entrance, and why the "boar" rose to such a height in a narrow gate, or entrance formed by steep rocks, before it broke, and went rushing and roaring onward with irresistible force. They will also understand what produced the noise resembling the sound of a mighty waterfall.
F.C.A.
WASHINGTON, D.C., January, 1868.
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
Chapter. Page.
I. Ancient Heads of the Family, 9
II. Coming into the World, 16
III. The New Comer, 21
IV. Changed Prospects, 25
V. Tite Toodleburg and a Modern Reformer, 30
VI. A Little Family Affair, 39
VII. The Town moved with Indignation, 46
[Transcriber's note: Chapter VIII is missing in book.]
IX. Tite takes his Departure for the South Sea, 57
X. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman disagree, 63
XI. Mr. Chapman cultivates New Acquaintances, 70
XII. Strange Gentleman, 81
XIII. Captain Bottom, the Whale-Killer, 88
XIV. The Coming Winter and a Merry-Making, 100
XV. Mrs. Chapman and the Upper Circles, 109
XVI. A Night Expedition, 113
XVII. Mr. Gusher is introduced to Mattie, 123
XVIII. Rounding Cape Horn, 135
XIX. Making a Fortune, 143
[Transcriber's note: Chapter XX is missing in book.]
XXI. Coming Events cast their Shadows, 158
XXII. The Chapmans move into the City, 166
XXIII. Mrs. Chapman gives a Ball, 176
XXIV. Very Perplexing, 186
XXV. An Unlucky Voyage, 196
XXVI. Dunman's Cave, 204
XXVII. Old Dunman and the Pirate's Treasure, 213
XXVIII. Mr. Gusher sustains his Character, 225
XXIX. Changed Circumstances, 230
XXX. A Terrible Calamity overtakes the Family, 237
XXXI. A Very Perplexing Situation, 247
XXXII. Harvest-Sunday, 251
XXXIII. Returned Home, 260
XXXIV. He brings Joy into the House, 273
XXXV. How He got away from the Island, 277
XXXVI. An Interesting Ceremony, 282
THE VON TOODLEBURGS,
OR THE
History of a very Distinguished Family.
CHAPTER I.
ANCIENT HEADS OF THE FAMILY.
Not more than a mile from the brisk little town of Nyack, on the Hudson river, and near where the road makes a sharp turn and winds up into the mountain, there lived, in the year 1803, an honest old farmer of the name of Hanz Toodleburg. Hanz was held in high esteem by his neighbors, many of whom persisted in pronouncing his name Toodlebug, and also electing him hog-reef every year, an honor he would invariably decline. He did this, he said, out of respect to the rights of the man last married in the neighborhood. It mattered not to Hanz how his name was pronounced; nor did it ever occur to him that some of his more ambitious descendants might be called on in a court of law to explain the circumstances under which their name was changed. I speak now of things as they were when the old settlers around Nyack were honest and unsuspecting, before Fulton had astonished them with his steamboat, or those extravagant New Yorkers had invaded the town, building castles overlooking the Tappan Zee, and school-houses where the heads of honest Dutch children were filled with wicked thoughts.
Hanz Toodleburg was short and stout of figure, had a full, round face, a large blunt nose, and a small gray eye. Indeed, there was no mistaking his ancestors, in whose language he spoke whenever the Dominie paid him a visit, which he did quite often, for Hanz had always good cheer in the house; and a bed for a stranger. In short, it was a boast of Hanz that no traveller ever passed his house hungry, if he knew it. And it increased his importance with his neighbors that he raised more bushels to the acre than any of them, and sent better vegetables to the New York market. More than that, he would tell all the big folks in the village, with a nod of his head, that he owed no man a stiver he could not pay before the sun set, and in such a way as to convey a sly hint that it was more than they could do. The neighbors consulted Hanz concerning their worldly affairs, and, indeed, received his opinions as good authority. In fine, Hanz and the Dominie were called in to settle nearly all the disputes arising between the country folks for miles around. And it was said by these simple minded people that they got their rights quicker and less expensively in this way than when they went to law in the village and trusted to the magistrate and the lawyers for justice.
As, however, there always will be idle and gossiping people everywhere to say unkind things of their neighbors, especially when they are more prosperous than themselves, so there were gossips and mischievous people in the settlement who, when engaged over their cups, would hint at suspicious enterprises in which Hanz's ancestors were engaged on the Spanish Main. Indeed, they would hint at times that it was not saying much for his family that his father had sailed with Captain Kidd, which would account for the doubloons and Mexican dollars Hanz could always bring out of a "rainy day." That Hanz had a stock of these coins put safely
![](qr/2738/2.png)
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.