Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-07-29
CHAPTER !.
Tho Van Heemskirks.

ness, 1ull OF 1dlnt, passing dIOludS
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 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 if he must
have been built up; it was too much
to expect that he had ever been a
baby. He had fair, ruddy face, and
large, firm eyes, and a mouth that
was at once strong and sweet. And
he was also very handsomely dressed.
The long, stiff skirts of his dark-blue
coat were lined with satin, his
breeches were of black velvet, his ruff
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, he
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
city, but not far away; and his face
Eghtened as he approached 1t.
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 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, it is long way to
his hat
Come, now, he was very civil,
Sluyter. He BOWS like a man not
used to make low bow, that is ALL
well, well, with time, every one
gets into his right place. In the city
Hall, l may yet put my chair beside
his, Van Gaasbeeck."
$50 sayI, Sluyter, and for the pres
ent it is all well as it is"
This little envious fret of his neigh
Dor lost itself outside Joris Van Heem-
gkirk's home. Within it, 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-fitting dress of s
blue taffeta was open in front, and l
Iooped up behind in order to show an G
deliberately quilted petticoat of light S
blue camblet- Her white wool stock
ngs were clicked with blue, her high c
leeled shoes cut very low, and clasped I
With small silver buckles. From her c
rim cap to her trig shoes she was a .
pleasant and comfortable picture of a
Happy, domestic woman; smiling, c
and easy to live with. S
When the last duty of the day was h
Inished, she let her bunch of keys
all with a satisfactory "all done" h
ingIe, that made her Joris look at S,
er with a smile. Then he asked: d
Where is Joanna and the little one? Ii
md Bran should be home ere this" fc
II am not uneasy, Joris. They il
rere to drink a dish of tea with lo
ladam Semple, and Bran promised di
} go for them. And, see, they are lie
oming; but Bran is not with them. d.
My the elder
Elder Alexander Semple was great yC
ian In his sphere. He had reputa- he
on both for riches and goodness and dc
as scarcely more respected in the gi
arket-place than he was in the Mid to
q Kirk. And there was an old tie m
,tween the Semples and the Van bu
eemskirks-a tie going back to the ey
Iys when the Scotch Covenanters and To-
e Netherland Confessors clasped
lnds as brothers in their churches wi
lder the cross" Then one of the in
,mples had fled for life from Scot Nc
nd to Holland, and been sheltered Is
the house of Van Heemskirk; and
om generation to generation the thu
endship had been continued. So me
Iii
ry little ceremony between the fami- the
IS. and the elder met his friend Joris sol
tn a pleasant good evening"" and up,