The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-29
THE MAN With
THE BIG EARS
A Lovers Trick to Win the
Girl of His Heart.

In the good old days when New
York was called New Amsterdam there
lived near Bowling Green rich Dutch
man, Gerrit Ten Brock, whose daugh-
ter, Anneka, was the apple of his eye.
Anneka was seventeen, and her father
thought it high time that he should ar
range a marriage for her. for in those
days girls were married much younger
than now and had very little to say in
the choice of husband.
Ten Brock was engaged In the fur
business with one Ten Eycke, Ten
Eycke buying furs in Albany which
Ten Brock sold in New York. One day
Ten Brock wrote his partner:
Annela is now old enough to be mar
ried. What has become of your son Pc
ter? ! remember him an little boy and
ne promised TO be q fine looking man, ex-
cept that his ears which were very large
stuck out singularly from his head. His
mother was trying TO alter their position.
trust she succeeded. However. this has
nothing 10 do with what have In mind.
AS I said, Anneka is old enough 10 be
married. What do you say TO uniting our
business for another generation at least
by marrying your son to my daughter?
To this Ten Eycke replied:
Your plan of marrying my son to your
daughter is a very good one. The only
trouble in the way is the defect you men
ton. Peter is very sensitive about It, and
fear l shall not be able to persuade him
TO marry any one. However. will see
what can do in the matter.
After much coaxing Peter was won
over to the plan. A betrothal was
made by letter, for ships sailed infre-
quently between New Amsterdam and
Albany In those days. and the journey
was too troublesome to be taken when
1t could be avoided. At least this was
the reason given by the parents of the
contracting parties. The real reason
was it was feared IL Anneka after see
ing her betrothed should have time to
act before the wedding she would re-
fuse to be married. Anneka was bro
ken hearted over the matter.
However, her father paid no atten-
ton to his daughters repugnance to
the match, and it was arranged be-
tween him and Ten Eycke that Peter
should come down to New Amsterdam
on the sloop Katrina, leaving Albany
on the 9Th Of October, 1856, for the
purpose Of being married. Every prep
aration was made for the wedding
the parlor swept clean, the dining room
and kitchen (they were one) scrubbed
and no end of cakes made. At IL
o'clock in the morning of Oct. Z a
young man appeared at the front door,
gave loud rap and when admitted an
nounced himself as Peter Ten Eycke.
When Gerrit Ten Brock saw his
enormous ears, nearly the size of a
donkey's, and how they stuck out on
each side. tapping when their owner
walked, his heart misgave him. How
could he infiict such deformity upon
his daughter? His neighbors would be
forever laughing at him, in their
sleeves If not openly. Nevertheless
Dutchman Of those days never gave up
purpose. Gerrit had no thought of |
receding from his plan. but natural
tenderness for his only child induced
him to comfort her.
I'VE will not hasten matters. my
DEAR" he said. Tomorrow will be
time enough for the wedding, or, if you
like, next week. Meanwhile you will
become accustomed
IF must marry him." said Anneka,
s'let it be at once"
"What-as soon as he has arrived"
Eyes. / am ready now"
'Very well. my child, since you wish
it."
1t was a strange wedding procession
that walked up what is now Broadway
to the church. The ears of the groom
tapped in the wind, and the towns
people crowded the wedding party to
get a--view. of. him, not scrupling to