The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-10-07
THE CHOUANS
OR,
Old and New France

ing TIRE hresh'ng- hoor-sn open space q
,rodden clsy-,s clean As brooms could make u.
while heir sisters were decorating 1t with boushs
| and ribbons
ave are come Just in the nick II time" 90
served the miller as he hlighted "thsy are Pre-.
pairing for the harvest home. This iss happy hh
Tor gentlemen like you who arc upon the track 81
old customs, and old stories and songs"
Twas fuIlv aware a the Druidical character al
the haryes,-horne festival in iitany proper where
the peasant never speaks but in devotional tons
Of the - corn II the llessed God :" but hsd noe
expected 10 end IL thus celebrated on the French
border soon perceived however, thst the Ting
had q frser and, " may say A., more worldly
character here than among the pure Celtic race.
There was no time 70 make friends with old Va
de- on-cour, who, as patriarch Of the family,
had taken bis seat on tho bench at the door,
| clad In the old provincial costume, and with hs
white hair streaming his shoulders peacefully
looking on. Before We had time to look about Us
We found Ourselves in TIE niidst Of a festival, IN
when We we're at once invited 10 rartc pate, -
though We bad heeu old acquaintance. The far
mer' noble looking middle-sgej man. . nephew
OF the elder Chouan, was lor led by two youths
IN holiday dress 10 tho harm, 10 fetch in the laa
eheR, which, according to the rhymes still repeat
cd on these occasions, Is equal in weight 70 tbs
whole harvest, and by no ght Of mortal man
DO lifted unless by gifted for tie occasion with
supernatural power. TIE farmer grssred he
hower-wreaihtd shcst and bore II of in triumph
70 The threading floor aud the procession was then
formed. First came two young rls, carrying
brooma made Of green FIR branches, with which they
lowedby children swinging garlands woven offresh
howers mingled with Of corn. After these wo
were desired 10 fall in; and IL was rather from wans
OF stout arms tAn In compliance with our eirness
desire, that We escaped the traditional honor OF ths
guest-the Icing carried in sort u litter, boneath
canopy Of loAfy bou-hs We gladly comprom-
ised The matter, by SLOWING couple Of VERY pretty
girls, with bright tin atcs in thcr hands 10 walk
| at our de, and present US with fresh barley md
| sweet flowers. Behind US came youth bearing the
| sieve aud finging aloft hsndfus Of corn and chat
% ndrotuy as 10 each the corn sgain Ia the sieve.
while tho chat was dispersed in the air. Ths
thrsshsrs brought up the rear, beading time on tbs
| ground with their nals.
And in this manner, with song, laugh, and dis
charge Of small arms We walked twice round tf~D-
thrsshing-Hoor, after hich the shsAf was spread
In tho centre and thresLei ont, amid jest and NOR
| riment with admirable skill. Refreshments wers
pen,iiul'y served the while but tie hArvest-hoDs
feast was ill evtning The invtahons arc slvon
by sending nos gay, which 10 lo' .tl w 1 i
Across al the winding paths shat i -
surrounding fields, the neighbors mght no" Dc
seen vending their WAY, each woman VIII n~
pan OF thick milk, adorned with AO"oIb' Cou-
rsry TO the custom Of the northwestern provinces
oil France, the women are allowed, in hohoI % 'ue
harVest-homc, to 81 at table with their husoaaus
ard tbs scene was one alike Of enjoy mems AN
Eohriety.
As 10 my special business with the patriarch Of
the house, Il seemed ct first little kelly 70 cons
on lie was silent sud suspicious-rsther, as
feared, ~ my companion ,hau Of myself indeed
we miIlsrs ersgc Grated irioadliness ana cordial
hy was Al displessug 10 me as 10 my host. l
'sked tho latter what his age II replied.
with an air q honest pride" Seventy -ono times
h.s Me Lord granted me the favor OF coming On
my feet to meet the harvest-shesf; once was
riei In my n.o.her's arms"
Thought tina. nov indeed had got the right
end OF the thread and Iprocceded to alludc to re
many circumstances Of interest he mus have witt
misunderstanding him, moreover, how lie had con- .
trved TO keep tie harvest-home ring the tune Of
sho Great War. do not remember Lis answer; ,
pu' when the miller In q loud voice broke in upon d,
our conversation, the old man cast ndclong
glance st Us both, aud said--"Ttt Blessed GOD u
Almighty, and can make time Z 7 oil IL ngs"
shortly siterwAr Is and IN = very unexpected
manner, found way 20 bis contfence--sl thu
more readily for the absence Of TIE miller who les
US 70 steud TO some busueIs IN the neighborio I'D
connected with one OF the seven lawsuits u whleb
ne had made a merit with me.
happened that tho old Cbousp, AFTER the fs,h- J.
~" oi DIS country-A fash on ~ which the Man. !.
Sesux arc no whit behind the Normsns-wis IN
'olyed in ~ least ono lawsuit, thnt ocCssoned N
It's iuIl rharo OF yexAtion and anxiety. On his q
Abiding TO the subject, told him that was law.
yer, anu could give him hopes and suggestlonsn
such a. bis own counsel bad not held oui, doubt
le lest the ri assures ~ the lawsuit should he too
speedily brought to an end This opened the ~ "
mans heart couple Of glasses Of cognac did ne 81
ioat-anl In . word, was ahoAti and although
no spoke .! first with q measure OF thyness aud Il
CONFUSION, vet, warming under the Influence oi his
"reminiscences, he then, and ct subsequent meet
lhgA related to mo many Interesting pars oulars n
feHtlvo TO tho beginning OF the ChoUdDneT ana i
many Of its more minute details hitherto un-h'
known. some Of these propose nov TO give 10 u
we resder ss nearly a. possible In tie words oil !,
the original narrator. a,
Jean Cotereau the salt-8mugg'er, commonly .
known o. Gasuenton, was. az the mIlor had lod a
me, ono Of four hrothers Pierre, The c'les', van
Mo only one who lad followed Lis 'atters tradt ats
wood'eAryer lie was geu,l,, quiet, SIMPLE :
soul and "beIter Cited 10 mix tie COW than tCIIt
| make head asaust the woli," as old Wade on-h
edur was used TO say. Moreover, he sutier and
beng on shIg account unacccutabe aB ComDauion.Li
lived much to himself. The Two younger, Frsncoi, Is
and Rene, went out with Jean as sAlt-smu gg rs n
'he ndeo atty resen oled him in charac
Ter lilo was Equally r'luarkabe for cunn.ngou
poldnsss, tentcity Of purp Sc and iAuhfuness ia,
| his friclds while he Sas distinguished IRON -
troth'r ~ certain romantic turn tor an adv ri
ture, which Is by no mCSrs unr mmun anloug tn y'
people Of tits province. Keuc, unlike ei1heT van
malicious coyetlus and urmcrciiui, literally taE Vi
| ing pleasure in hlooGshoi, and a. tWeTe becomnon
intoxicated by u. HIS coyetousness, ana tho wayt
and means by which twas manifested, would havOd
boen often ludcrous, ~ they had not be'n connect
el with clrcumsku, Of nc most Mtocons Grey bsl
| ~. The sisters were Perrine and Renee, who SCI
| dlm lch .he paiernal roof during tie conunuanc 4
Of ihe war. In this district 10 re'tr-ee as 81 "
| against honour and proprtty for women to 10
any way associated With lhc dougsot &c oppos I {
sex and thus tho women u Name took 10 a.
! Hhhteycr IN the strife while Ia Brittany a4o l. Z
Nendee, the women shared alike IA lis " T. lss- al
| IONS and ITS deed OF herOlsn. HE haoitus' ca
hon OF the hanceau peasant may nave soustL'n
10 90 with this, for u icy have pruverb-"A desc
ted house nyi,oI tho thief" ami IN fast the plum
erirg generally began in tho empty houaes.
In spite Of The memorable proximity IN WI
he had once found himself " the hempcp coll
and the wonderful oscAp theretrou, 70: v 81.