Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-16
A YANKEE
TRICK
1t Was Peypetroted TUo
Hundred Years
Ago
By F. A. Mitchell

cut realize the difference between a
twentieth and seventeenth century
transition over the same route.
There was no more similarity be-
tween the settlers of Manhattan island
and Connecticut than between a pump
kin and a clay pipe. The Dutchman of
New Amsterdam was a good natured,
easy going person made rotund by
drinking schnapps and composed him.
self by the smoking of much tobacco.
The Englishman of Connecticut was a
long, lean party given to the selling of
various articles of his own raising or
manufacture, which he had the faculty
of selling to others for good money.
He has been accused-unjustly, of
course-of making nutmegs of wood
and selling them for the real article.
Hence the name of the Nutmeg State.
One morning toward the close Of the
seventeenth century Walter Ten Eyck.
a young Dutchman of New Amster-
dam, thinking that all the selling should
not be done by the Yankee to the New
Amsterdamers, set out from the city
for Connecticut with a load of peltries
on his back that he hoped to dispose OF
to his neighbors there. Trudging along
the road called the Bouwerie-since
corrupted to Bowery-he crossed the
Harlem river by ferry-a rowboat-and
proceeded ON his way. After a few
days travel he reached the village of
Stamford. There he displayed his pelts
in the market place.
There were plenty of would be pur-
chasers for them, but they all preferred
to trade rather than to buy for cash.
Walter held out for some time, refus-
ing to take what vas offered him, u
at last. feeling sure that he would not
get any money from these hungry look
ing persons, consented to trade. When
the day was ended he had parted with.
his skins and had instead a dozen
pumpkins, one of the first clocks made
in the province and a dozen pairs OF
suspenders cut from the skin of a deer.
Walter looked ruefully at his various
articles, wondering how he was to take
| them to New Amsterdam and what he
would do with them when he got them
there. Suddenly he heard a woman's
voice say:
Are your goods for saleF"
Looking up he saW-a~girl-witha
pleasant face regarding his stock.
mot in Connecticut" he said, Il
should only trade them for others that
1 have not the means of transporting
to my home in New Amsterdam. If
there is anything among them that
you want help yourself"
Noticing that the girls eyes were fix
ed on a pair of beaded m~occasins, Wal
ter handed them to her. She took them
as If undecided whether to accept them.
"Where DO you stay tonightF" she
asked.
"That l do not know. l thought of
asking leave to sleep in the meeting
house."
l think my father will take you in.
He is Pardon Weatherby. l am Pa
thence Weatherby. We will give you
shelter in return for what you have
given me-"
Walter looked at his pumpkins and
other articles. wondering what he
should do with them. Then he picked
up the clock and, taking 1t under his
arm, leaving the rest of the articles
the girl. He was received by her ia
Their and mother, who, noticing that he
wore good clothes, thought he might
have money. so they babe him well
come. He spent the evening with Pa
thence very happily, for she was a
| good girl and seemed to be much pleas
ed with the young Dutchman. At bed
time he was shown into a room which,
If 1t did not have the spick and span
appearance of the rooms of his home
in New Amsterdam, was not uncom-
Portable.
That night when Pardon Weatherby
and his wife were going to bed the
wife said to the husband:
1T seems that our neighbors have
taken everything the young man has,
and unless he has a little money for
his travels there is nothing left for us
but himself. Patience is of an age to
marry, and there is none of the young
men here to whom l would care to give
her or whom she will marry. Mayhap
we can hold on to him for her"
spoken wisely" said Weatherby.
Il could myself get what he has with
out trouble, but for an affair such as
you suggest a woman is the best man.
ager. l leave it to you"
When Walter came down from his
0 the next morning he found a
good breakfast awaiting him. After
he had eaten he proposed to settle for
his entertainment and took from his
purse some silver pieces for the pur-
pose. What was his establishment
when the woman declined to take
them and lnvitel him to remain with
them as long Us he liked.
Walter was at a loss to know what
this liberality meant. He certainly
did not suspect that, whereas the
kAxrv4ENAAV1, n,1 H. IT. .Is~. H.