Part 35 (2/2)

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

”Edith, it was clever of you to remember,” now interposed the Governor's lady, ”and your get-up too, is very good.” She gazed with keen eyes at the girl's deerskin robe, fringed at the sides, with its embroidered bodice, and the rows of colored beads that decorated her neck and her brown bedaubed arms. ”But Edith,” she continued, ”can't you tell us something about these squaws?”

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

”Why-I-oh, I don't think there is much to tell,” she faltered. But encouraged by a nod from Mrs. Morrow she continued, ”Lillie Bell lent me Was.h.i.+ngton Irving's History of New York. It tells how Peter Minuit purchased the island from the Indians-the Dutch people called them Wilden-and where the bargain was made. It was close to a little block house inside a palisade of red cedars very near the traders' hut in a place called _Capsey_, the place of safe landing. Was.h.i.+ngton Irving claimed that the name, 'Manhattan,' came from a tribe of Indians whose squaws always wore their husband's hats, but I never knew that Indians wore hats, so I suppose it is just one of his jokes.”

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

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

Mahogany tables, queer little sideboards, and curiously carved chairs next claimed their attention, while the _slaap-bauck_, a funny little closet built in the side walls of the room, its shelf covered with a mattress, and with folding doors to open at night for a guest bed, won special 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 industrious Marie de Peyster had filled with linen, was regarded with much awe. A nutwood case, a wardrobe called a _kasten_-filled with old Dutch costumes, grimy and moth-eaten-divided honors with a beautiful old cupboard with gla.s.s 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 to follow their hostesses into the quaint old kitchen, gayly decorated with the orange and blue of the Dutch Republic. Here, many exclamations of admiration escaped them when they saw the long table in the center of the room, with its bloom of hyacinths, gillyflowers, narcissus, daffodils, and tulips, all reminders of the little beau-pots that adorned the window sills, or peeped from the flower patches in front of the gable-roofed houses in the days of the first settlers.

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

But there was no more time to admire, for it was now discovered that a flower was tied with daintily colored ribbon to the back of each chair.

Recognizing that they were intended for place-cards, the girls flew hurriedly around the table trying to find the flower that matched the one 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 was followed by Nita, who, standing on the platform of her chair, recited a greeting in Dutch-a little thing that Nathalie had taught her-with quaint precision, while her eyes twinkled humorously.

The edibles were now served, the little serving-maid being Carol a.s.sisted by Peter attired as a herdsman in low-heeled shoes, bra.s.s buckles, gray stockings, and with a twisted cow's horn hanging from his shoulder.

Roasted oysters served with hot split biscuits tempered with b.u.t.ter were the first course. Then came salmon a la Hollandaise and patriotic crabs, so called because the settlers declared that they were the color of the flag of the Prince of Orange. Frankfurters now appeared, so deliciously prepared that the Pioneers barely recognized their hike stand-by, served with carrots and turnips garnished with parsley. Green salad now followed with the caudle served from the silver bowl, each girl ladling this particular Dutch dainty, piping hot, into her own china cup.

The goodies were jellies, custards, _oly krecks_-sometimes called doughnuts 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 of Dutch renown, but because they were eaten, as their Director declared in memory of the _goede vrouven_ who helped their _goede_ men to lay the first stones of the great city of New York.

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

Immediately gla.s.ses were touched to the lady so honored, who in return proposed a like honor for Madame Stuyvesant, Mrs. Morrow, the Director of the Girl Pioneers of America. Little Miss New York was now honored, who, as she bowed in response to the loud clapping that followed her name, pa.s.sed 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 her voice was low and tremulous with timidity at speaking before so many.

But when Nathalie rose on her feet to reply, the clapping grew so vociferous that the color deepened her cheeks to a more vivid pink.

But she stood her ground, and as the teasing girls wearied of clapping she spoke. There was a slight tremor in her voice, but she went steadily on, and after expressing in the name of the Pioneers the great pleasure it had given them to meet the daughter of their hostess, voiced their desires in asking Miss Nita to join with them in their endeavors to imitate the sterling qualities of the early pioneer women, and to become a Girl Pioneer of America!

CHAPTER XXI-AN INVITATION

As Nathalie sank back in her seat glad to think the ordeal-to her-of the day was over, there was a moment's silence, and then every Pioneer was doing her best to second this invitation to the daughter of their hostess by making as loud a demonstration as possible.

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