Produced by Emmy, Dianna Adair and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)







[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic
text is surrounded by _underscores_.]




Our Little Dutch Cousin




THE

Little Cousin Series

(TRADE MARK)

    Each volume illustrated with six or more full-page plates in
    tint. Cloth, 12mo, with decorative cover,
    per volume, 60 cents


LIST OF TITLES

BY MARY HAZELTON WADE

(unless otherwise indicated)


    =Our Little African Cousin=
    =Our Little Alaskan Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Arabian Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Armenian Cousin=
    =Our Little Australian Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Brazilian Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Brown Cousin=
    =Our Little Canadian Cousin=
      By Elizabeth R. MacDonald
    =Our Little Chinese Cousin=
       By Isaac Taylor Headland
    =Our Little Cuban Cousin=
    =Our Little Dutch Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Egyptian Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little English Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Eskimo Cousin=
    =Our Little French Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little German Cousin=
    =Our Little Greek Cousin=
         By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Hawaiian Cousin=
    =Our Little Hindu Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Indian Cousin=
    =Our Little Irish Cousin=
    =Our Little Italian Cousin=
    =Our Little Japanese Cousin=
    =Our Little Jewish Cousin=
    =Our Little Korean Cousin=
              By H. Lee M. Pike
    =Our Little Mexican Cousin=
            By Edward C. Butler
    =Our Little Norwegian Cousin=
    =Our Little Panama Cousin=
              By H. Lee M. Pike
    =Our Little Philippine Cousin=
    =Our Little Porto Rican Cousin=
    =Our Little Russian Cousin=
    =Our Little Scotch Cousin=
             By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Siamese Cousin=
    =Our Little Spanish Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Swedish Cousin=
            By Claire M. Coburn
    =Our Little Swiss Cousin=
    =Our Little Turkish Cousin=

    L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
    New England Building,      Boston, Mass.

[Illustration: PIETER AND WILHELMINA]





Our Little Dutch Cousin

By

Blanche McManus

    Author of "Our Little English Cousin," "Our Little
    French Cousin," "Our Little Scotch Cousin," etc.

    _Illustrated by_
    The Author


[Illustration]


    Boston
    L. C. Page & Company
    _PUBLISHERS_




    _Copyright, 1906_
    BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
    (INCORPORATED)

    _All rights reserved_

    THE LITTLE COUSIN SERIES
    (_Trade Mark_)

    Fifth Impression, July, 1909





Preface


OUR little Dutch cousins have much in common with little American
cousins, not so much perhaps with respect to present-day institutions
and manners and customs, as with the survivals and traditions of other
days, when the Dutch played so important a part in the founding of the
new America.

It was from Holland, too, from the little port of Delfshaven, that the
Pilgrim Fathers first set sail for the New World, and by this fact alone
Holland and America are bound together by another very strong link,
though this time it was of English forging.

No European country, save England, has the interest for the American
reader or traveller that has "the little land of dikes and windmills,"
and there are many young Americans already familiar with the ways of
their cousins from over the seas from the very fact that so many of them
come to Holland to visit its fine picture-galleries, its famous and
historic buildings, its tulip-gardens, and its picturesque streets and
canals, which make it a paradise for artists.

Our little Dutch cousins mingle gladly with their little American
cousins, and the ties that bind make a bond which is, and always has
been, inseverable.




Contents


    CHAPTER                                PAGE
      I. PIETER AND WILHELMINA               1
     II. THE AMERICAN COUSIN                23
    III. THE LAND OF DIKES AND WINDMILLS    34
     IV. THE KERMIS                         53
      V. THE BICYCLE RIDE                   63
     VI. WHERE THE CHEESES COME FROM        81






List of Illustrations


                                                              PAGE
  PIETER AND WILHELMINA                              _Frontispiece_
  "'HOW OLD IS COUSIN THEODORE, MOTHER?' ASKED WILHELMINA"     27
  "'I'M GOING TO SNAP-SHOT ONE OF THEM WITH MY CAMERA'"        48
  AT THE KERMIS                                                61
  ON THE ROAD TO DELFSHAVEN                                    66
  "THE CHILDREN STOOD IN THE BOWS"                             98

[Illustration: _Map of HOLLAND

showing places mentioned in

Our Little Dutch Cousin_]




Our Little Dutch Cousin




CHAPTER I.

PIETER AND WILHELMINA


WHAT do you think of a country where you can pick up sugar-plums along
the road? Well, this was just what Pieter and Wilhelmina were going to
do as, hand in hand, they flew up the road as fast as their little
wooden shoes would let them, to meet a carriage which was rapidly
approaching. Behind the carriage ran a crowd of children, laughing and
tumbling over each other.

"Oh! they are throwing the 'suikers' now; run faster, Wilhelmina,"
panted Pieter; and, sure enough, as the carriage went by, a shower of
candies fell all about them. One piece dropped right in Wilhelmina's
mouth, which of course was open, because she had been running so hard.
But there was no time to laugh, as the children were all scrambling hard
to pick up the sweets. Then they tried to catch up with the carriage
again, but it was nearly out of sight by this time, and so one by one
the young folk stopped to count up their gains, and compare them with
one another.

This was a wedding-party returning from church. In the carriage sat the
bride and groom. The carriage sat high up on its two great wheels, and
was gaudily painted and gaily decked with flowers and ribbons.

Pieter and Wilhelmina had been on the lookout for this bridal party with
more than usual interest, for two relatives of the bride had come to
their mother a few days before to invite her to the wedding ceremony,
and the children thought these young men had looked very fine in their
best clothes, with flowers stuck in the sides of their caps.

The bride had her arms full of candies, and, as was the custom, she
threw them out to the children as they drove along. The little Dutch
children call these candies "suikers." As you may imagine, this is a
great treat for them, and accordingly the children of Holland take more
of an interest in weddings than do the children of other countries.

"Put all the 'suikers' in my apron, Pieter," said Wilhelmina, "and let
us go and show them to the mother," and the children quickly ran back
home.

Wilhelmina and Pieter were twins, so it does not matter whether we say
Wilhelmina or Pieter first, and they looked so much alike that when they
stood together in the high grass by the side of the canal which ran in
front of their home, it was hard to tell one from the other if it had
not been for Pieter's cap.

They both had round, rosy faces, and round, blue eyes, and yellow hair,
only you would not know that Wilhelmina had any hair at all, for it was
completely hidden by her cap. They both wore little wooden shoes, and it
was a marvel how fast they could run in them, for they seem to be on the
point of dropping off most of the time, but, strange to say, they never
do.

Holland is the dearest little wee country in the world. Uncle Sam could
put it in his vest pocket. It looks like a country just made to play in.
Its houses are so small and trim, all set about with neat little gardens
and trees, which look as if they had been cut out of wood, like the
trees in the "Noah's arks." There are little canals and little bridges
everywhere, and little towns scattered here and there all over the
broad, flat country. You could go to all of the principal cities of this
little land in one day, and you can stand in one of the church towers
and see over half the country at a glance. The only things that look big
are the windmills.

What do you think of a garden gate without any fence? But this is just
the sort of a gate that the twins entered when they arrived home.
Instead of a fence there was a small canal which divided the garden from
the road, and of course the gate was in the middle of a small bridge,
otherwise how could they have got across the canal?

At the front door they both left their shoes on the steps outside, for
Dutch people never think of bringing their dirty shoes into the house.
Then they opened only half of the front door and went in. Many Dutch
doors are made in two parts, the upper half remaining open most of the
time, like a window, while the lower half is closed like an ordinary
door.

"Oh, mamma, see what a lot of 'suikers' the bride threw to us," said
Wilhelmina, running up to Mevrouw Joost, who was bustling about the
china cupboard in the living-room.

"And she was such a pretty bride, too, with a lovely dress; and there
were flowers twined all about the carriage, and a wreath on the horse's
head, and long streamers of white ribbon wound around the whip," she
continued breathlessly.

"And we got more 'suikers' than any one else," put in Pieter.

"Yes, it was a gay party. I saw them pass by the house," said Mevrouw
Joost, smilingly, as she ate a "suiker."

"Baby Jan must have one too," said Wilhelmina, as she went over to play
with the baby who was kicking and crowing in his great carved cradle
near the window. Jan was the household pet, and there had been a great
celebration when he was a week old.

All the friends of the Joost family were invited to come and see the
baby, a red pincushion having been hung out beside the front door to
let everybody know that there was a new baby boy within. When the guests
arrived, they were given rusks to eat, a kind of sweet bread, covered
with aniseed and sugar, called "muisjes," which really means "mice."
Before, when the friends had come to pay their respects to Wilhelmina
and Pieter, there had been two kinds of "muisjes." One had a sort of
smooth white icing on the top, and that was Wilhelmina's, while Pieter's
rusks had lumps of sugar sticking up all over them.

The Dutch are the neatest people in the world. They are always washing
and rubbing and dusting things, and one could no more find a spider's
web in Mevrouw Joost's home than they could a white elephant.

The floor of the living-room was made of tiny red bricks, waxed and
polished until they shone like glass. There was much heavy oak
furniture, beautifully carved; a big round table stood in the centre,
and on one side was a great dresser or sideboard. The chairs were solid
and big, with high backs and straw seats, and some of them were painted
dark green, with curious little pictures and decorations also painted on
them.

One end of the square room was filled by what looked like two big
cupboards with heavy green curtains hanging in front of them, but one of
the curtains was drawn partly back and one could see that they were two
great beds instead, built into the wall just like cupboards. These were
the "show-beds," and were not for constant use, but mostly for ornament.

Mevrouw Joost was very proud of these beds and kept them always made up
with her very finest linen, trimmed with rich lace, and her most
brilliantly coloured embroidered coverlids, the whole being piled so
high that the beds nearly reached the ceiling. There was barely enough
room on top for the two enormous eider-down pillows, with gay covers
and lace ruffles, which lay on each of the beds and completed their
furnishings.

Some Dutch houses have a separate room for these "show-beds," which we
should call a parlour, but Mevrouw Joost had her "show-beds" where she
could enjoy their magnificence every day.

She had her "show-room," too, but kept it most beautifully and tightly
closed up, so that not a ray of light or a speck of dirt could come in,
for it was only used on some great occasion.

Another side of the living-room was nearly filled by the huge fireplace,
covered with square, blue Delft tiles, on each of which was a picture
which told a story from the Bible. The ceiling was crossed with great
beams of wood, and a wainscoting of wood went all around the room.

On the sideboard, on the shelves above the beds, and over the mantel
were fine pieces of rare old Delft china, which is a beautiful deep
blue. It is very rare now, and much prized by the Dutch Mevrouws. There
was also a quantity of copper and brass jugs and pewter platters, while
by the fireplace hung a big brass warming-pan, which is a great pan with
a cover and a long handle. On a cold and damp winter's night Mevrouw
Joost filled it with red-hot coals, and warmed the household beds by
slipping it in and out between the sheets.

There were spotless white curtains at the tiny windows, and everything
shone under the housewife's brisk rubbings.

Back of the sitting-room was the kitchen, with another big fireplace, in
which was set the cooking-stove. Around the walls were many bright
copper pans and pots of all kinds.

There were big brass jugs to hold milk, and kegs with brass hoops in
which they stow away their butter. The Dutch are so fond of polishing
things that they put brass on everything, it would seem, just for the
joy of rubbing it afterward.

Many of the commoner things were made beautiful as well. The
knife-handles were carved, and on many of the brass bowls and platters
were graceful patterns. One would see a little cow carved on the big
wooden butter-spoon, or a tiny windmill on the handle of a fork, while
the great churn that stood in the corner of the kitchen had gay pictures
painted upon it. From this you may judge what a pleasant and attractive
room Mevrouw Joost's kitchen was.

"Why are you putting out all the best china and the pretty silver
spoons, mother?" asked Wilhelmina.

"The father is showing a visitor through the tulip-gardens. It is the
great merchant, Mynheer Van der Veer, from Amsterdam. He has come to
buy some of the choice plants, for he says truly there are no tulips in
all Holland as fine as ours," and the good lady drew herself up with a
pardonable pride, as she polished the big silver coffee-pot, which
already shone so Wilhelmina might see her face in it like a mirror.

"Can I help you, mother?" asked Wilhelmina. She would have liked nothing
better than to handle the dainty cups and saucers, but she knew well
that her mother would not trust this rare old china to any hands but her
own, for these cups and saucers had been handed down through many
generations of her family, as had the quaint silver spoons with the long
twisted handles, at the end of which were little windmills, ships,
lions, and the like, all in silver.

"No, no, little one, you are only in the way; go out into the garden and
tell your father not to delay too long or our guest will drink cold
coffee," said Mevrouw, bustling about more than ever.

Wilhelmina was eager enough to see the great Mynheer, so she joined
Pieter, who had already slipped out, and together they went toward the
bulb-gardens, where Mynheer and their father were looking over the
wonderful tulips.

Pieter and Wilhelmina lived in a quaint little house of one story only,
built of very small red brick, with a roof of bright red tiles. The
window-frames were painted white, and the window-blinds a bright blue,
while the front door was bright green. There was a little garden in
front, and the paths all followed tiny canals, which were spanned here
and there by small bridges. In one corner was a pond, on which floated
little toy ducks and fish, and it was great fun for the children to wind
up the clockwork inside of these curious toys, and watch them move about
as if they were alive. But on this afternoon the twins were thinking of
other things, and kept on to the bulb-gardens. Here was a lovely
sight,--acres and acres of nothing but tulips of all colours, and
hyacinths, and other bulbs which Mynheer Joost grew to send to the big
flower markets of Holland and other countries as well; for, as Mevrouw
Joost had said, their tulips were famous the world over. Mynheer Joost
took great pains with his bulbs, and was able to grow many varieties
which could not be obtained elsewhere.

The tulip is really the national flower of Holland, so the Dutch (as the
people of Holland are called) are very fond of them, and you see more
beautiful varieties here than anywhere else. Every Dutchman plants
tulips in his garden, and there is a great rivalry between neighbours as
to who can produce the most startling varieties in size and colour.

Pieter and Wilhelmina were never tired of hearing their father tell of
the time all Holland went almost crazy over tulips. This was nearly
three hundred years ago, after the tulip had just been brought to
Holland, and was a much rarer flower than it is to-day. It got to be the
fashion for every one to raise tulips, and they sold for large sums of
money. Several thousands of "guldens" (a "gulden" is the chief Dutch
coin) were paid for a single bulb. People sold their houses and lands to
buy tulips, which they were able to sell again at a great profit.
Everybody went wild over these beautiful flowers, rich and poor alike,
men, women, and children. Everybody bought and sold tulips, and nobody
thought or talked about anything but the price of tulips. At last the
Dutch government put a stop to this nonsense, and down tumbled the
prices of tulips.

In spite of this, the Dutch love for the flower still continued, and
to-day one may see these great fields of tulips and hyacinths and other
bulb-plants covering miles and miles of the surface of Holland, just as
do wheat-fields in other lands.

There is a large and continually growing trade in these plants going on
all over Holland, and Mynheer Joost was always able to sell his plants
for as big a price as any others in the market. The principal
tulip-gardens are in the vicinities of the cities of Leyden and Haarlem,
and from where Wilhelmina and Pieter now stood, in the midst of their
father's tulip-beds, they could see the tower of the Groote Kerk, or
Great Church, of Haarlem.

Mynheer Joost sold a very rare variety, which only he knew how to grow,
and which was named the "Joost;" it was almost pure black, with only a
tiny red tip on each petal. It was the pride of his heart, and he often
told the children that he hoped some day to be able to turn it into a
pure black one; and then what a fortune it would bring them all! So
Pieter and Wilhelmina watched its growth almost as carefully as did
their father.

"There is Mynheer and the father now, looking at the 'great tulip,'"
said Pieter. This was the way they always spoke of this wonderful plant.

But Wilhelmina suddenly grew shy at the sight of the great man. "Come,
let us hide," she said, and she tried to draw Pieter behind one of the
large glass houses, in which were kept many of the rarer plants. But
Pieter wanted to see Mynheer Van der Veer, the well-known merchant who
owned so many big warehouses in Amsterdam, and also a tall, fine house
on one of the "grachten" of that city, which is the name given to the
canals.

Mynheer was a portly old gentleman, and was dressed much as would be a
merchant in any great city; in a black suit and a silk hat, for the
wealthy people of the big cities of Holland do not wear to-day the
picturesque costumes of the country people. It is only in the country
and small towns that one sees the quaint dress which often has changed
but little from what it was hundreds of years ago. But the Joost family,
like many another in the country, were very proud of their old-time
dress, and would not have changed it for a modern costume for anything,
and though Mynheer Joost was also a wealthy man, he was dressed in the
same kind of clothes as those worn by his father and grandfather before
him. He had on big, baggy trousers of dark blue velvet, coming only to
the knee, and fastened at the waist with a great silver buckle; a
tight-fitting vest or coat, with two rows of big silver buttons down the
front, and around his neck was a gay-coloured handkerchief. On his head
was a curious high cap, and on his feet the big wooden shoes, nicely
whitened.

Each of the men were smoking big cigars, for the Dutch are great
smokers, and are never without a pipe or cigar.

Mynheer Van der Veer had finished selecting his tulips, and now caught
sight of the twins, who were standing shyly together, holding hands as
usual, behind a mass of crimson and yellow tulips.

"Aha! these are your two young ones, my friend; they, too, are sturdy
young plants.

"You look like one of your father's finest pink tulips, little one," he
continued, patting Wilhelmina's pink cheeks.

You might not think it was a compliment to be called a tulip, but you
must not forget what a high regard the Dutch have for these flowers. So
Wilhelmina knew that she was receiving a great compliment, and grew
pinker than ever, and entirely forgot the message which her mother had
given her.

"And, Pieter, some day I suppose that you will be growing rare tulips
like your father," said Mynheer, peering at the lad over the rims of his
glasses.

"Pieter helps me greatly now, out of school hours, and Wilhelmina can
pack blossoms for the market as well as our oldest gardener," said
Mynheer Joost, who thought that there were no children in Holland the
equal of his twins. "But you must let the Vrouw give you some of her
cakes and coffee before you leave, Mynheer," he continued as he led the
way back to the house.

The Dutch are very hospitable, and are never so happy as when they are
giving their visitors nice things to eat and drink, and it would be
considered very rude to refuse any of these good things; but then nobody
wants to.

Mynheer Van der Veer was soon seated at the big oak table, which was
covered with a linen cloth finely embroidered, and edged with a deep
ruffle of lace. On it were the plates of Delftware filled with many
kinds of cakes and sweet biscuits, which the Dutch call "koejes;"
besides, there were delicious sweet rusks, which Mevrouw Joost brought
hot from the oven. Then she poured the hot water on to the coffee from a
copper kettle which stood on a high copper stand by the side of the
table. The silver coffee-pot itself stood on a porcelain stand at one
end of the table, and under this stand was a tiny flame burning from an
alcohol-lamp in order to keep the coffee warm.

There was no better coffee to be had in all Holland than Mevrouw
Joost's, and how good it tasted, to be sure, out of the dainty china
cups,--real china, for they had been brought from the Far East by a
great-uncle of the Joosts who had engaged in the trade with China at the
time when there were nothing but sailing ships on the seas. After the
coffee came brandied cherries, served in little glasses.

"When the young people come to Amsterdam again, Mynheer Joost, you must
bring them to see me," said the merchant, "and perhaps the young man
will want to leave even his tulips when he sees what is in the big
warehouses."

The twins' eyes shone and they pinched each other with delight at the
mere thought of a visit to the wonderful city house of the great
merchant in wealthy Amsterdam, the largest city in their country.




CHAPTER II.

THE AMERICAN COUSIN


ANY one who saw the twins on their way to school one morning soon after
the visit of Mynheer Van der Veer would know that something unusual had
happened, for they were both talking away at once, in a most excited
manner. Little Dutch children are usually very quiet, when compared to
the children of most other countries, though they are full of fun, in a
quiet sort of a way, when they want to be.

"Oh, Pieter," Wilhelmina was saying, "to think that we have a cousin
coming to see us from across the seas!"

"I wonder if he can talk Dutch; if he can't we will have to speak
English, so you had better see to it that you have a better English
lesson than you did yesterday," said Pieter, who was rather vain of his
own English.

There is nothing strange in hearing little Dutch children speak English,
French, or German, for they are taught all three languages in their
schools; and even very little children can say some words of English or
German.

"It is well for you to talk," said Wilhelmina, feeling hurt. "English is
not hard for you to learn; as for me, I can learn my German lesson in
half the time that you can."

"Ah well! the German is more like our own Dutch language," said Pieter,
soothingly, for the twins were never "at outs" for long at a time. "You
will soon learn English from our new cousin from America. Listen! there
is the school-bell ringing now," and away they clattered in their wooden
shoes to the schoolhouse.

Yesterday there had been a solemn meeting in the Joost home. You must
know that it was an important occasion, because they all met in the
"show-room." The "domine" (as the Dutch call their clergymen) had been
invited, and the schoolmaster, too, and they all sat around and sipped
brandied cherries and coffee, the men puffing away on their long pipes,
while Mynheer Joost read aloud to them a letter. It was from a distant
relative of the Joost family who lived in New York City.

You know, of course, that the Dutch were among the first to settle in
America, and in the present great city of New York. In those early days
a great-great-grand-uncle of Mynheer Joost had gone to the island of
Manhattan, and made his home, and now one of his descendants, a Mr.
Sturteveldt, who was a merchant in New York City, was anxious to learn
something about his family in Holland. He had heard of Mynheer Joost
through a friend of his who was fond of flowers, and who had once come
to Holland to buy some of Mynheer Joost's beautiful tulips.

[Illustration: "'HOW OLD IS COUSIN THEODORE, MOTHER?' ASKED WILHELMINA"]

So Mr. Sturteveldt had written Mynheer Joost many letters and Mynheer
Joost had written him many letters. Finally Mr. Sturteveldt wrote and
said he very much wished his only son Theodore to see Holland, and to
become acquainted with his Dutch relatives. Upon this, Mynheer Joost had
invited Theodore to come and spend some time with them, and this letter
that he was now reading said that Theodore was to sail in a few days in
one of the big steamers that sail between New York and Rotterdam, under
the care of the captain, and requested that Mynheer Joost would make
arrangements to have him met at Rotterdam.

No wonder they all had to talk it over between many sips of coffee and
puffs from the long pipes. It was a great event for the Joost family. As
for Pieter and Wilhelmina, they could talk and think of nothing else,
and Wilhelmina went about all the time murmuring to herself, "How do
you do?" and "I am very pleased to see you," and "I hope you had a
pleasant voyage," so as to be sure to say it correctly when her American
cousin should arrive.

"How old is Cousin Theodore, mother?" asked Wilhelmina, as she was
helping to give the "show-room" its weekly cleaning. "Just twelve, I
believe," said her mother.

"And coming all by himself! I should be frightened nearly to death,"
said Wilhelmina, who was polishing the arm of a chair so hard that the
little gold ornaments on her cap bobbed up and down.

Wilhelmina was short and chubby, and her short blue dress, gathered in
as full around her waist as could be, made her look chubbier still. Over
her tight, short-sleeved bodice was crossed a gaily flowered silk
handkerchief, and around her head, like a coronet, was a gold band from
which hung on either side a gold ornament, which looked something like a
small corkscrew curl of gold. On top of all this she wore a pretty
little lace cap; and what was really funny, her earrings were hung in
her cap instead of in her ears! To-day she had on a big cotton
working-apron, instead of the fine silk one which she usually wore.

Wilhelmina and her mother were dressed just alike, only Mevrouw's dress
was even more bunchy, for she had on about five heavy woollen skirts.
This is a Dutch fashion, and one wonders how the women are able to move
around so lively.

"Oh, mother, you are putting away another roll of linen!" and Wilhelmina
even forgot the coming of her new cousin for the moment, so interested
was she as she saw the mother open the great linen-press. This
linen-press was the pride of Mevrouw Joost's heart, for piled high on
its shelves were rolls and rolls of linen, much of it made from the
flax which grew upon their place. Mevrouw Joost herself had spun the
thread on her spinning-wheel which stood in one corner of the room, and
then it had been woven into cloth.

Some of these rolls of linen were more than a hundred years old, for
they had been handed down like the china and silver. The linen of a
Dutch household is reckoned a very valuable belonging indeed, and
Wilhelmina watched her mother smooth the big rolls which were all neatly
tied up with coloured ribbons, with a feeling of awe, for she knew that
they were a part of their wealth, and that some day, when she had a
house of her own, some of this old family linen would be given her, and
then she, too, would have a big linen-press of which to be proud.

Just as Mevrouw Joost closed up the big "show-room" there came a cry
from the road of "Eggs, eggs, who'll give us eggs?" "There come the
children begging for Easter eggs," said Wilhelmina as she ran to the
door.

At the gate were three little children waving long poles on which were
fastened evergreen and flowers, and singing a queer Dutch song about
Easter eggs.

"May I give them some, mother?"

"Yes, one each, though I think their pockets are stuffed out with eggs,
now," answered Mevrouw.

But if they already did have their pockets stuffed, the children were
delighted to get the three that Wilhelmina brought out to them, and went
on up the road, still singing, to see how many they could get at the
next house.

The Dutch children amuse themselves for some days before Easter by
begging for eggs in this way, which they take to their own homes and dye
different colours and then exhibit to their friends. On Easter Day there
is more fun, for they all gather in the meadows and roll the eggs on
the grass, each trying to hit and break those of his neighbours.

At last the day came when Pieter and Wilhelmina were to see their new
cousin for the first time. Their father had gone to Rotterdam to meet
the steamship and bring Theodore back with him.

The twins hurried from school, and hurried through dinner, and in fact
hurried with everything they did. Then they put on their holiday clothes
and kept running up the road to see if their father and Theodore were
coming, although they knew that it would be hours before they would
reach home. But of course, just when they were not looking for them, in
walked the father and said: "Here is your Cousin Theodore, children;
make him welcome." And there stood a tall lad, much taller than Pieter,
though they were the same age, holding out his hand and talking English
so fast that it made their heads swim.

Pieter managed to say "How do you do? I am glad you have come," but poor
Wilhelmina--every word of her English flew out of her head, and all she
could think to say was, "_Ik dank u, mijnheer_,"--"Thank you, sir."

Then suddenly the children all grew as shy as could be, but after they
had eaten of Mevrouw's good supper, they grew sociable and Theodore told
them all about his voyage over, and Pieter found that he could
understand him better than at first. Even Wilhelmina got in a few
English words, and when Pieter and Theodore went to sleep together, in
what Theodore called a "big box," anybody would have thought they had
known each other all their lives.

The three young cousins were soon the best of friends; and as for
Theodore, everything was so new and strange to him that he said it was
like a big surprise party all the time. He said, too, that he was going
to be a real Dutchman while he was with them, and nothing would do but
that he must have a suit of clothes just like Pieter's, and a tall cap.
How they all laughed the first time he tried to walk in the big wooden
shoes! But it wasn't long before he could run in them as fast as the
twins.




CHAPTER III.

THE LAND OF DIKES AND WINDMILLS


THEODORE wanted to learn to speak Dutch, and so every morning, after
they had eaten their breakfast of coffee, rye bread, and butter, with
either herrings or cheese, away he went with the twins across the
meadows to the schoolhouse in the centre of the village.

After dinner Theodore and Pieter helped about in the tulip-gardens,
while Wilhelmina and Mevrouw polished and dusted and rubbed things, and
made butter in the great wooden and china churn.

On the weekly holiday the three children would take long walks, or
perhaps a ride on the steam street-cars, or trams, which puffed through
the village; or they would ride their bicycles, for this is a favourite
pastime with the Dutch, whose flat straight roads are always so
excellently kept.

"Where shall we go to-day?" asked Pieter, as they started out for a walk
one afternoon.

"Theodore has not seen Haarlem yet," said Wilhelmina. "Let's walk there
and come back on the steam-tram."

"That makes me feel as if I were at home. We have a Harlem, too, which
is a part of New York City. I suppose it was named after your city.
Let's go by all means, and I will take some pictures," said Theodore,
slinging his camera over his shoulder, and away they went in high
spirits.

The children were soon walking along a shady road by the side of the
canal. As far as they could see, in any direction, stretched the
bulb-gardens blazing with colour of all kinds. Dotted everywhere about
were windmills of all sizes, their sails gleaming white in the sunlight
as they went round and round.

On either side of the road were neat little villas, with trim gardens
before them. As Pieter told them, these were the summer homes of the
well-to-do people who live in the cities. Everybody who can, has one of
these villas, where they can come during the hot weather, and they
especially like to have one near Haarlem, because the beautiful gardens
roundabout make the country seem so gay and bright.

"This is the one which belongs to Mynheer Van der Veer," said
Wilhelmina. "I think it is the most beautiful of them all." And so it
was, according to Dutch taste. The young people stopped to look at it
admiringly.

For a Dutch home it was very large, because it had two stories. The
entire front was painted in half a dozen different colours to represent
as many different coloured stones, all arranged in a fanciful pattern.

The window-blinds were a bright pea-green, and the framework a delicate
pink. The door was a dark green with a fine brass knocker in the centre,
and a brass railing, shining like gold, ran down on either side of the
white steps. The roof was of bright red tiles, which glistened in the
sun, and what do you think was on the highest point of the gable? A
china cat, coloured like life, and standing with its back up, just as
though it were ready to spring upon another cat! Over the doorway was
painted the motto: "Buiten Zorg," which means "Without a Care."

What really amused the party most were the queer figures which stood
around in the garden.

"See that funny old fellow over by the pond, shaking his head; you might
think he was alive," said Theodore. "He looks like a Turk with a big
turban."

"That," said Pieter, "is an automaton, which can be wound up so as to
nod his head. And look, there is another figure near him,--a funny old
woman, who keeps turning around, as if she got tired of seeing the
gentleman with the turban. Those ducks swimming about on the pond are
made to move in the same way."

The summer villa gardens are usually filled with these queer mechanical
contrivances. I suppose it amuses the rich old burghers to watch them as
they sit smoking their long pipes and taking their ease in their little
summer-houses on the hot days. Mynheer Van der Veer was very proud of
his collection and took great care of them. When a shower came up he
would put an open umbrella over each one, which made them look funnier
still, and when it rained very hard, he would pick them up bodily and
carry them into the house; then when the sun shone again, out would come
the funny little figures too.

"Why is the little summer-house in the corner of the garden built over
the canal?" asked Theodore.

"I really don't know," said Pieter; "they always are, and no villa is
complete in its appointments without one. There is where Mynheer and
Mevrouw sit in the afternoon and have their coffee and 'koejes.' Mynheer
sits and smokes and dozes and Mevrouw does embroidery."

The flower-beds were all arranged in regular shapes; the walks were made
of several kinds of coloured sands which were arranged to form regular
patterns. The trees were not allowed to grow as they pleased. Dear me,
no! They were trimmed in shapes and forms too, and some of the
tree-trunks were even painted. But all was very clean and proper, and
every leaf looked as though it was frequently dusted and washed.

"Well, I should not dare to move about in that garden for fear I should
put something out of order," said Theodore. "It wouldn't do for American
children to play in, with those fine patterns in the sand and all the
rest. They would certainly disappear in a short time."

"So they would here, as well," laughed Pieter. "But they are kept up
only for show, and everybody uses a side-entrance except on grand
occasions."

"Oh, there is a family of storks on that house!" called out Wilhelmina;
"look, Pieter, aren't they lucky people who live there?"

Sure enough, on the top of the chimney was a mass of straw, and in the
midst of it stood two tall storks. This was their nest, and Papa and
Mamma Stork were waiting for the young Stork family to come out of their
shells. Papa Stork stood on one leg and cocked his head down to the
children as much as to say: "Don't you wish that we were living at your
house?"; for storks must know as well as anybody how much they are
thought of in Holland. The good people of that country build little
platforms over their chimneys just so that a stork couple that are
looking for a place to begin housekeeping will see it and say to
themselves: "Here's a nice flat place on which to build our nest."

It is considered very lucky indeed for a stork family to come to live on
one's chimney-top.

"We thought one was coming to live at our house last year," said
Wilhelmina, "but they must have made up their minds to go elsewhere, and
I was so sorry."

"And they build on churches, too," cried Theodore. "Look, there's a nest
on the roof of that church. I had been thinking that it was a bundle of
sticks, and wondering how it got up there."

"The storks have built there for many years, and they seem to like the
highest places they can find," said Pieter. "There is a law to protect
the storks, and to forbid any injury being done to them, so you see they
can have a better time than most birds."

"Look, Pieter, there are big ships over there in the middle of that
green meadow; how ever did they get there? Bless my stars!" said
Theodore, "I do believe they are sailing over the grass."

"Oh, Theodore, you are so funny!" laughed Wilhelmina; "of course they
are on the water; there is a canal over there where you are looking."

"Well, I can't see it," persisted Theodore, who thought his eyes were
playing him tricks.

"That's because our canals are higher than the land about them," said
Pieter. "You must know that we are very economical with our dry land;
there is nothing we prize so much, because we have so little of it; and
there is no people in the world who have worked so hard for theirs as
the Dutch, not only to get it in the first place, but to keep it
afterward.

"Once all this country about here was either a marsh or covered by
water. The land could not be allowed to go to waste like that, and so
great walls of mud and stone, called dikes, were built. Canals were run
here, there, and everywhere, and the waters which covered the lowlands
were pumped into these canals and so drained off. The new land was
practically a new area added to the small territory of Holland, and
where once was nothing but salt marsh and water-flooded meadows are now
cities and towns and houses and lovely gardens.

"As one walks along many of the canal banks in Holland, one is often
overlooking the roof-tops of the houses below."

"Why," said Theodore, "if we tried, we might look right down that man's
chimney, and see what they are cooking for dinner; the road is on a
level with the roof."

"Yes, our roads, too, are often built on dikes; this keeps them hard and
dry," said Pieter. "You may judge as to how wide some of these dikes
are, for on this particular one there is not only a road, but a row of
trees on either side of it as well. Some are so broad that there are
houses, and even villages, on top of them. The reclaimed lands lying
between the dikes are called 'polders,' and thousands of acres of the
richest part of Holland have been made in this way. Some day, too, it is
planned that the whole of the Zuyder Zee will be planted and built over
with gardens and houses."

"That is just like finding a country," said Theodore, "but hasn't it all
cost a lot of money?"

"Yes, indeed," answered Pieter, "and not only that, but millions of
'gulden' have still to be spent every year to fight the waters back
again."

Pieter also told Theodore that many of the great windmills which he saw
were used to pump off the surplus water which drained through from the
canals. So many of these canals are there in Holland that the country is
cut up by them like a checker-board. They are of all sizes, from a tiny
ditch to others big enough for large ships to sail upon.

There are not only these inland dikes, which protect the canals and the
lands lying between, but there are great sea-walls of sand and rock to
keep the sea itself in place, otherwise it would come rushing over the
lowlands and drown half the country. Even that is not the end of the
matter. Thousands and thousands of men have to watch these dikes day and
night, for one little leak might be the means of flooding miles of
country, and washing away many homes and lives. When the cry is heard,
"The dike is breaking!" every man, woman, and child must go and help do
their share toward fighting back the water.

"Well, I am proud of my Dutch blood," said Theodore; "they are a
splendid little people to work as they do, and they have had a hard
fight to keep their heads above water. I wonder if that saying didn't
first come from a Dutchman!"

"Perhaps that is the reason that we Dutch people talk so little," said
Pieter; "we have to think and work so hard all the time to keep what we
have."

"Well," said Theodore, "Holland is a wonderful country; it is wholly
unlike any other place."

"Tell the story, Pieter," said Wilhelmina, "of the time when the people
cut the dikes and let in the water to save themselves from the enemy."

"That's a long story, and we must save it for another time," said
Pieter, "until after Theodore has seen Leyden, for it was there that it
happened."

This talk on Dutch history came to a sudden stop as Pieter called out:
"Look out, Theodore, or you will get drenched," and the children had
only time to dodge a big bucket of water that a fat Vrouw was tossing up
on her windows. "You have not yet learned, Theodore, that a Dutch woman
will not stop her washing and cleaning for any one," laughed Pieter, as
they left the angry Vrouw shaking her mop at them.

"I have seen Vrouw Huytens, our neighbour," said Pieter, "scrubbing her
house-front in a heavy rain, holding an umbrella over herself at the
same time."

I suppose the idea of cleanliness comes from the fact that the Dutch
have so much water handy; they say that when a Dutch Vrouw cannot find
anything else to do, she says, "Let's wash something."

[Illustration: "'I'M GOING TO SNAP-SHOT ONE OF THEM WITH MY CAMERA'"]

It was Saturday, the great cleaning day, and the housewives were washing
down the doors and blinds and the sides of the houses with big mops,
until everything shone brilliantly in the sunlight; the white
door-steps, and even the tree-trunks and the red brick walks were not
forgotten. They would dip up the water from the canals and dash it over
the pavements with a reckless disregard for passers-by.

As the children entered the town matters grew worse. Everywhere were
happy Dutch folk of all ages, swashing clean water about over
everything, until Theodore finally said: "The next time I come out on
cleaning-up day I shall wear a waterproof. I wonder the Dutch people
don't grow web-footed, like ducks.

"You don't know how strange it looks to me to see carts drawn by dogs,"
he continued. "I'm going to snap-shot one of them with my camera."

All along the road rattled the little carts drawn by dogs, for dogs are
used a great deal in both Holland and Belgium in place of horses.

"Don't you have them in America?" asked Wilhelmina, in curious
wonderment.

"No, indeed," said Theodore. "How people would stare to see the baker
deliver his bread in one of our cites or towns from a little cart drawn
by dogs."

"Most of the vegetables from the farms roundabout are brought into town
in this way," said Pieter.

"And there is a man and a dog pulling side by side; what would they say
to that at home, I wonder," said Theodore.

"Yes, some of our poor 'boers,' or farmers, have only one dog, and he
must be helped. But there is a vegetable-cart with three fine dogs
harnessed to it. Often there are four or five dogs to a cart," said
Pieter, "and they can draw big loads, too, I can tell you; and they are
as intelligent as human beings.

"You see that big black dog knows that the brown one is not doing his
share of the work, so he keeps his eye on him and gives him a sharp bite
every once and again to keep him up to the mark."

"Is that a milk-cart?" asked Theodore, as he sighted a sort of a chariot
with three great polished brass cans in it, all shining, like everything
else that is Dutch. "See, while the master is serving his customer, the
dog just lies down in his harness and rests; that is where he is better
off than a pony would be under the same circumstances. Think of a pony
lying down every time he stopped."

At this speech of Theodore's, Wilhelmina was much amused.

"A pony could not shield himself from the sun by crawling under the
cart, either," said Pieter. "See, there is one who has crawled under
his cart while he is waiting, and is taking a comfortable nap. You may
be sure, however, if any stranger attempted to take anything from his
cart, he would become very wide awake, and that person would be very
sorry for it, for the dogs guard their master's property faithfully."

By this time our party was well into town. They saw the "Groote Markt,"
or big market-place, and the Groote Kerk. Every Dutch town has a great
market-place, and generally the Groote Kerk, or big church, stands in
it, as well as the town hall. It is here, too, that the principal
business of the town is transacted.

The children walked along the canals, which are the main streets in
Dutch towns and cities, and Theodore never grew tired of looking at the
queer houses, always with their gable ends to the street.

"What on earth does that mean?" said Theodore, stopping to read a sign
on the cellar-door of a small house,--"Water and Fire to Sell."

"Oh," said Pieter, "that is where the poor people can go and buy for a
tiny sum some boiling water and a piece of red-hot peat, with which to
cook their dinner. It is really cheaper for them than to keep a fire all
the day in their own houses. Peat is generally sold for this purpose
instead of coal or wood, for it is not so costly."

By this time the young cousins were quite ready to take the steam-tram
home, and were hungry enough for the good supper which they knew Mevrouw
Joost had prepared for them.




CHAPTER IV.

THE KERMIS


"ISN'T it nice that Theodore has come in time for the Kermis?" said
Wilhelmina, as the cousins were packing the flowers into the big baskets
for the market, early one morning.

"What is a Kermis?" asked Theodore, all curiosity at once.

"It is a great fair, and generally lasts a week," said Pieter.

These fairs are held in many of the Dutch towns and cities. Booths are
put up in the Groote Markt and on the streets, where the sale of all
kinds of things is carried on. There are games and merrymakings, and
dances, and singing, and fancy costumes, and much more to make them
novel to even the Dutch themselves.

"There is to be a Kermis at Rotterdam shortly," said Pieter, "and the
father has promised to take us all."

For a time the children talked about nothing but the Kermis, until at
last the great day came, and they all found themselves on the train
which was taking them to Rotterdam.

As they drew near the city it was easy to see that everybody was going
to the Kermis, and was thinking of nothing else. The roads were crowded
with all kinds of queer vehicles and gay costumes. There were the big
country wagons, of strange shapes, and painted in bright colours. In
them were piled the whole family,--grandparents, mother, father, aunts,
uncles, and cousins. There were the dogs, too, drawing their little
carts, and trying to keep up with the big wagons, panting bravely along
with their tongues hanging out, as much as to say, "We are not going to
let the horses get there first, just because we are little."

There were men and women on bicycles,--the women with their caps and
streamers flapping in the wind like white wings, and their half-dozen
skirts filling out like a balloon, as they pedalled rapidly along.

It was just twelve o'clock as our party left the station, and the bells
were ringing gaily, which was the signal for the opening of the Kermis.

"My, but isn't this a jam!" gasped Theodore, who found himself wedged in
between the market-baskets of two fat Vrouws.

"It is, indeed," said Mynheer Joost, "and we must not lose sight of one
another. Now, Wilhelmina, you keep between Theodore and Pieter, while
the mother and I will go ahead to open the way."

There was no use trying to hurry,--Dutch folk do not hurry, even to a
Kermis,--so our party just let themselves be pushed slowly along until
they reached the Groote Markt.

Here things were really getting lively. All around the great square were
booths or stalls, where one could buy almost anything they were likely
to want. Flags were flying everywhere, and from booth to booth were
stretched garlands of flowers and streamers of ribbons. In the centre of
the market-square a band of music was playing, and couples were trying
to dance in spite of the rough cobblestone pavement and the jostling of
the crowd which was watching them.

"You can see now, Theodore, just how your Dutch cousins really look, for
there are folk here from all over the country, and all in their best
holiday dress," said Mynheer Joost. "That group of little girls, with
those high sleeves that come nearly to the tops of their heads, and with
extra large skirts, are from Zealand."

"I see a woman with two or three caps on her head, and a big, black
straw hat on top of them," said Theodore.

"She is from Hindeloopen; and there, too, are a number of fisherwomen,
wearing huge straw hats, which look like big baskets."

There were other women wearing beautiful flowered silk shawls, and the
sun glistened on the gold ornaments which dangled from their white caps
as their owners danced up and down between the long lines of booths,
holding each other's hands.

People were already crowding around the booths, buying their favourite
dainties to eat, which at once reminded the young people that they, too,
were hungry.

"What will you have, Theodore, 'poffertjes' or 'oliebollen'?" asked
Pieter.

"Oh, what names!" laughed Theodore. "How can I tell? Show them to me
first."

"Of course Theodore must eat the 'poffertjes,' for that is the real
Kermis cake," said Mynheer Joost, and led the way to a booth where a
woman with a big, flapping cap and short sleeves was standing, dipping
ladlefuls of batter from a big wooden bowl, and dropping them into
hollowed-out places in a big pan, which was placed on an open fire
before her.

As soon as they were cooked, another woman piled them nicely up, one on
top of another, with butter and sugar between, and, with a smile, set a
big plateful before the children, who made them disappear in short
order.

"Why, they are buckwheat cakes, just like ours at home!" said Theodore,
in the midst of his first mouthful; "and they are fine, too. Now let us
try the other thing with the funny name," he continued.

"There they are, in that box," said Pieter, as he pointed to some
fritters, made in the shape of little round balls.

"Oh, 'oliebollen' aren't half so nice as waffles; let us have them
instead," said Wilhelmina.

"I think I agree with Wilhelmina," said Theodore; "the 'oliebollen' seem
to be taking a bath in oil," he continued, shaking his head doubtfully.

"Oh, try one, anyhow," said Pieter. "You must not miss any of the Kermis
cakes."

"Well, they taste better than they look," said Theodore, as he swallowed
one of the greasy little balls.

"How would you like a raw herring, now, to give you an appetite for your
dinner?" asked Pieter, as they passed the fish-stalls, which were
decorated with festoons of fish that looked, at a little distance, like
strings of white flags waving in the breeze.

"Not for me, thank you," answered his cousin, "but just look at all
those people eating them as if they enjoyed them; and dried fish and
smoked fish, too, and all without any bread."

[Illustration: AT THE KERMIS]

After the waffles had been found and eaten, the young people became much
interested in watching a group of men trying to break a cake. The cake
was placed over a hollowed-out place in a large log of wood, and whoever
could break the cake in halves with a blow of his stick won the cake, or
what was left of it. The thing sounds easy, but it proved more difficult
than would have seemed possible.

"Let us eat an 'ellekoek' together, Pieter; there they are," and
Wilhelmina pointed to what looked like yards and yards of ribbon hanging
from one of the booths. The children forthwith bought a length, which
was measured off for them just as if it really were ribbon, and
Wilhelmina put one end in her mouth and Pieter the other end in his. The
idea is to eat this ribbon cake without touching it with the hands or
without its breaking. This Wilhelmina and Pieter managed to do in
spite of much laughter, and gave each other a hearty kiss when they got
to the middle of it.

"Well," said Theodore, "I should think that a Kermis was for the purpose
of eating cakes."

The market-place became gayer and gayer. A crowd of people would lock
arms and form a long line, and then go skipping and dancing along
between the booths, singing and trying to capture other merrymakers in
order to make them join their band.

"Look out, Theodore, or this line will catch you," laughed Pieter, who
jumped out of the way, pulling Wilhelmina after him.

The first thing Theodore knew, a gay crowd had circled around him and
made him a prisoner, calling out to him to come and keep Kermis with
them. But Theodore was not to be captured so easily; he had not become
proficient in gymnastics for nothing, so he simply ran up to a short
little fellow, and putting his hands on his shoulders, vaulted clean
over him, to the amazement of the crowd and the delight of the twins.

The fun lasted long into the night, but Mynheer Joost took his little
party to their hotel early in the evening, for the fun was growing
somewhat boisterous; besides, they had a long day ahead of them for the
morrow.

Mevrouw and Jan were going back by the train, but Mynheer and the
children had brought their bicycles with them, and were going to cycle
back a part of the way. The children were looking forward to this with
as much pleasure as they had to any feature of the Kermis. And so they
went to bed and dreamed of cakes, miles long, that wiggled about like
long snakes.




CHAPTER V.

THE BICYCLE RIDE


"BE up bright and early," Mynheer Joost had said the night before, and
it was a little after seven when the young people finished breakfast. A
Dutch breakfast is a big thing; besides nice coffee, there was rye bread
and and white bread, rolls and rusks, half a dozen kinds of cheeses, as
well as many kinds of cold sausages cut into thin slices.

After seeing Mevrouw and Jan off on the train, the children mounted
their wheels, and, in company with Mynheer, went bumping over the big
round cobblestones with which Rotterdam is paved.

"Our city streets are not as good as our country roads, but we will soon
be out in the open country," said Mynheer, as they turned into the
"Boompjes."

"Do you remember, Theodore," he continued, "your steamer landed you just
at that dock opposite."

The "Boompjes" is a great quay alongside of which are to be seen all
manner of steamships, from those which trade with the ports of Great
Britain and Germany, to the little craft which ply up and down the
rivers and canals of Holland, and the long barges and canal-boats with
their brown sails.

Our bicycle party crossed many bridges over little and big canals. By
the side of many of these canals the great tall houses seemed to grow
right up out of the water, queer old houses with gables all twists and
curves. At last they passed through the "Delftsche Poort," one of the
old gateways of Rotterdam, and then out on to the smooth country road,
still running by the side of the canal.

"Ah, this is better," said Pieter, as he gave a sigh of relief.

"No wonder cycling is popular in Holland; you have such fine, flat
roads," said Theodore. "Just look at this one all paved with tiny
bricks; why, it's like riding on a table-top."

"They are called 'klinkers,' and many of our roads are paved this way;
but do you see that town just to the left, Theodore?" said Mynheer
Joost, as he pointed to a jumble of houses, windmills, and masts of
ships not far away. "That is Delfshaven; you know what happened there
once long ago, do you not?"

"Oh, it was from there that the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for America,"
cried Theodore.

"But I thought they sailed from Plymouth, England," said Pieter.

"They did put into Plymouth, on account of a storm, but their first
start was from Delfshaven. Can't we go and see the place where they
went on board ship, Cousin Joost?" said Theodore, who nearly tumbled off
his wheel in his effort to see the town.

[Illustration: ON THE ROAD TO DELFSHAVEN]

"I am afraid the spot could not be found now," smiled Mynheer.
"Delfshaven has grown to be a big town since then; but you can see the
church where they worshipped before they set sail."

So they turned on to the road into the town. The old church seemed plain
and bare to Theodore, as he stood in it and looked at its simple white
walls, and it was hard for him to realize that the history of New
England began here.

"I must write Henry all about Delfshaven; he'd give a lot to be in my
shoes, now," said Theodore, as they rode away again.

"Who is Henry?" asked Wilhelmina.

"He is a chum of mine and lives in Boston. You see his people came over
with the Pilgrims, just as mine came over later from Holland, and he
is always talking a lot about the _Mayflower_ and all that.

"But just see that woman pulling that big boat, and the two children
helping her--think of it!" and Theodore forgot all about the Pilgrims in
the strange sight before him.

"Those are barge-people; let us stop and rest awhile, and you can see
them better," said Mynheer, who set the example by jumping off his
wheel.

It did look like hard work, too, as the woman came slowly along, panting
and straining at one end of a long rope. There was a loop in the rope
which passed over her chest, and the other end was made fast to the prow
of the barge, or "tjalk." Behind her were a little girl and a boy, not
more than ten or twelve years old, each of them, like the mother,
tugging away at the heavy load.

"Think of those little children helping to move that great heavy boat!
I don't see how they do it," said Wilhelmina.

"It must be hard work, but they don't seem to mind it," said her father.

It looked as if the children did not, for they were plump and round, and
as they passed, they smiled shyly and said "Good morning," and kept
looking back with grins of amusement.

"The father is the one who has the easy time," said Pieter; "see, he
sits comfortably beside the big tiller, to which he only gives a slight
turn once and again, for the canals are so straight that the 'tjalk'
does not require much steering. He is quite content to let the Vrouw and
the little ones tow the 'tjalk' while he smokes and dozes on deck."

"Well, it grows 'curiouser and curiouser,' as Alice in Wonderland said.
Your roads are of water, and your wagons are boats, and your people do
the work of horses. Why don't they use horses?" demanded Theodore.

"Well the 'tjalks' really depend upon the wind to carry them along,"
said Mynheer. "You see this one has a big sail, and it is only when
there is no wind that they have to tow the boats. Once they used dogs
for the towing, but now the people who live on board do the work, and if
it is slow, why, nobody seems to mind."

The barge was painted red and blue, and in the great rounded bow there
were two round openings through which the anchor-chains passed, and
which looked like big staring eyes, particularly at night, when a ray of
light often shot through them.

"Of course some one is washing things, as usual," said Theodore; "even
the barges don't escape a continual 'spring cleaning.' And sure enough,
there was another woman splashing pailfuls of water over everything,
even over the drowsy Mynheer at the tiller. He was probably used to
this, however, for he didn't take the slightest notice.

"Yes, indeed, the 'tjalk' owners take a great pride in the spick and
span appearance of their boats," said Mynheer Joost. "You must remember
that the 'tjalk' is their home. They are born on it, and often live and
die there, as did their fathers and grandfathers before them, for many
of these boats are very old. The little cabin on the poop is all the
house they ever have, and they are just as proud of it as if it were a
fine villa like that of Mynheer Van der Veer.

"You see," he continued, "they have their little garden, too. There are
tulips planted in a box before the door, and a tiny path outlined with
shells."

"And a little garden-gate, too," cried Wilhelmina; "isn't it funny?"

"Yes," said her father, "they like to think that they have everything
that goes with a house on land."

"There is a cage of birds, also," said Wilhelmina again, "and a little
china dog sitting by the side of the tulip-bed, who seems to be watching
them."

"I suppose if there were room enough in the garden there would be a
summer-house, too," said Pieter.

There is no doubt but what the "bargees" enjoy their lives, and nothing
would make them so unhappy as to have to live on dry land. There are
thousands and thousands of these "tjalks" in Holland, and most of the
merchandise of all kinds which is transported about the country is
carried by them.

"Time to be on the road," said Mynheer to his young party; and before
long they were all riding into the old town of Delft.

"Listen to those bells," cried Theodore, "they are playing one of our
popular American marches. Where are they?"

"Those are the chimes you hear ringing in the belfry," said Pieter.
"They must be playing the march in your honour, Theodore."

Each town in Holland has its chime of bells, usually hung in the tower
of the principal church. The chimes are played by means of a wonderful
mechanical keyboard, and the Dutch are very fond of hearing them ring
out the popular tunes of the day.

"It was in this place that long ago the famous blue and white Delftware
was made, like that the mother has at home," said Mynheer. "There is
Delftware made now, but it is not prized like the old kind.

"But we must not linger, children, if we are to reach The Hague for
dinner," and he marshalled the young people again upon the road.

Soon they were skimming over the smooth, flat roadway, and came almost
at once on to fine boulevards lined with handsome houses, so they knew
they were at The Hague itself.

The twins were as interested as their American cousin in the sights of
their capital city, and Wilhelmina wanted to know at once if there would
be a chance of their seeing the queen. You see she was named after Queen
Wilhelmina, so she felt as if she had a right to see her, even more than
other little Dutch girls, though indeed they are all fond of their young
ruler, who not so very long ago was a young girl like Wilhelmina
herself.

Wilhelmina had among her treasures at home a picture of Queen
Wilhelmina, taken when she was a little girl, and dressed in the pretty
Frisian costume, one of the prettiest of the national costumes of
Holland.

"I can't say," smiled her father, in answer to Wilhelmina's question,
"but we can go out to the 'Huis ten Bosch,' and maybe we shall be
fortunate enough to meet her out driving in the park."

After our friends had done justice to a good dinner at one of the famous
hotels of The Hague, they left their bicycles at the hotel, and took the
steam-tram to the "Huis ten Bosch," which is Dutch for "House in the
Wood." It is one of the royal palaces of Holland and is situated in the
midst of a beautiful wood. The forests of Holland are very much prized
because there are so few of them, and so this "House in the Wood" is one
of the favourite royal residences.

Though Wilhelmina did not see her queen, she saw the next best thing,
for they went through the state apartments of the palace, and saw the
beautiful Chinese Room and the Japanese Room, each of them entirely
filled with beautiful things from the Orient.

"Now shall we go to Scheveningen, or are you too tired?" asked Mynheer.

"Tired!" The children laughed at the idea. They were out for a holiday,
and were going to see as much as possible; and away they went again on
another steam-tram to a fishing-town a few miles from The Hague, called
Scheveningen, which is a big mouthful of a word, isn't it? This is where
the fisherfolk live who go out in their stubby boats, called "pinken,"
to fish in the North Sea.

"I don't see the ocean," said Pieter, looking about him as they walked
through the town, with its rows and rows of neat little houses of brick
where the fishermen live.

"Climb up to the top of those sand-dunes and you will," said his father.
"These dunes or banks of sand have been blown up by the wind and sea
until they form a high wall or breakwater. There are many such all along
the coast of Holland, and to keep the wind from blowing the loose sand
back inland, over the fields and gardens, these banks of sand, or
dunes, are planted over in many places with grasses and shrubs, which
bind the sand together and keep it in place."

"There is a fish auction going on over there: let's go down and see it,"
called out Pieter.

A boat-load of fish had just been landed on the beach, and a crowd of
fishermen and women were standing around it. The women had big
basket-shaped hats over their white caps, and the men wore baggy
trousers and tall caps.

The fish were being auctioned off in the Dutch fashion, which is just
the reverse of the usual auctioneering methods. A market price is put
upon the fish, and the purchaser bidding the nearest thereto takes them.

"What are those things on the sands over there that look like big
mushrooms, Cousin Joost?" asked Theodore, pointing to a spot half a mile
or so farther on.

"They do look something like mushrooms, Theodore," said his uncle, "and
they come and go about as quickly. They are the straw chairs and
shelters in which visitors sit when they are taking the fresh air on the
sands."

These chairs are closed in on all sides but one, and have a sort of roof
over them, so as to protect the occupant from the wind and rain.
Scheveningen, besides being one of the largest fishing-towns in Holland,
is the great seaside resort of the Dutch people. Here the well-to-do
burghers and merchants come with their Vrouws and sit in the big
basket-chairs, while the children dig miniature canals and build toy
dikes in the sand, modelled after those which surround their homes.

When our tourists got back to The Hague they walked around and looked at
the fine houses of the city. They saw, too, the storks in the
market-place, around which were many fisherwomen with their wares
spread out for sale. The storks are well fed, and are kept here at the
expense of the city, for good luck, perhaps.

The children thought they had cycled quite enough for one day, so they
put their wheels and themselves in the train for Leyden, and were soon
tooting into one of the oldest cities of Holland.

"Are we there already?" asked Theodore, amazed at the shortness of the
journey.

"Yes, everything is close together in our little Holland," said Mynheer.

The Dutch are very proud of Leyden for many reasons, but especially for
the brave defence the city made against the Spaniards at the time when
the sturdy Dutch were fighting to free themselves from the rule of
Spain. The city was besieged for nearly a year, but the plucky burghers
never gave in. The city was finally saved by cutting the dikes, and
letting in the waters, so that the Dutch fleet could sail right up to
the city walls and thus drive off the enemy. It is said that to reward
the people of Leyden for their bravery and courage, the government
afterward offered to either free them forever from all taxes, or to give
them a university. They wisely chose the latter, and this same
University of Leyden has always ranked among the great institutions of
learning throughout the world, and many great men have studied within
its walls.

"Your friend Henry would like to see Leyden, also," said Mynheer. "It
was here that the Pilgrim Fathers lived for many years before they
finally set sail for the New World. The city gave them a safe shelter,
when they were persecuted and driven from other lands, and for this
reason alone Leyden should always be remembered by our American
cousins."

"Don't you feel as if you had been up two whole days?" asked Theodore
of Pieter, as he gave a big yawn; but Pieter and Wilhelmina were already
fast asleep as the train whirled them on toward Haarlem.

None of the children talked much either while they ate the hot supper
Mevrouw Joost had ready for them, and soon they were tucked away in
their beds. But the next day you should have heard the three tongues
wag, and Mevrouw and Baby Jan had to hear all the adventures over again
many times.




CHAPTER VI.

WHERE THE CHEESES COME FROM


"WHAT a jumble of ships and houses! I shouldn't think you would know
whether you were going into a house or aboard ship, when you open the
front door," said Theodore, one fine summer's day, when the cousins were
strolling about Amsterdam, on their way to pay the promised visit to
Mynheer Van der Veer.

Others besides Theodore might think the same thing, for Amsterdam really
grew up out of the water. The houses are, for the most part, built on
wooden piles; and there are as many canals as there are streets, and big
ships move about between the buildings in the most wonderful manner.

They found Mynheer Van der Veer smoking his meerschaum pipe at his
warehouse on one of the principal canals. He was glad indeed to see his
little friends of the tulip-garden, as he called them, and showed them
all around the big establishment. They saw the big ships that were
anchored right at his door, and the bales and boxes being loaded into
their holds from the very windows of the warehouse itself. He showed
them the coffees and sugars and spices which other ships had brought
from the Dutch East Indies, which as you all know are around on the
other side of the world. Holland owns some of the richest islands in the
world, many of them larger than Holland itself. One of these islands is
Java, where the fine Java coffee comes from, and this is one of the
reasons why the Dutch always have such good coffee, and drink so much of
it.

Mynheer gave them all nice spices to taste, and was amused at the faces
they made at some hot peppery things they were eager to try.

After this he took them to his fine, tall house that faced on another
canal, where there were long rows of other tall houses, all built of
tiny bricks and as neat as pins. All of them were as much alike, in
their outside appearance at least, as a row of pins, too. Here the
children met the portly Mevrouw Van der Veer in her rustling silk dress,
who gave them a warm welcome.

She had just come in from a walk, and on the top of her beautiful lace
cap with its gold ornaments she wore a very fashionable modern hat.

"Oh," thought Wilhelmina, "why does she spoil her fine cap like that?"
But you see many Dutch ladies who combine the old and the new styles in
just that way.

They all sat in Mevrouw's fine parlour, with its shining waxed floor,
which was filled with beautiful things from all parts of the world.
There was furniture of teak-wood from India, wonderfully carved, and
rare china and porcelain from China and Japan. Exquisite silk curtains
hung at the windows, and embroidered screens cut off any possible
draughts.

These rare things had been brought from time to time in Mynheer's ships,
as they were homeward bound from these far-off countries.

Mevrouw sat before a little table laden with silver and fine china, and
poured coffee for them from a big silver coffee-pot, and gave them many
kinds of nice Dutch cakes to eat; and when she said good-bye she
promised Mynheer Joost that she would come some day and see his
tulip-garden herself.

"Why was that small looking-glass fastened outside of one of the upper
windows?" asked Theodore, as they left Mynheer Van der Veer's house.

"Many of these Dutch houses have these little mirrors fastened before
the windows at such an angle that by merely looking in it from the
inside, one may see who is at the front door," said his cousin; "and
then, too, the ladies can sit by the window, sewing or reading, and can
amuse themselves by watching what is going on in the street below,
without troubling to look out of the window."

"I should hate to have to wear a dress like that," said Wilhelmina,
looking at two young girls who were passing by. It did look strange, for
one half of their dress was red and the other half black.

"They are the girls from the orphanage, and this is the uniform that
they all must wear," said Mynheer Joost.

"Now Theodore must see some of the pictures of our great painters," he
continued, as he led the young folks toward the splendid
picture-gallery, where they strolled through what seemed to them miles
of rooms and corridors, all hung with beautiful and valuable pictures,
for little Holland has had some of the greatest artists the world has
ever known, and some day, if you care about pictures,--and you certainly
should,--you will want to go there and see them for yourself.

After this they did a great deal more sight-seeing, and Mynheer showed
them the "Exchange," where the business of the city is carried on, and
told them that there was one week in the year when the boys of Amsterdam
were allowed to use the "Exchange" for a playground.

This was a reward for the good deed of some brave boys of long ago, when
the Spaniards were plotting to capture the city. The boys, it seems,
first discovered the secret, and went and informed the authorities, who
were thus able to defend their city from attack.

"This," said Mynheer, "was the case when I was young, and I suppose the
boys are still allowed the same privilege."

Our little folk were glad enough to take their seats on the deck of the
little steamboat which was to take them to Alkmaar, the centre of the
cheese-trade of North Holland.

"Whew! but we have done a lot of tramping about to-day; oh, my poor
feet!" said Pieter, as he stretched himself out on a bench.

"Father, haven't you got something for us to eat in your pocket?" asked
Wilhelmina, coaxingly.

Mynheer smiled, and from away down in the depths of his pocket, he drew
forth a big loaf of gingerbread. The children munched away at this
favourite Dutch delicacy, and amused themselves by watching the people
who were making the journey with them.

There were two fat old women, sitting side by side and knitting away as
if for their lives. They nodded their heads every time they spoke,
which made their long gold corkscrew ornaments in their caps bob up and
down, and each had her feet on a little foot-stove as if it were
midwinter. There were two little girls with their father, who looked
like little dolls, in short red dresses, with dark green waists and
short sleeves, and pretty aprons embroidered in many coloured silks, and
many gold chains, and earrings reaching nearly down to their shoulders.
They had a solid gold head-piece under their caps. The man had on velvet
knickerbockers, nearly as broad as they were long, and two great silver
rosettes fastened in his belt. There were big silver buttons on his
jacket, and his cap must have been over a foot high.

The little girls were very shy, but when Wilhelmina offered them some of
her gingerbread they soon made friends, and the three were soon chatting
away like old acquaintances.

"Aren't they gorgeous?" whispered Pieter. "They are from the little
island of Marken, near here, in the Zuyder Zee, and have on all their
holiday clothes."

The island of Marken is like a big bowl, Mynheer told them, for all of
it but the rim is lower than the waters which surround it. The rim is a
high stone wall which was built to keep the water out. Everybody who
lives there keeps a boat tied to their gate or door in order that they
may have some means of escape if the wall should ever break.

"Just think of it! I should never sleep nights, if I lived there, for
fear of waking up and finding myself floating about in the water. I
should think the Dutch would be the most nervous people in the world,
instead of the most placid," said Theodore.

"That danger does not often happen," said Mynheer. "But look how
beautifully carved their shoes are. The men do it themselves during the
long winter evenings, and take great pride in their work."

The little steamer puffed along the North Sea Canal, by which the big
ships come right up to Amsterdam. All kinds of queer tublike boats, with
big brown sails, tanned to preserve them from the damp, passed them, and
soon they turned into the river Zaan.

"There is Zaandam," said Mynheer; "they say that most of the people who
live there are millionaires. It is a wealthy little town."

"You would not think so from the looks of the houses," remarked Pieter;
"they seem mostly to be small brick cottages of one story, with a tiny
yard in front."

As the steamer glides along, between green meadows as flat as one's
hand, they could see on all sides innumerable windmills. The boys tried
to count them, but soon gave up the task. It is said that there are over
six hundred of them in this one short stretch of country.

"Why are some of the windmills built on top of the houses?" asked
Theodore.

"For the reason that they are made to turn the machinery which is
situated in the buildings below," said Mynheer; "not all the windmills
are used for pumping water, by any means."

They were now in the midst of the cheese country, one of the richest
sections of Holland. There were everywhere to be seen trim little villas
and neat farmhouses, while the meadows were full of the curiously marked
black and white cows called "Holsteins." These are the favourite cows
throughout Holland for furnishing the milk for the famous butter and
cheeses of the country.

They were at Alkmaar before they knew it. The two old women, who had
never stopped knitting for a moment, picked up their little foot-stoves
and waddled off; Wilhelmina bade her little Marken friends good-bye; and
Mynheer's party hurried off to a little inn on the market-place, for
the sun was setting and the children said they were nearly starved, in
spite of the gingerbread which they had eaten.

Outside the inn was a row of fat, sleepy-looking old men sitting on a
long bench, watching a game of "skittles" which was going on in the
square, for both "grown-ups" and children usually play their games in
the village square. Each had his long pipe and a glass of "schnapps"
just under his part of the bench, and when he wanted a drink all he had
to do was to reach down and get it. Not one of them said a word; they
just sat there and looked, and smoked and drank.

In a cosy room, with a floor of red bricks, neatly covered with sand, a
rosy-cheeked girl soon set out a real Dutch supper for our hungry little
travellers.

There was cold sausage, potato salad, fresh herrings, and a strange dish
made of buttermilk and buckwheat-flour, all boiled together and
flavoured with green herbs. The Joost family thought it delicious, but
Theodore said that it would take him some time to get used to it, and
preferred the big loaves of rye-bread filled with raisins. As for
cheeses, there was no end to the different kinds--and all of them
excellent; while to wind up with, there was a delicious hot gingerbread
and good coffee. Did it keep them awake? No, indeed, they dropped off to
sleep in a moment, inside their big cupboard-beds, that had doors to
them, instead of curtains, which made them look more like boxes than
ever.

"Just come and look out the window, Theodore," said Pieter early the
next morning. He was at the window and Theodore was out of bed in a
moment and beside him.

"Why the whole square is filled with cheeses," he cried. So it was, for
this was market-day, when the farmers--"boeren," they are called--from
all the country roundabout bring in their cheeses to sell them in the
market-place.

The boys scrambled into their clothes, and in a few minutes were walking
among the great piles of cheeses. There were all kinds and shapes and
sizes,--cheeses that looked like great red balls, yellow cheeses, white
cheeses, green cheeses, flat, round, square and all sizes.

"I didn't suppose there were as many cheeses in the world," said
Theodore, looking around him. "And the wagons, too, aren't they fine;
they look as gay as circus wagons."

And so they did, for they were painted every colour under the sun; some
of them even had flowers painted upon them; and they were all shapes,
too; some were curved like shells, and others looked not unlike a boat
on wheels.

"Let us see what is going on over there, where there is such a crowd of
people," said Pieter, as he led the way to the other side of the
square.

Here was the Weighing-House, where the cheeses were being weighed on
funny old-fashioned scales, which looked as though they had been in use
hundreds of years. The buyers, too, were testing the cheeses. They would
taste a cheese and cut a small plug out of it to see if it were of good
quality, and then they would put the plug back in place again, when the
cheese, to all appearances, looked as it did before.

The bargaining over the cheeses took a long time, for the farmers are
very careful to make a good deal for themselves, and they will not be
hurried; and generally, when they are on their way home again, they look
very well satisfied with themselves, and as contented as the portly
Vrouw sitting beside them, or the "kinder," as they call the children,
playing about in the bottom of the wagon.

"I don't suppose you boys have given up eating breakfast," a voice
behind them said, and turning they saw Mynheer Joost.

"Wilhelmina and I have already had ours, so hurry up with yours, and
then come down to the canal; we are going to see the cheeses loaded on
to the boats."

Along the canal were drawn up the boats, with their brown sails, and
steamers and barges and all kinds of craft. When the boys appeared
again, they all stopped to watch a pile of round, red cheeses which were
piled up like shot, ready to be loaded.

A man picked one up in either hand and tossed them to another man, who
was standing beside the ship's hatch; and he, in turn, tossed them to
another who was down in the hold and who was stacking them up in neat
rows.

"I'd like to play that kind of ball; it looks as easy as can be," said
Pieter.

"It's not as easy as you think," said his father; "just pick up one of
these cheeses, and try its weight."

Pieter tried and so did Theodore; but they thought better of it as a
game, and the cheese man himself laughed at their unsuccessful efforts
to grasp a cheese in one hand.

"Just look at our hands," exclaimed Theodore, after they had finished
handling the cheeses; "they are quite red."

"That is the red colouring matter which is put on the outside to
preserve them," said Mynheer.

"Now we will take a walk around the town, and then make our way back to
Amsterdam," said Mynheer Joost; "and we will stop by the way at Edam,
and you can see the little town which gives the name to these red
cheeses."

During the dinner at Edam, a happy idea struck Mynheer Joost.
"Children," he said, "how would you like to have a ride in a
'trekschuit,' or passenger barge? There is one leaving here for Volendam
in half an hour, the landlord of the inn tells me, and if you are ready,
we will go out and hunt it up."

[Illustration: "THE CHILDREN STOOD IN THE BOWS"]

"Oh, that will be great fun," cried the twins in one breath.

There are few of these old-time conveyances left in Holland, and it was
as much a novelty for them as for Theodore.

You will see from the picture what an odd sort of a passenger craft the
"trekschuit" really is. There is one man pulling it, while another walks
behind and steers it by the big tiller, which he handles from the shore
in the same manner that he would if he were on board.

The children stood in the bows among the big brass milk-cans and butter
baskets of the market-women, and said they knew just how comfortable the
fat Dutchmen feel, as they sit on their "tjalks," and let their women
and children draw them about.

The next day found our little friends home again, planning other good
times.

Soon the time came, however, when Theodore must leave his Dutch cousins
and go back to America. The twins were nearly broken-hearted at the very
idea of it; for they had become as fond of Theodore as if he were a
brother. Wilhelmina wept, and said she didn't see why Theodore could not
stay for St. Nicholas; and Pieter himself had to wink hard to keep back
the tears.

But Theodore consoled them by telling them that he would come again and
spend a winter with them, so as to see a real Dutch Christmas, which,
strange to say, is celebrated on the feast of good St. Nicholas, which
comes on the sixth of December. Then they would have skating and all
kinds of winter sports together, which, to tell the truth, are the
favourite amusements of our little Dutch cousins.


THE END.




THE LITTLE COUSIN SERIES


The most delightful and interesting accounts possible of child life in
other lands, filled with quaint sayings, doings, and adventures.

Each one vol., 12mo, decorative cover, cloth, with six or more full-page
illustrations in color.

    Price per volume                                $0.60

_By MARY HAZELTON WADE (unless otherwise indicated)_

    =Our Little African Cousin=
    =Our Little Alaskan Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Arabian Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Armenian Cousin=
    =Our Little Brown Cousin=
    =Our Little Canadian Cousin=
        By Elizabeth R. Macdonald
    =Our Little Chinese Cousin=
        By Isaac Taylor Headland
    =Our Little Cuban Cousin=
    =Our Little Dutch Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little English Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Eskimo Cousin=
    =Our Little French Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little German Cousin=
    =Our Little Hawaiian Cousin=
    =Our Little Hindu Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Indian Cousin=
    =Our Little Irish Cousin=
    =Our Little Italian Cousin=
    =Our Little Japanese Cousin=
    =Our Little Jewish Cousin=
    =Our Little Korean Cousin=
        By H. Lee M. Pike
    =Our Little Mexican Cousin=
        By Edward C. Butler
    =Our Little Norwegian Cousin=
    =Our Little Panama Cousin=
        By H. Lee M. Pike
    =Our Little Philippine Cousin=
    =Our Little Porto Rican Cousin=
    =Our Little Russian Cousin=
    =Our Little Scotch Cousin=
        By Blanche McManus
    =Our Little Siamese Cousin=
    =Our Little Spanish Cousin=
        By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet
    =Our Little Swedish Cousin=
        By Claire M. Coburn
    =Our Little Swiss Cousin=
    =Our Little Turkish Cousin=




THE GOLDENROD LIBRARY

The Goldenrod Library contains stories which appeal alike both to
children and to their parents and guardians.

Each volume is well illustrated from drawings by competent artists,
which, together with their handsomely decorated uniform binding, showing
the goldenrod, usually considered the emblem of America, is a feature of
their manufacture.

    Each one volume, small 12mo, illustrated    $0.35


LIST OF TITLES


    =Aunt Nabby's Children.= By Frances Hodges White.
    =Child's Dream of a Star, The.= By Charles Dickens.
    =Flight of Rosy Dawn, The.= By Pauline Bradford Mackie.
    =Findelkind.= By Ouida.
    =Fairy of the Rhone, The.= By A. Comyns Carr.
    =Gatty and I.= By Frances E. Crompton.
    =Helena's Wonderworld.= By Frances Hodges White.
    =Jerry's Reward.= By Evelyn Snead Barnett.
    =La Belle Nivernaise.= By Alphonse Daudet.
    =Little King Davie.= By Nellie Hellis.
    =Little Peterkin Vandike.= By Charles Stuart Pratt.
    =Little Professor, The.= By Ida Horton Cash.
    =Peggy's Trial.= By Mary Knight Potter.
    =Prince Yellowtop.= By Kate Whiting Patch.
    =Provence Rose, A.= By Ouida.
    =Seventh Daughter, A.= By Grace Wickham Curran.
    =Sleeping Beauty, The.= By Martha Baker Dunn.
    =Small, Small Child, A.= By E. Livingston Prescott.
    =Susanne.= By Frances J. Delano.
    =Water People, The.= By Charles Lee Sleight.
    =Young Archer, The.= By Charles E. Brimblecom.




COSY CORNER SERIES

      It is the intention of the publishers that this series
      shall contain only the very highest and purest
      literature,--stories that shall not only appeal to the
      children themselves, but be appreciated by all those
      who feel with them in their joys and sorrows.

      The numerous illustrations in each book are by
      well-known artists, and each volume has a separate
      attractive cover design.

    Each 1 vol., 16mo, cloth         $0.50


_By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON_

=The Little Colonel.= (Trade Mark.)

The scene of this story is laid in Kentucky. Its heroine is a small
girl, who is known as the Little Colonel, on account of her fancied
resemblance to an old-school Southern gentleman, whose fine estate and
old family are famous in the region.


=The Giant Scissors.=

This is the story of Joyce and of her adventures in France. Joyce is a
great friend of the Little Colonel, and in later volumes shares with her
the delightful experiences of the "House Party" and the "Holidays."


=Two Little Knights of Kentucky.=

WHO WERE THE LITTLE COLONEL'S NEIGHBORS.

In this volume the Little Colonel returns to us like an old friend, but
with added grace and charm. She is not, however, the central figure of
the story, that place being taken by the "two little knights."


=Mildred's Inheritance.=

A delightful little story of a lonely English girl who comes to America
and is befriended by a sympathetic American family who are attracted by
her beautiful speaking voice. By means of this one gift she is enabled
to help a school-girl who has temporarily lost the use of her eyes, and
thus finally her life becomes a busy happy one.


=Cicely and Other Stories for Girls.=

The readers of Mrs. Johnston's charming juveniles will be glad to learn
of the issue of this volume for young people.


=Aunt 'Liza's Hero and Other Stories.=

A collection of six bright little stories, which will appeal to all boys
and most girls.


=Big Brother.=

A story of two boys. The devotion and care of Steven, himself a small
boy, for his baby brother, is the theme of the simple tale.


=Ole Mammy's Torment.=

"Ole Mammy's Torment" has been fitly called "a classic of Southern
life." It relates the haps and mishaps of a small negro lad, and tells
how he was led by love and kindness to a knowledge of the right.


=The Story of Dago.=

In this story Mrs. Johnston relates the story of Dago, a pet monkey,
owned jointly by two brothers. Dago tells his own story, and the account
of his haps and mishaps is both interesting and amusing.


=The Quilt That Jack Built.=

A pleasant little story of a boy's labor of love, and how it changed the
course of his life many years after it was accomplished.


=Flip's Islands of Providence.=

A story of a boy's life battle, his early defeat, and his final triumph,
well worth the reading.




_By EDITH ROBINSON_


=A Little Puritan's First Christmas.=

A Story of Colonial times in Boston, telling how Christmas was invented
by Betty Sewall, a typical child of the Puritans, aided by her brother
Sam.


=A Little Daughter of Liberty.=

The author introduces this story as follows:

"One ride is memorable in the early history of the American Revolution,
the well-known ride of Paul Revere. Equally deserving of commendation is
another ride,--the ride of Anthony Severn,--which was no less historic
in its action or memorable in its consequences."


=A Loyal Little Maid.=

A delightful and interesting story of Revolutionary days, in which the
child heroine, Betsey Schuyler, renders important services to George
Washington.


=A Little Puritan Rebel.=

This is an historical tale of a real girl, during the time when the
gallant Sir Harry Vane was governor of Massachusetts.


=A Little Puritan Pioneer.=

The scene of this story is laid in the Puritan settlement at
Charlestown.


=A Little Puritan Bound Girl.=

A story of Boston in Puritan days, which is of great interest to
youthful readers.


=A Little Puritan Cavalier.=

The story of a "Little Puritan Cavalier" who tried with all his boyish
enthusiasm to emulate the spirit and ideals of the dead Crusaders.


=A Puritan Knight Errant.=

The story tells of a young lad in Colonial times who endeavored to carry
out the high ideals of the knights of olden days.




_By OUIDA (Louise de la Ramée)_


=A Dog of Flanders=:

A CHRISTMAS STORY.

Too well and favorably known to require description.


=The Nurnberg Stove.=

This beautiful story has never before been published at a popular price.




_By FRANCES MARGARET FOX_


=The Little Giant's Neighbours.=

A charming nature story of a "little giant" whose neighbours were the
creatures of the field and garden.


=Farmer Brown and the Birds.=

A little story which teaches children that the birds are man's best
friends.


=Betty of Old Mackinaw.=

A charming story of child-life, appealing especially to the little
readers who like stories of "real people."


=Brother Billy.=

The story of Betty's brother, and some further adventures of Betty
herself.


=Mother Nature's Little Ones.=

Curious little sketches describing the early lifetime, or "childhood,"
of the little creatures out-of-doors.


=How Christmas Came to the Mulvaneys.=

A bright, lifelike little story of a family of poor children, with an
unlimited capacity for fun and mischief. The wonderful never-to-be
forgotten Christmas that came to them is the climax of a series of
exciting incidents.




_By MISS MULOCK_


=The Little Lame Prince.=

A delightful story of a little boy who has many adventures by means of
the magic gifts of his fairy godmother.


=Adventures of a Brownie.=

The story of a household elf who torments the cook and gardener, but is
a constant joy and delight to the children who love and trust him.


=His Little Mother.=

Miss Mulock's short stories for children are a constant source of
delight to them, and "His Little Mother," in this new and attractive
dress, will be welcomed by hosts of youthful readers.


=Little Sunshine's Holiday.=

An attractive story of a summer outing. "Little Sunshine" is another of
those beautiful child-characters for which Miss Mulock is so justly
famous.




_By MARSHALL SAUNDERS_


=For His Country.=

A sweet and graceful story of a little boy who loved his country;
written with that charm which has endeared Miss Saunders to hosts of
readers.


=Nita, the Story of an Irish Setter.=

In this touching little book, Miss Saunders shows how dear to her heart
are all of God's dumb creatures.


=Alpatok, the Story of an Eskimo Dog.=

Alpatok, an Eskimo dog from the far north, was stolen from his master
and left to starve in a strange city, but was befriended and cared for,
until he was able to return to his owner.




_By WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE_


=The Farrier's Dog and His Fellow.=

This story, written by the gifted young Southern woman, will appeal to
all that is best in the natures of the many admirers of her graceful and
piquant style.


=The Fortunes of the Fellow.=

Those who read and enjoyed the pathos and charm of "The Farrier's Dog
and His Fellow" will welcome the further account of the adventures of
Baydaw and the Fellow at the home of the kindly smith.


=The Best of Friends.=

This continues the experiences of the Farrier's dog and his Fellow,
written in Miss Dromgoole's well-known charming style.


=Down in Dixie.=

A fascinating story for boys and girls, of a family of Alabama children
who move to Florida and grow up in the South.




_By MARIAN W. WILDMAN_


=Loyalty Island.=

An account of the adventures of four children and their pet dog on an
island, and how they cleared their brother from the suspicion of
dishonesty.


=Theodore and Theodora.=

This is a story of the exploits and mishaps of two mischievous twins,
and continues the adventures of the interesting group of children in
"Loyalty Island."




_By CHARLES G. D. ROBERTS_


=The Cruise of the Yacht Dido.=

The story of two boys who turned their yacht into a fishing boat to earn
money to pay for a college course, and of their adventures while
exploring in search of hidden treasure.


=The Young Acadian.=

The story of a young lad of Acadia who rescued a little English girl
from the hands of savages.


    =The Lord of the Air.=
      THE STORY OF THE EAGLE


    =The King of the Mamozekel.=
      THE STORY OF THE MOOSE


    =The Watchers of the Camp-fire.=
      THE STORY OF THE PANTHER


    =The Haunter of the Pine Gloom.=
      THE STORY OF THE LYNX


    =The Return to the Trails.=
      THE STORY OF THE BEAR


    =The Little People of the Sycamore.=
      THE STORY OF THE RACCOON




_By OTHER AUTHORS_


=The Great Scoop.=

_By MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL_

A capital tale of newspaper life in a big city, and of a bright,
enterprising, likable youngster employed thereon.


=John Whopper.=

The late Bishop Clark's popular story of the boy who fell through the
earth and came out in China, with a new introduction by Bishop Potter.


=The Dole Twins.=

_By KATE UPSON CLARK_

The adventures of two little people who tried to earn money to buy
crutches for a lame aunt. An excellent description of child-life about
1812, which will greatly interest and amuse the children of to-day,
whose life is widely different.


=Larry Hudson's Ambition.=

_By JAMES OTIS_, author of "Toby Tyler," etc.

Larry Hudson is a typical American boy, whose hard work and enterprise
gain him his ambition,--an education and a start in the world.


=The Little Christmas Shoe.=

_By JANE P. SCOTT WOODRUFF_

A touching story of Yule-tide.


=Wee Dorothy.=

_By LAURA UPDEGRAFF_

A story of two orphan children, the tender devotion of the eldest, a
boy, for his sister being its theme and setting. With a bit of sadness
at the beginning, the story is otherwise bright and sunny, and
altogether wholesome in every way.


=The King of the Golden River=:

A LEGEND OF STIRIA. _By JOHN RUSKIN_

Written fifty years or more ago, and not originally intended for
publication, this little fairy-tale soon became known and made a place
for itself.


=A Child's Garden of Verses.=

_By R. L. STEVENSON_

Mr. Stevenson's little volume is too well known to need description.




BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

    THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS
          (Trade Mark)

_By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON_

    Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth decorative, per vol   $1.50

    =The Little Colonel Stories.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated.

Being three "Little Colonel" stories in the Cosy Corner Series, "The
Little Colonel," "Two Little Knights of Kentucky," and "The Giant
Scissors," put into a single volume.


    =The Little Colonel's House Party.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by Louis Meynell.


    =The Little Colonel's Holidays.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman.


    =The Little Colonel's Hero.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by E. B. Barry.


    The Little Colonel at Boarding School.
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by E. B. Barry.


    =The Little Colonel in Arizona.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by E. B. Barry.


    =The Little Colonel's Christmas Vacation.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by E. B. Barry.


    =The Little Colonel, Maid of Honour.=
          (Trade Mark)

Illustrated by E. B. Barry.


    =The Little Colonel.=
          (Trade Mark)

    =Two Little Knights of Kentucky.=


    =The Giant Scissors.=


    =Big Brother.=


Special Holiday Editions

    Each one volume, cloth decorative, small quarto, $1.25.

New plates, handsomely illustrated, with eight full-page drawings in
color.

"The books are as satisfactory to the small girls, who find them
adorable, as for the mothers and librarians, who delight in their
influence."--_Christian Register._

    These four volumes, boxed as a four volume set        $5.00


=In the Desert of Waiting=:

THE LEGEND OF CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN.


=The Three Weavers=:

A FAIRY TALE FOR FATHERS AND MOTHERS AS WELL AS FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS.


=Keeping Tryst.=


=The Legend of the Bleeding Heart.=

    Each one volume, tall 16mo, cloth decorative   $0.50
    Paper boards                                     .35

There has been a constant demand for publication in separate form of
these four stories, which were originally included in four of the
"Little Colonel" books.


=Joel: A Boy of Galilee.=

By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON. Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman.

New illustrated edition, uniform with the Little Colonel

    Books, 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth decorative           $1.50

A story of the time of Christ, which is one of the author's best-known
books.


=Asa Holmes=; OR, AT THE CROSS-ROADS. A sketch of Country Life and
Country Humor. By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON. With a frontispiece by Ernest
Fosbery.

    Large 16mo, cloth, gilt top                 $1.00

"'Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads' is the most delightful, most
sympathetic and wholesome book that has been published in a long
while."--_Boston Times._


=The Rival Campers;= OR, THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY BURNS. By RUEL PERLEY
SMITH.

    Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated             $1.50

Here is a book which will grip and enthuse every boy reader. It is the
story of a party of typical American lads, courageous, alert, and
athletic, who spend a summer camping on an island off the Maine coast.

"The best boys' book since 'Tom Sawyer.'"--_San Francisco Examiner._


=The Rival Campers Afloat=; OR, THE PRIZE YACHT VIKING. By RUEL PERLEY
SMITH.

    Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated          $1.50

This book is a continuation of the adventures of "The Rival Campers" on
their prize yacht _Viking_. An accidental collision results in a series
of exciting adventures, culminating in a mysterious chase, the loss of
their prize yacht, and its recapture by means of their old yacht,
_Surprise_.


=The Rival Campers Ashore.= By RUEL PERLEY SMITH, author of "The Rival
Campers," "The Rival Campers Afloat," etc.

    Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated          $1.50

"The Rival Campers Ashore" deals with the adventures of the campers and
their friends in and around the town of Benton. Mr. Smith introduces a
new character,--a girl,--who shows them the way to an old mill, around
which the mystery of the story revolves. The girl is an admirable
acquisition, proving as daring and resourceful as the campers
themselves.


=The Young Section-Hand=; OR, THE ADVENTURES OF ALLAN WEST. By BURTON E.
STEVENSON, author of "The Marathon Mystery," etc.

  Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by L. J. Bridgman     $1.50

Mr. Stevenson's hero is a manly lad of sixteen, who is given a chance as
a section-hand on a big Western railroad, and whose experiences are as
real as they are thrilling.


=The Young Train Dispatcher.= By BURTON E. STEVENSON, author of "The
Young Section-hand," etc.

    Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated       $1.50

The young hero has many chances to prove his manliness and courage in
the exciting adventures which befall him in the discharge of his duty.


=Captain Jack Lorimer.= By WINN STANDISH.

  Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by A. B. Shute      $1.50

Jack is a fine example of the all-around American high-school boy. He
has the sturdy qualities boys admire, and his fondness for clean, honest
sport of all kinds will strike a chord of sympathy among athletic
youths.


=Jack Lorimer's Champions=; OR, SPORTS ON LAND AND LAKE. By WINN
STANDISH, author of "Captain Jack Lorimer," etc.

    Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated      $1.50

All boys and girls who take an interest in school athletics will wish to
read of the exploits of the Millvale High School students, under the
leadership of Captain Jack Lorimer.

Captain Jack's Champions play quite as good ball as do some of the teams
on the large leagues, and they put all opponents to good hard work in
other summer sports.

Jack Lorimer and his friends stand out as the finest examples of
all-round American high school boys and girls.


=Beautiful Joe's Paradise=; OR, THE ISLAND OF BROTHERLY LOVE. A sequel
to "Beautiful Joe." By MARSHALL SAUNDERS, author of "Beautiful Joe."

    One vol., library 12mo, cloth, illustrated      $1.50

"This book revives the spirit of 'Beautiful Joe' capitally. It is fairly
riotous with fun, and as a whole is about as unusual as anything in the
animal book line that has seen the light. It is a book for
juveniles--old and young."--_Philadelphia Item._


='Tilda Jane.= By MARSHALL SAUNDERS.

    One vol., 12mo, fully illustrated, cloth decorative, $1.50

"It is one of those exquisitely simple and truthful books that win and
charm the reader, and I did not put it down until I had finished
it--honest! And I am sure that every one, young or old, who reads will
be proud and happy to make the acquaintance of the delicious waif.

"I cannot think of any better book for children than this. I commend it
unreservedly."--_Cyrus Townsend Brady._


=The Story of the Graveleys.= By MARSHALL SAUNDERS, author of "Beautiful
Joe's Paradise," "'Tilda Jane," etc.

  Library 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by E. B. Barry     $1.50

Here we have the haps and mishaps, the trials and triumphs, of a
delightful New England family, of whose devotion and sturdiness it will
do the reader good to hear.


=Born to the Blue.= By FLORENCE KIMBALL RUSSEL.

    12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated       $1.25

The atmosphere of army life on the plains breathes on every page of this
delightful tale. The boy is the son of a captain of U. S. cavalry
stationed at a frontier post in the days when our regulars earned the
gratitude of a nation.


=In West Point Gray.= By FLORENCE KIMBALL RUSSEL.

    12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated     $1.25

West Point forms the background for the second volume in this series,
and gives us the adventures of Jack as a cadet. Here the training of his
childhood days in the frontier army post stands him in good stead; and
he quickly becomes the central figure of the West Point life.


=The Sandman; His Farm Stories.=

By WILLIAM J. HOPKINS. With fifty illustrations by Ada Clendenin
Williamson.

    Large 12mo, decorative cover     $1.50

"An amusing, original book, written for the benefit of very small
children. It should be one of the most popular of the year's books for
reading to small children."--_Buffalo Express._


=The Sandman: More Farm Stories.=

By WILLIAM J. HOPKINS.

    Large 12mo, decorative cover, fully illustrated     $1.50

Mr. Hopkins's first essay at bedtime stories met with such approval that
this second book of "Sandman" tales was issued for scores of eager
children. Life on the farm, and out-of-doors, is portrayed in his
inimitable manner.


=The Sandman: His Ship Stories.=

By WILLIAM J. HOPKINS, author of "The Sandman: His Farm Stories," etc.

    Large 12mo, decorative cover, fully illustrated    $1.50

"Mothers and fathers and kind elder sisters who put the little ones to
bed, and rack their brains for stories, will find this book a
treasure."--_Cleveland Leader._

"Children call for these stories over and over again."--_Chicago Evening
Post._


=Pussy-Cat Town.= By MARION AMES TAGGART.

    Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated
    in colors      $1.00

"Pussy-Cat Town" is a most unusual delightful cat story. Ban-Ban, a pure
Maltese who belonged to Rob, Kiku-san, Lois's beautiful snow white pet,
and their neighbors Bedelia the tortoise-shell, Madame Laura the widow,
Wutz Butz the warrior, and wise old Tommy Traddles, were really and
truly cats.


=The Roses of Saint Elizabeth.= By JANE SCOTT WOODRUFF, author of "The
Little Christmas Shoe."

  Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated
      in colors by Adelaide Everhart                            $1.00

This is a charming little story of a child whose father was caretaker of
the great castle of the Wartburg, where Saint Elizabeth once had her
home.


=Gabriel and the Hour Book.= By EVALEEN STEIN.

  Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated
        in colors by Adelaide Everhart                        $1.00

Gabriel was a loving, patient, little French lad, who assisted the monks
in the long ago days, when all the books were written and illuminated by
hand, in the monasteries.


=The Enchanted Automobile.= Translated from the French by MARY J.
SAFFORD.

  Small quarto, cloth decorative, illustrated and decorated
        in colors by Edna M. Sawyer                            $1.00

The enchanted automobile was sent by the fairy godmother of a lazy,
discontented little prince and princess to take them to fairyland, where
they might visit their storybook favorites.


=The Red Feathers.= By THEODORE ROBERTS, author of "Brothers of Peril,"
etc.

    Cloth decorative, illustrated      $1.50

"The Red Feathers" tells of the remarkable adventures of an Indian boy
who lived in the Stone Age, many years ago, when the world was young,
and when fairies and magicians did wonderful things for their friends
and enemies.


=The Wreck of the Ocean Queen.= By James Otis, author of "Larry Hudson's
Ambition," etc.

    Cloth decorative, illustrated        $1.50

This story takes its readers on a sea voyage around the world; gives
them a trip on a treasure ship; an exciting experience in a terrific
gale; and finally a shipwreck, with a mutineering crew determined to
take the treasure to complicate matters.

But only the mutineers will come to serious harm, and after the reader
has known the thrilling excitement of lack of food and water, of attacks
by night and day, and of a hand-to-hand fight, he is rescued and brought
safely home again,--to realize that it's only a story, but a stirring
and realistic one.


=Little White Indians.= By FANNIE E. OSTRANDER.

    Cloth decorative, illustrated        $1.25

The "Little White Indians" were two families of children who "played
Indian" all one long summer vacation. They built wigwams and made camps;
they went hunting and fought fierce battles on the war-trail.

A bright, interesting story which will appeal strongly to the
"make-believe" instinct in children, and will give them a healthy,
active interest in "the simple life."

       *       *       *       *       *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Page 63, extra word "and" removed from text. Original read: (rye bread
and and white bread)

Ads at back of book, "L. R." changed to "R. L." for Robert Louis
Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses." (By R. L. Stevenson)

Ads at back of book, case of the subtitle of "Jack Lorimer's
Champion's" was changed to match the rest of the titles' layout.
Originally "or, Sports on Land and Lake" was in mixed-case lettering.





End of Project Gutenberg's Our Little Dutch Cousin, by Blanche McManus