The age-herald., 1900-07-24
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Miss Alice Rumph Writes
 From Picturesque Holland

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 Miss Alice Rumph of Birmingham, who is studying art in Paris, is spending a brief vacation In Holland, which she calls "an artists haven of rest in the summer month when gay old Paris is stifed in all her fuss and feathers" From the village of Rij- soord she has written for The Age-Herald the following delightful letter. which will be read with much interest by her many friends in Birmingham, who are predicting an enviable career for her in the world of art:
 Rijsoord, Holland
 Fur de Boor, or de Engulik?' is the ques- suspicious-looking people-that is to say, people whom he knows to be other than Dutch. Ascertaining that one is of Ameri- can nationality, he next inquires: Amer ica fur de Boor?" which we always answer in an enthusiastic affirmative. Not that sympathy runs high enough to make even the Englishman's stay here unpleasant, still there is tinge of Boerism in the air
 It is really only the school children who have impudence or curiosity enough to ask the sentiments of the innocent and disin- terested stranger. The question was first put to me as I passed the village school house soon after my arrival here. It was just as the whole swarm of children were dismissed. I had not seen them before nor had they seen me, and each found the other equally strange. There was clat- tering along the road of many little klumpen (wooden shoes), as each pair of feet carried it's owner in haste to get a near view of the new arrival, while the chattering of score of little Dutch tongues said, as plain Dutch can say, that some of the company had their opin- ions of me, and were not loath to express them. Others were shy, and took it out in staring.
 As l passed along they followed me, some of the more friendly ones addressing me with: Goodbye, yevrouw; goodbye, yev- rouw!' and still walking calmly along be- side me. Then, more took courage and re- peated the strange salutation, until the whole crowd took it up like a shrill cho- rus. Afterward l learned that with most of them this word comprises their entire stock of English and so-ready to show their knowledge of the language-they use 1t regardless of such trifling differences as lie between greetings and farewells. Since that day we have grown quite friendly, and carry on lengthy conversations on the subject of the Beers and the English. It must be admitted that to outsider the discussions would sound rather one-sided- no, l mean decidedly two-sided; for as know about much of Dutch as they know of English, our comprehension of each others statements is sometimes re- stricted.
 After one of these enlightened talks, the proper thing to do is to ask for the War Song," we'll known in these parts. Then all the by-standers (and there are always many) join in 10 the fullest extent of their lung power. It would be rather doubtful entertainment for one of a nervous temper ament; still, it is martial melody and not really bad. When l join in with them their enjoyment is great, and they sing with renewed energy and still more shrill- ness!
 Such sturdy people these are. When one sees and knows them, it is easy to understand how they would hold on to their rights in the face of death itself.
 Good-natured? Yes; but in grave way that shows what they could be if thor oughly aroused. And what pride they take in their little flat, well-kept country! All the important roads are paved and run be- tween tall lines of trees, trimmed to one height, and each tree trunk marked with a number, always plainly seen l suppose they keep these marks washed, as they do everything else.
 It was Thursday when l first came into the village, and the rain poured down in steady sheets that kept the roads like glass; Nevertheless, all along, outside each house were women who bend over the doorsteps and scrubbed as though there were never a drop of moisture in the air! l am certain no one can bend in half so successfully as these Holland women. It seems no exer- tion whatever to reach the floor, standing fiat-footed, without bending their knees, meanwhile f1ourishing their brushes vigor- ously. At first I thought Thursday must be the weekly cleaning day, but when on Friday 1 awoke with the same swishing sound in my ears, and when yet again on