Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-03-31
Jufrose,
JinJe's
Wooin{
Copyright. 1902. BY the $. S. Mcclure compsw =
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Y CURRAN RICHARD GRffMEf..


Past the green banks of the canal
went the broad scows laden with mar
ket stuff, propelled by the strong arms
Of peasant women. Against the blue
of the sky the weather gray Of the
windmills barred the sunlight into
shifting shadows.
Jufrow Unite had dropped her knit
ting in tangled mass, finging herself
back against the slant of the bank to
blink at the sun; Lazy Jufrow Unite
SO the maidens of yaarken called her
truly an alien, for under the close white
cap that she hated with all her soul the
little black curls crept out to frame
the sweet curves of the dimpled cheek,
warm with the sun kissed olive of an
other land.
In the squat red brick house whose
shining brass rallied stoop led out to
the market square dwelt Mevrouw
van Verck, old and wrinkled, but
straight as an oak. There had come to
her womanhood, wifehood. mother
hood and sorrow, for Nicholas van
Verck, the stalwart, laughing SON of
the old house, had fed from the quiet
and quaintness of the fatherland
without ever a word The darkness of
five silent years had passed when one
night, as the sea ragged against the
bikes. the wanderer returned - not
alone, for be carried the child that was
destined to be at once the pride and
plague of Mevrouw van Verck's lone
ly life. A few months later Nicholas
van yerck, strangely old and broken,
yielded up his turbulent soul, as much
mystery to yaarken as before he re-
turned The old woman and the child
lived ON together, and the red brick
mansion Kept its secrets we'll
The years rolled on, the gypsy years
that stole the little laughing child
wHh her witching, dark face and left
in her stead a demure young maiden of
dreams. Jufrow Unite, scarce sixteen,
had her rebellious little head full of
old tales that Katrinlle, the serving
woman, had whispered at dusk through
the curtains of her white bed when
mevrouw had thought the child fast
asleep. There was ever a faint, elusive
memory of some other time when, in
place of the grassy banks of the slow
canals, the weary order and cleanli-
ness of Vaarken, came bursts of wild
music. white tents tapping In the
breeZes the glow of scarlet and gold,
with warm. red lips upon her own.
DINNER and DINNER, but as the child
ish things slipped by out of the mea-
geiness of everyday was born renais-
sance of the past as the girl struggled
daily to remember Foolish Jufrow
Unite! AS if the fatted kline were not
better than the tents of Kedar!
Oh, weary, weary days evrouw.
upright in her high, carved, oaken
chair, knitting, always knitting,
only looking over her spectacles long
enough to reprove the girl for her
idlencss. and the silence of house
where laughter is where
one goes softly in penance for an I'M
known sin! She hated the close cap,
the sober garb of the burgher maiden.
Better the fash of peasant color and
the tinkle of their glittering orna-
ments.
The flame barred sunset died across
the fiat, green meadows as the women
cluttered away from the washing
place. Still Unite sat listless, her big,
dark eyes looking out from under their
long lashes straight into distance.
The tinkie of a guitar rippled over
the water. ard mans rich tenor sing
ing some lit Of stranger music-nearer,
Non ii scordor Il NIL" To Jintje's ear
the words were nothing, but the pas
sion of the music and the voice-ah,
she had heard that voice in dreams,
The guitar ceased, but the splash Of
oars came in its stead. The song was
now Venetian barcarole as the light
skiff shot into view between the droop-
ing alders that fringed the bank.
The craft was strange to Jintje's
eyes. but she half rose to greet the man
that propelled it after the English fash
ion. As she stood out tall and slight
from the green wall behind her Dering
paused involuntariIy. Then. seeing that
it was one Of the burgher lnaidens, he
would have gone on. but something in
the appealing childish face riveted his
attention
Ten minutes later the boat was moor
ed close in. He was seated at Jufrow
Jintje's side and by the aid OF his bro
ken Dutch was struggling to make her
understand.
That evening was one OF many even
ings when Jufrow Unite strove with
the strange tongue, awkwardly at first
Then. as half forgotten mother
tongue. the English words took mean
ing. and she listened wonderingfy as
Iiering told her of the wild jungle, the
forests Of palm. the great elephants
that urought like men. the glitter Of
the eastern land where the dangerous
golden days droned into the glory Of
tropic nights These stories were q
queer medley Of broken Dutch and I'M
familiar English. but Jufrow Unite
listened and Ionged. At last she told
him Of her '.other country" that she
knew and yet did not know, the secret
Of which was locked in mevrouw's
breast.
As the summer days grew TO their
end Dering awoke with shock to the
position into which he had drifted. Al
ready curious glances followed the girl
and the maidens Of vaarken hushed
their chatter when she came among
them. Others knew of the little nook
in the green shadow of the alders,
and whispers OF the doings Of Jufrow
Unite and the stranger were growing
louder.
One day he waited long in the little
beat. and she did not come. Then be