Connecticut western news., 1909-12-23
A NEW YEAR CONTEST
By ADELAIDE RUTH HILL

York-and it was then great func- tion with the Dutch men and Dutch women of that town-was at hand. It was in transition sta,p. The simple visits of the inhabitan:s, where they made few calls and sient plenty of time drinking schnapps at each call, were passing out with the growth of the place, and already some of the fashionable young men were begin ming to boast of the number of visits they would make.
 Miss Kate Van Gaasback was then the belle of the town, and two of the city "bloods." Derrick Schermerhorn and Beekman Van Corlaer, were as- pirants for her hand. A few evenings before the 1st of January they hap pened to meet in Miss Van Gaas- backs parlOr, each hoping for a favor able answer to his suit
 II desire" said the lady, flor a hUs- band one who will join with me in a successful society career. You two each take a notebook with you when you call on New Years day and have every lady you call upon enter her name in it. Begin calling at 10 o'clock in the morning, ending your rounds here at in the evening. He who can show the largest number of signatures shall have preference over the other"
 Now, it was not that the lady had no preference. She had a very strong preference for Derrick Schermerhorn. But at times woman moves like crab, backward-that is, when she is expected to go forward she proceeds in the opposite direction. This. however, will be recognized at the end of the story. At 10 o'clock on New Years morning the two suitors. dressed in the height of the then fashion and each with big bouquet in his buttonhole, started to make the rounds of their lady friends. Derrick, who from the fact that his father was rich brewer was popular, had been able to make the larger list. Beekman relized this and had great fears that his own list would be exhausted before the limit of time had elapsed. However, he could do only what he could and ac- cept defeat, if it came, like man.
 The first call Derrick made was on Miss Van Horn. After a few remarks he was lowing himself out when the lady reminded him that it was not complimentary that he should hurry and he must have some refreshment. He waited half an hour for the re- freshment to be served, then, after partaking of it, got away as soon as possible. At his second call the lady insisted on reading to him from her fa- vorite book, and he found it impossible to leave her under three-quarters of an hour. Even then she reproached him. The third call was made with a similar delay After this came a number of visits which were completed with dis patch. And so passed the day. About one in three of those he called on de layed him.
 Now, it happened that about o'clock in the afternoon the two suitors met at the house of Vanderpole Ten Eyck, manufacturer of calico, in King street. There were q number of girls ill the party. and they had heard that contest was on between the young men as to who would make the most calls. A bevy surrounded each of the contestants, tesing him to reveal his score Both refused. Then one of the girls snatched Beekman's note book from his pocket and ran away with it. Having examined it, she sang out:
 'Thirty-tWO callS!'
 This was sad news to Derrick, who knew that he had made only twenty eight. 1t was half past 4, and even if Beekman made no more visits Derrick must make five more to beat him. He started to go, but the mischievous girls locked the front door. But rear door was open, and he plunged through it, followed closely by his opponent. This door led through passageway uniting the dwelling with the print works. The two men rushed through this pas sageway and found themselves nov ing on a raised platform on either side of which, their upper edges rising some twelve inches above it, were dye vats. A brilliant idea occurred to Der rick. Lessening his pace, he permitted Beekman to overtake him and gave him a push. Beekman's heels caught against the projection of a dye vat. and he fell into it, catching with his hands either si.!e of the vat. Then he pulled himself out. dripping with a beautiful yellow dye.
 Derrick shot out of q door at the other end of the building at the same time that the pursuing girls entered the dye house. A merry shout of laughter sounded to poor Beelman like a funeral krell. Al any rate. he knew he had lost the race and the prize. He stood surveying himself, scraping the thick dyestuf off one hand with the other, and vice versa, till Mrs. Ten Eyck took pity on him and led him away to a place where he could get off his clothes and put on suit of her sons.
 Derrick Schermerhorn got in five more visits and mounted the stoop of the Van Gaasback dwelling as the clock struck 5.
 ''I'Ve wOn" he cried