them till they are of age. In the
meantime they teach them any kind OF
a trade they may wish to learn The
boys are taught to be carpenters. black
smiths. cabinet makers. printers. book
binders. etc. The girls are trained to
do all kinds of household work Then
when they are of age they are ready to
battle with the world If sickness or
misfortune overtakes any boy or girl
after leaving this institute ton. he or she
may go straight back TO it and be sure
of a welcome and good home until an
opportunity for another start is offered
Compared to the misera bly, poor OF Lon
don or even the poor If our own New
York these little Dutch orphans are
much better off Amsterdam has large
orphanage. where it is the curious rule
that all the children shall dress In cos
tunes which are half black and half
red
In most of the smaller towns OF Hol-
land you will notice collection OF
sabots around nearly every front door
No one wears these wooden shoes in
doors. and on entering house person
leaves them on the doorstep just as We
| in this country sometimes shed our
| muddy overshoes. New York Herald