Mary Mapes Dodge

“ They were walking through the city, not on a curbed sidewalk, for such a thing is rarely to be found in Holland, but on the brick pavement that lay on the borders of the cobblestone carriage-way without breaking its level expanse.
Haarlem, like Amsterdam, was gayer than usual, in honor of Saint Nicholas.
A strange figure was approaching them. It was a small man dressed in black, with a short cloak. He wore a wig and a cocked hat from which a long crepe streamer was flying.
"Who comes here?" cried Ben. "What a queer-looking object."
"That's the aanspreeker," said Lambert. "Someone is dead." ”

“ The captain laughed. "I shall take you to hear better music than that," he said. "We are just in time to hear the organ of Saint Bavon. The church is open today."
"What, the great Haarlem organ?" asked Ben. "That will be a treat indeed. I have often read of it, with its tremendous pipes, and its vox humana *{An organ stop which produces an effect resembling the human voice.} that sounds like a giant singing."
"The same," answered Lambert van Mounen.
Peter was right. The church was open, though not for religious services. Someone was playing upon the organ. ”

“ Jacob yawned, and Peter gave Ben a look that made him instantly feel that he and Peter were not so very different after all, though one hailed from Holland and the other from England. And Lambert, the interpreter, responded with a brisk "You may well say so. I believe there are one or two organs nowadays that are said to be as fine; but for years and years this organ of Saint Bavon was the grandest in the world." ”