The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-03
4 rre,,ea, wstexing-s'lnce.

CORRESPONDENT sends to the London
spcctotor a pleasant account Of the charming
little town of Bourbonne les Bains. in France,
celebrated for its saline hot springs. which
we're known to the Romans
Nothing" says the writer. can he more
unlike fashionable Wntering-place than this
little unlGetendiug town, half perched on u !,
hin. half Nesting in valley, In the midst OF
the richIy-cultivated lands of iiaute Marine.
The people are homely. diSntisd, lnde-
pendeut--one sees none of the grisplng SER
yility 30 common In places whose inhabitants
live on the concourse Of strangers plea
sapt. ready courtesy, without Intrusion or
curiosity. marks their dc,neanor. They are
said to be very ignorant, but If so, ignorance
In their case is unaceompanled by the stona
brutishness which characterizes it among the
English population. We have seen no cVl-
icnce of poverty, every little street Is per
fectIy clean. and all the houses of every Siade
lie contidiugly open to inspection: we ha'c
never seen Il drunken face or heard drunken
voice, and the honesty of Bourbonne Is pro-
verbal. :.
"a story similar to that told of the dr.
coverv of the mineral waters at Bath reialeS
row the thermal springs Of Bonrbonne were
revealed by the sagacity Of pig. VINO curea
himself of a clitaneous affection hy hs>ldil-
ously rolling about in one marshy! spot. me
sapacjo,is arladruped attracted in time the
attention of society, and hence these Bains
ThcrmauX. There is probably some truth
In the story, as the archives Of BoufbonDe
include II document by which the right OF
sending the pigs of the place to root for
acorns in the adjacent forests, extending over
many vilIogcs end seigneurics, was granted
in the sixteenth century rs specific ac-
acknowledgement Of the services rendered 10
the community hy the sage porkcr aforesaid.
can the announcements affixed TO the
walls and shutters here. and indeed all over
| Bourbcnue, arc written, or at the most litlio-
graphed; printing is not mitronized. ana Inc
| service Of the poSt-,fhce is conducted on
| friendly principles. When letter arrives
| with nm unintclisible name for lis super
scription the directrice eoncndes, firstly, tnat
| the name il English: secondly, that 1t Is
mine, so she sends the letter up to Madame
G--'s. and If it is not for me ] return It,.
| Nothing esn he simpler or pleasantcr Tor all
| parties. English newspapers aud packets DS
bouk-post are sent to Us rs matter OF course
| | don't think the aborigineS ever have
any; and one day H. we were passing
| the lettcr.boy placed on the wall I'D
the Grandc Rue the facteur came up,
opened it, and extracted one small note,
which he graveIy deposited in the shiny
black cabas. which | wish our Postmaster
General would order 10 he adopted in Eng
land. Near the Hotel dc Vile there Is Il very
neat little shop. with tlower-pots in the VIII
dow-slls and in the doorway. with snowy
muslin window-blinds, and pine wood floor
polished to point of extreme slipperlness.
This is tie utei'r' Of the princllE r' ccboier
of the place, who occupies bench well
within view Of his frilow-ctizens. and over
the door is displayed IN astonishing work OF
art and imagination. a lion. quite AS yellow
rs life, and very fierce indeed, is depicted, in
I'M arena surrounded by admiring but fright
cncd spectators, remorSeles>ly rcnding with
tllSkS and claws a leather boot. 4 boldly
curved scroll curls above the furious brute,
bearing this triumphant legend: IL te DE-
chirc. m0is ii ne pem pas ie dcro"d'e.' He
may tear, but cannot unscw It,