Life in Town and Country
sandwiches, which seem to constitute the national appeaser of hunger.
Club-life, in the shape of societeiten, flourishes in the Netherlands, the smallest towns boasting of one or more of these social circles. Foremost among them is De Witte, at The Hague. It is second to none in Europe as regards high standing and comfort, and has a membership of fifteen hundred, drawn from the élite of officialdom. The club's premises are sumptuously furnished and decorated; it has strong French proclivities (French is a popular language in Holland), and welcomes and entertains its guests with courteous and cordial hospitality. In this respect the club is not an exception, for throughout Holland the stranger who has been properly introduced, or who knows how to ingratiate himself with the people, is sure to be treated with extreme kindness. It may
93
