Bisbee daily review., 1908-05-06
&c. C Young.l

Amsterdam, Holland, April 20, 1908.
Having visited Venice, Italy, was
prepared in expectation for Amster-
dam, the Dutch city in and on the
North sea. Though it is like Venice
in having 500 canals and 20 bridges.
Amsterdam is a city of streets made
of stone instead of water and it has
plenty OF comfortable street cars and
horse conveyances. There is a popu-
lation of 100000 people and it is the
largest and richest city in Holland.
All of the land on the North sea is
bounded by high dyke or Ievee to
keep out the water, the land also is
level and every foot of it is under in
tense cultivation. The old time stork,
the native bird of Holland, abounds
everywhere, and saw their nests and
two giant birds keeping their faithful
vigil The Dutch people have a fair,
clear complexion on account of uV-
ing so near the sea and they are a
nardy race of people, yet not large
in statue. They are, as rule, well
educated, and are proud of the his
tory of their country. Peculiar con-
ditions of life have prevailed in Ho-
land for hundreds of years and of such
I shall write in this article.
l shall write first Of Amsterdam. My
first visit to places in the city was to
the old Dutch Reformed church, where
SO many kings and queens have been
crowned and where so many noted
men are buried. My first subject is
the Orphan boys who have for hun
dreds of years had a better chance for
success in Holland than any other
country in Europe.
The noted wood carver, Albert Vic
enbrinck, began life as an orphan boy.
He began a piece of work when IA
years of age and completed it when he
was 81, and he is buried in the church.
The piece of furniture requiring so
much time for completion is used as
a pulpit in the church and has hun
dreds of figures on it and is the fin
est and most gigantic specimen OF
wood carving in the world. OF course,
the boy had other work to do in the
meantime, but he worked at times dur
ing 40 years on this pulpit, being en-
eouraged by the royal families and
thus rose to fame and high position.
Another grave is that of Joost Vondel
wac began life as a poor orphan boy
was Hollands greatest poet, and is
called the Dutch Shakespeare. Among
his many successes he had the bad
habit of sometimes getting on uncon
,froIabIe sprees, in fact gioriously
drunk. One night in particular he
was 50 drunk and so boisterous that
IL is said ten policemen were required
tn carry hime home. While the ten
men were holding his arms, legs, head
and mouth, and some of them fairly
carrying the poet on their shoulders
he sang out this verse:
aOf wonders it's a wonder,
One drunkard is on top.
And ten are under.
Another grave is of man who be
can life as a penniless orphan and be
corna a merchant of note. He founded
an orphanage and presented 1t with
the boys to the city OF Amsterdam
Aftar his death the work was kept
.,n and his grave was decorated with
tae coat of arms of the city, which was
a nag Of black and red. Later the
rule was adopted that the boys should
wear uniforms of the black and red TO
rsa-esent the coat of arms and perpe.
tuate the memory of the founder OF
their orphanage. I saw the boys on
che street. The uniform is half and
n.Is IN the colors; the red and black
beein in the seam Of the coat IN tne
baek and is thus made complete just
suagine a coat with all one half RED.
t.cIuasne the sleeve. and the other
made black in the same fashion
asi-j another shall dare to mention