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Show Many Hollanders Celebrate Oct. 3 One of the greatest stories of heroism was written at Leyden, Holland, in 1573-74. October 2 is an anniversary sacral to all Hollanders, Holland-ers, for it was on that date, in 3574, that Hollanders calling on help from the sea drove the Spaniards from Leyden. Leyden is one of the most beautiful beau-tiful cities of the Netherlands. The Spanish began their seige of the city in October, 1573. The resistance resis-tance of the inhabitants was spurred spur-red by the tyranny of the Spanish, Span-ish, which had become well known all over Europe. These inhabitants held out until their food was practically prac-tically exhausted and then on August 3, 1574, dikes were broken down in 3 6 places and the gates at Schiedam and Rotterdam were opened. The sea came through and flowed flow-ed over the land. Although the I bpanish commander became alarm-I alarm-I ed, his advisers told him he had , nothing to fear. But the waters continued to rise and, on Septem- bcr 1, a few shallow-draft vessels and 800 Netherlands sailors began to sail toward the beseiged city. Finally, with favorable winds, the small fleet reached Leiden, driving saway the Spaniards. On the very next day a furious northeast north-east wind rolled the ocean back to its bed and the dikes were) repaired re-paired before the wind changed. |