The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-07-25


After crossing the Victoria Bridge va
frequentlytead from the car window The
sign, " Earase dc Csemia u Ey'' ana
we realize that We are IN the .Frepcb
country We become interested Il she
oddly built houses, and in the Iopc lines
of fences, only a few rods apart, yet par-
allel and stretching far out q sight. We
had noticed the same curious features a.
we passed down the rapids to Montreal
During the occupation Of this country By
the French those who had been of service
IN war were rewarded by the French gov !
crnment with grants Of land bordering on
the st. Lawrence or its larger tributaries.
These grants were termed seigniories, and
within their limits all property, real or per-
sonal, was affected by the Coutwme de Par
Is of 1866. The seigneurs Cor grantees)
held in feudal tenure, and to them were
owing money and service from the csnsita-
Tres. In 1855 the law of ftenure was done
away with, and even realty ceased to be
affected by the act above noticed. The
original seigniories contained from one
hundred to FIVE hundred square miles; tho
frontage (upon some steam) was narrow,
but the depth was great, the proportion
being as one to ten. On the death Of the
father the land was divided longitudinally,
the eldest son taking the largest share and
the younger sons taking .fef. When
roads were opened in the interior, latitu-
dinal divisions were also made. But sue
eessive generations thus dividing the pa
ternal acres, and settling down at home,
have SO reduced the size Of the farms
that the land is @all longitude, the front
age often being thirty y-three aud half
feet and the depth two thousand feet, or
as one to sixty. This causes the rows of
old houses to have the appearance Of
village street.
But what can We say Of the farms?
The poor soil is exhausted, and the whole
French Country is oyerstocked with wretch
ed and shiftless habitanfs Thousands of
them travel many miles to help the ver-
mont farmers, or to work in the brick
yards Of New England. The summer over,
they return with almost the only money
they ever see, and which is too often all
exhausted before they reach home Their
cabins are of squared logs, the chinks filed
with mortar the gables are of sawed
boards, and the roofs are of tin or wood.
The open summer kitchen is exposed to
every storm. Close by the adjoining corn
crib, and making ladder for tho rats,
stands the ponderous cart, with wooden
axles and double springs of the same ma
terial Within call is the small-bodied
but large-limbed French horse original
ly from Normandy, and as his master
drives him he will first deal blow, and
then you win hear, "Avauntl All pauyre
cheval yous avez un bon rnaitre !" The
shaggy brown and white dog, unlike any
other of his species, also appears Il is
well that these animals can subsist on lit
tie, and that little of the coarsest kind for
their masters have nothing more or better
to give them. Besides onions and potato
es, peas form the chief diet; and SO COM
mon is this staple that "pea-soup' is used
derisively as an adjective or noun. Poul-
try and salt pork are the more substantial
dishes, and the only meats on their bill Of
fare. Yet they have one luxury--the
boudia, or ''blood- pudding" as the Eng
lish call it. A fine pig is selected, the
throat cut, and the blood allowed to drip
into pan an old woman adds -four and
other things, as experience suggests, and
stirs the whole until il becomes cold. This
delightful compound is then baked, and
those who have eaten Of it say it Is excel
lent.
Tobacco is not luxury but necessity
with these people. After raising and cur
ing it they twist it into rolls like Bo-
logna sausage, and smoke the strong and
filthy stuff in short clay pipes.
In person the ha5itaats are small and
have the regular features Of the French
If any boards are worn, they very thinly
cover the face. Upon their heads are hats
with narrow brims or caps without visors.
Their clothing is Of coarse wooden stuff,
called "French gray" In cold weather
several pairs of stockings cover their feet,
which are then thrust into moccasins, or
immense boots without heels, secured BY
strap over the instep. For merely wet
weather, or for standing on the ice, wooden
shoes (sabot) are used. In personal hab-
its cleanliness seems to be unknown
Smallpox prevails to an alarming extent
The language they speak does not arise to
the dignity Of a patois. Even when
French is spoken entirely, 1t has the Eng
lish construction and idioms. They are
poor, but seem to be happy, especially in
the enjoyment Of their numerous holidays,
the number of which they ever strive to
increase. On saints days professions are
formed, and all lookers-on are expected to
uncover the head and kncel as they pass
with banners and images From "On the
Boundary Line" by +. G. Mather, in Har-
Per's Magasine for August