The sun., 1907-03-31

TO wait their turn until the visitor. forgetful
for the moment, becomes alarmed at the
extravagant waste Of water
Then she remembers that water is the
most plentiful commodity in Holland, more
abundant even than the land. The Dutch
man, however 80 far as can observe,
never uses water to quench his thirst.
He does have various kinds OF sweetened
or aerated waters for the table, but plain
water is good only for the several kinds
of washing to which he devotes himself
Hence a frequent difficulty in the dining
room.
We do not care for wine or beer at our
meals, which Is in itself a deep mystery
and probably disappointment also TO the
hotel people. but they never dream OF put
ting on a carafe Of water and glasses. When
we call for water they bring one OF those
bottles OF aerated or sweetened beverage.
Then come liguistic experiments.
Water il a Dutch word and IL Ia pro-
nounced almost as in English. but as our
knowledge Of Dutch is limited to the words
that are the same as or similar to English
words We have to resort TO French and
German to make our special wants under
stood. We demand in French water for to
drink, IL it not! and unblushingly raise
my closed fist to my lips and make wierd
tapping and sucking noise that never
fails to disconcert the waiter. Also it
never fails TO bring return OF the 0erated
bottle.
Then we demand in lucid German, OF
which Dutch il an offshoot and sometime
therefore comprehensive to a Dutchman,
water even so the same water the hands
TO wash in already, whereupon the waiter
always sees a great light and triumphantly
brings us finger bowls.
One OF our earliest adventures had to do
with another application OF water lt was
before the lord and master had to travel
30 incessantly that il became necessary to
maroon his family somewhere, which ac-
in vuh
have a stove that actually heats the room.
1t is a self feeder, an American stove and
that accounts for the choice Of the hotel
and a great deal of solid comfort. This
adventure happened in Amsterdam.
The lord and master ordered a bath, and
Nina, the ohambermaid, made the room
ready for him. Her work consisted partly
in heating the water in a boiler suspended
over the tub. The contrivance was COM
plex, quite unlike anything ! have seen in
insoluble proplem TO my respected hus-
band.
Nina finished her work by turning on the
hot water and announcing that the bath
was ready. So the lord and master went
into the bath room and disrobed. Then he
tried TO turn of the hot water and succeeded
only in scalding his fingers.
He is not gifted with comprehension OF
things mechanical, and he looked vAinly
for the faucet, or knob, or other contriv-
knock at the door and Mina's voice. The
faithful creature had foreseen the pOssi-
bility OF trouble and had fingered near.
The uninterrupted Kissing Of the flowing
water informed her OF the lord and masters
plight. She wanted to come in now and
shut it of.
He, poor nan, had net bolted the door,
feeling secure from intrusion, because il was
furnished with a spring lock. NeWorthe-
less he had TO respond TO the summons, and
no bawled in English, German and French
alternately to Nina to 60 away.
She replied IN Dutch inoomprehen
save for the one word water. The lord and
master was angrily bethinking himself of
putting on his clothes again, when Nina
unlocked the door, walked in, pattered
across 10 the tub, shut OF the water and
pattered out again, while the horriHed Amer
ican concealed has biushes as best he could
behind bath towel
IL was all very simple. kindly and Dutch,
whereby the lord and master had COM
Portable bath.