The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-09-10

f.aboahygte isa station on the Bord.
cauz ard BlYowe railway. The humble
village IS halfway bdweea those cities. in
.4e midst of tlfe sandy and arid plains,
called the i1tdes, showing litlie other veg
citation than siuuggd pines, and over which
tho people are accustomed 80 move with
the aid Of rude s,ilts. These queer aids
10 loeomoiou are in such general use
throughout the tu,dss, that they form a
Distinguishing feature Of tic life under
difficulties which constitutes, in the main,
the social existence Of that poor and re-
mote portion Of Ii belle France.
Before reaching Iabouheyfe, The tray-
cller Journeys through some twenty miles
of desert, AZ length the rushing gain
comes 10 a stand STA in ihe midst Of a
score or two uf red tiics, that look as
though Ihcy lad been dropped down 1t
random on aIe edge Of a forest of scrubby
pines. This po,eriy-striekea village Is
I.aboaheyre.
The utter slagna,,on Of the Place i. bro
ken only by tltc passage Of tile trains, and
I by the fairs lhal are held there twice in
Zach year. But ,.c excitement ol the
eepy Villagers al the epoch Of these fairs
i great indeed. Crowds of visitors flock
'u ihe iair from ail the country side, for
Idty miles aroaad Eutira families make
Igbeir appearance, arriving ID clumsy Gov
iered carts, drawn by oxen with heavy
laundering wheels and white awnings
which afford shelter 10 tile occupants from
sun hy duy, aud hun die dews by night
The journey through this unstable coaa-
llrv. ia which .hc wheels often sink TO the
x.es, ana oxen 10 their launches, often
Ilasl, ior weeks together; and the long ii.es
|oI white wagons, creeping slowly across
I tAe sandy wilderness, look not unlike q
caravan crossing the desert
4 Willie lha igr lasts, every hotel ii La
aouheyre is metamorphosed into a lodg-
/ Iiug house, and every yilager into tay-
Ieru-keeper; tie natives lake up their
\ quarters 10 stables and cow-shcds, aud let
every corner OF their dwellings 10 stran-
gers, whom they &. Gee At sdch times TO
4 their hcarl's content.
Il was AT one Of these busy periods that
Ian incident occurred, which tile domestic
aunalists ol Tie village still recount At their
! CaGdlemas and Halloween gatherings
round the blazing pine log fires that never
t,l,l 10 greet the return Of those iayofite
festivals AT tAe period in question: a
Yoaag German painter, who las made for
himself brilliant place in the world OF
ari, was making shetching tour through
I the sold III France. lie lad often heard
lof tic strange, dcsolate scenery Of the
laHdesi and tue sight Of certain pictures
Of Bracassct aHd Rosa Bonhcur, which
render in all their primitive charm the
vague aud dreamy cXpanses Of the region,
determined him TO turn his steps 10 thai
direction.
When Fritz Slaeekels, as we call our
artist, reached Labouheyre, the cracked
bell Of The little church was sounding the
hour before midnight; and the entire vii
lage Notwithstanding the excitement OF
the fair, was wrapped in slumber, Eve
ry door was closed, every window was
barred. Not a light was TO be seen; not
even a dog was stirring. The young art
ist. puzzled as TO what TO do for a lodging,
nj length determined to knock at all the
doors until be should find some sort Of
quarters for the night. He accordingly
walked up to the door Of the first house
he came to, and tapping thereat with his
walklng-siick, he listened tor some sound
within indicative 81 wakefulness on the part
OF lis occupants But he had not TO wait
long for the door was almost Immediate
ly thrown open, aud Fritz, al once enter
ing the cottage, found himself 10 a large
low, half-sitting Foom,with floor Of earth
and a bright FIRE on the wide, open hearth
for even in the month Of July, the people
q the Lzndes never think Of going to bed
without taking an airing at the fire. as q
preseryatiyc against the pFogcrbial inaalu,
briefly Of tile region.
Two men and a woman Of some ffly
wears oi age, were seated beside the FIRE
As Fritz entered the room, Ia deposited
81. walking-siiek and yalise upon the "a.
ble. while the two men rose from iheil
seats, took from the corner Of the over.
hanging chimney piece a candle q pllcl
that was burning in a rude wooden cam
llc-stick, and sent 0Qi q The farther eGl
q lhc apartment, saluang their hostess
with Good night 70 you. Dame Bernar,
a.0e.
Good night 10 yol BOTH replied the
hostess, as Sic advanced toward The new
oomer ana demanded what he wanted
Why "a this time O night, replied