Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-09
WIFE OF DUTCH ATTACHE PAYS
COMPLIMENT TOU.S.NFLOWERS
Nine. |. A. H. Peters Tells of
Beautiful Fields in Ma
tive Land.
Picturesque Bungalow in
Washington Surrounded by
Beds of Blooms.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Far out OH Wisconsin avenue, stand
ing well back from the street, Is q pic.
turesoue bungalow upon the grounds OF
which may be seen neatly arranged
beds OF hyacinth and tulips.
The poisoning of the plants has been
awaited with keenest pleasure by Nine
L. A. H. Peters, wife Of the attache OF
the Holland legation, who brought the
bulbs with her from her home IN Hol-
land and who, as pretty compliment
to the country she is visiting has plant
ed her hyacinth bed with flowers OF red,
white and blue.
1T soon will be tulip time in my
country" remarked Nine. Peters as she
pointed with pride to the brilliantly
colored crocuses bordering the gravel
walk, the waxen bells Of the hyacinth
blossoms and the green leaves OF the
tulips.
Near my home in Goes, the province
of Iceland" she continued, I'VE have
the famous flower fields of Holland,
where. in the season, may be seen acres
upon acres of beautifully colored bios
SONS: masses of white, pink, blue and
lavender hyacinth. About the time OF
Whitsunday the tulips begin to BIOS
som and then, from the countryside for
miles around, the people come on BIZ
cycles to see the flower fields.
Flower Cultivation Is Industry.
1.-THE cultivation of flower bulbs forms
an important export industry OF my
country. In addition to the bulb indus
try. the growers also sell their flowers,
and now are doing quite a large ex-
port business by sending the cut-fiowers
to other European countries by air
plane"
Nine. Peters stated that although
the flowers in Washington are very
! lovely in the Spring, nevertheless they
| are not SO abundant or so fine as the
ones in Holland. However" she added,
'your shrubbery Is much more beautiful
| than that Of my country and that per-
+, haps is because there is so much more
sunlight here than In Holland"
Modern Customs Sweep Holland.
Although many of the picturesque
| customs and costumes Of the Dutch
| still prevail Nine Peters said that she
| regretted to admit they are disappear
ing before modernism.
1--WE still have the milk women and
the milk carts drawn by dogs" she
said. There are also the fish women
who 60 about the towns with their
baskets suspended from a yoke worn
over the shoulders, just as the milk
women carry the milk pals.
I'm Holland, the markets come to
our doors. First the milk woman APP
pears at the door. Then come the
Vegetable merchants. After this the
baker arrives. and so on through the
morning until the housekeeping for the
day has been finished"
Women Marry, Stay at Home.
Her reputation as housekeeper is a
source of pride and pleasure to the
| Dutch woman, Mime. Peters explained.
1.-THE women of Holland do not engage
as actively in business as American
women" she said. Most of the Dutch
women marry and then stay at home.
They rarely have other interests after
marriage outside the home. 1t is a law
that women holding government posi-
lions must resign them after mar
riage.
The women of my country are fond
of needlework and still make great
many very fine Flemish laces. For fear
the art of lace making might be lost.
a school, known as the Queen Sophie
School, has been established In Sluis.
across from the Belgian border. and
here many older girls and women are
learning how to make the old Flemish
linen laceS."
Skating Marathons Described.
The wife Of the Dutch attache comes
from a part of Holland where, during
the Winter season, great interest is
conferred in the skating marathons.
"One of the most famous races held
Is that Of the IL cities" she said. 1.-THE
| a from nra nf tl1a iSIn n III
cities at an early hour of the morning.
They wear no shoes, only very thick
wooden socks, to which are strapped
Dutch skates made Of wood. The race
lasts all day, during which they must
visit ii cities. The one to arrive first
at the eleventh city Is awarded prize
Medals are given to all who participate .
Nine Peters is interested in the great
pottery industry of her country and has
many fine specimens Of Gouda and
Delft ware.
II have brought little with me to
this country" she said, "but have a
rather interesting collection OF Delft,
manufactured during the war to conf
memorate certain critical periods"
| Delft Ware Is Displayed.
She then displayed q group Of lovely
Delft plates.
The first plate, bearing the date 1914
showed a Dutch windmill, with dark
J cloud in the background and Dutch
words, meaning, 1.-THE cloud gathers.
Plates bearing dates Of the years OF
the war had patterns significant Of the
period.
There are about IA Of the little Delft
plates in the collection, Of which
only o limited number was produced
at the time. The last of the series
bearing crown was made to honor the
Queen, who had had to bear the serious
burden Of keeping Holland neutral dur
ing the war.
AS Mime. Peters led the way from the
room, nurse entered with two girls
The eldest, about 2la,. was introduced
as Rosemary, and the baby, IA months
old, was called Liesje. or Little Eliza
BETH
'.Liesje Is my little American baby. =
Nine. Peters explained "She was born
] in this country, but newt month VII
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