The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-04

The labors Of the summer over, let US now sup
pose that the GROWING work Of the year-the grand
rustic carnival OF Medoc-the vintaRe-is at hand
For weeks every cloud IN the sky has been watched
every cold night breeze felt with nervous appre
hension. Upon the last bright weeks in summer,
The SAVIOR and the bouquet Of the wine depend
Warmed by the blaze of an unclouded sun, famed
by the II lid breezes Of the west, and mosiened by
morning and evening dews, the grapes by slow de-
grees attain their perfect npeness and their culn
mating point OF flavor. Then the vintage nipple.
ments begin TO be sought out, cleaned, repaired,
and secured and sweetcned with hot brandy
Coopers work if their lives depe nded upon their
industry and all the anomalous tribe of lockers out
,or chance Joos IN town and country pack up their
bag and baggage, and from scores Of miles around
pour IN ragged regiments into Medoc. Meanwhile
the vice men nominated by the authorities" are
at work. Vineyards are inspected, grapes tasted,
and grave reports deposited daily in official ar.
chves AT length, some fine morning, the ban
appears, settling the important day and BY the gray
light of the dawn all hands are a. work.
There have long existed easing, and In some
sort poetical associations connected with 90 IN y
OF securing for human use the fruits OF The earth.
and TO no species OF crop do srese picturesque as.
socstons apply with greater force tha- TO The in.
ghtheflng OF the ancient harvest OF the vine From
uine immsmorial the season has tspihed epochs Of
pe!.'y and mirtbfulheartedness of good tare and
of good will The ancient types and figures de-
scnptive OF the vintage ptill literally true The
march OF agricultural Improvement seems never to
have set foot amid the vines. A il was with the
children OF men. The goaded OK still bears home
the high pressed grape tub, and the feet of the
uesder are sui red IN the purple juice which
maketh glad the heart Of man The scene /. az
once full OF beauty and Of tender and even sacred
associations. The songs of the vintagers, FIRE.
quently chorused from part Of the held To the
other, ring bthely into the bright summer AR,
pealing cut above the rough iskes and hearty peais
OF laughter shouted bitber and thither A the
green Jungle rs alive with the moving figures Of
men and women, STOPPING among the vines 70
bearing pals and bssketiuls OF grapes out to the
Rfass-gfown cross rosds, along which IN. Labor
mg oxen dreg the rough vintage carts grooming
and cracking as they stsggtr along beneath Their
weight 81 purple tubs, hesped high with the turn-
bling masses 81 luscious 'rmt Tae cOngrega.l ION
OF every age and beth sexes, aud the cafthss
variety Of costume, add additional tea ur-s ot
plctufesqueness TO the enc The white haired
old man lshOrs with shaking hands 10 6il the
hdsket which his back.eyed mp ~ a grand. child
catnee ftJoicingy away. Quaint broad. br,mmpd
straw and ieit ats-hsndkerchefs twisted like
lufbars over struggling elf locks-s warmly skiaa
tanntd ~ an olive brown-black "A shiug eyes
emo haI d. and ieet stained IN the abnuudinv ucrs
OF The precious fruit all these southern peenlisri-
US ~ costume and appearance supply the vintage
WIN Hs peasant character stlct The cl4ter OF
tongues - iLcsssant A fire If Jokes aud ieers,
on satcy questions, and more sducy ret0fts-of |
Wiat, IN hc, IN the humble and unpOt tic bat eI-
IRE tve vefnacular, ~ called "chsii" - kept %
with viRor which seldom hseS, except new ana |
thtn, when the butt end Of song, or IN. twangng