for the loafer.

In Holland work is easily found; this takes away the charm of looking
for it. A farm labourer in Holland lives in a brick-built house of
six rooms, which generally belongs to him, with an acre or so of
ground, and only eats meat once a day. The rest of his time he fills
up on eggs and chicken and cheese and beer. But you rarely hear him
grumble. His wife and daughter may be seen on Sundays wearing gold
and silver jewellery worth from fifty to one hundred pounds, and
there is generally enough old delft and pewter in the house to start
a local museum anywhere outside Holland. On high days and holidays,
of which in Holland there are plenty, the average Dutch vrouw would
be well worth running away with. The Dutch peasant girl has no need
of an illustrated journal once a week to tell her what the fashion
is; she has it in the portrait of her mother, or of her grandmother,
hanging over the glittering chimney-piece.

When the Dutchwoman builds a dress she builds it to last; it descends
from mother to daughter, but it is made of sound material in the
beginning. A lady friend of mine thought the Dutch costume would
serve well for a fancy-dress ball, so set about buying one, but
abandoned the notion on learning what it would cost her. A Dutch
girl in her Sunday clothes must be worth fifty pounds before you come
to ornaments. In certain provinces she wears a close-fitting helmet,
made either of solid silver or of solid gold. The Dutch gallant,
before making himself known, walks on tiptoe a little while behind
the Loved One, and looks at himself in her head-dress just to make
sure that his hat is on straight and his front curl just where it
ought to be.