The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-30
THE SOBER HoLLANpERs.
Do Not Believe in Haunting Good
Clothes-Their Hospitality.

SiotncS-i nctr rIOSpitdittJs
Home Life in Holland" by ID. S.
Medium, which has just been pub
lshed by the Macmillan company con-
tains many interesting glimpses Of the
Dutch besides that which appeared on
this page n few days ago. Here are
two other selections from the same
source:
"COuntrymen Of mine. for example.
have often asked me why, in Amster-
dam at least. they never caught sight
~ the upper classes. IL is possible
that they saw them without recogniz-
ng them. Amsterdam patricians are
shy, reserved birds, with nothing in
their plumage TO distinguish them from
the stranger. Indeed, good burgher
folk in Holland seldom. out of The
Hague. quite dress their worldly part.
and some still cultivate, on the con-
trary. a pedantic contempt for the
fashions.
"A young English merchant once
told me ruefully how he received a
Rotterdam millionaire de haut en- bas.
estimating his visitor. as our practice
is. at the value of his clothes. re-
call the derisive smiles of soberly clad
Dutch professors at a university town
function when two sparkish members
Of the corps diplomatique appeared in
correct Bond street liveries. And
Dutch ladies living abroad assure you
that before they revisit their homes
they pack away their dressmakers'
latest creations and choose others less
modish. fearful of losing the respect
|of friends and relations by dressing
oyerwell. Besides, the boys in the
streets would mob them.
I'm all this. indeed (save the rude
ness of these gamins), change APP
pears in recent years. Is it perhaps
Indicated in the time tables of the var
ious 'housemold' schools which they
have seen established for the train
ing of ladies' maids and the like? Many
Dutch girls who previously would have
been doomed TO the obscurity of plain
ness are now blossoming into beauty
at deft millinery touch. Still. the
Dutch are in no sense smart and they
would rather resent IL did you call
them So"
AS to the national hospitality: "They
do not keep open house in our offhand
sense la Holland. Entertaining there
'7a n II less of lightly come and light
20. Many of the most desirable
households live on a simple scale.
Great establishments are few. 1t is not
usual to keep troops Of servants. The
days routine may not be wantonly
disorganized. A disturbance of the
linen cupboard is a matter of grave
consideration. The Dutch housewife.
moreover. like the French. regards II
as one OF the duties of hospitality to
offer her guest a dinner worthy of his
acceptance. 'Pot-luck' does not appear
In her invitations.
1T is true 10 say that the key to
the Dutch house is the good intro
duction. Even in the Dutch Indies,
am told. where open house is one OF
the conditions of life. this passes you
on with a difference through the mar
bic loggias. Toward a guest so in
troduced the Dutchman regards hospi-
tally as one-half duty He assumes
that this claim to his services will not
have been put upon him unwarranta-
bly,, and he accepts 1t with a sense of
responsibility. His friends friend is for
the time his friend.
I'm a very special sense the Holland
er's house has national quality. Ev-
en- in n foreign country II contrives
to surround itself with n Dutch atmo-
sphere. And that is why. II one would
write with understanding OF Holland.
he must discuss the intlmacies OF her
hearths and even with seeming inde-
cency analyze the nature of his well
come at them"