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Show is, one is positively dragged into their dwellings, introduced to all the household house-hold goods, especially if one is an American or an amateur antiquarian to some decrepit old clock or cradle, from which the owner vows never to part. But she yields so readily to persuasion that perhaps one does not wrong her in thinking that she solaces sol-aces herself for the loss with a little expedition to Amsterdam in search of a substitute. The Marken fishing fleet makes a brave show, but one feels that a really prosperous concern would not spend so much time in harbor. However, on weekdays the men certainly disappear somewhere, perhaps only to make their rare appearance the more impressive. im-pressive. As is the case all over Holland, Hol-land, man has the monopoly of all the quaintest devices in dress. The Mark-ener Mark-ener is said to do his fishing in his 4 N some ways "the playground of Hol-land" Hol-land" is quite a good if y name for the islands J'.tf trees, the black and jjjj -white cows, the natty and vividly-painted Kjg53$jfT wooden houses, might all have trooped out of some very new and 11 ' splendid nursery Noah's Ark. The people peo-ple are dressed in a more gay and unpractical un-practical fashion than elsewhere, and their vocation in life, like a child's, is to make a pretty and pleasing impression impres-sion on their observers. The cheese-making cheese-making and fishing at which they make believe to toil are, or anyhow appear to be, as unimportant to the general weal as the productions of a child's cooking stove. What they have to do is to look, dress and behave so that they appeal to artists wanting models and Americans wanting excursions. excur-sions. Two-thirds of the tourists and half the guide-books actually seem to imagine that this mode of life has left them quite guileless and childlike. Of course, they are really becoming, thanks to the tourist, the most canny and long-sighted people in Holland, N some ways "the f ff $ II I Lj,f is, one is positively dragged into their playground of Hoi tilAX i M A 8 JTiJi dwellings, introduced to all the bouse- land" is quite a good j"": 8 IH ?jjL B 112 -f- hold goods, especially if one is an if M name for the islands "r,aT American or an amateur antiquarian hJ'is of the Zuider Zee '3llH14t il IN' kJ-HI t0 Eome decrepit old clock or cradle, The stiff, shining Wl? ' from which the owner vows never to trees, the black and K'ife Part- But she yields so readily to 7 ifr'A -white cows, the natty p C , i i,-VfV'C KoJ 'C ''4 persuasion that perhaps one does not y?.V,T-x( wooden houses, might - f ffWmx f$''M aces herself for the loss with a little kM$ all have trooped out 'tA' ': , K,Tf-Tk& expedition to Amsterdam in search of mm. of some very new and fig Jft a substitute. splendid, nursery 'r5-f ' KitKi-Q, The Marken fishing fleet makes a Noah's Ark. The peo- 'j-"" 'Xr brave show, but one feels that a really pie are dressed in a more gay and un- SS " f", "" ' y' prosperous concern would not spend practical fashion than elsewhere, and $&&k0l!&$$fcr v - " - ' &T v V 1 80 much time ln narbor- However, on their vocation in life, like a child's, is .-( C -"-'f,. M weekdays the men certainly disappear to make a pretty and pleasing impres- C s w -'It'l somewhere, perhaps only to make sion on their observers. The cheese- ' - J" . x ktNif 2 their rare appearance the more im- making and fishing at which they -'111' . - , 'i-T'ftgM3 Pressive. As is the case all over Hoi-make Hoi-make believe to toil are, or anyhow -.;, - Jhiri land, man has the monopoly of all the appear to be, as unimportant to the ' " - - 'tst'JdJ' quaintest devices in dress. The Mark-general Mark-general weal as the productions of a . $ U'$' ener is said t0 do hia fishinS la his child's cooking stove. What they have N ,- y-A-" - " - - - to do is to look, dress and behave so " tk,-. - T'" ' " 5SS that they appeal to artists wanting " 'f-t'' x ;-' " o models and Americans wanting excur- , $.'qf!t: as; mm, j sions. Two-thirds of the tourists and 'r' I ' - S II half the guide-books actually seem to " v'Tp H imagine that this mode of life has left ' ,' 'i'WiC U , JFJlfos. ' " II them quite guileless and childlike. Of - , K -4w-' - " , - Vj'vA course, they are really becoming ' l I ?AX I thanks to the tourist, the most canny I 1 AWS , ' f lf ? and long-sighted people in Holland, r II h to v&0$ eTcSard ValV'4g!7 , extravagant breeches and ceremonious d v hat- If this is a fact, the Havenstoom- Just as the remote and pagan Breton is getting v-'-jp" ' i bootdienst of Amsterdam, which has a hideously like the rest of the world as regards the very tender and not altogether disin- Itching palm. No; the folk of the Zuider Zee are IX . . i ' 4 terested affection in these "buried cit- emphatically not children, but they are not the jifmMiz . ' 1 ies oC the Zuider Zee," would find it less interesting because they must be taken as pIW?&P Tl worth while to run an excursion to vastly engaging, ingenious and conscious frauds. fTUfip WV vC V" J the scene of his labors. An exception must be made in the case of Vo- - V 3. W Marken and Volendam are not the lendam, a village which, although artist-ridden all ff' iZ H f -A nly Durled citles in which the Haven" the year round, lives a quite simple and unpre- " S . $V. " 1 T. -X stoombootdienst is eager to introduce tentious life. Its fishing fleet proves its prowess XS45& H-$ - the stranger. In fact, as far as one can in the North sea, and its women are blushing and frofenK tY v AXl -&l CgrrPal discover, these places re not cities bashful. The wooden houses are really homes, yf at all But Monnikendam, on the and whatever treasures and heirlooms may lie Irltl -"Mft f J J Z$m strength of having fitted out a ship within are not shown to the stranger or bartered s-7r7r which did good service against the for his gold. The costume strikes one as genuine. VOZlYP3lZ C?JJa Spaniards at Hoorn, is descrihed as At anv ratft. tho cnirUH Httl Kn,.n i i i extravagant breeches and ceremonious hat. If this is a fact, the Havenstoom-bootdienst Havenstoom-bootdienst of Amsterdam, which has a very tender and not altogether disin- M terested affection in these "buried cit- Jll ies of the Zuider Zee," would find it fli ' worth while to run an excursion to v ) the scene of his labors. Marken and Volendam are not the J only burled cities in which the Haven- i- J stoombootdienst is eager to introduce the stranger. In fact, as far as one can fKlfci discover, these places we not cities " fSnlil at all- But Monnikendam, on the g5QS5 strength of having fitted out a ship which did good service against the Spaniards at Hoorn, is descrihed as "dreaming of its greatness in the past." Certainly Certain-ly the silent little town shows no desire to emu-lote emu-lote its former achievements. If it dreams It dreams quietly, and not even the boisterous clang of the bell of a seemingly quite unnecessary tramway tram-way can rouse it from its reveries. It forms a striking contrast with Edam, whose cheese factories fac-tories are extremely bustling but strangely unproductive. unpro-ductive. Edam has a huge church, which, having hav-ing once acted as a shelter for men and cattle during dur-ing a flood, Is now afflicted with the cow-damp. The town also prides itself on Its cleanliness, a fact that makes it horribly unsympathetic. The Zuider Zee, which lives in the art of Anton An-ton Mauve, is off the beaten track of the tourist. His own town of Laren is visited only by artists, although it is a pretty place and the environs are, for Holland, thickly wooded. Zaandam, the place where Peter the Great worked at ship building, pleases by its bright green houses and staid old windmills. In these last places the visitor feels inclined to stay, but for Markden and its fellows the few hours provided by the Havenstomboot-diest Havenstomboot-diest are quite sufficient. just as the remote and pagan Breton is getting hideously like the rest of the world as regards the Itching palm. No; the folk of the Zuider Zee are emphatically not children, but they are not the less interesting because they must be taken as vastly engaging, ingenious and conscious frauds. An exception must be made in the case of Volendam, Vo-lendam, a village which, although artist-ridden all the year round, lives a quite simple and unpretentious unpre-tentious life. Its fishing fleet proves its prowess in the North sea, and its women are blushing and bashful. The wooden houses are really homes, and whatever treasures and heirlooms may lie within are not shown to the stranger or bartered for his gold. The costume strikes one as genuine. At any rate, the spirited little boys who are always al-ways swarming about the jetty prove by their romps and gymuastics that their faded magenta garments and round black caps are eminently practicable to play in. At first, one has fears for the costume. The coats are so breathlessly tight an economy which, perhaps, counterbalances the absurd superfluity of material in the trousers and the caps would be at the bottom of the Zuider Zee twenty times a day were it not that they have the tenacity of limpets. The men remain re-main faithful to this artistic costume both when stalwart, serious fishermen at which stage the visitor sees little of them and when their working work-ing life is done and all that remains Is to spend the day leaning up against the jetty wall, smoking smok-ing and musing. Old age Is very kind to the Dutch fisherman. His fine wrinkles, twinkling eyes, scant hair his whole smoke-dried and sun-dried sun-dried old face have a shrewd, distinguished, quizzical look, which is very attractive and is not seen elsewhere in Holland. The women, too, improve with age. In youth they are stout and buxom lasses, with sunburnt cheeks, bright but shallow eyes, and hair tucked away, all too neatly, under their light and graceful grace-ful winged caps. In age they grow twinkling and thoughtful, and some of them, save the costume, are Cinderella's godmother to the life. Their gowns have not the gaiety of the men's habits, being generally a useful black, blue or purple, broadly checked or striped, and made in a tight and awkward fashion. Beauty comes with the splash of color made by the apron and with the cap, which is as dainty and fragile as a flower. The Volendammers are a placid people, with only one strong prejudice against the neighboring neighbor-ing island of Marken. 'The denounce it as a community com-munity of beggars whose only excuse is their deficient de-ficient mental capacity, due to the fact that no one on the mainland will marry with them. The guide-books put down this animosity to a difference differ-ence of religion; but one feels that there is something some-thing in the Volendammer's contention when one finds that the Markener standpoint can only be ascertained by the application of hard cash. On that mainland-despised but tourist-beloved isle even conversation is chargeable. The children shriek plaintive and inopportune good-byes in exchange ex-change for a shower of copper, and the most casual cas-ual photographer has willy-nilly to pay a fee to every unmannerly urchin who chooses to dispose herself in front of his camera. Really, the costume of the Markeners is not to be taken seriously. To begin with, the wonjen's dress Is largely made up of printed stuffs, a kind of shoddy substitute for embroidery which has surely not been so very long in the world. The dress itself is dark enough, but over it is worn an overall of the most gaudy and flaunting hues; the cap is chiefly print, and the fair hair is worn in long ringlets with a straight, bushy fringe across the forehead. Mr. E. V. Lucas, in his "Wanderer in Holland," calls these worthy dames "fine, upstanding up-standing creatures." One would like them better if they were less confiding and attentive. As it |