graduated in an ascending scale. Single ladies are also called
Juffrouw, so that Juffrouw may mean either a young lady or a young
matron--who need not necessarily be so young. The young Juffrouwen
were Walter's sisters, who had learned how to dance. His brother
had been called M'neer since his appointment as assistant at the
"intermediate school," a sort of charity school now no longer in
existence. His mother had spliced his jacket that he might command
the respect of the boys, and remarked that the name "Stoffel" scarcely
suited him now. This explains why Leentje addressed him as M'neer. To
Walter she simply said Walter, for he was only a small boy. Walter
owed her three stivers, or, to be exact, twenty-six doits, which he
never did pay her. For, years afterward, when he wanted to return the
money to her, there were no more doits; and, besides, Leentje was dead.

This pained him very much, for he had thought a great deal of her. She
was ugly, even dirty, and was stoop-shouldered, too. Stoffel, the
schoolmaster, said that she had an evil tongue: She was thought to
have started the report that he had once eaten strawberries with
sugar in the "Netherlands." This was a small garden-restaurant.

I am willing to admit the truth of all this; but what more could one
expect for seven stivers and a slice of bread and butter? I have known
duchesses who had larger incomes; and still in social intercourse
they were not agreeable.

Leentje was stooped as a result of continuous sewing. Her needle
kept the whole family clothed; and she knew how to make two jackets
and a cap out of an old coat and still have enough pieces left for
the gaiters that Stoffel needed for his final examination. He fell
through on account of a mistake in Euclid.

With the exception of Walter nobody was satisfied with Leentje. I
believe they were afraid of spoiling her by too much kindness. Walter's
sisters were always talking about "class" and "rank," saying that
"everyone must stay in his place." This was for Leentje. Her father
had been a cobbler who soled shoes, while the father of the young
Juffrouwen had had a store in which "shoes from Paris" were sold. A
big difference. For it is much grander to sell something that somebody
else has made than to make something one's self.

The mother thought that Leentje might be a little cleaner. But I am
going to speak of the price again, and of the difficulty of washing
when one has no time, no soap, no room,