, 1874-09-06

French. ana. hltnounu lily Auo|het1, Aoo
talked, and we're merry, in NATURAL unre-
strained manner. tnore WAS nothing bolsterous
OF noisy about them. To an American, their
easy grace and freedom from embarrassment
cannot fail to be apparent; and they get
themselves into pretty, picturesque groups
perhaps to listen to some piece Of news, OF
recital OF soue eoEt, from one OF their number;
and express thoir surprise, or burst out into
CAV peal Of laughter, so effectively that one feols
ns 4 Witnessing an opera, and half-expects to
see prima-donna start out from the group with
solo. or st1iko NJ, duct NTH one OF the bright
viyacioua-loosiug young fellows, who could
easily be tenor.
But. although Canada has imported much OF
the French manner, what has become OF
FRENCH TASTE 1. pHEss7
Either tho vessel it sent ovor in was lost, or
elso an sadly disappointed IN the much-pralsed
article. OF course there are ladies' who dress
with taste, but it is no longer mystory TO mo
gly an American girl is recognized as being from
"tho States" the moment she enters store,
even before she betrnys hcr nationality b. speak
ing It is true that, at present, fashionable So
ciety has gono to saltwater" as they say here;
still tho women one meets upon tho street or
/. sees in church will not compare favorably in
dress with similar classes at lone.
Bu: am allowing weak foninino Trait to
carry mo away from q description Of the Isle OF
Orlcans 1t is . rocky mass, or at least appears
SO az you approach it but, when onco landed,
| and strolling about through its cool, dirk for
| ests, or across it's wide meadows, you arc cou-
viuccd TINT it ig covered with Deep rich eol,
! which makes it valuable in other Ways than Us
| sum;pcr-reso7t. 1t is 25 miles in length, and,
| like everything else about Quebec, is historic
ground for hero it WAS that Jacques Cartier and
| his band landed in 1885. And indeed, it was
| from this island that
| QUEBEC WAS CHE1s7ESED.
bclieve Ln potherie, in accounting for the
name thus furnishes its derivation, though, like
a prudent historian, he sarB: $40 no euis pas
earand do ceito ctymologe." In my turn, |, too,
wash nv hands OF I'll responsibility in yonching
for it. But history and tradition sag that when
| Cartier and his Ncl1nans first beheld
the high capo (uron which tho cit
adcl now STANDBY, they cried out: "Ques
1ec!" ("What promontory, or beak!")
Which would seem reasonablo-enough way OF
accounting for tho word Quebec. So rich and
luxnriant is vegetation upon ths Island that
these explorers dedicated it to Bacchus in name.
At present it is dotted over with pretty little
sumHer-houses, where Quebec families go to
pass the summer; and there are two or three
tiuy hotels, whero leas-fortuDato people eau
make themselves at homo for fe7 weeks.
The ritle down the Island is perfectly delight
full. As you leave Quebec, the vlcW II unsur-
passed from any direction and the distant sight
of Montmorenci Falls, aa you steam past them,
is beautiful enough to alone repay ono for going.
Tho tleccy-whito fall, as it pours into tho deep
gorge, between its pine-clad banks: stanus out
like the silent ghost of come othar fau.-for We
arc too far away to hear the roar, but quite near
enough to gather every detail Of tho soft picture
| But I must return to Quebec, to give you a
glimpse Of
I daily feast my eyes upon. From my window
| see one OF tho farcst aud most beautiful
landscapes which the afternoon sun Is lighting
up Against tho northern and wcstorn horizon
OF these hills, which arc already beginning to
! wear the shadows of evening, lie tho Indian
, village Of Loretto aud tho French village o.
Beaufort, whose auow-white houses ahow it
strong relief with tho brilliant green fohage
Between them and me rolls the st. Charlie:
River on its way to join tho st. Lawrence. At
this hour it is broad, handsome river, for III
havo tido Of Is feet. But, ut Obj tide, tho
} turesque, have to huddle into the shrunke1
channel, while great green leland discovers it.
self for few hours twico out Of the tsEcnty-four
, | THIS is the distant Wow. Directly opposite art
| the handsome walls lncloelng tho garden OF
, HOTEL D1EE.
0 step outside tho walls. ihoy seen, almost as be
longing to another world and, as no stranger il
allowed within the garden it has something OF tht
. charm of forbidden GROUND consequently meet
not sa- that to watch tho nuns am, to peer int,
their garden rs I sit in Iny lofty eoat Is 4 mos
. | fascinating occupation ior me-
There arc fow words which ono involuntaril,
D associates wr,a cloistar-vells. Almost any weli
= regulated mind requires that shoult
''ilit," or "gdo." or at least "stcal silently.
, about the .ar1en-nie1es; but my nuns do moth
ing of the sort. They come with tho firm treat
0 of srenadier down tho Wake, and ponnce witt
unreIenting decision upon any lucEIess weet
0 that has had tho audacity to thrust It's heat
= above grounu overnight. They pluck up redolen
oniona or snip of fra grant roscs with business
= Ike mir which does not admit Of tho shadow G
sentiment. Not that p nun ahonid bo sonti-
D mental, OF courses still. Well 1 canno
weave romance about them, try rs will AMI
after watching them. can only conclude thai
n tho conventional nun OF fiction and the conre7
t'tdl nun of reality are two widely different per