intention. A clever and kind-hearted gentleman accompanied me through
comparatively dark streets, and found a good hotel for me.

The next forenoon I ascended the high tower (469 steps, 321 feet in
height). In this tower, at the height of 124 steps, lives the lady
custodian of this stupendous building. She must have "_high_ times" up
there! The tower is a large square structure affording plenty of room even
for several families; but I was thinking that she must have quite a time
of it carrying up her water and all the numerous other things necessary to
house-keeping.

The view from the top of the tower takes in the greater part of Holland.
The country all around is quite level, as far as the eye can see. Level,
in Holland, _means_ level. Here one sees the innumerable wind-mills, and
the labyrinthic net-work of canals which intersect Holland. An almost
boundless expanse of meadow land stretches out in every direction, and
affords excellent pasture to the lowing herds that roam upon it. One sees
but a few scattered trees, and several small woods, all the rest is clear
and bear--no hedge-fences even to interrupt the dull monotony of the scene
below. A strong wind, and it was high too, whistled around that lofty
tower, reminding me of our winter storms when they whistle over the
chimney-tops--a music that often makes melancholy hearts home-sick.

It was exactly 12:00 o'clock, and I was in the middle of the sentence,
"How beautiful these bells chime," when a boy motioned me to come quickly
to a certain place where I could see the cylinder revolve which
communicates with the peal of bells.

Two points of lightning-rods crown this tower. Few lightning-rods are to
be seen upon private buildings, in Europe, but upon public buildings they