Mooi Juultje van Volendam

Summary

Juultje, the prettiest girl in Volendam, is the daughter of Barendse, the honest but strict owner of the café "The Black Horse". Although the ship-owner Meesen is known locally as a miser, where his son Sander is concerned he is free with his money. The young man, an artist, knows how to squander his father's cash. During the kermis, Sander and his friend Rekveld come to Volendam in a motor-yacht. In the café they ask to see an original Dutch clogdance performed. When the fun is at its height, Barendse returns from Amsterdam and is angry to see the dancing, something he never permits in his establishment. When he asks who started it, it is his servant Piet who takes the blame. Although Piet has been brought up in the café-owner's family, Barendse does not hesitate to show him the door. Piet is saved by Juultje who confesses that she started the dancing. Juultje is sent to her room and when Piet's friend Willem manages to calm Barendse down, Piet is reinstated.

The next day Willem hears Sander arrange to meet Juultje in the countryside so that he can make a sketch of her milking a cow. Barendse, who has seen them talking, asks Willem what he thinks about the matter and is told that there is no harm in Juultje posing for Sander. Still, Willem approaches Sander and, pointing at Barendse, asks why he doesn't paint a portrait of the old man, or does he only want pretty girls as models. Sander laughs at them, whereupon Barendse slaps Sander's face and has him thrown out of the café. While Sander is sketching her, Juultje agrees to run away with him to Brussels. Piet, who wants to better his position so that he can sue for Juultje's hand in marriage, goes to Canada, thanks to Willem's financial support. Piet's departure leaves Juultje cold, as she is thinking only of the bright lights of Brussels. Willem, returning on his motor bike from Amsterdam after bidding Piet farewell, encounters Juultje and Sander when they are about to leave Volendam in Sander's automobile. The two men fight and Willem is knocked down. Hoping to prevent Juultje's flight, Willem follows the automobile but is unable to catch up with it.

In Brussels Juultje and Sander live a life of luxury until Sander tires of the girl and deserts her. She returns to Holland and finds work in a bar in Amsterdam. There she is seen three years later by Toon, one of Barendse's regular customers. He tells Juultje that her mother is very ill, but she refuses to go to Volendam, knowing that her father will have nothing to do with his errant daughter. Toon tells Barendse where his daughter is, but the stubborn man will not recall her until he yields to the entreaties of his dying wife. Before Trees Barendse dies, she is happy to know that Juultje and her father have become reconciled. Piet returns from Canada on furlough and, after a few months, he and Juultje marry.