Adelé van Soothsbay



  Adelé van Soothsbay

  by JH Terry

  Copyright © JH Terry 2015

  Table of Contents

  I.Introduction

  II.The Birth of Higgles

  III.The Birth of Adelé

  IV.The Old Lady

  V.A Helping Hand

  VI.Mr. Pickles

  VII.The Dinner

  VIII.Higgles the Good, Adelé the Better

  IX.The van der Bergh’s Song

  X.Naughty Adelé

  XI.Higgles Giggles Pudding and Pie

  XII.Uncle Pieter Fritter

  XIII.Prince Issac Raspereski

  XIV.Higgles Gone!

  XV.Tomadelé

  XVI.Raucous and Bonfires

  XVII.The Strange Man

  XVIII.Louis van Pargoo

  XIX.Trouble in Ohio

  XX.The Ball

  XXI.Sailing Nowhere

  I: Introduction

  Since the beginning of time men and women, like cavemen, have traveled from one place to another, or migrated. Notably are the Mongols in Mongolia, the birds in the sky, or one moving to a new home today. People move for several reasons - a place that is better or more bearable than what they have. It is just like when one is at home and no food is left. Therefore, he or she must move to the store to get food, or else life always at home with no food would be unbearable. Especially without pizza, chocolates, ice cream, soda, or other sweets and goodies that make our tummies feel so good and happy inside to stop that rumbling of hunger.

  A long time ago, all the way back in the sixteen hundreds (or 1600s), people also found places to be unbearable in a place called Europe. In Europe there are the countries of England, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and the Netherlands. These were the main countries during this time that were looking for land elsewhere, and found it in a place called the New World. In the New World one finds the continents of North and South America. The Portuguese, or those who live in Portugal, came to the country of Brazil. The Spanish, or those who live in Spain, came to many places. These include where one finds the countries of Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, and even the states of California, New Mexico, and Texas. The French, from France, came to the province of Québec, in Canada, where French is still spoken at today, forming the colony of New France. This was along the Saint Lawrence and Mississippi Rivers, with the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the state of Louisiana to the South. The English, from England, formed settlements, or communities, in Jamestown, Virginia, and the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland. The Swedish, from Sweden, came to the state of Delaware and were the first to make log cabins in America. Their colony was called New Sweden, which was later taken over by the colony of New Netherlands. New Netherlands was a settlement of the Dutch, or those from the Netherlands. New Netherlands was taken over later by the English to form the states of New Jersey and New York.

  It is in this period of time that shall be looked into, that of New Netherlands before it was taken over by the English. New Netherlands was first formed after Henry Hudson, a Dutch navigator and explorer, sailed up the Hudson River, which starts at New York City and ends at Albany, New York, for anyone who knows anything about New York like the writer of this book who was born and raised there. After Hudson’s discovery, many Dutch also moved and lived there, with Dutch names still there till this day, like the part of New York City called the Bronx after Jonas Bronck, a Dane, or one from Denmark, who came to move from his home to New Netherlands. Life there was prosperous, but rulers, or presidents with unlimited power, were strict, as were the social standards at the time, making those who were creative, original, and just different out of the way of others, especially if it was a woman. Women were wives or daughters, never anything else, and as mere property making their lives without happiness, a voice to speak with, nor were they able to have jobs. They only ran houses, if given permission by their husbands, but mostly were meant to only have and raise children. However, not all women wanted this for their lives, like that of Adele van Soothsbay, the most extraordinary girl and woman of this time, and like all extraordinary people a story is her call to fame and the rest is that story although fiction at least since we believe in her in our imaginations we can at least call her reality there.

  II: The Birth of Higgles

  On April 4, 1639, Jan and Sarie van Soothsbay became the new parents of a beautiful baby girl. She had hair of golden locks, eyes as blue as sapphires, and skin like alabaster. The husband and wife of four years were very happy over the birth, since their successes before were futile due to the hostile climate of the New World, which were they were at was called, later to form the United States of America, and the death of three children before of various illnesses. To have such luck for them seemed to be a blessing.

  “Yes,” said Dr. Meukle. “She is a very beautiful and sensitive little girl. You must take good care of her if she is to be healthy. You must guard her with the utmost care. One day she might be the belle of New Amsterdam, or of all New Netherlands.”

  “All New Netherlands!” exclaimed Sarie out loud with such emphasis that Jan began to feel troubled about his wife’s feelings.

  Sensing that the doctor’s talk was doing her no good, especially if this child were to die as well, Jan said, “Thank you good doctor, I will take good care of them from here.”

  “You?” asked the Dr. Meukle with a slight smile as Jan had forgotten his place as a gentleman by saying such a thing.

  “I mean I will take care of them in the hiring of help and setting the maids to look after them,” said Jan quickly remembering what he was saying.

  “Of course,” said Dr. Meukle. “Enjoy yourselves.”

  “Good bye Dr. Meukle,” said Mrs. van Soothsbay as she lay in bed with her little girl.

  As Jan showed Dr. Meukle out of the house, Dr. Meukle said, “You have a fine girl there, do not worry that she will end like the others. She is more sturdy than they were, and do not worry I know that from experience.”

  “Thank you Dr. Meukle,” said Jan.

  “Now,” said Dr. Meukle. “All you have to do now is try for a boy, that is simple enough.”

  Slightly angry at this thought of another baby so soon, especially with all the trouble they had with the others, Jan said, “Thank you doctor for the thought, but I must really do other things right now.”

  “Yes,” said Dr. Meukle. “Good night, Mr. van Soothsbay.”

  “Good night,” said Jan as he closed the door in the doctor’s face.

  Dr. Meukle smiled to himself as he went to his carriage, with the driver looking to him perplexed.

  “I am glad someone has a sense of humor while I freeze myself to death,” said the driver who seemed like ice.

  “Oh, hush up Hendrik,” said Dr. Meukle.

  “What’s so funny that you have a smile on your lips?” asked Hendrik.

  “That man will have only trouble with that child.”

  “Do you mean that will die on them too?”

  “No, Hendrik. That one will live, but the cost of keeping her will be too much for that generous offer of life. They love her already too much; I see it in their eyes. To them she is mere perfection, even when she is a horrible ogre, and that will be no help to them at all. I feel sorry for any other child that they might have, for that child will suffer.”

  “How do you know that sir?” asked Hendrik.

  “I saw that same look of the family when I delivered the Wilson’s baby.”

  “You mean the birth of the beautiful Carina Wilson?”

  “Yes, the beautiful and troublesome Carina, who broug
ht her parents into debt as she sailed away with some Spanish adventurer to the South, leaving them on their own to suffer. It is not my place to tell a parent what to do or not, but if I were them I would not be so foolish with a mere child.” With this Dr. Meukle went into the carriage as Hendrik sped away from the van Soothsbay home to another house where one’s health was not all well.

  “Ahh,” said Jan as he entered again into the room where his wife and little girl lay. Sarie was playing with the child’s hands, holding her as close as possible in case soon she would be taken away. Jan looked to her and said, “Do not worry, Sarie, everything will be fine. The doctor says that she is strong and will live to be an adult.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Sarie very skeptical.

  “Yes,” said Jan. “He gave me his firm advice before he left.” Looking to the little girl Jan said, “Oh, she is so beautiful, beyond all compare, like a snowflake or angel. Let’s call her snow.”

  “Snow?” asked Sarie. “No child of any respectable family has ever had a child named snow, and besides in the snow there lie dead bodies. Our daughter shall have a name that gives warmth and laughter. What about Spring?”

  “No,” said Jan. “No daughter of mine will have a name like Spring.”

  “Well, then,” said Sarie, “What about your grandmother’s name?”

  “You mean Higgles?”

  “Yes, it is such a light name, it makes one feel happy just to think of it and even more to say it.”

  “Yes,” said Jan. “I think in honor of my dear grandmother it is the perfect name. Higgles van Soothsbay.” With this the little girl made a gurgling noise that seemed to say that she accepted the name as well. “Well, with that agreed at least we have the most beautiful little girl with the most beautiful name.”

  “Yes, and we do not need any more children with this one in our heart so dearly.”

  “Yes,” said Jan. “With this one so wonderful what would we need with another child?”

  Jan then held his wife in his arms, who held Higgles in her arms, all happy and cozy within the warm room, just to themselves not needed nor wanting anyone else to be there as well, though sooner than they thought they were to have a new edition to their home.

  III: The Birth of Adelé

  Everyone was surprised and moody when the day finally came. Jan was angry, Sarie was disappointed, and Higgles wished that it would never come. It seemed no one wanted that day to come, but they were there, except for Dr. Meukle, of course, who always liked to get paid for the job he did.

  Higgles was two years old and could walk graciously to her parents’ happiness. Today, though, no one really looked at Higgles that much at all, they were worried of what was to come. Meukle could see that his predictions of before were right. Higgles was a spoiled brat to the core, so much that Jan asked the doctor to give Higgles a piggyback ride, to which Meukle looked straight into Higgles’s eyes and growled like a tiger, causing her to run away scared to her dolls in her room. Jan did not ask again about the ride or anything about Higgles to Meukle.

  It took five hours of waiting, in that everyone was in a state of despair. Meukle was concerned that Sarie would suffer the most, and Jan was concerned that he would eventually suffer the most then. They had come to this point of time only because Higgles had asked for it, and being a spoiled brat Higgles always got what she wanted. It was February 8, 1642, a night that they would all remember.

  “Wahhhhh, wahhhhh!” screeched a high-pitched voice.

  “The baby is born!” thought everyone at once. “Is it a boy, a girl, short, tall, fat, skinny, clever, or giddy?”

  Out walked Meukle from the room in silence. “Well?” asked Jan of Meukle, who just looked at him with indifference as he went to the dining room for a drink of tea. Impatient, Jan walked into the room to see that Sarie too was silent as the baby squirmed in her arms, crying here and there. Jan walked up to see the baby as well, remarking its features in silence as well, when others poured in also silent. Finally Higgles barged in ready to see the animal made for her especially since she was tired of being alone.

  Up onto the bed Higgles marched up to where her new little sister was and looked on with disgust. “What is that?” she asked angered.

  Looking up to Higgles, Sarie said, “You sister, of course.”

  “She’s nothing like I asked you for. I asked for blue eyes like mine, not brown, and golden curls, not brown, I even asked her to have flowing hair, not to be almost bald or look like a turnip!”

  Indeed, as everyone looked to the child she did have short brown hair, brown eyes, and her face was shriveled like a turnip root. Yes, this child was not another Higgles for she was ordinary and plain. She did not have Higgles’s beauty, nor will to live and sturdiness. It seemed to all there that the child would not live like the others before Higgles. It seemed like such a waste to have had the child - to be born only to die.

  “I am sorry Higgles,” said Sarie. “We had no idea.”

  “I hate that thing you call my sister,” said Higgles. “She is not worth even calling her that. My life will be ruined by everyone knowing that she is my sister, and no one ever thinks about me,” said Higgles as she began to cry.

  “Oh Higgles,” said Jan as he held her in his arms. “Do not cry. The child is so weak that she will not live long enough for anyone to know. Does that make you happy, dear?”

  Suddenly a crash was heard as they saw Dr. Meukle at the door. “You fools, that child is going to live to be an adult. You should be grateful that you are given such a child while some get none at all, but I know that my talk is wasted on you. You have decided your own fates, but treat the child with care. One day you may need to depend upon her and she will no longer be there to rescue you from your fates.”

  Dr. Meukle then picked up his items and left the house. Suddenly the others there, hoping to see another beautiful baby, left as well, disappointed, with the butler, Gregory, closing the door as he went outside walking to a local pub where he lost a bet that the next child would be prettier than the first.

  Jan looked to the little girl and his heart was quite hard, to think that their favor with everyone else should have come about so low once this child was born. Jan looked into Sarie’s eyes and could see that she felt the same way that he did. He was very disappointed, too disappointed to even touch the creature as he walked over to Higgles’s room to be her slave for the moment.

  Seeing that she was all alone, Sarie called for a maid, Mary.

  “You called, miss?” asked Mary.

  “Yes,” said Sarie. “Take the girl away to her room. Let her be nursed by your sister.”

  “You do not wish to nurse this child like you did with Higgles, miss?” asked Mary slightly concerned.

  “I do not wish it,” said Sarie coldly.

  “What is her name,” asked Mary as she picked the child up.

  “I really do not know what would be best now,” said Sarie without caring.

  “I think the most beautiful name in the world is Adelé, miss. Perhaps you may call her Adelé?”

  “Yes, Mary,” said Sarie still not caring. “We will call her Adelé van Soothsbay. Just take her to your sister to take care of her.”

  “Yes, miss,” said Mary as she took the little baby in her arms through many passages, past the room of Higgles, where the rest of the family was happy together, past the dining room, kitchen, and outside the back of the house where the servants were gambling in a cock fight. Little Adelé shook from the cold, but dared not utter a word, sensing, as all babies do, that her care was in other hands, hands that could do with her anything that they wanted to. Adelé knew that her mother and father did not want her, especially everyone around her who had been there at first, except for Dr. Meukel, of course, who gave her a broad smile when he held her in his arms, but suddenly became quite at the look given by the mother.

  Soon Mary entered a little fr
eezing house next to the big warm house she had just left, where her sister was with a baby of her own. Mary’s sister, Gertrude, was not a nice person. She loved to complain and argue, because of this Mary knew how Gertrude would treat the baby as she treated the other babies that the van Soothsbay’s had, with a lack of care leading to the death of the others. Mary, seeing the baby as her responsibility, came in and set to work getting blankets to cover Adelé and putting on her heavy coat.

  “Where are you going with that baby?” asked Gertrude, her teeth black as tar.

  “I am going to the old lady,” said Mary truthfully.

  “You mean the witch?” asked Gertrude.

  “She is no more of a witch than you are,” said Mary quickly as she left the little room with Adelé in her arms.

  Angry, Gertrude went to the open door and said to Mary as she walked through the thick snow on the ground and flying in the air, “You’ll wish you hadn’t said that Mary, for when you bring that baby back here I’ll show you how much of a witch I can be.”

  Mary walked forward in the darkness until Gertrude could no longer see her. Gertrude then closed the door to the little house proclaiming loudly to herself how she would kill the little baby, just to get back at Mary.