Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-12-25
CHAPTER I.
The Van Heemsklrks.

dred and twenty-one years ago, and yet
the May A. d. 1SS6-the same clear
air and wind, the same rarefied fresh
ness, full of faint, passing aromas
from the wet earth and the salt sea
and the blossoming gardens.
In the city the business of the day
was over; but at the open doors OF
many of the shops little groups OF APP
prentices in leather aprons were talk
Ing. and on the broad steps OF the
CITY Hall a number Of grave-looking
men were slowly separating after
very satisfactory civic session. They
were all noticeable men, but Joris van
Heemskirk specially so. His bulk was
so great that it seemed as II he must
have been built up; it was too mach
to expect that he had ever been
baby. He had fair, ruddy face, ana
large, firm eyes, and a mouth that
was at once strong and sweet. Ana
he was also very handsomely dressed.
The long, stiff skirts of his dark-Diue
coat We're lined with satin, his
breeches were of black velvet, his ruI-
fes edged with Flemish lace, his
shoes clasped with silver buckles, MS
cooked hat made CT the finest beaver.
With his head little forward, ana
his right arm acrCSs his BACK, ne
walked slowly up Wall street into
Broadway, and then took northwest
erly direction towards the river pank.
His home was on the outskirts OF the
city, but not far away; and his race
lightened as he approached IT.
> Councillor Van Heemskirk's father
had built the house and planted the
garden, and he had the Dutch rever-
ence for a good ancestry. Often he sent
his thoughts backward to remember
how he walked by his fathers side, or
leaned against his mothers chair, as
they told him the tragic tales OF the
old Barneveldt and the hapless De
Wits; or how his young heart glowed
to their memories of the dear father
land, and the proud march OF the ba-
tavian republic.
Good evening, Mr.. Justice. Good
evening, neighbor," and he stood a
minute, with his hands on his garden
gate, to bow to Justice Van Gaasbeeck
and to Peter Sluyter, who, with their
wives, were going to spend an hour
or two at Christopher Laer's garden,
Men can bear all things but good
days" said Peter Sluyter. when they
had gone a dozen yards In silence;
''since Van Heemskirk has seat In
the council room, 1t is a long way to
his hat.
Come, now, he was very civil,
Sluyter. He BOWS like man not
used to make allow bow. that is all"
well, well, t..th time, every one
ssgis into his right place. In the city
ALI, may yet put my chair beside
his. Van Gaasbeeck."
80 say /, Sluyter. and for the pres
ent it is all we'll as it is"
This little envious fret of his neigh
Dor lost itself outside Joris Van Heem-
skirk's home. Within it, all was love
and content Madam Van Heemskirk
was little woman, with clear-cut
features, and brown hair drawn back
ward under a cap OF lace very stifly
starched. Her tight-fitting dress OF
blue taffeta was open in front, and
looped up behind in order to show an
deliberately quilted petticoat of light
blue camblet. Her white wool stock
dngs were clicked with blue, her high
heeled shoes cut very low, and clasped
with small silver buckles. From her
trim cap to her trig shoes she was a
pleasant and comfortable picture of a
happy, domestic woman; smiling.
peaceful, and easy to live with.
When the last duty Of the day was
finished, she let her bunch of keys
fall with a satisfactory "all done"
Jingle, that made her Joris look at
her with a smile. Then he asked:
Where Is Joanna and the little one?
And Bran should be home ere this"
II am not uneasy. Joris. They
were to drink a dish of tea with
Madam Semple, and Bran promised
to go for them. And, see. they are
coming; but Bran is not with them,
only the elder"
Elder Alexander Semple was great
man In his sphere. He had reputa-
ton both for riches and godliness and
was scarcely more respected In the
market-place than he was in the Mid
die Kirk. And there was an old tie
between the Semples and the Van
Heemskirks-a tie going back to the
days when the Scotch Covenanters and
the Netherland Coniessors clasped
hands as brothers in their churches
under the cross" Then one OF the
Semples had fed for life from Scot
land to Holland, and been sheltered
In the house of Van Heemskirk; and
from generation TO generation the
friendship had been continued. Sc
there was much real kindness and
very little ceremony between the fami'
lies, and the elder met his friend Joris
with a pleasant good evening"" and
cat down in front of the blazing logs,
Joanna tied on her white apron. and
at word from her mother. began Ia
take from the cupboards various Dutch
dainties, and East Indian jars of fruits
/, and sweetmeats, and case of crystal
bottles, and some fine lemons. She
was q fair, rosy girl. with a kind
cheerful face. q pleasant voice, and Q
smile that was at once innocent and
bright. Her fine light hair was rolled
high and backward; and no one could
have imagined dress more suitable
TO her than the trig dark bodice. the
quilted skirt, and the white apron she
wore.
Her father and mother watched hei
with loving satisfaction, and Elder
Semple was quite sensible OF Joan
mas presence, and of what she wai
doing.
At this point Katherine Van Heems
kirk came into the room. and the elder
slightly moved his chair and said
Come ava, my bonnie lassie, and Ie'
he % AM Kofhnrtnf