Jan and Betje; a story of two Dutch children

II New York

CHARLES E. MERRILL COMPANY

COPTRIQHT, 1914,

BY

CHARLES E. MERRILL CO.

TO THE CHILDREN

If the American children who read this little story should glance through the pages of a Dutch book, I am quite sure they would exclaim, How many fs there are!’’ Indeed, this letter seems to be a great favorite in the quaint little country we are to visit. I doubt if you would pronounce it exactly right, though — not the first time, at any rate.

As we are to read a Dutch story, however, we want to give the Dutch names their Dutch sounds, do we not? Suppose, then, at the start, we call Jan, Yon, and his sister Betje, Bet'yuh. The other little children of the j family — their cousin, Aartje, their schoolmate, Mietje, and the baby of the windmill house, Mar- [ 3 ]

retje, — we will call in turn Art'yuh, Meet'yuh, and Mar'ret yiih.

The nearest your American tongue can pronounce Gouda, the name of the city of queer pipes, is Gow'da.

The coins Jan and Betje saved in their banks are very interesting. They collected cents, as you do, but their Dutch cent is worth less than half of your American cent. One hundred of the Dutch cents make a gulden (gool'den) instead of a dollar, and a twenty-five-cent piece is a kwartje (quart 'yiih).

If Jan and Betje were speaking of klompen, their wooden shoes, they would call them klomp'en; kaas or cheese, kas; poort or gate, poort; and oud or old, owd. I know these words sound queer to you. On the other hand, the little Van Eycks would pronounce boteVj meaning butter, bo' ter; and pijp and boek exactly like your own pipe and book,

In fact, you will find that in some ways Jan and Betje are not strangers to you. I hope that in reading their story, you will enjoy getting acquainted with them.

Chapter I The Floating Home

Jan and Betje were Dutch children. Jan was ten years old, his sister two years younger. They first opened their blue eyes on a flat boat, or barge, on one of the canals of Holland. This was not only their first home, but the only one they had ever known. Instead of talking about [ 9 ]

^^down the street^’ or the street/' as other children do, it was always the canal" or ^^down the canal" with them.

The barge belonged to Wilhelm Van Eyck, the father of Jan and Betje. In the front part of the boat was a deep roomy space called the hold. This was usually filled with great golden cheeses. Father Van Eyck was hired to carry this cargo to and from market, and so the boat helped him earn a living for himself and Mother Van Eyck, and their boy and girl.

^^We don't want anything better than our boat, do we, Jan? " Betje would often say.

^^No, indeed," her brother always answered. ^^It's ever so much better than a house. Just think how stupid it must be for poor children who have to live on dry land — always in the same place. I should get so tired of it!"

“And I, too. We are much better off [ 10 ]

as we are. We can begin the day with green fields, cattle, and windmills around us and perhaps go to sleep that very same night in a great big city like Rotterdam or Amsterdam.’^

“What do we want of a yard?^^ Betje went on. “Don^t we have the deck, which is much nicer?”

“I should say so. It’s plenty large enough for games.”

“And for mother’s washing.”

“And surely nobody could have a better pet than our Piet.”

Piet was the family dog. He was very fond of the children and would romp with them by the hour. But it was not always playtime with Piet. Most dogs have to do their share of the work in Holland, and so whenever Father Van Eyck went to market to buy food for the family, Piet pulled the cart. In his harness of rope and leather, he would trudge steadily [ 11 ]

along the narrow Dutch streets by the side of his master, like the good, faithful dog he was.

The children’s parents were very glad that their boy and girl were so contented. It made them happy. Like J an and Bet j e, they too thought their boat quite the nicest home in the world.

It really was as comfortable as a house. The deck was the living-room on pleasant days. Here Mother Van Eyck sewed. Father Van Eyck smoked, the children played, and they all ate their meals. There was a covered cabin, but they seldom went into it except to sleep.

That cabin was like a doll’s house, for all the world! If you had gone into it, you would have had to hunt for the beds. They were really cupboard beds, built in the walls, and hidden by bright curtains. Many homes in Holland have no other kind of bed. The floor of the cabin room [ 12 ]

was covered with gay oilcloth, and there were shelves of blue and white dishes and pieces of shining brass. There was a pretty tile, too, on the shelf. This was a square piece of glazed pottery which Mother Van Eyck used as a stand for her teapot.

Two tiny windows were draped in snow-white muslin. The children’s mother never allowed the window curtains to get soiled. It would be a shame for a Dutch housewife to grow careless about so important a matter! Usually there were jars of flowers at the windows — bright tulips, hyacinths, or lovely big roses. A pet bird in a cage made music all day long.

Was it any wonder that Jan and Betje wanted no better place in which to live than their floating home?

Chapter II Painting The Boat

some extra work to do to-day,” said Father Van Eyck one morning, '^and I’m going to ask you to help me, Jan.”

''Quite right,” said his mother. "All play and no work is not a good thing for boys and girls — or grown-ups, either.”

Jan was very willing to be of use to his father, who was always so good to him.

"What shall I do first?” he asked.

"Just wait a bit, son,” laughed Father Van Eyck. "I was just about to tell you. Our boat needs a new dress. Her colors are so faded they look quite shabby. Do you think you could help me put on some new paint?”

"0, yes,” cried the delighted Jan.

Never before had his father asked him to do the work of a man!

^^What color are you going to have, father?’^ he said.

^^That is for the rest of you to decide. As long as the paint is new and fresh, I don’t care what color it is.”

Let’s get bright blue, then.”

''0, I like orange better,” spoke up Betje.

^^And you, mother?” asked Father Van Eyck.

“I was just going to say pink,” she replied.

^^Then we’ll paint it all three colors.”

So it was decided to paint the boat in stripes — first one of pink, then blue, then orange. People living in America would think it a funny sort of dress to give the barge; not so in Holland, the home of bright colors.

The boat was tied fast to a wharf for the [16]

day, and the proud Jan went with his father to the paintshop and helped select the paint. They bought a large can of each of the three colors and two good stout brushes.

“May I carve my initials on the handle of my brush? asked Jan.

“ Yes,’^ said his father.

After ten minutes’ work, the brush bore three clean-cut letters — J. V. E. — which, of course, stood for Jan Van Eyck.

That day was almost like a holiday. Jan and his father worked hard, it is true, but it was fun all the same. As they painted, they sat or stood up in a small boat which they moved along the side of the barge from time to time. Above them, Betje and her mother leaned over the side of the barge to see how the work was coming on. The task was finished late in the afternoon.

“To-morrow, after the paint has begun [ 17 ]

to dry/’ said Jan’s father, “we will paint the name.”

Early the next morning, the two workers were at it again. The name had ten letters. Father Van Eyck first outlined them with a heavy pencil so that, when finished, they would all be of the same size and height. Then Jan began at one end of the name and his father at the other. When they came together, there stood ten straight letters which spelled

WTLHELMINA.

“I’m glad our boat is named after the queen,” said Betje.

The others felt the same way. They were proud of their gracious ruler; but you may be sure they were just as proud of the boat named for her.

Chapter III Betje At Work

The next morning Jan was walking back and forth on the deck of the Wilhelmina with his hands in his trousers pockets. He felt several inches taller than the day before. Had he not helped paint the boat and made a good job of it?

Betje watched him with a rather sober look on her little round face. She was always proud of her brother, but she didn’t half like it when he looked and acted so much older than herself. She knew very well there was only two years’ difference in their ages.

“Mother,” she said softly, stepping over to where Mother Van Eyck was preparing vegetables for dinner, “Jan has [ 19 ]

begun to do grown-up work for father. Why cannot I do something for you?^^

Mother Van Eyck laid down her dish of carrots and smiled pleasantly.

^^Ah, that is what I like to hear, little daughter, said she. ^^It shows you are a true Dutch housewife at heart. You may begin your grown-up tasks this very day.’’

Right now?”

“Right now. Hasten and fetch the new apron I made you for your last birthday.”

It did not take Betje many seconds to scramble down the steep steps that led to the cabin. From a box covered with flowered paper, she carefully drew out the treasured apron that had never yet been fWorn, It had blue flgures on a white background and bands of plain blue for trimming. The neck was low and the sleeves short, but the apron was long enough to cover Betje’s dress. What she [ 20 ]

liked best about it were two generous pockets. Betje believed there couldn^t be another such beautiful apron in all Holland! She went up on deck again so that her mother could button it in the back. Then, clasping her mother^s hand, Betje returned to the cabin, ready for work.

Beginning to-day,^’ said Mother Van Eyck, “I am going to let you take care of my nicest dishes and brass. Yes, you may even wash my very best tile that Aunt Mama bought in Delft, where the famous potteries are.’’

Betje gasped with delight.

^^0, I will be so very, very careful, mother,” she said.

^^Of that I am sure,” Mother Van Eyck answered, ^^else I would not trust you with them. See, you must scour the brass so.”

As she spoke, she took up her favorite little flat dish, or porringer, which had two fancy side handles.

^^Here are the soft cloths. With one, you must rub on this soft paste, then rinse the dish in hot water, wipe it dry, and give it a last polish with another clean cloth.’’

^^And is this to be done every day, mother?”

^^What a foolish question, child! Of course. Have you not seen me do it ever since you can remember? ”

''Yes, mother.”

"It is true there are some housekeepers who give their brass a rub only now and then — perhaps once a week — but the women of my family and your father’s also have ever been more particular.”

Mother Van Eyck went back to her work on deck. Betje was left alone. She washed and scrubbed and polished until she was quite red in the face. As she [ 22 ]

worked, she made up stories about herself, making believe she was really a grown woman and that the pretty dishes were her very own. How she admired them! And how she held on to them with all her might! It would never do to break such wonderful treasures.

The best tile had a windmill with long flappy arms. Betje never tired of studying the soft blues and browns in the picture. There was a lady in the picture also and Betje made up a story about her, too.

When the work was quite done, Betje folded up her Dutch apron carefully, put it back in the box, and went in search of her mother.

^^Well done, little daughter,” Mother Van Eyck greeted her, and she kissed Betje heartily.

Jan was still walking back and forth. Betje stole softly up behind him and [ 23 ]

linked her arm in his. At last she felt almost as old and tall as he did!

Chapter IV The Secret

A few moments later, Betje heard her mother^s voice calling to her.

^^Come here, child,^^ she said, ^^and take off your klompen. I just noticed as you passed by that they are in pretty bad condition.”

Betje removed her wooden shoes as her mother directed. Mother Van Eyck looked them over and shook her head gravely.

“They are past mending, I fear,” she said. “Your father will have to buy you some new ones at the very next stopping place.”

“Then I will throw these into the canal,” said Betje.

Don't do that, Betje," spoke up Jan. “I know of something better."

^^What?"

^^It's a secret."

^‘0, good!" cried Betje, clapping her hands in glee.

Jan drew her away to the bow of the boat so that his mother could not hear what he said. Betje listened to her brother eagerly.

Father had some paint left yesterday," began Jan. Let's ask him for it. You take one klomp and paint it orange, and I'll take the other and paint it blue."

^^What shall we do with them after that?" asked Betje.

^^Use them for banks. Mother will let us keep them on the shelf, I know."

^^0, yes," agreed Betje. ^^And mother said if I helped her every day as much as I did this morning, she would give me a cent now and then."

Father promised me the same thing/ ^ added Jan.

^^St. Nicholas Day will be coming next December/^ Betje went on, ^^and then we shall need some money to buy presents for mother and father.”

know already what we ought to buy for father,” said Jan. Some green velvet slippers for Sundays. His best pair is wearing out.”

“I will knit some socks of the same color to go with them,” said Betje. “But what shall we get for mother? ”

“ We^U have to think that up by and by. There’s plenty of time. It is now only the first of August, so we have four whole months in which to get ready for St. Nicholas Day. First, let’s see if father will let us have the paint.”

Father Van Eyck promised that the children should have it as soon as he had a chance to buy the new klompen for Betje.

Not many days later, an orange shoe and a blue shoe decorated the shelf in the cabin. Just before going to bed, Betje climbed up in a chair to have a last look at her bank. As she picked it up, something rattled. She looked inside. There was a coin — not a copper cent or even a nickel five-cent piece, but a bright silver ten-cent piece with the queen^s head on it!

Jan lost no time taking a peep into his bank. It also held a ten-cent piece, bright and new, like Betje^s. Never had he felt so rich before.

^^Who put them here?’^ asked Jan of his mother.

'^Ah, that is for you to find out,^’ was her reply. Somebody else can have a secret as well as you and Betje.”

Chapter V Through The Canals

The Wilhelminaj in her new coat of fresh paint, was now on her way to a large cheese factory. Here Father Van Eyck was to take on a load of cheeses and then carry them to the cheese market. In the same way, other bargemen were taking their cargoes from many different factories to the market, and later, on market day, all the cheeses would be sold in a big open square.

Very slowly the Wilhelmina moved through the canals. The barge had a sail, it is true — a heavy, dark red one; but it was of use only when a stiff breeze was blowing. For days at a time it would remain furled. For the most part, the [ 29 ]

Van Eyck boat had to be either pulled or pushed.

Please let me pull with you, father,’’ Jan begged one day.

Father Van Eyck was just putting a strong rope over his shoulders and under his arms when his boy spoke. He did not answer at once.

^^What do you think, mother?” he said at last. ^Hs our Jan too young to tug at the rope?”

should say not,” answered Mother Van Eyck. ^^He is strong and tall and able to help you. Some day he will have to learn and he may as well begin now.”

One end of the rope was already tied to the bow of the boat. With the other. Father Van Eyck made a double harness, and soon he and Jan were pulhng the Wilhelmina through the water streets. They walked side by side along a little footpath near the water’s edge.

why is Holland covered with canals?^^ asked Jan.

Because most of our land is lower than the level of the ocean/ ^ replied Father Van Eyck. If it were not for the canals, the water that comes from springs and rains would settle all over the country. To carry it off and keep the land dry, these channels have been cut in all directions.’’

“But what carries the water from the fields to the canals?” was Jan’s next question.

“Pumps,” replied Father Van Eyck. “And back of the pumps are the windmills that keep the pumps going.”

Jan thought hard for a minute.

“But I should think,” he said after a little while, “that even if the canals carried the water to the sea, it would flow back again.”

“Ah, but there are strong sea-walls all [ 32 ]

along the coast to shut the water out/’ was Father Van Eyck’s answer. ^^They are built of earth and stone and are called dikes. I will show you one some day.”

Jan’s work for that day ended at dinner time.

^^This afternoon,” said Father Van Eyck, am going to pole the boat instead of pulling it. You have earned a good rest, Jan, and may sit down with Betje and look on while I work.”

^^May I not help you as I did this morning?” Jan asked.

^^The pole is too heavy for you, my boy,” his father answered. “You can manage it better when you are a few years older.”

Jan found he was rather tired, after all, and he was glad enough to sit down by the side of Betje. He and his sister watched their father take a long stout pole, carry it to the side of the barge, and [ 33 ]

lower one end until it touched the bottom of the canal. He then pushed on the other end with all his strength. This sent the Wilhelmina forward. Now and then Father Van Eyck pulled the pole out of the water, dropped it in a different place, and pushed as before. The work was repeated again and again. Thus, little by little, the Wilhelmina made her way through the canals. Jan was anxious for the day to come when he could handle a pole himself.

‘^Then you shall sit and do nothing all day long,” he promised his father.

Chapter VI Bridges And Locks

While on her way to the cheese factory, the Wilhelmina passed under many bridges. Some of these were called toll bridges, which meant that every boatman must pay a small sum of money, to get by the bridge.

'^Are we going to pass a toll bridge to-day, father?” Betje asked one morning.

“ I hope it is Baas Vleeck^s bridge, then.”

^^The very same.”

“Then will you give me the two cents so that I may have them all ready? I will put them in my apron pocket and take good care not to lose them.”

it your turn to pay to-day?’^ asked her father.

“Yes, don’t you remember? Jan paid * yesterday.”

Father Van Eyck handed Betje two copper coins.

“The paying out of money pleases you better than it does me, little one,” he said. “It is well that some bridges in Holland are free.”

“0, but father, I always like to pass Baas Vleeck’s bridge.”

“I know why,” put in Jan slyly. “He always gives you something back for the money.”

“It isn’t that alone,” answered Betje almost tearfully. “He always remembers who I am and I like him.”

Soon afterwards. Baas Vleeck’s bridge came in sight. It was a bridge which divided so that the central part swung around in the canal to make a passage for [ 36 ]

the barges. On this portion stood the kindly bridgekeeper.

^^Ah, my little Betje once more/^ he called out with a broad smile on his round Dutch face. '^Good morning to you.^^

Betje, blushing and happy, held up a chubby hand in which the two cents were clasped tightly.

^^Some money for me?^^ said Baas Vleeck with an air of surprise, as if he had never been known to take a coin from any one before.

Betje nodded her head up and down. Then the bridgekeeper lowered a wooden shoe which hung from a pole, and Betje carefully dropped the two cents inside. Baas Vleeck then put his hand deep in his trousers pocket.

“I almost forgot,^’ he said. Somebody put these in my pocket for you.’’

He tossed her two little squares of sugar neatly wrapped in white paper.

^^Good catch he called out as the Wilhelmina moved on.

Sugar might seem a queer gift to children in some parts of the world, but in Holland, where it is somewhat scarce and costly, poor children do not get it every day.

Thank you so much,” cried Betje, and Jan called, Thank you,” too.

^^WeJl have them in our chocolate at dinner time,” said Betje. ^^CanT you cut each piece in two, Jan, with your knife? Then there J1 be just enough to go round.”

Jan was glad to do so. As they sipped their chocolate that noon, the whole family thought what a very nice man the bridgekeeper was.

have a pleasant surprise for you, youngsters,” said Father Van Eyck after dinner was cleared away. ^^The Wilhelmina must go down a step this afternoon.”

Who ever heard of a boat going down steps? American children would laugh at the idea, I know, and say it could not be done, but Jan and Betje knew what their father was talking about. They were quite used to water steps, or locks, as they are called. In Holland, wherever the canal changes from a higher to a lower level, these locks are always to be found.

think we are coming to the lock now,” called out Father Van Eyck not long afterwards.

Jan and Betje looked ahead and saw two gates before them. When the boat came close, the gates swung each side to let the Wilhelmina through and then shut again. The children saw still another pair of gates beyond the first ones. These, too, were closed.

'^We are really in a water room, arenT we, mother?” said Betje.

^^Yes, dear/’ answered Mother Van Eyck.

Slowly the water was allowed to flow out of the water room through an opening at the bottom of the second pair of gates. This made the barge go down and down, somewhat like a very slow elevator. When she reached the lower level, the gates were opened and the Wilhelmina continued her journey.

The very next day, the boat went up, instead of down, a step. She passed into a water room as before, only water was allowed to come in from the higher level instead of going out at the lower. This took the Wilhelmina up and up until she reached the higher level of the canal. The gates then opened for her to pass through, and the good boat went on her way.

Chapter VII Going To Market

At last the Wilhelmina was tied to a wharf not far from the cheese factory. As soon as the boat was made fast, Father Van Eyck went to tell the men who hired him that he had arrived. They let him have several helpers to take the loads of yellow cheeses from the factory to the boat. The cheeses were so heavy that it took three or four of those men to push the handcart through the streets.

Soon the work of loading began. Jan and Betje with their mother looked on.

“How good and fresh the cheeses smell!” exclaimed Betje.

“Yes,” her brother answered. “I should not want our boat to carry any other kind of cargo. Coal is too dirty, and so is peat; and stone is not a bit interesting.’’

Slowly and carefully, Father Van Eyck arranged the cheeses in layers in the hold.

^^Why are you so careful about it, father? ” Jan asked. “ I should think you could save time by throwing them.”

^^Ah, but they are yet soft,” was the answer, ^'and it would never do to break them.”

^^Is that why you put the boards between the layers, too?” continued Jan.

Exactly,” replied Father Van Eyck.

Didn’t you tell us, mother,” spoke up Betje, ^^that you once saw some cheeses made out in the country?”

Yes,” said Mother Van Eyck. Those were dairy cheeses, not factory cheeses, like these your father is handling. I wish you could have seen the milk room that I saw, child! The floor and walls were made of tiles, and it was as clean as clean could be. Even the barn was as neat as anybody’s living room. It had dainty curtains at the windows and I couldn’t see a speck of dirt anywhere.”

^‘1 should call that a pretty fine home for cows,” said Betje.

^^It was, indeed,” was Mother Van Eyck’s reply. ^^Many boys and girls haven’t one so good.”

The Wilhelmina was soon loaded and under way once more. Happy days followed. No two were just alike. Every night, before going to bed, Jan and Betje would wonder what would happen the next day that would be new or interesting. Something always did happen, even on the quietest of days.

A part of each day Jan helped Father Van Eyck pull the boat, but there was plenty of time left for him to play with Betje. Sometimes other children joined [ 43 ]

in their games. This happened when another barge was tied alongside their own.

Won’t you please come over and play with us?” Betje would call out shyly to the other canal-boat family. You may be sure the invitation was always accepted with delight.

When Jan and his sister were alone, they often amused themselves guessing how many boats the Wilhelmina would meet in the course of the day. They saw more barges, of course, than any other kind of boat. At such times, Father Van Eyck and the other bargemen sent friendly greetings across the water. If there were children on the other barges (and there usually were), they waved their hands to Jan and Betje and the little Van Eycks never failed to wave back.

Other boats besides barges moved along the canals. Now and then a light sailboat [ 44 ]

with spread canvas came within hailing distance. It looked like an immense bird skimming over the surface of the water.

There were fishing boats, too. These were sometimes crowded so close together that you could hardly tell which mast belonged to which ship. When Jan and Betje tried to count them, they had to do it, not once or twice, but many times. Now Betje came nearer the right number; again Jan proved the better guesser.

So good a time did Jan and Betje have, that before they knew it, they had reached the market place.

Chapter VIII Market Day

Jan and Betje were up bright and early the next morning, for it was market day. They were very happy, for they knew they would have a chance to play on land. When they first left the boat, they hardly knew how to act. The pavements with little uneven Dutch bricks were so very different from the smooth deck of the barge! Many a time would the children have tumbled had not their klompen been broad and steady.

There were ever so many things to do around the market place. First Jan and Betje watched the cheese men. It was great fun. Father Van Eyck and his helpers threw the cheeses as fast as they [ 46 ]

could to another set of men. The golden balls sometimes flew faster than the eye could follow them.

^^0, they will surely miss their aim and let one fall!^^ Jan cried out excitedly to his mother, who was also looking on.

^^No, indeed,’^ said Mother Van Eyck. ^^They have had too much training for that.^’ And she was right. Not a single ball did anyone miss.