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In this latter city an Elks' Convention was supplying blue-bird weather for underground "haymakers," busy with bunco-steering, "rushing" street-cars and "lifting leathers." Before the stampede at the news of his approach, he picked up Biff Edwards and Lefty Stivers, put on the screws, and learned nothing.
Until funds should be collected sufficient for this purpose, they were to receive twelve stivers a day each foot-soldier, and twenty- four stivers each cavalryman, and were to have the city of Roermond in pledge.
"I have got twenty-four stivers' worth," he said. He then inquired our names, which we gave him, and wished to know why he asked for them?
"I didn't go for to say I sailed there at all," retorted Joe; "I walked it partly, and went part o' the way on elephants an' horses, and went aloft o' them there mountains pretty nigh as far up as the main-topmast cross-trees of 'em; I've also slep' in the snow-huts of the Eskimos, an' bin tossed about in a'most every sort o' craft that swims, but wot I've got to say is this, that of all the things I ever did see, travellin' in Californy beats 'em all to sticks and stivers."
They were obliged to furnish large sums to the whole garrison, paying every common foot-soldier twelve stivers a day and the officers in proportion, while the great Eletto demanded, beside his salary, a coach and six, a state bed with satin curtains and fine linen, and the materials for banquetting sumptuously every day.
It may perhaps be of some advantage to strangers to be told that there are two kinds of coin here, of the same denomination, milled and unmilled, and that the milled is of most value. A milled ducatoon is worth eighty stivers; but an unmilled ducatoon is worth no more than seventy-two.
The soldiers liked the business; for every man so employed received his ten stivers a day additional wages, punctually paid, and felt moreover that every stroke was bringing the work nearer to its conclusion. The Spaniards no longer railed at Maurice as a hedger and ditcher.
They pickle the oysters in small casks, and send them to Barbados and the other islands. We had for supper a roasted haunch of venison, which he had bought of the Indians for three guilders and a half of seewant, that is, fifteen stivers of Dutch money, and which weighed thirty pounds. The meat was exceedingly tender and good, and also quite fat. It had a slight spicy flavor.
Fleets of transports arrived day after day, week after week, laden with every necessary and even luxury for the use of the garrison. It was perhaps the cheapest place in all the Netherlands, so great was the abundance. Capons, bares, partridges, and butcher's meat were plentiful as blackberries, and good French claret was but two stivers the quart.
And there was always an ample supply of volunteers for the service so long as the five stivers were paid. But despite all Bucquoy's exertions the east harbour remained as free as ever. The cool, wary Dutch skippers brought in their cargoes as regularly as if there had been no siege at all.
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