The Grit-advocate., 1903-04-24


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 ap-
prentices in leather aprons were talk
ing, and on the broad steps Oh the
City Hall number of grave-looking
men were slowly separating alter
very satisfactory civic session. Ihey
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 much
to expect that he had ever been
baby. He had fair, ruddy lace, anH
large, firm eyes, and mouth that
was at once strong and sweet. Ana
he was also very handsomely dressed.
The long. stiff skirts of his dark-piue
coat were lined with satin, MS
breeches were of black velvet. his ruf-
fes edged with Flemish lace. his
shoes clasped with silver buckles, his
cooked hat made of the finest beaver.
With his head little forward, and
his right arm across his back, ne
walked slowly up Wall street into
Broadway, and then took northwest
erly direction towards the river bank.
His home was on the outskirts OF the
,it l,,,t for
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 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 ard 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
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 long way to
his hat
Come, now, he was very civil
Sluyter He Dows like man not
used to make low bow, that is all"
We'll. well, with time, every one
gets into his right place. In the city
Hall l may yet put my chair beside
his, Van Gaasbeeck."
so say l. Sluyter, and for the pres
ent it is all we'll as it is
This little envious fret of his neigh
bor lost itself outside Joris Van Heem-
skirk's home. Within 1t, all was love
and content. Madam Van Heemskirk
was a little woman, with clear-cut
features, and brown hair drawn back
ward under a cap OF lace very stif1y
starched. Her tight-ftting dress of
blue taffeta was open in front. and
looped up behind in order to show an
elaborately quilted petticoat of light
blue camblet. Her white wool stock
ings were clocked 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
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 satisfactory all done"
Jingle, that made her Joris look at
her with a smile. Then he asked:
And Bran should be home ere this. ;"
Il am not uneasy, Joris. They
we're to drink 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-
tion 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 pleasant good evening" and
sat down in front OF the blazing logs
Joanna tied on her white apron. and
at word from her mother began t.
toEa from tho cuDhOardS various Dutch