A Marriage On Speculation

Krom Applcton's Journal. The French entered Amsterdam the 20th of January 1815. The soldiers stacked their arms on the pavement, and waited anxiuusly tor their billets for quarters. Despite the severity of the weathor, the citizens turned out in large nuuibers to welcome and admire the veterans in their rags. There was geuural rejoiciug thronghout the city, which for the most part was illuminated. At the extreme end of the town there was a single house, whose dark, forbidding aspect was in strong contrast to the brilliant appearance of the neighboring buildings. It was the residence of the rich merchant Meister Woerdon. He was completuly absorbed in his commercial operations, and neither knew nor cared to know what was going on in the political world ; and, then, he was too familiar with the rules of economy to think of squandering candies on an illumination. At this moment, when all was joy and enthusiasm throughout Amsterdam, Meister Woerden sat quietly in his big arm-chair beside the fire. On the table there waa a little brass lamp, a mug of beer and a big clay pipe. On the other side of the fire sat an old maid servant whose rotundity betrayed her Flemish origin. She waa occupied in shoving back the coals that had fallen out on the hearth, when there carne a loud knock at the street-door. " Who can that be? Go and see," said the old merchant to the maid, who had riseu to her feet. A few moments later a stalwart young man entered the room. He threw ofif his mantle and approached the fire. " Good-evening, father," said he. " How ? Ib it you William 'i I did not expect you back so soon." " I left Broek this morning, but the roads have been made so bad by the army trains that we have been the whole day on the way." " AVell, did you see Van Elburg 'i " " Yes," said the young man, seating himself by the fire ; " Meister Van Elburg consents to the marriage, but he adheres to his determination to give his daughter a dowry of only four thousand ducats." " Well, then, he may keep his daughter and his dowry," replied Woerden with a frown. " But father-" " Not a word my son ! At your age we have no more sense than to sacrifice every thing for love, and to despise riches." " Out Herr Van Elburg is the richest merchant in Holland, and what he does not give now will be ours at his death." " Nonsense ! " replied Meister Woerden. " Am I, too, not sick 'i Listen, my son. You will soan follow me in my business. Never forget these two rules : Never give more than you receive, and never turther another man's interest to the detriment of your own. Guided by these principies, one will better his condition in marriage as well as in trade." " But, father-" " Not another word, my son, not another word." Williain knew his father too well to say any thing more, but he could not avoid evincing his displeasure by his mantier. To this, however, the old man paid no attention ; he calraly filled his pipe, lighted it, and began to smoke." "Again there was a loud rap at the street-door, while at the same time the dogs begun to bark. "Aha!" said Meister Woerden, "it must be a stranger or the dogs wouldn't bark bo. Go and see who it is William." The young man went to the window. " It is one of the militia horsemen," said William. ' A militia horsenian ! What oan he want ï At this moment the maid servant entered and handed Woerdon a letter. He carefully examined the seal. " Froni the provincial government," said he. His hand trembled as he hastily opened the letter and read it, but suddenly the old tradesman's face lighted up with a joyous expression as he cried : - "Good - good! I accept." The letter contained au order for four hundred thousand herrings for the army to be delivered within a month. " William," cried the old man, " I have a capital thought. You would marry Van hilburg 8 daughter, and nave a nauttsome dowry with her?" " Yes, father, I would, but - " " Well, leave the matter to me," interrupted the oíd man. " But see that there are two horses ready for us to-morrow morning, early." The next moruing, at sunrise, father and son were on the high road from Ain sterdam to Broek, which they reachec about mid-day. They repaired immedi ately to the residence oí' Van Elburj who, when he saw them enter, criec out: - " Ah, good morning, Meister Woerdon Have you fled from the Parlevous f In any case you are welcome." " No, 1 nee from nobody. You know I have notbing to do with politics, come to propose a good speculation t vou. " "Yes? Whatisit?" " I have an order from the governmen for four hundred thousand herrings, t be delivered within a month. Can yo furnish me with that number in, sa; three weeks ? " " At what price ? " " Ten florins a thousand." "Very well, and now to dinner; I am half famished. At table we will talk o another matter." Woerden introducod the subjeot of th marriage, but Van Elburg could not b persuaded to increase the dowry he ha( offered to give his daughter to the amoun of ft single stiver. They nevertheless decided that the wedding should take place that day week. The following day, Woerdon and bis son returned home. Hirdly had they left Broek when the young man asked: "Then, father, you have changed your mind ? " " How so ? " " Have yon not decided to accept the dowry offered by Meister Van Elburg '{ " " Let me manage the matter in my own way, my son, and ask no questions." When the wedding day came, Woerden nd his aon returned to Broek. Van Elburg received them kindly, but he was so flutried and norous that William feared he had some bad news for them. His father, however, had no such misgivings -, the oíd fox knew too well the cause of his colleague 's disturbed manner. " What is the matter, Meister Van Elburg ? " he asked with a sardonio sinile. " You seem to be worried about something." " Ah, my friend, I am greatly embarrassed, I must Bpeak with you." "What is it? Have you changed your mind with regard to the marriage ? Speak frankly ; it is not yet too 1ste." " No, no ; it is another matter entireiy-" " Well, then, let us first proceed with the wedding ceremony. Afterward I 8hall be quite at your service." The company, thereupon, repaired to a neigh boring church, and in a few minutes the young people were husband and wife. When they returned to the house, Van Elburg asked Woerden to go with him into his private room. My friend," began Van Elburg, when he had carefully closed the door, " in accordance with our agreement, I should within two weeks frotu now dliver to you four hundred thousand herrings. Thus far, however, I have not been able to procure a single one. There are none in the market ; they have all been bought P-" " Certainly thoy have ; I bought them p myself," replied Woerden, smiling. " But - but - how about my contract ? " ammered Van Elburg. "You will fulfill it. Listen, friend Van Elburg ; you will some day leave our daughter a handsome fortune; I ïall leave my son at least as much ; it is ïerefore unnecessary to discuss their fuure. This, however is not true of the resent. I shall soon gire my entire bus íess to my son, while you give your aughter only four thousand ducats. I ould not oppose the wishes of the young jeople ; but, when I consented to their nion, I determined to compel you to do our duty toward them. With this obeot in view, I contracted with you for 'our hundred thousand herrings, at ten orins a thousand, although I then had [1 the herrings in the market. Now, in rder to comply with the terms of your ireement, you must buy from me, and y price is fif ty florins a thousand ; you ïave, therefore, only to pay over to me ie sum of sixteen thousand florins, and we shall be square." While Meister Woerden was arriving t this mercantile deduction, Van Elurg regained his wonted equanimity. " I see, I see," said he; "you are a ever tradesman. I am fairly caught, nd must bide the consequences." The conference ended, the two old inerchants rejoined the wedding comany, as though nothing unusual had ocurred between them. A week later Van Elburg went to Am;erdam, ostensibly to see his daughter. íow the tables were turned. " Ah, Meister," cried Woerden on seeng his colleague from Broek. " I am in terrible dilemma. The time is approachng when I must deliver the four hunred thousand herrings, and not a cask an I find to put them in ! " " That does not surprise me," answered Van Elburg, smiling ; " you bought up 11 my herrings, and I bought up all yotir asks ! "