The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-11-09
THE HABIT4NT,
A Graphic Description OF the Frsneh-
Canadian small Farmer,

A Graphic Description OF the Frsneh-
Canadian small Farmer.
A correspondent Of the Boston Con-
ktoniUcaith, writing from Ste. Maris.de-
Mannoir, Province OF Quebec, gossips
thus pleasantly about the snnhll farm
ers.
Did 1 ever tell you Of the Canadian
par ercelIenSe, the habitank !" orwell
to.do iartnerf II not. you shall make.
his Acquaintance. He ia about fifty
years old (the one that I know, about
1--WE feet six in height has black hair,
and dark, soft eyes; wears aide Shis-
kers, a Ia Ah6lafSe, and Is always
smoking the most yillainous tobacco OF
his own raising. In summer he wears
q blue Jean shirt, white duck pants,
moccasips made Of one piece OF leather
and turned up at the toe broad.
brimmed straw hat crowns his head I;
et "ie voiia," he doesn't like 10 work,
and II IL we're not for the richness
Of the soil, lam afraid he would starye.
He lives in little house, whitewashed,
with red shutters, red roof, and o red
door; the windows are easements, and
are curtained with papers. We go up
the steps and go straight into the big
room; IN immense stove, three.stories,
stands in the center; there are big
Bullets for the dishes and clothes, and
astand for the buckets Of water o pic.
ture OF the Virgin hangs on the wall,
and crucifix is on the table. There
are two little rooms Loading from the
big one, and I can see the tall ward
robes and high beds-one with pink
sheets and pillow-slipS, and the other
with greon. They are so high I know
they must have little steps to get into
bed. The wife OF the "habitant" is
very pleasant, but has no beauty; she
has 10 work too hard, and has too many
children to attend to herself. She It is
who makes her garden and does her
housework, spins and weayes, and twice
o year looks alter the grand wash by
the river bank. She works out doors,
and her husband goes TO the village
store, drinks with his companions, and
spins long.winded stories for the pleas
tire Of the storekeeper and his grinning
clerks. She, too, wears the moccasins
and the broad. .brimmed hat, q skirt Of
gray aannel, just reaching toher ankles,
O calico sack and apron and, behold
her she is very dark, and her voice
will be harsh and heavy. Perhaps, too,
she will have au enormous goitre.
These good people are Catholics, and
pay 10 Che church the taxof one twenty
seventh part Of their grain, besides Civ.
ing 10 every beggar and nun, and also
paying to the lord Of their country the
1.-THE that has come down since the set.
tling Of Canada. II some one Of their
family has died. and they want masses
said, they will bring q pig or some
chickens, and after church the beadle
will sell them on the green in front OF
the church. In the winter the
dress OF the woman Is changed
only by o sack Of flannel, and q little,
woolen bonnet but the man dons high
soft boots of buff or brown leather,
made likehis moccasins, q flannel shirt,
gray, red or blue, gray flannel pants |;
and there he rests, close by the stove,
unless business calls him out. Then
comes from the stable o pretty, low
sleigh, and q spirited horse. He pulls
a pointed, knit.cap over his head, puts
on his Capuchin.coat, pulls the pointed
hood with It's scarlet tassel over his
knit cap, ties q scarlet scarf about his
waist, springs into his sleigh, and away
he goes down the long, white, straight
roadl We watch him out Of sight, and
come back TO more mundane things.
This is but q specimen. Some are
richer, some are poorer, but they have
all warm hearts, and touch their hats
with politeness to the Demotselle
Americaine, although they belong to
another class and another religion.
These "habitants" are the farmers and
small landed proprietors.
There is still another class, the pea.
SAINTS, who are poorer, and work for the
others; then, next the "messieurs,"
including the doctors, lawyers, mer-
chants, clergy, and the rich i like
the French Canadian, he Is always very
good to me, and, indeed, to us all. a