46 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY [1912-13 



Mrs. Peck said that when they went to Marken, a little 

 island in the northern part of Holland, they decided to make 

 arrangement to go at a different time than tourists usually go 

 go, to see the people as they are everyday, and not when they 

 are posing for the benefit of visitors. When they asked the 

 agent if they could do this, he said he thought so, but he did 

 not know if they could get a boat back that night. When 

 informed that they did not intend to come back that night, 

 the agent told them they could not stay over night. When 

 asked the reason why (for they knew of some people who had 

 stayed there and reported very good accommodations), the 

 agent replied that they would not like the food served at the 

 hotel; but, as they had come to see the people and how they 

 lived, and not to eat, they decided to take the risk. The 

 breakfast served them the next morning was such a contrast to 

 the usual Continental breakfast! 



The interior of the hotel was typical of what the old Dutch 

 homes used to be. The fireplace was formed of tiles depicting 

 Bible scenes. Above the fireplace in a niche in the wall were 

 the pillows kept especially for company use. 



The caps of the women of Marken are composed of five 

 caps, sewed together. 



The boys and girls are distinguished from each other by the 

 fact that the boys have two silver buttons sewed to their 

 blouses and they wear aprons which are figured. Their caps, 

 too, are different from the girls'. 



From Marken they went to that city of cheeses — Edam. The 

 time to visit Edam is on a Friday morning for that is market 

 day when people from the north and south come in with their 

 cheeses to be sold. A purchase is made, the cheeses are taken 

 on large trays, carried by porters dressed in a uniform the same 

 color as the tray, to the weigh house. There they are weighed 

 on huge scales by an old weigh master, and then returned to 

 the market place to be placed on boats which go down the 

 river and then to foreign countries. 



Next they visited Veere, situated on a little island which 

 forms a part of Zeeland. This city has its Thanksgiving Day 



