THE NETHERLANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 45

THE NETHERLANDS.

SOCIAL LIFE IN AMSTERDAM. By a Lady of New Zealand. Pension Lutkie, Amsterdam, December 28, 1897. The Illustrated Press Christmas number is very nice indeed to have, as 1 can show ifc to people here, and ifc gives them an idea of New Zealand. They are all interested in New Zealand, and think the country very pretty. Fancy, I did not wiite last mail, or only sent a post; card. I was busy helping Miss Bosomworfch, the lady who lives with Mr Gillet, the German Consul-general, with their Christmas tree, and ■was there all last Thursday. On Saturday, Christmas Day, I was invited to a small Christmas evening ab a Mrs Biersfceker's, an English lady married to a Hollander. They had a Christmas tree for her two little children, and we »ll found something on if. I had two presents — a pretty almanac and a box of chocolates. Aiterwards the children went to bed, and we had all kinds of Christmas games. On Bcx'ng Day (Sunday) I went to dine afc Mr Gillet's. Ttere were only a few of us, but we had a charming little dinner, commencing with oysters and champagne I and finishmg with iced chocolate pudding j (very nice), champagne, bon-bons, &c After- j \yards we saw the tree lighted, and each found j two pretty little presents. It; was a hugs tree, ] more than 6ft high, and covered wifch thou- i sands of tiny baskets, bon-bons, lights, &c. They had three different parties, and kept the tree for i early a week. The first party was only for gentlemen (bhe people fiom his consulate and some young German gentlemen who have no families hei>), and they each had a I useful present given to them. 'The Germans always have a tiee, and make a great deal cf Christmas. I had * small parby one evening, cnly six people, but it went cfi very well. I rlso had a few people to afternoon ter. one day. J Having my own Bitting room is very convenient, and I can then ask peopla if I wish, which is agreeable. It is really wonderfully inexpensive bere for such comfortable rooms), the same as, or really less than, I paid at Kedcliffe square for that one pokey little room. My bedroom alor.e here is better than that was, and the sitting room is a fair e-Jze, with two good windows looking on to the strtefc and the canal, and always getting the sun, which is a great thing. Last Sunday was very cold, the canals all frtzen both Chiislmas and Sunday. On Sunday afternoon I went to see the skating iv the park near, which is full of canals, not so deep as those in the town. It was a very pretty sight and my fksb experience of skating on real ice, as I saw none last winter in Brussels. There were hundreds of people on the ice, and I saw a rather bad accident;, which nearly proved fata). The ice gave way, and a girl was ».nly saved froni drowning by the pluck of a young man who jumped in and saved her. I think she must have fainted, as the others -sho fell in got out all right. It was a terrible thing to see people trying to get st her and the ice breaking away under them. AUhcugh ifc was so cold I felt quite welf, the air being fresh and invigorating, and I walked briskly through ♦he park. The trees weie very beaufcifa', thickly covered with icicles. My rooms are bo we>l warmed tbat I did coifed the cold in the house, which makes cue feel it less outside. I have a stove which burns sight and day, never gcing out. Ib is well ventilated and healtby, and ke?ps the two room?, which open with folding door?, quite warm. 1 only pay 5d a d^y for ifc, which is not dear. The houses on the Continent seem to me well warmed and more comfortable for winter tban those in England. It is a pity we csuoot have these stoves in New Zealand, as they are a great saving of labour aud warm well. These new ones have open fronts, snd one sees the fire. They only have to be cleaned once a week, and do not wabt lighting in the morning. lam quite sure if introduced into New Zealand they ■would h*. a great success. Now I am going to spring a surprise on you I have begun to tske riding lessons here There is an excellent riding school called the Manege. It is really kept by a society or club, as ravsb things of the kind are in Holland. One must be introduced by a member. A Dutch girl, Hiss Fikkect, tcok me, and has been mesfc kind in looking after me and introducing me to th/ 3 other ladies there. There is an in? lruetor, who ■was in the Dutch army. He only speaks Dutch, so it was d fficult for me at first, but all the ladies who ride there speak English and Fiench ■well, and they tell me if I dor.'t understand. It is the first riding lesson I have ever had in my life, and I quite surprised them ali by getting en very vretl and feeling quite aS horns on my hoise-. When ab the Macker zie's station I used to ride with the girls, and- once or twice, when I was at school in Christchurcb, when staying with Alice Chapman, and that must have helped me, for I have never been on a h^rse since, but it; seemed to come back to me. Of course I don't understand sitting properly ..r managing the horse, reins, k? , bub I shall xnou learn. I told them I was not born in New Zealand for nothing, that wo had very fine h'-rees there, and that everybody could ride. I have met Mrs Corey (the wife of tbe American Consul) several times, and a few days ago we went together to visit the S : x Gallery, an old house of the 15*511 century on the Heeren-Gracht, a fashionable canal. Jean Six was burgomaster of. Amsterdam and the friend and ijatron of Rembrandt. There are some beautiful painting 3by Rembrandt; of the Six family. The family still live there, so it was interesting seeing the interior of a really good old Dutch liouse. They have also beautiful old china and many fine pictures by Jean Sfceen, Gerard Dow ("pronounced Herard Dow), Macs, and others. Mr and Mrs Corey are coming to spend Monday evening with me. They have only arrived here lately from America. She talks of going to Paris or Italy a little later on, and of our perhaps being able to arrange it together. Mr Corey could not leave. I told her about Turin and Florence. She had heard of the exhibition *t Turin. She is anxious to learn French, as the cannot speak, and finds if; a great disadvantage. They went to Brussels for Christmas, and had a good deal of difficulty in getting about there, as neither of them can speak Trench. I have only seen her a few times as yet, but we shall get to know each other better, and can then arrange ths visit south. If feasible Mr Gillet also said he would come and gee me one day, but I have left it to him to say which day he will come, aa he is much engaged. I had not liked to ask him, thinking he would not care for ifc ; but he told ' me Mies Bosomworth (old him my rooms were so pretty that he was going to pay me a visit to see them and my photos, curiosities, &c. I fancy, he thought I would like ifc, and he is a. most kind-hearted man, much like DrCollignon, of Brussels. He really belongs to a Huguenot, family which took refuge in Germany iv 1600. But bit mother was a Russian, and he has laany relations in Russia. He look 3 much fibout the same age as Dr Collignon, with a nlkQlbi beard, bub is noli 00 active—

having, I fancy, something wrong with one of his legs. The Diinish and Norweg : an people seem to be highly thought of here as a nation. Grieg, the great cempeser, was on a visit lately to Amsterdam. I had a nice Ccrisfctnas card from Miss Austen, whom I met at; the clubiu London. She is a relative ot Jam: Austen, aud lives with her brother in a rectory near Bath. I am thinking of going to Brussels for a week or 10 days and returning here, as if I go to Italy the easiest way is through Germany and by Basle. I fancy ifc is only about 12 hours to the north of Italy. I should only have to pay a small sum to keep on my rooms here and should leave my things, returning to finish my riding lessons an>l to 30m Mrs Corey, if possible, to go to Italy. In that way I should also see j £omefchiog of Germany in passing. , I have become a member of a ladies' library, which is only a tew doors off. Oue has to be introduced by a member and oue nays 4s for three months. It ig nicely arranged — two or three rooms with tab'e? covered with papers and raagazice?, ar.d books on shelves round the wal's. Ifc is a gcod library, havir.g English, Fi-encb, Dutch, atd German books by ail the best authors, and several E.ighsh and French magazines. I shall look therefor Ihe work of De Amiei* on Holland. I have found a g"od book of Ccqufelin's on recitafciou. Must c-loss j now for bhe mail.