Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-08-07

Tor Boer Is H0llander for farmer. 1t
was a grim Jest which Napoleon Bona
parte uttered when he gave as reason
for SELLING the Netherlands that the
country was properly French territory
as it was formed by the deposits from
French rivers Because 1t has been
created from the deltas Of the river
and the sand OF the sea there IS IN
Holland specially valuable and pro-
ductiye soil. No drougths mako the
Holland farmer anxious. He has only
to unlock his canal gate and get a
shower Of rain right at the roots OF
the growing grain. The most expert
artists In water color live. Appropriate
ly enough. in Holland. Wooden shoes
are seen on men, women and children.
The shoes are modified editions OF the
canal boats. Whether 1t might not be
better said that the canal boat Is an
outgrowth Of the wooden shoe is a
question. Which arrived frst. the
hen or the egg
THE DUTCH HAVE TAKEN HOLLAND.
This land, wrested by main force
from the water, has been deluged
with blood as well. Nomore fasclnat-
ing story Is told In history than that
wherein isrelated the splendid cour-
age Of William the Silent and his sue
cessfnl revolt against the cruel Alya,
SPANS terrible representative In the
Low Countries. II is a pleasure to an
American to remember that the rise
Of the Dutch nation has been best re-
corded by an American, John Lathrop
Motley and that his portrait has an
honored place in the beautiful palace
near The Hague, The House In the
Wood.
We confess to a fondneSs for the
Dutch. Nor has this regard been d.
minished by meeting them at home.
They are as hospitable as brave, as
courteous as peKevering. There are
numerous picturesque costumes in the
smaller Dutch towns which give an at
tractiyeneSs unbound In most coun-
tries In North Holland, for exam
pie, beyond the quaint little city OF
Zaandam, the women wear a curious
head-dreSs consisting Of a broad band
Of silver gilt in the shape OF a horse
shoe acroSs the forehead, serving to
keep the hair back and decorated at
the sides with large oval rosettes Of
gold. Above this is worn a cap or
veil Of rich lace, with wings
hanging down the neck. The Dutch
man smokes q pipe with persistence.
Children OF 10 or IL years Of age puff
away ON the streets Is u~nconeernedly
as children Of that age smoke cigar
ettesin the larger cities Of the states.
The Dutch girl is better-looking
than either her English or her German
cousin. She is not SC graceful IS the
French mademoiselle but she is more
so than the traditional idea Of the
Dutch stolidity leads to believe. The
Dutchman makes q superb farmer.
Particularly is his knowledge Of stock
70 be enyied. AS two hens might well
take the place Of the two bears on the
Missouri coat-of-arms so there might
properly be placed upon the Dutch
shield a cow. We saw Her Ladyship
Ia the fields as spotlesSly clean as
though in a palace drawing room. She
is covered with a robe In the evening
lest she catch cold and is bathed and
dressed with as much care as though
she were a baby and the first one.
MIX and butter and cheese are
Holland speclalties. There are drink
ing saloons in the town where the
only beverage sold IS milk-think OF
that, ye topersl The Dutch cheese at
home Is a luscious article not too ripe.
The butter u coagsaied pes1 IN
cream. Living isnot cheap in Holland
as compared with sOme other countries
but it is luxurious along these lines.
Some odd customs exist. The birth
OF a child is announced by red silk and
lace hung on the house do0rknob.
Foot-warmers are in all the churches.
A painted Moor's head is the sign for
a druggists shop. Windmills are a
feature Of every landscape. The
farmers houses bears names placarded,
striking names sometimes, as Large
Enough or "My Rest and Ny Life"
WHERE PEOPLE DWELL ON TORS OF
TRKEs.
II wal the learned Erasmus, refer
ring to Amsterdam, who said that he
knew a city where the inhabitants
dwelt like crows ON tops Of trees. Am
sterdam is almost entirely built upon
piles driven deep into the sandy, sink
ing soil. Many Of its buildings lean
far out Of the perpendicular and ap-
pear as though about to t0pple over.
Amsterdam is situated on the river Y.
Pronounce that letter /. The river IS
not a river at all but an arm Of the
Zuyder Zee which is itself an arm OF
the North Sea The city Is ~intersec-
ted by canals much as is Venice, Wood
worms are constantly at work upon the
piles 50 that the utmost vigilance is
necessary 10 preserve property and
life.
Amsterdam is the commercial capital
of Holland and much shipping is at its
wharyes. Spinoza, the father Of mod
ern philosophy, lived here and was put
out Of the Portuguese synagogue.
Diamond-cutting Is considerable in
but not being especially inter-
ssted In that business, we visited none
Of the establishments, mostly carried
IN by Jews.
We find 10 every city some oppof-
70 sound the praises Of Missouri.
In Amsterdam we saw the work Of
land from the water actu-
lily in progress. Land that Is value
ess because buried is drained at a cost
4 80 an acre and sold at 800 an acre.
Feare equalline that down in the New
Madrid districts Of Missouri and will
more when we come to understand
he possibilities along this line. But
ven In Holland there is no such CURL
Us occurrence as the transportation
. farm from side OF a river to
mother and yet that has happened
eyefal times In Missouri along the
nee mighty Missouri river.
Woodmen at Benton Civ.