Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1877 — The Dutch Coney Island. [ARTICLE]

The Dutch Coney Island.

The London JBconomitt gives the following description of Scheveningen, which may be called the Coney Island of The Hague: “ An immense stretch of sea, a line of straight coast, without a creek, running nearly directly north and south, an endless expanse of fine white sand, most excellent for the spaces and buckets of tender youth, and a series of terraces in ihe dunes, each of which terraces has its special character. " The highest is an enormous case. The system of yellow tables and yellow chairs reaches here its apotheosis. At hundreds of tables contemplative Holland drinks its coffee and its sebiedam, gazing over tire infinity of waters, full to the west, and increasing every hoar in subtlety and delicacy of color. He possibly remembers that off tbtt very shore, in sight of the fishermen of the Scheveningen of thoee primitive days, the gallant De Ruyter defeated tlte combined navies of England and France. “It is more likelv that Mynheer, who has lately arrived with portly Mevrouw on his Arm, is more occupied with reconnoitering the crowd, in order not to fail in bowing, with a wave of the hat, to every stray acquaintance. As to Mejuf vrouw, their daughter, in the ringlet curls, there is no doubt what she is thinking about Now pensive, now playful, ihe acts an innocent part .with infinite brans.

parence; bnt falls entirely to wia the eye or her brother’s friend, the exquisite in new black cavalry dress, whrWcMmatm facings and wonderfril white streamers give him such a mountebank air. “ We turn from Mejufvrotnr, with hor Brussels fashions, to the servant girls and peasant women that throng the promenade, and to the startling children that hovei from table to table, ponacing upon deserted lumps of angst. These girls, with their stiff lilac gowns, clapping shoes, and shrewd brown laces, would be odd enough without the inexpressible strangeness of their head-gear. Here are strangers from Rotterdam and Zealand, with their great spiral horns of gold, like tbe antlers ol tome African antelope, projecting on each side of their head; here are the true Hague women, with a shell of silver or motlier-of-pearl rounded to fit each side ot the head, and over hair and alia lace cap drawn tightly; two little flaps, like butterflies, of gold or filigree, dart from behind each ear. But a rare visitor or two, from Friesland, outdoes these local ladies, and with her bead girdled with barbaric gold and pearl, and even with diamonds, carries her dowry with her in her headdress.”