Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1904-08-20
CHAPTER |.
The Van Ieemskirks.

dred and twenty.one years ago and yet
the May A. d. 1SS6-the same clear
air and wind, the same rarehed 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 a
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
to expect that he had ever been a
baby. He had fair rudy face, and
large, firm eyes, and a mouth that
was at once strong and sweet. And
ne 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
fies 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
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 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
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 a seat in
the council room, it is a 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"
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"
$50 say l. Sluyter, and for the pres
ent 1t is all well as 1t is"
This little envious fret of his neigh
Dor lost itself outside Joris Van Heem-
skirks 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 stify
starched. Her tight-fitting dress of
blue taffeta was open in front, and
looped up behind in order to show an
quilted petticoat of light
blue camblet. Her white wool stock
ings 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
nj nt nd 70 20 hI Mo 80
happy, domestic woman; smiling,
peaceful, and easy to live with.
When the last duty of the day was
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:
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 a great
man in his sphere. He had a reputa-
ton both for riches and goodness and
was scarcely more respected in the
than he was in the Mid
ile Kirk. And there was an old tie
between the Samples and the Van
Heemskirks-a tie going back to the
lays when the Scotch Covenanters and
he Netherland Confessors clasped
hands as brothers in their churches
lnder the cross" Then one of the
Samples had fled for life from Scot
and to Holland, and been sheltered
n the house of Van Heemskirk; and
rom generation to generation the
friendship had been continued So
here was much real kindness and
'ery little ceremony between the fami.
les, and the elder met his friend Joris |