The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1844-11-23
EIlS0ALLLhAN NNOUSo
LEGEND OF THE LOIRE.
JEAN LOUIS.
A TALE OF GUERANDE.

The food Of civilization and socia
Improvement which il is asserted ha
rolled over the hills and valleys o
F,ance, has no, been universal in it,
extent. There are various spots whic t
seem placed beyond The reach of tn,
movement. Having little or no direc
CON mmunication with Paris, and connec
ted with The chief town of The depart
neni by bad and uo(requenlcd route
tie inhabitsn,s uf those isolated district
lcar OF The events which TAX" place, OF
he changes aud chances Of society, OF
'aI'ways and steam engines, gas lighn
md constitutional kings, without consid.
ring themselves as in any way concerr
I'd in them, and regard those who are
rather with feelings oF conremp, than OF
anvy. This is III" case more particular
ly in some par # Bretagun, where tn
'eopIe cling with The greatest p'rtinaci
y to Old habits and usages, rejecting
With preverbial obs'inacy, every alIera
ion, be il for better or for worse. o.,
n tn spots in which The habits and ma,
'ers OF bygona ayes are most peculiarly
preserved, is Guprande. Placed amid.
he sand hills and marshes where IT.,
Loire joins the ocean. between the az
Gent towns of &. oisic AMI the Burg ui
I5a,z, it has preserved even lts ou war
appearance in t,ct from the innovation
# modern habits and manners. Circum
ScrIbed within its ancient walls suC
itChes. with streets not wider than A.
mnihus aud half, its BATH ments un
impaired, its three gates showing ;h'
,pparalus for elrv.,iog or letting fall tn.
'on Ierous porrculls, and is wooder
rawbridgos, though no longer raised =
unset, still in state to be 50, every
hing alb "a, the town preserves tine Sam
primitive character; The upper stories oI
he houses resting on solid pillars o
wood or stone, and forming galleries
inder which the pa n es are secur
rom rain or sunshine; The shops sinai
nd low, their fronts covered with states
tAsened over one another like hescale
Of fish; tho windows ornamenlcd will
carved woodwo k. which projects in''
the streets in some places even beyon,
the pillars, in grotesqne faces, or leng'l
ned out into fantastic animals Of som
unknown or exrncl race, ,whosr remain
are TO be fonnd only in mus ums. ThJ
Ipopulaion Of Guerande is not numef on
md in consequence of the absence 81
he busy trade of more moderniSec
towns, the passing traveller wander
Through silent and deserted s'rees; snr
{ he meets with a well plpe.c ayei gen
dame, or some sGch emblem Of receu'
Laws, is startled al The anachronism,a and
would have been less surprised at e0-
Icountering warrior IN the costume OF
he middle ages, for the dress of the
Brelons 10 general might pass for ,ha
Of any era. The geographicaI position
Iof Guerande in some measure account,
for all these circumstances. 1t possess
les but Two roads, one leading TO the
chief town Of the reimbursement, and
but lille frequented, the other to ST
Nagare, which is six leagues distant. II
has no speculations IN trade to bring vi
sitors, and the f w strangers who make
heir appearance are chiefly invalids, who
come for The purpose Of sea bathing, ,snd
he advantages Of so retired and econom
csI situation.
Even the arrival Of strange beggar,
some five and twenty years ago, was the
subject of rine days wonder: more
Especially as he seemed inclined TO take
up his abode in Guerande, aud differed
from the native population, and even
from persons Of his class, in his habit
and appearance, which were those Of a
person Of education. 1t was supposed
al The time lha, he was one OF The unfor
tunate persons ruined by the Revolution
and prescribed by the parties in power
which supposilion was aided by afepor
ha, he was in possession of some re-
mains Of property; but no inquire
could ellie il anything from him, lhougl
the supposed circumstances OF his hls'o
ry strongly predisposed The royalis POI
ula,ion in his favor. lie neither con
frmed nor denied the passing rumo'S
hut qoelIy took his station a, the doc
of The church IS regular mendicani.- -
With many Of The inhsbilsnts il becsm
customary 10 beslow upon him week J.