Blue Robin, the Girl Pioneer

by Rena I. Halsey

  CHAPTER XX--THE DUTCH KRAEG

  The sixth of July had arrived, and little Miss New York was fidgetingnervously in her chair--draped with the Star Spangled Banner and theflaunting colors of the Dutch Republic--placed in line with the hostessand the receiving party of the day. She was a rather startling Miss NewYork, arrayed as a Goddess of Liberty--she had claimed she was too modernto be a vrouw--with her chair as well as her small person hung withplacards of well-known places, streets, and buildings of the metropolis.

  By her side stood Madame New Amsterdam--Mrs. Van Vorst--whosemultitudinous skirts stood out from her figure with such amplitude thatshe resembled the quaint little green pincushion that dangled from herwaist. Her neat white cap was tied under her chin with formal stiffness,while a large silk apron completed a make-up that transformed theslender, dignified Mrs. Van Vorst into a typical Dutch matron. She too,like her daughter, was hung with tiny white signs from bodice to skirt,which excited curiosity if not admiration.

  "Oh, Mother, I do wish they would hurry and come!" cried Miss New Yorkimpatiently, craning her neck to see if some one had not yet appeared onthe broad stairway leading to the main sitting-room. "Oh, somebody'scoming!" and the little lady, with the weight of a city on hershoulders, drew back as she clapped her hands with delight.

  "Ah, here comes the Governor's lady," exclaimed Madame New Amsterdam asMadame Stuyvesant--Mrs. Morrow--announced her coming by stopping on thethreshold of the low-ceiled room, and bowed with such stately formalitythat Miss New York's eyes suddenly stilled, as she stiffened withsimilar dignity to receive the first guest.

  The Governor's lady was followed by Annetje Jans, her comely littleperson looking like a blooming Dutch posy, arrayed in a bright greenpetticoat and a blue waistcoat with yellow sleeves. The brown eyes,ready smile, and brilliant cheeks of Miss Nathalie made her a fittingrepresentative of the little lady who formed so large a part of thehistory of New Amsterdam, coming over in 1630 in the ship _Endracht_with her husband and three children from Holland. After the death of herhusband, who left her a _bouwerie_ (farm) of sixty acres, a good part ofNew York, she married Dominie Bogardus, thus becoming with her wealthand influence a dominant character in the colony.

  Annetje came a few steps forward, and then bobbed such a low curtsy thatthe wings of her lace cap flapped out like the sails of a windmill in agreeting to her hostesses. But in a second her old-time pose wasforgotten, as her eyes fell on the much "be-signed" person of the ladyof the house, and she flew to her aid, declaring that she was losingsome of her signs.

  "This will never do," she commented as she hurriedly pinned the sign"Bouwerie" in its place. "Oh, and here's another old place that's goneastray!" poking "Der Halle" on a straight line with its neighbor, "Declaver Waytie."

  "Will you please inform me why New Amsterdam is thus placarded?" It wasthe voice of the Governor's lady, who was curiously watching thisadjustment of signs.

  "Why, these signs are the Dutch names of the different localities andstreets as named in the days of New Amsterdam," explained Annetjequickly. "See. Broad street means Broad way; _Kloch-Hoeck_ was the siteof the first village, as it was all covered with bits of clam and oystershells, the word means Shell Point. _De claver Waytie_ was a hillleading to a spring covered with grass, where the young maidens used tobleach their linen. The path they wore up the hill came to be known as_Maadje-Paatje_, Maiden Lane. _Der Halle_ was the name of a tavern neara big tree on the corner of Broad and Wall Street. It took the arms ofsix men to go round _der groot_ tree.

  "Here is _Cowfoot Hill_, the old cow-path up the hill, _Canoe Place_,where the Indians used to tie their canoes, and _Catiemuts_ is the hillwhere the Indians had built their castle. _Collect_ means a dear littlelake near-by, yes, and here's the Boston Highway, here's the_Stadt-Huys_, the town hall. _Graft_ was a ditch crossed by a bridge;_De Smits Vlye_ was an old blacksmith shop near the ferry to LongIsland. _Vlacke_ was the grazing ground for the cows, now the City HallPark. _De Schaape Waytie_ was the sheep pasture--"

  "Annetje Jans," exclaimed Madame Van Stuyvesant at this point, with asolemn face, "do you expect me to remember all those Dutch names?Verily, child, you have improved your time and twisted your tongue." ButAnnetje was off, for at that moment she spied another arrival, one ofthe Orioles, and as the sprightly dominie's widow was to act as mistressof ceremonies, she was soon by her side, as she stood hesitatingly inthe doorway.

  "How do you do, _Mutter_. Oh, but you do look fine!" cried Nathalie asher keen eyes noted the broad appearing figure with hair pushed straightback under a close fitting cap, short petticoat and gown displaying herwooden sabots. The _mutter_ was knitting industriously, like a typicalDutch vrouw, as she talked to Annetje and told of the woes that attendedthe getting up of her make-up.

  Annetje now led the new arrival to the line waiting to welcome her."Allow me to present to you Catalina de Trice, the _mutter_ of New York,having been the first woman to land on that famous little isle."

  "Yes," added the _mutter_ with a stiff little bow to the grand Dutchdames receiving her with stately courtesy, "I came over in the firstship, the _Unity_, sent by the West India Company to the settlement, andI have the added distinction," another quaint bob, "of being the motherof the first white child born in New Amsterdam, Sara Rapelje."

  Catalina had no time to continue her family history for Annetje hadhurried her to Miss New York, a little lady in whom all the Pioneerswere greatly interested. She was next shown a table in the rear of Nita,holding a ship encrusted with silver frosting to represent snow, andbearing the words, "_Half-Moon_." On the deck of this famous craft wasthe miniature figure of a man, which Nathalie explained, was intendedfor the discoverer who had named the river Hudson after himself. Back ofthe ship were small sized rocks with the sign, "Great Rocks ofWiehocken," which Annetje declared needed no explanation.

  A few feet away was a large windmill guarded by a demure littleserving-maid who was no other than Carol. With her flower-blue eyes andcorn-colored hair hanging in two braids from under her cute little capshe was a miniature Dutch vrouw. Catalina was now invited to pull one ofa number of gay-colored streamers that flew with the windmill as itbuzzed rapidly around.

  To the girl's surprise, as she gave a quick pull to a ribbon, a carddropped from one of the sails. It was painted with a gaudy red tulipwith an appropriate verse on Holland's national posy. Catalina, on beingtold to keep it, pinned it to her bodice, and then hurried with Annetjeto receive the guests standing at the door, the two girls being theoldest representatives of the Dutch colony.

  The new comer proved to be Tryntje Jonas, alias Barbara Worth. She wasmade known to the hostess as the mother of Annetje, and as the firstnurse and woman doctor in the settlement. Her skirt was of truelinsey-woolsey, from which hung an immense pincushion. With her glassesand her knitting-bag on her arm she looked duly professional as she paidher respects to the Dutch vrouw with stately dignity.

  A sweeping curtsy and Madame Kiersted, Annetje's daughter, otherwiseGrace Tyson, was telling with pride of the part she had played as Indianinterpreter, when the officials of the town were making a treaty withthe Indians. She was well-versed in the Algonquin language, sheexplained, as she had played with little Indian children from the timeshe was a wee lassie.

  She told, too, how she had signed a petition and presented it to thecouncillors, begging that the good vrouws be permitted to hold a marketday. This petition was granted, and market day was held thenceforth onSaturdays, when the dames of the colony were permitted to offer theirwares for sale on the Strand near her home. Furthermore, the Madamestated she had a shed built in her back yard, so that the Indian squawscould make brooms and string wampum, which they, too, sold on marketday. From a little bag she now produced a wampum belt, explaining thatit was made of twisted periwinkle shells strung on hemp. A blueclam-shell was also brought forth, which had been punctured with holesand which was called _sewant_; these two shells at that timeconstituting the currency of the colony.

  But the
Indian's friend had gone and in her place stood a _grande dame_,the famous Madame Van Cortland, generally known in the olden days as"the maker of a stone street." Madame, when inquiry was made, said shehad been born in Holland, but came to the _dorp_ to marry her lover,Captain Oloff Van Cortland. "We lived in a very grand house for thosetimes, for it was made of glazed brick and had a sloping roof with agable turned towards the street, after the manner of the 'Patria,'" sheadded with pompous gravity. "There were steps leading to the roof, too,so when it rained or snowed the water could run into a hogshead in theyard instead of on my neighbor's sidewalk or head. The house wasfurnished in a grand style, all the furniture came from Holland, and infront of it was a little stoop with two side benches and a door with anenormous brass knocker."

  "But the stone street, Madame?" inquired Madame New Amsterdam, whoseemed greatly interested in these little stories of the people anddoings of the city whose name she bore.

  "Cobbles," corrected Dame Van Cortland. "You see, it was this way. Myhusband, the captain, resigned from the militia and went into thebrewing business. He built a brewery on Brower Street near the Fort, oneof the first lanes made by the settlers. But alas," sighed Madameruefully, "when my husband's brewery wagons made their way over the lanethey raised so much dust and dirt that I begged my better half to paveit with stones. He laughed at me, as was his wont, and the dust and dirtgrew thicker on the lane. Driven desperate, I now marshaled my servantsto the lane, and we laid it with small, round cobblestones. I won my wayas well as fame, for the little stone street was the first of its kindin the _dorp_, and was regarded with much curiosity by the burghers."

  Annetje, now spying two more comers, flew to welcome them and the grandedame of Manhattan Isle was forgotten, as an ancient little lady appearedwith silver curls peeping from beneath a cap of rare old lace, arustling silk crossed with a kerchief, and a chatelaine hanging from hergirdle. She bowed with quaint grace before the ladies, as MadameKilliaen Van Rensselaer, otherwise known as, "The Lady of the Thimble."

  "Yes," spoke the little old lady, who by the way was a Bob White, andwho had studied her part with due diligence, "I was the first woman towear a gold thimble. I was seated at my work one day with an ivorythimble, big and cumbersome, on my fingers, the kind 'tis claimed thetailors use. A young friend of mine to whom I had rendered some slightservice was at work in his shop just across the lane. He spied mythimble, and, being a goldsmith, then and there vowed that on mybirthday I should receive a gift. 'Tis needless to say that this vow wasfulfilled, for the young man presented me with a gold thimble on thatday, which he had made with the wish that I would wear his finger-hat asa covering to a diligent and beautiful finger."

  A comely Dutch matron with bright eyes and ruddy cheeks was now bowingin sprightly manner before the hostess. By her pose she was immediatelyrecognized as Lillie Bell, who indeed was just the one to personate thefair and bewitching "Lady of Petticoat Lane," alias Polly Spratt, PollyPrevoorst, and Polly Alexander. The fair Polly was the recognized socialleader of New York in the days when coasting down _Flattenbarack Hill_,or skating on the _Collect_ with a party of lads and lassies as merry asherself gained her the name of a hoyden. Always the bonniest, themerriest lass at a wedding or dance, the acknowledged leader of her set,counting her suitors by the score, it was not to be wondered when shebecame a matron at seventeen. As a widow of twenty-six she assumedcontrol of her husband's business, building a row of offices in front ofher house. She, too, built a stone street, Marketfield Lane, thusinciting her neighbors to do the same. Hence, the brick walks that nowcame into fashion called _Strookes_.

  The keeper of a shop, the maker of a stone lane, the owner of awonderful coach, Madame's fame as a beauty and a social leader, added toher shrewdness, her ingenuity, and sprightly intelligence, won her aninfluence in the more weighty matters of the town, gaining her the titleof "My Lady of Petticoat Lane." Undoubtedly it also won her anotherhusband, as when the _pinter_ flower was in bloom, pretty Polly marriedMr. James Alexander, one of the most distinguished gentlemen of thetimes.

  But on they came, the Pioneer Girls, as Dutch matrons or maidens,impersonating those famous pioneer women, who not only were the bone andsinew of old New York, but who were the progenitors of some of its mostdistinguished men in the days that followed. Katrina de Brough, wholived in a fine stone house on Hanover Square, was a most suitableexample of the housewife of the day. Her days were spent in planting hergarden, culling her simples, distilling her medicines, and many otherwell-known crafts of the times.

  Judith Varleth had gained the name of the "witch maiden," having beenarrested and imprisoned in Hartford, Connecticut, when quite a younggirl. Whether her beauty or her Dutch tongue brought this dire calamityupon her is not known, but the witch maiden was duly released andreturned to her home by her brother, and in a few years disposed of herunfortunate name by marrying a gallant gentleman by the name of Col.Nicholas Bayard.

  Margaret Hardenbroeck not only won a husband, Captain Patrus de Vries, awealthy ship-owner, but won fame as well. On the death of her husbandshe continued his business, and established a line of ships, the firstpacket line that crossed the Atlantic. Her ability as a business womanevidently won her not only fame, but a husband, for she soon marriedagain, a Mr. Frederick Phillipse, and in later days became the owner ofthe Phillipse Manor, so well known during the days of the Revolution.

  Cornelia Lubbetse became Mrs. Johannes de Beyster, while her daughterMarie, the wife of three husbands, became known as the wealthiest womanin the settlement. She was also noted for her industry, filling a great_kos_ (chest) with beautiful linen tied in packages with colored tapeand marked by herself at the time of her first marriage. She alsocarried on a thrifty business trading with ships between New Amsterdam,Connecticut, and Virginia, as well as being the mother of "The Lady ofPetticoat Lane," who married a younger brother of her third husband.

  Anna Stuyvesant, Rachel Hartjers, and Madame Van Corlear were all in dueturn presented to the hostess, as well as Grietje Janssen, who was knownin the old days as a double-tongued woman, having won fame as being thegossip of the burgh.

  But the merry chatter and low-pitched laughter of these would-behistoric maidens was suddenly stilled, as a strange, grotesque figurewas seen in the doorway gazing at the assembled company with an oddlittle smile on its bedaubed face.

  A murmur of surprise and astonishment caused eyes and mouths to open incurious wonder, as Annetje, although as bewildered as her neighbors,made her way to the door to welcome the unknown intruder.

  As Nathalie approached the uncouth, blanketed savage it emitted astrange sound; some claimed it was a grunt, while others said it was agroan. The girl stared a moment in startled inquiry and then a smileparted her lips, which was quickly repressed as in a quick glance shenoted the eyes heavily underlined with black paint, the brown dyed skin,the red patched cheeks much besmeared with grease, and the blacksnake-like strings of hair that straggled from beneath a derby hat,several sizes too small for the head.

  As the redskin strode with measured gait to the ladies, the painted lipsopened, and an excellent imitation of an Indian warwhoop broke forthwith startling intensity. Little Miss New York jumped nervously, MadameNew Amsterdam started back in surprise, but Mrs. Morrow and Nathalieburst into laughter as they both cried, "Why--it's Edith!"

  Yes, it was the Sport, who seeing she was the sensation of the momenttook off her derby hat and with a low bow to hostesses, in guttural toneexclaimed, "No, me no Edith, me Indian squaw from Mana-ha-ta!"

  This unexpected announcement created no little astonishment, and thegirls flocked around her with exclamations of wonder and surprise. Asthey began to ply her with questions she cried triumphantly, "Ah, girls,I fooled you that time, for I guess you had all forgotten about theIndian women of Manhattan, who always wore their husband's hats."

  "Oh, girls," cried Nathalie quickly, "the joke is on me, for I hadforgotten, as Edith says, all about these Indian squaws."

  "Edith, it was clev
er of you to remember," now interposed the Governor'slady, "and your get-up too, is very good." She gazed with keen eyes atthe girl's deerskin robe, fringed at the sides, with its embroideredbodice, and the rows of colored beads that decorated her neck and herbrown bedaubed arms. "But Edith," she continued, "can't you tell ussomething about these squaws?"

  The girl looked somewhat dismayed for a moment; perhaps the suddenrecollection of the last time she had faced her companions, the shameshe had felt, and the punishment that had been meted out to her, causedthe flush that showed even beneath her paint and grease.

  "Why--I--oh, I don't think there is much to tell," she faltered. Butencouraged by a nod from Mrs. Morrow she continued, "Lillie Bell lent meWashington Irving's History of New York. It tells how Peter Minuitpurchased the island from the Indians--the Dutch people called themWilden--and where the bargain was made. It was close to a little blockhouse inside a palisade of red cedars very near the traders' hut in aplace called _Capsey_, the place of safe landing. Washington Irvingclaimed that the name, 'Manhattan,' came from a tribe of Indians whosesquaws always wore their husband's hats, but I never knew that Indianswore hats, so I suppose it is just one of his jokes."

  There was a general laugh at Edith's sally, and then the girls brokeinto loud applause. Perhaps they, too, were doing a little thinking andwere anxious to show Edith that the deeds of the past were forgotten inher well-doing.

  Annetje, after marshaling her forces, now led the girls through thequaint Dutch room to show them the many relics of past days. Thewide-throated fireplace with its gay-colored tiles--still in a state ofgood preservation--with their queer scriptural figures, each picture withthe number of the text in the Bible that told its story, awakened greatinterest.

  Mahogany tables, queer little sideboards, and curiously carved chairsnext claimed their attention, while the _slaap-bauck_, a funny littlecloset built in the side walls of the room, its shelf covered with amattress, and with folding doors to open at night for a guest bed, wonspecial favor.

  A flowered tabby cloth, a foot-warmer, and an old chest called a _kos_,and which Nathalie declared was similar to the one that the industriousMarie de Peyster had filled with linen, was regarded with much awe. Anutwood case, a wardrobe called a _kasten_--filled with old Dutchcostumes, grimy and moth-eaten--divided honors with a beautiful oldcupboard with glass doors, displaying rare old blue and white Delft,said to have come from Holland years and years ago.

  But curios pall in time, and so the girls were not at all reluctant tofollow their hostesses into the quaint old kitchen, gayly decorated withthe orange and blue of the Dutch Republic. Here, many exclamations ofadmiration escaped them when they saw the long table in the center ofthe room, with its bloom of hyacinths, gillyflowers, narcissus,daffodils, and tulips, all reminders of the little beau-pots thatadorned the window sills, or peeped from the flower patches in front ofthe gable-roofed houses in the days of the first settlers.

  Embowered in this floral display was a huge silver bowl hung with tinysilver spoons. This was the caudle dish, the inseparable accompanimentof feast gatherings or when the _kinder_ were christened. From the hot,spicy odor that emanated from this relic of Dutch festivity the girlsknew it held something good.

  But there was no more time to admire, for it was now discovered that aflower was tied with daintily colored ribbon to the back of each chair.Recognizing that they were intended for place-cards, the girls flewhurriedly around the table trying to find the flower that matched theone on the cards they had received from the windmill.

  Mrs. Van Vorst, typifying the first Dutch settlement in the New World,now cordially welcomed her guests with a few appropriate words. She wasfollowed by Nita, who, standing on the platform of her chair, recited agreeting in Dutch--a little thing that Nathalie had taught her--withquaint precision, while her eyes twinkled humorously.

  The edibles were now served, the little serving-maid being Carolassisted by Peter attired as a herdsman in low-heeled shoes, brassbuckles, gray stockings, and with a twisted cow's horn hanging from hisshoulder.

  Roasted oysters served with hot split biscuits tempered with butter werethe first course. Then came salmon a la Hollandaise and patriotic crabs,so called because the settlers declared that they were the color of theflag of the Prince of Orange. Frankfurters now appeared, so deliciouslyprepared that the Pioneers barely recognized their hike stand-by, servedwith carrots and turnips garnished with parsley. Green salad nowfollowed with the caudle served from the silver bowl, each girl ladlingthis particular Dutch dainty, piping hot, into her own china cup.

  The goodies were jellies, custards, _oly krecks_--sometimes calleddoughnuts because of the tiny nut in the center--krullers,_izer-cookies_, or waffles, syllabubs, and many other toothsome sweets.All of these viands were greatly enjoyed, not only because they were ofDutch renown, but because they were eaten, as their Director declared inmemory of the _goede vrouven_ who helped their _goede_ men to lay thefirst stones of the great city of New York.

  Every one was at their merriest when Annetje Jans, who had suddenlygrown unduly restive, arose in her chair and holding her caudle cup highproposed a toast to Madame New Amsterdam, Mrs. Van Vorst, their hostess!

  Immediately glasses were touched to the lady so honored, who in returnproposed a like honor for Madame Stuyvesant, Mrs. Morrow, the Directorof the Girl Pioneers of America. Little Miss New York was now honored,who, as she bowed in response to the loud clapping that followed hername, passed the honor on to her friend, Miss Nathalie Page, in Dutch,Madame Annetje Jans.

  There was more applause in appreciation of Nita's tribute, although hervoice was low and tremulous with timidity at speaking before so many.But when Nathalie rose on her feet to reply, the clapping grew sovociferous that the color deepened her cheeks to a more vivid pink.

  But she stood her ground, and as the teasing girls wearied of clappingshe spoke. There was a slight tremor in her voice, but she went steadilyon, and after expressing in the name of the Pioneers the great pleasureit had given them to meet the daughter of their hostess, voiced theirdesires in asking Miss Nita to join with them in their endeavors toimitate the sterling qualities of the early pioneer women, and to becomea Girl Pioneer of America!