Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-08-30

|
Are Absolutely Painful Pervnde the
Whole Plsce-Rules which the In
habitants Must Observe.
Far up in northern Holland among
the dikes and canals of the little king
dom lies Brock, the original Spotless
| Town. The palings of the fences Of
Brock are sky blue. The streets are
paved with shining bricks Of many col
Ors. The houses are rose colored,
black. gray, purple, light blue or pale
green. The doors are painted and gild-
ed. For hours you may not see n soul
in the streets or Mt the windows. The
streets and houses. bridges, windows
and barns show neatness and bril-
liancy that are absolutely painful. At
new scene is beheld, as II painted upon
the drop curtain of stage. Every
thing is minute, compact, painted,
spotless and clean. In the houses of
Broeck for cleaning purposes you will
find big brooms little brooms, tooth
brushes. aqua fortis. whiting for the
window panes. rouge for the forks and
spoons, coal dust for the copper. emery
for the iron utensils, brick powder for
the floors and even small splintcrs Of
wood with which to pick out the tiny
bits Of straw In the cracks between the
bricks. Here are some Of the rules of
this wonderful town:
Citizens must leave their shoes at the
door when entering n house.
Before or after sunset no one is allowed
to smoke excepting with a pipe having n
cover so that the ashes will not be scat
tered upon the street.
Any one crossing the village on horse
back must get out of the saddle and lead
the horse.
A cuspidor shall be kept by the front
door Of each house. where It may be ae-
cessible from the window.
1t is forbidden to cross the village in n
carriage or to drive animals through the
streets.
In addition to these established rules
1t is the custom for every citizen who
sees n leaf or a bit of straw blown be-
fore his house by the wind to pick it
up and throw 1t into the canal. The
people go 500 PAGES out of the village
to dust their shoes. Dozens Of boys
are paid to blow the dust from be-
tween the bricks in the streets four
times an hour. In certain houses the
guests are carried over the threshold
SO as not to soil the pavcmcnts. At
one time the mania for cleaning in
Brock reached such n point that the
housewives Of the village neglected
even their religious duties for scrub
bing and washing. The village pastor.
after trying every sort of persuasion.
preached long sermon. in which he
declared that every Dutchwoman who
had faithfully fulfilled her duties to-
ward God In this world would find IN
the next n house packed full Of fnrni-
ture and stored with the most various
and precious articles Of use and Orna
ment which, not being distracted by
other occupations, she would be able
to brush, wash and polish for all eter-
nifty. The promise of this sublime
recompense and the thought of this
extreme happiness filled the women
with such fervor and piety that for
months thereafter the pastor had no
cause for complaint.
Around every house in Brocek are
buckets. benches, rakes, hoes and
stakes. all colored red. blue. white or
yellow. The brilliancy and variety Of
colors and the cleanliness. brightness
and miniature pomp Of the place nre
wonderful. At the windows there are
embroidered curtains, with rose col
ored ribbons. The blades. bands and
nails of the gayly painted windmills
shine like silver. The houses are
brightly vanished and surrounded
with red and white raillngs and fences.
The panes of glass In the windows are
bOrdered by many lines of different
hues. The trunks of all the trees are
painted gray from root to branch.
Across the streams are many little
wooden bridges. each painted rs white
rs snow. The cutters are Ornamented
with Il sort of wooden festoon, per-
fOrated like lace. The pointed IA
cadcs are surmOunted with small
weathercock, a little lance or some
thing resembling bunch Of flowers.
Nearly every house has two doors.
one In front and one behind, the last
for everyday entrance and exit and
the former opened only on great Occa-
sions, such as births. deaths and mar
riages.
The gardens are as peculiar as the
houses. Tho paths are hardly wide
enough to walk In. One could put
his arm around the howcrbeds. The
dainty arbors would barely hold two
persons sitting close together. The lit
tie myrtle hedges would scarcely reach
to the knees of four-year-old child.
Between the arbors and the flower
beds run little canals which seem made
to float paper boats. They are crossed
by miniature wooden bridges. with
colored pillars and parapets. There
are ponds the size of bath, which
are almost concealed by lllliputian
boats tied with red cords to blue
stakes, tiny staircases and miniature
kitchen gardens. Everything could be
measured with the hand, crossed at a
leap. demolished by n blow. More
over there are trees cut In the shape
of fans. plumes and disks. with their
trunks colorcd white and blue. At
every step one discovers Il new effect,
q fresh combination of hues. a novel
caprice. some new absurdity.