'The last Nachtmaal was very good.'

With this he once more edges away from his end of the form and covers
an additional three inches.

'Ja! Piet.'

Another person would have become exasperated at this stage, but not so
Piet.

'The new minister preaches very well,' is followed up by an advance of
three more inches.

'Ja, Piet!'

The form may be an inconveniently long one, and this naturally hampers
Piet somewhat, because by the time he has covered half the distance,
his stock of remarks may be exhausted. But he gets close up in time,
by the exercise of perseverance, and when he is at last in a position
to manipulate his left arm in connection with the maiden's waist, he
does so with a sigh of relief.

'I think I love you a great deal,' is what he says when he has placed
his arm to his satisfaction. The maiden whispers 'Ja, Piet!' and the
thing is done.

But the young Boer does not attach so much importance to pleasant
features and agreeable dispositions, as he does to the worldly
standing of the lady's parents. If there is the slightest prospect of
a handsome dowry in the shape of one or two farms, the inducement to