Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-07-26
MYNHEER SCHOONHOVEN.

One summer evening, not many years
ago, as was wandering aimlessly through
the drained bottom lands OF HARLEM
Lake in Holland, overlook an old man
and walked on with him. His thin,
white face was graced with silver beard
that fell in tresses over his sunken chest.
He had been tall, but now he was stopped
with age
He wore garments that had been in
style more than half century before
knickerbockers gathered at the knees
with silver buttons, and black woolen
stockings that terminated in low, fancy
shoes, the heavy clasps OF which had
been fashioned out OF beaten silver. His
vest was of clerical cut, but il lacked one
button at the bosom and was slightly open
there, as if to show the white shirt under
meath. Close fitting about his neck he
wore dark silk kerchief, such as in the
earlier part OF the nineteenth century used
to be substituted by the country gentry OF
Holland for the linen collar OF the city.
Topping all was high silk hat with mar
row rim.
Mynheer Arie Schoonhoven was one
OF the rare survivals OF the old Dutch
gentlemen OF the farm. II was not long,
however, before he let me know that his
heart was not on the land but on the wa
ter. For on the water he had been born;
on the water he had spent his childhood i,
and on the water he had hoped TO live
and die. But when the lake OF Harlem
was drained some seventy years ago the
waters had been taken from under his
feet. Willy-nily, he had been forced TO
quit ploughing the deep, and ever since
he had followed the plough in The field
and had raised grain where once the nets
had stood and the ships had felt the
breezes. His love OF the water had
never died, and he was glad 10 tell me
the story that made him muse during the
evening OF his lite.
His grandfather, for whom he was
named, had been the last OF long line
of barons that traced their ancestry into
the eleventh century. The ancient castle
round which the modern village OF
Schoonhoven nestles has long since
crumbled into ruins. II had been razed
TO the ground during the days of William
The Silent, because a Schoonhoven had
fought for his country against the tyranny
OF Spain. Later If had been rebuilt but
when toward the close of the eighteenth
century the French revolutionists invaded
Holland, it was leveIed once more and
the dwellers were driven away.
After many years OF wandering, Mathys
Schoonhoven, the father OF my compan-
ion, settled in the beautiful town OF AalS-
meer, on the east shore Of the lake of
HARLEM and about hallway between AM
sterdam and Leiden. He had still suff-
cient money TO purchase a well-built
snip, with which he piled between the
two cities on either side, distance from
each other OF some twenty-five miles.
During most OF the year the entire family
were with him on the ship. Their one
room had 10 do service as kitchen, dining
room, library, sitting room and dormitory,
but il was sweet and clean and sunny.
During The winter months, when the
ice was thick, the boat lay idle at Aals-
meer. That was the time for school at
tendance, which was not possible for al
least nine months OF the year. Mother
Schoonhoven tried TO instruct her chill
dren; but with the ship tossing about
and new things 10 see every moment ex-
cept al night, her teaching did not carry
them far.
While the old man was Illuminating so
over bygone days, a cloud Of
sadness crept slowly over his face. For
a few long minutes he stood gazing at
The fields about us; then he turned TO me
with query as to whether ! cared TO
hear what was uppermost in his mind.
OF course begged him TO tell me.
In the early spring OF 1888, after the ice
had broken up, his father had sailed out
Of Amsterdam to carry cargo from there
10 Leiden. Mother Schoonhoven and
the children never saw him again. But
it was weeks before the tragedy became
absolutely certain 10 them.
On the morning OF the third day, as
they learned later, Mathys Schoonhoven
left Amsterdam. At seven o'clock that
three hours after leaving the
city, he passed out OF the peat-bog canals
and made for the lake of Harlem. At
nine that same morning other ships sailed
out OF the lake into the peat-bog canals
for the city; but none had seen Schoon-
hoven's ship. In those two hours, there
fore, the ship and its crew had met their
fate. A careful search was made by
friends OF the family and even by the gov
eminent, but never clue was found to
the mystery OF that sudden dis
appearance.
Arie was then fourteen. He had ex-
pected TO follow the mast and had ap-
prenticed for no other trade. During
those anxious weeks he grew from care
less boy into a thoughtful man. He was
The oldest, and he determined to support
his loved ones as God gave him strength.
The years OF struggle that followed he
spoke OF hastily. They probably pro-
voked no pleasing "reminiscences. One
thing, however, stayed with him through
his every experience he must some day
discover where the noble ship went down
and if possible what was the cause of its
disaster. Since the ship had gone down
between seven and nine the possible area
was very limited. Somewhere within