New-York tribune., 1874-12-10
A FRENCH COLONY.
ITS PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT PROS
PECTS.

ITS PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT PROS
PECTS.
oUEBECs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF TIE LAST IN
TENpANTs CHArEAU-BIGoT's HIsToRY-PUaB
FRENCH SPOKEN BY THE FRENCH-CANADIASs.
vRoM AN NoCCAsIoNAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rkiSoHh'I
QUEBEC, Nov. 3d." Mountains then may
have another beauty than that OF grandeur les since
they sometimes have q different expression
Expression the soul Of the landscape; now given 90
many varied expressions, you have 30 many dlneren'
beauties. many chords Of passion stirred The
pleasure consists In seeing this soul. Look ct
that Little isolated ehain nobody climbs it, possesses
neither great trees. naked rocks points Of view
And yet experienced genuine pleasure there yester
day"
great many times this Summer, AZ have leaned
from my window studying the ever changing express
sion OF the softly rounded Llurentian range, have
thought of these words words which TInc quotes from
his friend Paul IN his rambes through the Pyrcnecs
have thrown open my window and looked at them as
they gowed at their feet in the morning hght while
over their sleepy faces still dropped van OK mccoy
clouds; and the evening, when the sun went down
behind them sending his last rays fatty aohg their
SUBMITS for moment before dropping out OF sight az
the shadows stole up sides Tney changed hourly
to me- and their diversified sides were full OF sugges
tons The shadows which urked here ana there limited
at silent little retreats damp and cool with rank veGet
ton and the sunny spots between wero warm and In
the face OF any old friend. 81 when at last they were
brilliant in autumna tints aud the was fu Of that
indescribabe restlessness which makes ona long 70 es
cape from everyday life and ny away to where every
thing keeping with the unrealness OF the season.
turned faces and Steps, or rather our horses
heads, towards the mountains. Not but VIC knew me
was as real there as anywhere but there was pic
turesaueness about them. and the route we took which
made ample amends for anything prosaic which migus
exist there-doubtless does exist there
To get at the foot OF the mountsins-tor We mad no
thought OF doing than that-we drove out tho
Charlesbourg road i've six miles. This Is, and mas
been for hundred years and more, famous drive Tor
the citizens and visitors OF Quebec The road smooth
and hard as pavement and rings responsive to the nee
footed horses as they It. On either side grow tall
thorn hedges bound together with uxuriant vines Ha
hidden By these the gray masses OF rock warped
and broken as by terrible convnlson OF nature
In the fields scanty harvests had been gathered and
they lay clothed 10 dropping vegetation WAITING 70 10
covered with the white robe which will soon De thrown
over Them Occasonaly across path dashed clear
little stream which bad all the sparkle and impetuosy
Of mountain spring To our left the range seemed 10
reeede as we approached for this clear air has trick OF
making all objects very near until you try to reach
them and right, Quebec, across valley arose
maestcay with its walls pointed spires and sharply
defined poplars Our drive, begun rather aimiessly'
shaped itself to purpose. for somewhere in this drec
ton we knew, stood the ruins OF "ChaeauBgos ~hich
holds such prominent place In the history and
OF Canada and which known by the various names oil
La Maison de Ia Montagne, the Hermitage and Beau
manoir situated the foot Of La Ionta1ne des nes
Everybody familiar with the history OF Cauada undef
the French regime knows the character Of its last In
tendaut When the people OF Quebec in starving con-
di,,on owing his selling In private speculation tue
stores sent out from France, we're reduced 10 whs'
seems always to been lthe regulation starvaion
fare of flesh and four ounces OF bread
uer day-he would In company with band OF eongenAi
spirits retire to his splendid chateau and IL the pleas
urea of the chase and attendant festivities, throw On
state cares and forget perplexng questions Inis couh
try.seat was originally huntinglolge, when Blsos
bought It, but through the magnicenee OF taste winch
seems common to the race OF polite swinders IL sio"
into Io,ter proporttons and adorned with every
luxury which taste could suggest or money buy;
"Ensconced mid trees this chateau s'ood-
mid flowers each aisle anu pOrcu
Ar eve soft music charmed tne ear
Hugh Olazed the festive torcn.
The chateau done duty in several novels ana as
had formed my ideas OF from them, aud very howery
description given Mr. Papneau upon the occasion
of visit he paid years ago. must CONFESS 70
good deal OF disappointment when hrst eaught sisht
of tho ruins 1t stands in lovely SPOT it true Dut al
present every Of lawn or garden aseS gone.
II 1, surrounded by large field Of plowed ground, and
the ruin itself shows through aicket OF tall !ie ana
rose bushes From there secured deserted bird's
nest rs q little OF VISIT ard OF the romantic
history OF Old house. Nothing Is LETT but the enc
and middle walls all else having fallen in hopeless con-
,usiop so that 1t was hard TO reazs Il thespendd
noSe ~ must once have been Mr. Papineau tn hts
count OF t alludes the grave or the lnlan sri
line which he In the cellar OF the mlhsioh. We
looked IN vain for IT, however; 1t was nowhere 10 DC
seen and we had to fall back upon our alh III ths
tradition of the beautiful Huron Gr WHO Tor ears ved
In regal spendor here after having lea bsot ot u e
mountain forest IN which he hld lost hnsrn Wilt
hunting This legend tells how ne was so stfneH
Dy beauty that he persuaded aer TO ior'aA ner
and stay with him, which she dld until btr uaelea
daerent persons accused Of the crime sOue say II
Was her fathers hand which sent the fatal dagger 9o
her heart: while others make a complete rOinihce Oi
py inducing wife Of her grand lover 10 sIea AZ nid
night into the chamber OF tne giri ana A 'r ~ Se
ant down bachelor, and eonseqlrnty tns Wiz ,hs
must be rejected It Is just az wen psFhap' ior Tue
mystery adds 10 the interest OF the story. ,,
But the defendant himself no mystery chs!to%uds, %
Soon after the death OF ClIone the br,n ,naJ, nga
too expensive luxury under the nandg ehenI oi ~ ~
te9dan Bot is we All we pace TO the rel cross OF
Sc. George. As might be supposed " New Frnee wa wa
not NO sss Saa !" qss s S old ho@e But no great
reception awaited him there strict tuongn raIber D
lated investigation made into mis- rule nege, which
resulted IN the conseaton OF the fortnne nc carried
home with him, and the incarceration ot t.is
gentleman Baste and his bnal exile TO Boreaux
So nothing remains here bat ruin anu hated hae o'
the who wrought rum In the notes % .as Sosu @
trymeD and who tried 10 transplant Their snnDy man
ners and bright homes THIS bleak Land Livery day
am surprised TO see how odaiy Tue fsenen re-,
tain their trait and tnree months resdeneen 10
Quebec convinced me of an error wlch ID common
with q great many AmericaDs, was gdny ol.
that the Canadians do not speak pure ffenen: men
Before I came here I supposed wOaid near
a mixture OF English and very poor French, but am
most pleasantly disappointed. Those competent 10
speak say here tue French LANGUAGE Is as We.
spoken as 10 France and with as much elegance Tni
Accomplishment not confined TO the most enIttysted
classes for the haptants all snare IL can vouca Io
the French In our kitchen being charmingy rendered
"a ro make me despar Of ever eQuiling ", ahouen
an In constant state Of humility 1eforc verb.
AND idioms aud pursue that language untlrnSly Ano
the English which We hear from the French peope Is re
markably good when one re'ne.noees iva. - - '' nc @
mother tongue or one hears MISTAKES, as was
tue ease when. few days ago. upon eaT,lS sore,
direct me to another store. He walked with me To
the door and pointing along the street, saying You
vii nd NJ down-er" was rude enough 10 smile, when
he corrected himself with "I mean II Is more down.
Another thing must say for the French Cana1anDs nD 10