Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1874 — MARRIAGE ON SPECULATION. [ARTICLE]

MARRIAGE ON SPECULATION.

The French entered Amsterdam the 20th of January, 1815. The soldiers stacked ‘their arms on the pavement, and waited anxiously for their billets for quarters. Despite the severity of the weather, the citizens turned out in large numbers to welcome and admire the veterans in their rags. There was general rejoicing throughout the city, which for the most part was illuminated. At the exreme end of the town there was a single house, whose dark, forbidding aspect was in strong contrast to the brilliant appearance of the neighboring buildings. It was the residence of the rich merchant Meister Woerden. He was completely absorbed in his commercial operations and neither knew nor cared to know what was going on in the political world; and then he was too familiar with tlie rulesof economy to think of squandering candles on an illumination. At this moment, when all was joy and enthusiasm throughout Amsterdam, Meister Woerden sat quietly in his big arm-chair beside the fire. On the table there was a little brass lamp, a mug of beef and a big clay pipe. On the other side of the fire sat an old maid-servant, whose rotundity betrayed her Flemish origin. She was occupied in shoving back the coals that had fallen out on the hearth, when there came a loud knock at the street-door. “ Who can that be? Go and see,” said the old merchant to the maid, who had risen to her feet. - - - A few moments later a stalwart young man entered rhe room. He threw off his mantle and approached the fife. “Good evening, father,” said he. “ How’ Js it you, _William?_ I did not expect you back so soon.” “I left Broek this morning, but the roads have been made so bad by the army-trains that we have been the whole day on the way.” “ Well, did you see Van Elberg?” “ Yes,” said the young man, seating himself before the fi.re; “ Meister van Elburg consents to the marriage, but he adheres to his determination to give his daughter a dowry of only four thousand ducats.” “ Well, then, he may keep his daughter and his dowry,” replied Woerden, with a frown. “ But, father ——” “Not a word, my son! At your age we have no more sense than to sacrifice everything for love, and to despise riches.” “But Herr van Elburg is the richest merchant in Holland, and what he does not give now will be ours at his death.” “Nonsense!” replied Woerden. “Am I, too, not sick? Listen, my son. You will soon follow me in my business. Never forget these two rules: never give more than you receive, and never further another man’s interest to the detriment of your own. Guided by these principles, one will better his condition in marriage as well as in trade.” “ But, father ” “Not another wbrd, my son—not another word!” William knew his father tod well to say anything more, but he could not avoid evincing his displeasure by his manner’'. To this, however, the old man paid no attention; he calmly filled his pipe, lighted it, and began to smoke Again" there was a loud Tap at the street-door, while at the same time the dogs began to bark. “Aha!” said Meister Woerden, “it must be a stranger, or the dogs wouldn’t bark so. Go and see who it is, William.” The young man went to the window. “ It is one of the militia horsemen,” said William. “A militia horseman’ What can he want?” At this moment the maid-servant enered and handed Woerden a letter. He carefully examined the seal. “ From the Provisional Government,” said he. His hand trembled as he hastily opened the letter and read it, but suddenly the o|d tradesman’s face lighted up with > a joyous expression as he cried: “Good—good! I accept.” The letter contained anforder for 400,000 herrings for the army, to be delivered within a month.

“ William,” cried the old man, “ I have a capital thought. You would marry Van Elburg’s daughter and have a handsome dowry with her?” “ Yes, father, I would; but ” 41 Well, leave the matter to , me,” interrupted the old man. “ But see that there are two horses ready for us to-morroty morning, early.” The next morning, at gunrise, father and son were on the high-road from Amsterdam to Broek, which they reached about mid-day. They repaired immediately to the residence of Van Elburg, who, when he saw them enter, cried out: “Ah, gfood morning, Meister Woerden! Have you fled from the Farlezvous? In any case, you are welcome.” “ No, I flee from nobody. You know* I have nothing to do with politics. I come to propose a good speculation to you.” “Yes? What is it?” “I have an order from the Government for 400,000 herrings, to be delivered within a month. Can you furnish me with that number in, say, three weeks?” “ At what price?” “ Ten florins a thousand,”. “Ten florins! Yes, I will furnish them.” “ Very well, and now to dinner; lam half famished. At table we will talk of another matter ” Woerden introduced the subject of the marriage, but Van Elburg could not be persuaded to increase the dowry he had offered to give his daughter to the amount of a single stiver. They nevertheless decided that the wedding should take place that day week. The following day Woerden and his son returned home. Hardly had they left Broek when the young man asked: “ Then, father, you have changed your mind?” “ How so?” “ Have you not decided to accept the dowry offered by Meister van Elburg?” “ Let me manage the matter in my own way, my son, and ask no questions.” When the wedding-day came, Woerden and his son returned to Broek. Van Elburg received them kindly, but he was so nervous that William feared he had some bad news for them. His father, however, had no such misgivings; the old fox knew too well the cause of his colleague’s disturbed manner. “ What is the matter, Meister van Elburg?” he asked, with a sardonic smile. “You seem to be worried about something.” “Ah, my friend, I am greatly embarrassed. I must speak with you.” “ What is it? Have you changed your mind with regard to the marriage? Speak frankly; it is not yet too late.” “No, no; it is another matter entirely.” “ Well, then, let us first proceed with the wedding ceremony, Afterward I shall be quite at your service.” The company, therefore, repaired to a neighboring church, and in a few minutes the young people were husband and wife. When they returned to the house Van Elburg asked Woerden to go with him into his private room. “ My friend,” began Van Elburg, when he haa carefully closed the door, “in accordance with our agreement I should within two weeks from now deliver to you 400,000 herrings. Thus far, however, I have not been able to procure a single one. There are none in the market; they have been all bought up.” “ Certainly they have; I bought them up myself,” replied Woerden, smiling. “But —but—how about my contract?” stammered Van Elburg. “ You will fulfill it. Listen, friend Van Elburg: you will some day leave your daughter a handsome fortune; I shall leave my son at least as much; it is therefore unnecessary to discuss their future. This, however, is not true of the present. I shall soon give my entire business to my son, while you give your: daughter only four thousand ducats. I could not oppose the wishes of the young people; but, when I consented to their union, I determined to compel you to do your duty toward them. With this object in view I contracted with you for 400,000 herrings at ten florins a thousand, although ' I then had all the herrings in the market. Now, in order to comply with the terms of your agreement, you must buy from me, and my price is fifty florins a thousand; you have, therefore, only to pay over to me the sum of 16,000 florins, and we shall be square.” _ < While Meister Woerden was arriving at this mercantile deduction Van Elburg regained his wonted equanimity. “I see, I see,” said he;'“you are a clever tradesman. I am fairly caught, and must bide the consequences.” Their conference ended; the two old merchants rejoined the wedQing company as- though nothing, unusual had occurred between them. A week later, Van Elburg went to Amsterdam, ostensibly to see his daughter. Now the tables were turned “ Ah, Meister,” cried Woerden, on seeing his colleague from Broek, “ I am in a terrible dilemma. The time is approaching when I must deliver the 400,000 herrings, and not a cask can I find to put them in!” - _, “ That does not surprise me,” answered Van Elburg, smiling; “you bought up all my herrings, and I bought up all your cJsks!” — Translatedfor Appleton's Journal.

Avery jealous Cincinnati lady lately “ woke up the wrong passenger.” A gentleman and his wife were promenading the street in the twilight. A welldressed lady rushed up suddenly behind the pair and dealt the wife a sharp blow on the temple with an iron poker. The woman fell, and then the assailant ran frightened away. The male member of that promenading pair was amazed at the little incident. He carried his wife into a drug store, where she waS restored to consciousness, and wondered what it was all about. The residence of the assailant was known, and she explained that she thought the gentleman was her own husband, she knew the woman he waswalkaHif was, not het husband's wife.. She was exceedingly sorry for the painful mistake, and begged off. Owing to the respectability of all the parties the matter was smoothed over and the poker laid away for the present.