Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-10-13
Didn't Know His
Own House
By EDITH v. ROSS
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.

SASSNS A~NSSA ca AAAAS0 &&SAAA0
Vedder. Katrina notwithstanding that
the beauty of her form was INSTRUCTED
by dozen petticoats and her shapely
feet were covered with wooden snbots
was really a comely girl-so comely
that when AIRY Van Schoonhoven pass
ed her house one day padding on the
canal he quite fell in love with her.
Not long after this AIRY met the girl
at dance where the sound of the
wooden shoes on the floor was like the
hammering in a carpenters shop. The
couple danced together. AIRY whirled
Katrina around like top.
Whether so much whirling turned
the young peoples brains or whatever
the cause, they fell violently in love.
But in Holland young girls cannot
marry without dowry, and Katri-
ma had no dowry. Old Van Schoon-
hoven, who sold cheeses, was we'll off
and could have set the couple up very
readily, but he would not. He told his
son that If he chose to marry dotless
girl he might do so, but they would get
nothing from him.
The old man, though he was an al
derman and much respected on ac-
count of his position, was given to
tipling. There was place near his
house where he used to drink schnapps
till late at night, then go home and to
bed. He lived in a row of dwellings,
all precisely alike and each built with
its gable end on the street.
One night AIRY determined to play a
prank on his father. He had no object
in doing so except fun, but before he
he got through there was a more i'm
portant result than mere fun.
Van Schoonhoven when he came from
the taproom was used to counting the
houses till he came to the sixth, which
was his own. Since they We're all alike
he had no other way Of determining
his own domicile. The door was one
of those double ones cut in the middle.
One night when the cheese merchant
went home full of schnapps he count
ed the houses, as usual, and when he
reached the sixth endeavored to put
his key in the lock and open the door.
But he was long time finding the
keyhole, and when he did the key
didn't fit 1t. Then he noticed that
instead Of his own double door the
one he was trying to open was single
one. While he was standing stupidity
trying to get through his Dutch noddle
how he could have made a mistake in
his count an upper window sash was
raised and head in a nightcap put
out. Then cracked voice called:
"Who is trying to break into my
house"
II beg pardon" said the man below.
II thought this was my house,"
"And who are you?" a
"I'm Van Schoonhoven, the alder
man."
"And pretty alderman you are to
be breaking the peace at night, prowl-
ing around breaking into peoples
houses. I have mind to call the
watch and have you taken in"
"Pray don't do that. I've only mis-.
taken this house for my own"
do you mean to tell me that you.
who have been born and lived ever
since in the same house, don't know
where you live?"
Il seem to have been mistaken"
"You mean that you have been so
long at the taproom tonight and have
drunk so many bottles Of schnapps
that you are fuddled."
"Can't you direct me to my house?"
"Not I. Do you suppose that am
going to dress myself and go down and
walk you, an alderman Of this respect
able city, to your own house?"
This loud talking aroused those living
next door, and up went their sashes
and out went their heads to learn who
was disturbing the peace. 1t was AIRY
that had been talking to his father.
He had taken the double door off the
hinges and put on another one. Then,
watching for his father when the old
man came, he had lectured him in a
feigned voice. Those living next door,
being perfectly sober, had recognized
Ary's voice and entered heartily into
the joke. .u
II know who you are" said wo-
mans voice next door. "You are Van
Schoonhoven, with but one son, who
wished to marry Katrina Vedder, a
CIR! far too good for such a father-in-
law. You who are an alderman should
set an example to others instead of
getting drunk and breaking the peace
of the town at midnight
Here an idea entered Ary's head.
eyes; that is right. You are keeping
two lovers apart, and tomorrow you
will be paid for your meanness. This
matter will be the talk Of the town.
But tell you what I will do. I viii
give you bed here till morning, and
If you will then promise to mend your
ways we will keep your secret
This brought the old man around.
His son threw him key, with which
he opened the door, and, mounting the
stairs, found himself in his own room.
The next morning AIRY went down
early and changed the door. The wo-
man who had done part of the talk
Ing came In and told him that If he
did not consent to his sons marriage
and do we'll by the young couple she
would tell the town he had come home
so drunk that he didn't know his own
house.
Van Schoonhoven made a virtue Of
necessity and gave the promise. But
how his house came by double door
at night and had single one in the
morning, though he smoked many
pipes over the problem, he could never
determine