Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-11-12
Anneke Van
Wrinkles Wit
A Story Of an Old Dutch
Town.
By F. A. Mitchell
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

4Ac City VI OClleueCLuuy, Ne LIZ uulA
the latter part Of the nineteenth CEN
fury was a sleepy Dutch village.
In the early days, when the Indians
used to come into Schenectady to
dispose of their pelts in exchange for
various articles, the principal of which
was flrewater, there lived In the town
a young man named Hieleger Van
Tromp. He was In love with Anneke
Van Wrinkle. fine specimen of
Dutch girl, who, when wearing all the
petticoats she possessed, looked very
much like u humming top.
Some twenty miles from Schenectady
the remains of historical mansion
that was occupied by Sir William John
son, prominent In colonial times, still
stand. A fur trader named Martin
Smith lived in that region and made
frequent trips to Schenectady In the
way Of business. On one of his trips
he caught sight Of Anneke Van Win
kle and fell violently in love with her.
A neighbor of Hieleger's told him that
he had better look out for his sweet
heart, for the Englishman was then at
her house begging her to go back with
him to the Long house, as the residence
Of Sir William Johnson was called.
This Is the only recorded case of
Hieleger showing any animation. He
got up from his chair, dropping his
pipe, which was shattered, and triangu-
IOfnd ArnaIyo11
him coming. his eyes aflre, and with
discretion withdrew. Hieleger chased
him out Of the town, and when the
former returned his shirt was bloody.
1t was supposed that the Dutchman
had given the Engllshman nothing
more than a good trouncing until
man came In from Johnson's to learn
what had become of Smith, for he had
come to Schenectady for a day only,
and though week had passed he had
not returned. The fact that when
Hieleger had come back from chasing
his would be rival blood was on his
clothing was proof to the Dutchmen
that he had killed Smith. A search
was made for the body, but it was
not found. But this had little weight,
for 1t was supposed that the murderer
had buried it.
Hieleger was tried and convicted.
The fact that Smith had disappeared
after having been chased, that blood
was on the shirt of the man who had
chased him, was quite enough for
those who tried Van Tromp without
wasting words over any possible ex-
PLANTATION. The Dutchman Of that perl
cd was not imaginative or ingenious.
What was before his eyes he saw; of
what might be behind his back he took
no note. That Hieleger had killed the
man who sought to take his sweet
heart from him they did not doubt.
Some were inclined to leniency on &C.
count Of the provocation, but these
were overruled by the wise heads who
declared that murder was murder and
that was all there was about It. So
Hieleger was condemned to be hanged
one month from the day on which he
was convicted.
Anneke received the verdict stolidly.
At least she appeared TO do so, though
her face was so fat that it is not prob
able any change Of expression could
appear in her lineaments. Neverthe-
less she loved Hieleger, and her love
for him had been much enhanced on
seeing him chase away the man who
had thrust his attention upon her. She
went to her home, sat down In the liv-
ing room and, taking up her knitting,
began to think, for Anneke could never
think unless her fingers were working
the needles.
1t would be a mistake to suppose
that because Annehe's face was as
round as an apple and her little eyes
were set above a pair of exuberant
cheeks she had no power Of thought.
She had considerable thinking appara-
tus-that is, for those times in the stu
pid Dutch town in which she lived.
And she was not SO slow in her
thoughts as one would suppose. While
she was knitting n pair Of stockings
she thought out plan by which she
might possibly save her lover from the
gallows. 1t was not plan that would
work In any other age or among any
other people, but for them It was admi-
rably adapted, for the Schenectady
burgher was q man accustomed to
moving In a single plane. Out of that
plane he at once became befogged and
could not move at all.
There was in those days one church
in which all the people Of Schenectady
worshiped. In its steeple was a clock
that furnished them the time. The sun
might rise and set irregularly, but the
clock went right on just the same. In
deed, 1t would have been treason to
doubt its accuracy, for 1t was the only
calendar In the town. BY the hour 1t
marked all things were decided. If
man promised to pay sum OF money
In thirty days the expiration Of the pc
Rod was not marked by the fact that
the sun had risen and set thirty times,
but that the hour hand Of tho clock
had noted the passage Of thirty days.
The people in Schenectady were used
IN those days to getting up at In the
morning. One morning a large num-
Der Of persons awaklng at their usual
time were surprised that they remained
awake an hour before the clock struck
O. But they were slow In comparing
notes, and even II they had done so