Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-11
THE CORONATION.

So it's all over. Wilhelmina Is crowned,
and I've seen everything, done everything
that The Hague has done in the way Of
festivities. Not half SO grand as the jubi-
lee, of course, but the decorations certain
ly were very pretty, especially the Jews
particular streets and S~cheveningen, with
that long arcade of fishing nets. The
poorer the quarter the prettier the show
seemed the rule. The little queen has
rather an anxious face at times, as well
she might have with q heavy crown to put
on at IS. Even in The Hague there were
ugly Socialist mutterings. Just as she
was going to start for Amsterdam they
threw a dead rabbit into the palace court
yard, dressed in coronation robes, with an
amiable intimation that whittier necks
might be wrung just as easily.
I'd never been in Holland before except
as a tourist. I'm very much afraid l shall
never get such a reception again. But !
ask anybody, If a man never says a word
and never looks a word, how can one tell
Baedeker ought to put in q few notes
about Dutch lovemaking. 1t is so very pc
culiar. My kind hostess only had married
sons, so they didn't count, but she had a
nephew, and he very much did. They
were always telling me Belaerts had a
good heart, but 1 didn't see what that had
to do with a person who doesn't own one
because it. away somewhere near Fashoda.
He was tall, stout and serious. ]
thought he d%isapproved Of me because ]
had a good many frocks, and economy
seems to be the cardinal virtue in Il coun
try where the windows are cleaned four
times a week. I'm dark, and naturally I'd
brought an orange blouse, rather good, in
chiffon, with heaps of lace applique.
Wherever we went Belaerts went, like
Mary's little lamb, and now and then he
paid me a very direct compliment-so di-
rect l never Thought it was genuine; not
often. There were other men, and they
said pretty things in French whenever the
orange blouse was on or when 1 stuck a
velvet bow in a big white hat. l wore
that on the coronation night, when there
was a grand concert at S~cheveningen, and
Langerhuizen sang the prettiest little
Dutch songs. We went to what they call
the American bar after, and the Hunga-
rian band played deliciously.
Things went on very pleasantly. 1 was
awfully happy, because, you see, every
day The Times came, and l knew things
were all right. Whenever a regiment clat-
tered up the Zeestraat, l thought of the
Twenty first and drew contrasts inwardly
But outwardly l was very Dutch, and ]
bought about 100 pins and albums and
pictures, in most of which Wilhelmina
looks IS.
Nearly the last morning, when the flags
were all being taken down and fierce
preparations for cleaning every house from
top to bottom well begun, I and my
friend Bette were sitting on the flat gray
shore looking at a still gray sea. She's a
dear, but imagine my horror when she
calmly told me how pleased all the family
were that Bclaerts had at last found some
one he could love, and that l was the
some one. She said that all the relations
approved of me. They had beer so glad
to find that though l was English l could
actually speak French.
II wrote to his mother that you spoke
all languages, and that you were tres dis
tinguee," she continued complacently.
"He has a very excellent employment, and
1 told him-for 1 could not doubt it after
seeing your beautiful chateau in England
that l was sure you would have a dot,
although l believe it is not invariable, as
with u.s."
"But, Bette" l began family, "your
cousin has never said a word to me-no a
word, and l never thought of him like
that"
Naturally he has waited till he could
go to England and see if everything was
satisfactory. He would not be so disloyal
as to give you hopes and then change his
mind
l thought of somebody el~se-somebody
who said all in a hurry on a crowded stair
case in London, 81 mayn't speak, I'm toe
poor, but, Kate, I may get a quietus out
there, and if l do just remember you were
all the world to me-" All, when l read
of their charge, how proud l was, how
glad to remember l whispered back some
thing that made our last dance together
heaven.
Bette construed my silence into acqui-
essence. sit was the blouse that first
made him think of you," she cooed o n
'Belaerts is very reserved. He has been
a great deal beloved too. But you looked
so distinguee in that orange, and you
sang 'Neerland's Blind SO we'll in tune.
The Van Brediuses arc a noble, ancient
family, but for his sake they would accept
you even without a title"
1t took me half an hour to try to make
her see l could never marry a Dutchman
and live opposite a horrible gracht in Am
stcrdam without being awfully rude. She
, couldn't see it then. So I had to get out
Of it by telling the truth. "I-I-care for
some one else; only it's a great secret, and
you must keep it now I've trusted you"
She put her big brown eyes up with
such a sweet look of sympathy that l told
her everything except his name, and, If
you will believe me, she quite cheered up
when she heard he was too poor to marry
me yet.
"He will probably be killed by savages.
You will presently adore Belaerts in
stead, " she prophesied comfortably, 'and
he will give you a nice menage."
They all came to the station-one boy
with a whole kilo of hoppjes, which are
the best sweets in the world; Belaerts
with a big bouquet all over orange bows.
"Miss, 1 shall hope soon to have the honor
of seeing you in England" That was all.
| Only just for an instant there was some
| thing in his eyes that made me feel sorry.
And truly l never firted; he never
seemed to want to f1irt.
l haven't even paid for that wretched
blouse, but nothing shall make me put 1t
on again, not even the arrival Of Mynheer
van Bredius at Lettice Close in full state.
1 shall not wear the national colors the
next time I go to coronation r%ejoicings.-
Rowland Grey in Black and White.
Miles OF Ribbon.