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ger　spectators。　　The　news　of　the　great　skating　match　had　traveled　far　and　wide。　　Men；　women；　and　children　in　holiday　attire　were　flocking　toward　the　spot。　　Some　wore　furs　and　wintry　cloaks　or　shawls；　but　many；　consulting　their　feelings　rather　than　the　almanac；　were　dressed　as　for　an　October　day。

The　site　selected　for　the　race　was　a　faultless　plain　of　ice　near　Amsterdam；　on　that　great　arm　of　the　Zuider　Zee；　which　Dutchmen；　of　course；　must　call　the　Eye。　　The　townspeople　turned　out　in　large　numbers。　　Strangers　to　the　city　deemed　it　a　fine　chance　to　see　what　was　to　be　seen。　　Many　a　peasant　from　the　northward　had　wisely　chosen　the　twentieth　as　the　day　for　the　next　city　trading。　　It　seemed　that　everybody；　young　and　old；　who　had　wheels；　skates；　or　feet　at　command　had　hastened　to　the　scene。

There　were　the　gentry　in　their　coaches；　dressed　like　Parisians；　fresh　from　the　boulevards；　Amsterdam　children　in　charity　uniforms；　girls　from　the　Roman　Catholic　Orphan　House；　in　sable　gowns　and　white　headbands；　boys　from　the　Burgher　Asylum；　with　their　black　tights　and　short…skirted；　harlequin　coats。　*｛This　is　not　said　in　derision。　　Both　the　boys　and　girls　of　this　institution　wear　garments　quartered　in　red　and　black；　alternately。　　By　making　the　dress　thus　conspicuous；　the　children　are；　in　a　measure；　deterred　from　wrongdoing　while　going　about　the　city。　　The　Burgher　Orphan　Asylum　affords　a　comfortable　home　to　several　hundred　boys　and　girls。　　Holland　is　famous　for　its　charitable　institutions。｝　　There　were　old…fashioned　gentlemen　in　cocked　hats　and　velvet　knee　breeches；　old…fashioned　ladies；　too；　in　stiff　quilted　skirts　and　bodices　of　dazzling　brocade。　　These　were　accompanied　by　servants　bearing　foot　stoves　and　cloaks。　　There　were　the　peasant　folk　arrayed　in　every　possible　Dutch　costume；　shy　young　rustics　in　brazen　buckles；　simple　village　maidens　concealing　their　flaxen　hair　under　fillets　of　gold；　women　whose　long；　narrow　aprons　were　stiff　with　embroidery；　women　with　short　corkscrew　curls　hanging　over　their　foreheads；　women　with　shaved　heads　and　close…fitting　caps；　and　women　in　striped　skirts　and　windmill　bonnets。　　Men　in　leather；　in　homespun；　in　velvet；　and　in　broadcloth；　burghers　in　model　European　attire；　and　burghers　in　short　jackets；　wide　trousers；　and　steeple…crowned　hats。

There　were　beautiful　Friesland　girls　in　wooden　shoes　and　coarse　petticoats；　with　solid　gold　crescents　encircling　their　heads；　finished　at　each　temple　with　a　golden　rosette　and　hung　with　lace　a　century　old。　　Some　wore　necklaces；　pendants；　and　earrings　of　the　purest　gold。　　Many　were　content　with　gilt　or　even　with　brass；　but　it　is　not　an　uncommon　thing　for　a　Friesland　woman　to　have　all　the　family　treasure　in　her　headgear。　　More　than　one　rustic　lass　displayed　the　value　of　two　thousand　guilders　upon　her　head　that　day。

Scattered　throughout　the　crowd　were　peasants　from　the　Island　or　Marken；　with　sabots；　black　stockings；　and　the　widest　of　breeches；　also　women　from　Marken　with　short　blue　petticoats；　and　black　jackets；　gaily　figured　in　front。　　They　wore　red　sleeves；　white　aprons；　and　a　cap　like　a　bishop's　miter　over　their　golden　hair。

The　children　often　were　as　quaint　and　odd…looking　as　their　elders。　　In　short；　one…third　of　the　crowd　seemed　to　have　stepped　bodily　from　a　collection　of　Dutch　paintings。

Everywhere　could　be　seen　tall　women　and　stumpy　men；　lively…faced　girls；　and　youths　whose　expression　never　changed　from　sunrise　to　sunset。

There　seemed　to　be　at　least　one　specimen　from　every　known　town　in　Holland。　　There　were　Utrecht　water　bearers；　Gouda　cheesemakers；　Delft　pottery　men；　Schiedam　distillers；　Amsterdam　diamond　cutters；　Rotterdam　merchants；　dried…up　herring　packers；　and　two　sleepy…eyes　shepherds　from　Texel。　　Every　man　of　them　had　his　pipe　and　tobacco　pouch。　　Some　carried　what　might　be　called　the　smoker's　complete　outfita　pipe；　tobacco；　a　pricker　with　which　to　clean　the　tube；　a　silver　net　for　protecting　the　bowl；　and　a　box　of　the　strongest　brimstone　matches。

A　true　Dutchman；　you　must　remember；　is　rarely　without　his　pipe　on　any　possible　occasion。　　He　may　for　a　moment　neglect　to　breathe；　but　when　the　pipe　is　forgotten；　he　must　be　dying　indeed。　　There　were　no　such　sad　cases　here。　　Wreaths　of　smoke　were　rising　from　every　possible　quarter。　　The　more　fantastic　the　smoke　wreath；　the　more　placid　and　solemn　the　smoker。

Look　at　those　boys　and　girls　on　stilts！　　That　is　a　good　idea。　　They　can　see　over　the　heads　of　the　tallest。　　It　is　strange　to　see　those　little　bodies　high　in　the　air；　carried　about　on　mysterious　legs。　　They　have　such　a　resolute　look　on　their　round　faces；　what　wonder　that　nervous　old　gentlemen　with　tender　feet　wince　and　tremble　while　the　long…legged　little　monsters　stride　past　them。

You　will　read　in　certain　books　that　the　Dutch　are　a　quiet　peopleso　they　are　generally。　　　But　listen！　　Did　you　ever　hear　such　a　din？　　All　made　up　of　human　voicesno；　the　horses　are　helping　somewhat；　and　the　fiddles　are　squeaking　pitifully　（how　it　must　pain　fiddles　to　be　tuned！）；　but　the　mass　of　the　sound　comes　from　the　great　vox　humana　that　belongs　to　a　crowd。

That　queer　little　dwarf　going　about　with　a　heavy　basket；　winding　in　and　out　among　the　people；　helps　not　a　little。　　You　can　hear　his　shrill　cry　above　all　the　other　sounds；　〃Pypen　en　tabac！　　Pypen　en　tabac！〃

Another；　his　big　brother；　though　evidently　some　years　younger；　is　selling　doughnuts　and　bonbons。　　He　is　calling　on　all　pretty　children　far　and　near　to　come　quickly　or　the　cakes　will　be　gone。

You　know　quite　a　number　among　the　spectators。　　High　up　in　yonder　pavilion；　erected　upon　the　border　of　the　ice；　are　some　persons　whom　you　have　seen　very　lately。　　In　the　center　is　Madame　van　Gleck。　　It　is　her　birthday；　you　remember；　she　has　the　post　of　honor。　　There　is　Mynheer　van　Gleck；　whose　meerschaum　has　not　really　grown　fast　to　his　lipsit　only　appears　so。　　There　are　Grandfather　and　Grandmother；　whom　you　met　at　the　Saint　Nicholas　fete。　　All　the　children　are　with　them。　　It　is　so　mild；　they　have　brought　even　the　baby。　　The　poor　little　creature　is　swathed　very　much　after　the　manner　of　an　Egyptian　mummy；　but　it　can　crow　with　delight　and；　when　the　band　is　playing；　open　and　shut　its　animated　mittens　in　perfect　time　to　the　music。

Grandfather；　with　his　pipe　and　spectacles　and　fur　cap；　makes　quite　a　picture　as　he　holds　baby　upon　his　knee。　　Perched　high　upon　their　canopied　platforms；　the　party　can　see　all　that　is　going　on。　　No　wonder　the　ladies　look　complacently　at　the　glassy　ice；　with　a　stove　for　a　foot　stool　one　might　sit　cozily　beside　the　North　Pole。

There　is　a　gentleman　with　them　who　somewhat　resembles　Saint　Nicholas　as　he　appeared　to　the　young　Van　Glecks　on　the　fifth　of　December。　　But　the　saint　had　a　flowing　white　beard；　and　this　face　is　as　smooth　as　a　pippin。　　His　saintship　was　larger　around　the　body；　too；　and　（between　ourselves）　he　had　a　pair　of　thimbles　in　his　mouth；　which　this　gentleman　certain　has　not。　　It　cannot　be　Saint　Nicholas　after　all。

Nearby；　in　the　next　pavilion；　sit　the　Van　Holps　with　their　son　and　daughter　（the　Van　Gends）　from　The　Hague。　　Peter's　sister　is　not　one　to　forget　her　promises。　　She　has　brought　bouquets　of　exquisite　hothouse　flowers　for　the　winners。

These　pavilions；　and　there　are　others　besides；　have　all　been　erected　since　daylight。　　That　semicircular　one；　containing　Mynheer　Korbes's　family；　is　very　pretty　and　proves　that　the　Hollanders　are　quite　skilled　at　tentmaking；　but　I　like　the　Van　Glecks'　bestthe　center　onestriped　red　and　white　and　hung　with　evergreens。

The　one　with　the　blue　flags　contains　the　musicians。　　Those　pagodalike　affairs；　decked　with　seashells　and　streamers　of　every　possible　hue；　are　the　judges'　stands；　and　those　columns　and　flagstaffs　upon　the　ice　mark　the　limit　of　the　race　course。　　The　two　white　columns　twined　with　green；　connected　at　the　top　by　that　long；　floating　strip　of　drapery；　form　the　starting　point。　　Those　flagstaffs；　half　a　mile　off；　stand　at　each　end　of　the　boundary　line；　which　is　cut　sufficiently　deep　to　be　distinct　to　the　skaters；　though　not　deep　enough　to　trip　them　when　they　turn　to　come　back　to　the　starting　point。

The　air　is　so　clear　that　is　seems　scarcely　possible　that　the　columns　and　the　flagstaffs　are　so　far　apart。　　Of　course；　the　judges'　stands　are　but　little　nearer　together。

Half　a　mile　on　the　ice；　when　the　atmosphere　is　like　this；　is　but　a　short　distance　after　all；　especially　when　fenced　with　a　living　chain　of　spectators。

The　music　has　commenced。　　How　melody　seems　to　enjoy　itself　in　the　open　air！　　The　fiddles　have　forgotten　their　agony；　and　everything　is　harmonious。　　Until　you　look　at　the　blue　tent　it　seems　that　the　music　springs　from　the　sunshine；　it　is　so　boundless；　so　joyous。　　Only　when　you　see　the　staid…faced　musicians　do　you　realize　the　truth。

Where　are　the　racers？　　All　assembled　together　near　the　white　columns。　　It　is　a　beautiful　sight。　　Forty　boys　and　girls　in　picturesque　attire　darting　with　electric　swiftness　in　and　out　among　each　other；　or　sailing　in　pairs　and　triplets；　beckoning；　chatting；　whispering　in　the　fullness　of　youthful　glee。

A　few　careful　ones　are　soberly　tightening　their　straps；　others　halting　on　one　leg；　with　flushed；　eager　faces；　suddenly　cross　the　suspected　skate　over　their　knee；　give　it　an　examining　shake；　and　dart　off　again。　　One　and　all　are　possessed　with　the　spirit　of　motion。　　They　cannot　stand　still。　　Their　skates　are　a　part　of　them；　and　every　runner　seems　bewitched。

Holland　is　the　place　for　skaters；　after　all。　　Where　else　can　nearly　every　boy　and　girl　perform　feats　on　the　ice　that　would　attract　a　crowd　if　seen　in　Central　Park？　　Look　at　Ben！　　He　is　really　astonishing　the　natives；　no　easy　thing　to　do　in　the　Netherlands。　　Save　your　strength；　Ben；　you　will　need　it　soon。　　Now　other　boys　are　trying！　　Ben　is　surpassed　already。　　Such　jumping；　such　poising；　such　spinning；　such　India…rubber　exploits　generally！　　That　boy　with　a　red　cap　is　the　lion　now；　his　back　is　a　watch　spring；　his　body　is　corkno；　it　is　iron；　or　it　would　snap　at　that！　　He's　a　bird；　a　top；　a　rabbit；　a　corkscrew；　a　sprite；　a　fleshball；　all　in　an　instant。　　When　you　think　he's　erect；　he　is　down；　and　when　you　think　he　is　down；　he　is　up。　　He　drops　his　glove　on　the　ice　and　turns　a　somersault　as　he　picks　it　up。　　Without　stopping　he　snatches　the　cap　from　Jacob　Poot