The Portland daily press., 1874-10-19


state. The Governors party entered the
French settlements, which begin abont seven
miles north of Caribou by the way of the lat
ter town. The unusual and varied styles of
the buildings, carriages, ETC., plainly indicate
that the visitor has passed the limit of the
Yankee. But the fact of another people is
made more evident by the appearance of the
inhabitants. The children, for instance. take
off their hats as the stranger passes, and it is
rare that older persons fail to salute the passer-
by with tokens of difference. The marty
reached Fort Kent Saturday of last week. As
the visit of the Governor was unannounc ced,
the party had good opportunity to notice the
customs of the people. Returning ;the oppor-
tunity was not so favorable, for it was noised
about that Monsieur le Gourernear'' was in
their country and the French people turned
out to pay their respects to him. Several of
theparty attended mass at Fort Kent Sunday,
and at its conclusion, at the request of all of
the people, Gov. Dingley addressed few words
to them from the church steps in which he
urged them to have their children attend the
schools and learn TO read aud write English.
AT Frenchville ten miles below Fort Kent.
there is a free high school ten months in the
year. Desirous OF noting the progress of this
school, and being unable to meet the scholars at
any other time, Gov Dingley rode down to that
point in the afternoon followed by thirty or
more carriages. The largest Catholic church
on the American side of the river is located
near the school and there also is the residence
OF the leading Catholic priest in that region,
Rev. Father Suaron. Several hundred people
were there at church on the arrival of the par
ty from Fort Kent. At the conclusion of the
service, Gov Dingley was invited to address
them outside OF the church, which he did He
urged upon them the Importance OF the educa-
tion of their children in English in order that
they might be able to come into closer relations
with the rest OF the state. As a large part of
the hearers could not understand English, p
Q. Keegan Esq. interpreted the remarks of His
Excellency into French. The schoal was mex
visited There are three teachers connected
with it, two of whom speak both English and
French, and one exclusively English. Gov.
Dingley made very thorough examination OF
several classes in reading, geography. arithme-
tic, history and composition. To their credit
and to our surprise, every question was properly
and promptly answered. In short, the exami-
nation would have done credit to one OF your
best drilled schools ''outside" in similar
branches.
Father Suaron takes a deep interest in the
schooleand in the general welfare of his people
To his credit he notified the politicians that il
they undertook to use intoxicating liquors
election day as an inducement TO voters, he
would take his place at the polling place and
denounce such as used this mischieyous agent.
These gentlemen know Father Suaron and it
is hardly needful to add that no "Molsom',
whiskey was brought to the polls. Sunday
night the party were the guests OF the genial
and rather jovial priest and right roval host
did he prove. The high school has begun an
important work for the forty or more district
schools in the Madawaska settlement in the
way of supplying them teachers which are so
much needed.
Monday morning we continued our return a.
an early hour. As we passed along many SET
tiers followed with horses and carriages
and by the time we reached tae far
ther line of Madawaska the train num-
bered twenty. At that point a Mr.. Davis
"a good soldier of the late war, now a resi-
dent of Madawaska appeared with a company
of thirty horsemen carrying flags, who filed in
before the carriages as an escort while more
than twenty wagons joined the rather impos
ing procession. This entire company escorted
Gov. Dingley's party across the entire town,
some twelve miles, where hearty cheers were
given. All of the school houses were trimmed
neatly with the rich foliage of the autumn
trees and the darker evergreen whileover few
the stars and stripes floated. Quite number
of the leading citizens of the town of Grand
Isle joined the party and visited the schools
with the Governor where classes were exam
ined in English studies, the greater part of the
members of which acquitted themselves very
handsomely. About dozen schools in all
were visited. Arriving at Violet Brook, Van
BuIen, quite a party had assembled there.
Here French dance was held in honor Of His
Excellency. 1t was orderly, quiet, but of a
most novel and interesting character to 'cut-
siders." The music was furnished by single
violin but it was music. The dances were
cotillons and jigs. The former were said to be
excellent but the latter were the most enter
tanning. Great is Sam Sharpey, wonderful is
Wards Varieties, but for downright amuse-
ment in this line, we recommend the ,'reader to
hasten to Madawaska and witness the 'cut-
out jig" Ten o'clock is late in Madawaska
and half-past ten was very late hour for even
Madawaska state ball, so at that hour the
party betook themselves home, five, ten or
dozen miles away.
But enough of this at this time. am not
yet done with Madawaska. Besides 1 have
many more things to write about Aroostook--
just now land of plenty and never SO full of
promise. s.