The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-07-24

Paper Read Before The Chautauqua Circle.)

street railways, its great geological
gardens, which are as fully equip
ed as the Bronx Zoo at New York
City. Again one is impressed by
the great towers of the st. Lawer-
ence Cathedral, where our early pill
grims worshipped.
The Hague is the social center
of this little country and all the
wealthy merchants of Amsterdam
and Rotterdam own palatial resi-
dences in this city, which they oc-
cupy during the social season. 1t
is also the winter residence of the
! Queen and the palace itself is worth
seeing. The summer residence of
the Queen at Het Loo, suburb of
Apeldoon, is magnificent struct-
ure, surrounded by immense
grounds and is also worth. seeing.
There is plenty of diversion in The
Hague, there being three Museums
of Art, the Peace Conference Pal
ace situated in the heart of a nina
ture forest, the Vijver or pond with
it's flock of large and beautiful
swans. situated in the heart of the
public gardens. The spot that stays
in ones memory the longest is the
Gevangenpoort or Prison Gate"
the entrance to that ancient prison
where all the loyal subjects of this
little country were tortured to
death by all the cruel instruments
of the Spanish Inquisition. These
instruments may still be seen, but
the sight of them makes one think
of the two patriot brothers, John
and Cornelius Dewitt. and how
they suffered for their country.
The Netherlands have always
been noted for the variety and
quaintness of it's provincial and even
communal costumes, and these may
still be seen, though they are dying
out slowly. In their mode of dress
ing their is great deal of differ
ence between the people of one
province and another. Just as they
differ in dress, so they also differ in
appearance, education, wealth and
civilization.
1t may be we'll to describe the
interior of the fsherman's home,
for most all of the poorer class are
| fishermen. 1t was through the
friendship existing between my rel
atives and these poor people that |
had the pleasure of visiting their
homes. | was shown the rude wall
cupboard bed with the wooden
doors to screen it from view during
the day. AT the foot of these beds
Is placed a shelf cradle or tiny
bunk for the last baby, about yard
above the parental couch. l was
also shown the blue and white tea
things of which our hostess was
quite proud. The most peculiar
thing was the small CRATE for turf
burning and cooking, which stood
in the entrance, and is used by two
or more families in common in or
der to save fuel. They live for
warmth in winter, often sleeping
as many as six or eight in one
small room, and thus is caused
their one plague, consumption.
They are poor but proud and there
are no beggars amongst these peo-
pie. They inter-marry with their
own and are never eager to make
acquaintance with strangers.
They pursue their fish catching and
selling with the conscious pride of
professionals.
To the foreigner the Netherlands
must always appear land of dykes
and canals, the one important for
it's protection and the other for it's
source of communication and trans
portation. Dutch patriots declare
with pride that, God gave us the
sea, but we made the Shore" and
no one will undervalue their
achievements or scott at their pre-
tentions. after having seen some
Of their great undertakings.
The sea dyks save Holland from
the North Sea, sombre and grey in
its most genial mood, menacing and
stormy through the long winter
months, but it is to the inland dykes
that protect the low lying farms
that Holland owes her prosperity.
Every few years there is an in
significant break in some dyke by
which some small farm is flooded,
acres of arabic land ruinad ond