father who was never tired of bearing him upon his shoulder and
whose careless song still seemed echoing near when he lay awake
at night and listened.




The Silver Skates



Dame Brinker earned a scant support for her family by raising
vegetables, spinning, and knitting. Once she had worked on board
the barges plying up and down the canal and had occasionally been
harnessed with other women to the towing rope of a pakschuyt
plying between Broek and Amsterdam. But when Hans had grown
strong and large, he had insisted on doing all such drudgery in
her place. Besides, her husband had become so very helpless of
late that he required her constant care. Although not having as
much intelligence as a little child, he was yet strong of arm and
very hearty, and Dame Brinker had sometimes great trouble in
controlling him.

"Ah! children, he was so good and steady," she would sometimes
say, "and as wise as a lawyer. Even the burgomaster would stop
to ask him a question, and now, alack! he doesn't know his wife
and little ones. You remember the father, Hans, when he was
himself--a great brave man--don't you?"

"Yes, indeed, Mother, he knew everything and could do anything