Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-07
COrsican Life.

The following sketch OF C0rslcan
life is from a letter to the Cincin-
matt Enquirer;
The chestnuts, much larger than
any known in AmeriSh, bursting
from their prickly sheath as they
fall to the ground, are gathered and
cleaned to the last one; men, wo-
men and children making it their
sole occupation until all are housed.
The women carry them on their
heads in baskets, from the group
of trees belonging to each family,
to the loft or granary of their hab-
itation, where, poured in a great
stack upon floor Of poles, laid
loosely, they dry gradually by the
smoke of the winters fire (bullt on
a platform Of stones in the middle
Of the room beneath), creeping up
as best it can between the poles.
: Even from the time the chestnuts
! fall they form no little part Of the
q peoples nourishment, as gathered
4 about the wood-fre morning and
evening, the peasants family eat
. them as they roast them in an
!. earthen pot, each person putting
y his hand into the vessel and taking
+ them one by one upon his knee
bursting the shell with a blow o
the palm. When, in the month
= of January and February, they ar
: dried hard and brittle, part of tn
upper floor is lifted up, and the
come rafting down upon the pave
ment beneath. Then ma
crushes the hull by pounding ther
in a bag which, being partly file
with nuts, he swings over his head
o. striking it repeatedly upon wooc
70. en- block. AS each bagful come
.m broken from his hands q wOma
m shakes them in a wooden basi
m where the wind and her oarefl
fingers will clean away the shell
and chaff. At last carried on a
ass's back and ground in one Of tE
many little mills turned by IL
mountain brooks, the chestnuf
III are transformed into a meal, wort
lY always about half the price
The tl1o wheaton -four; hence, the contentC
Corsican exclaims: " When v
rs have not bread we eat pasticine
And many thousand people e
z nothing all the year save ches
nut meal and a little oil, with gOC
spring water; even the oil oft
II lacking. He is called rich by b
IitS 9iSS5 neighbors who has every day
white loaf, a bit Of cheese or grea
ers pork, and a bottle Of wine, althouj
ere ore Che latter, of most excellent qui
ity, is bought throughout all OC
E. sica at five cents quart.
aims Unwashed, and covered WI
} '1aS eS filthy rags, half fed on the chea
can an est food, sleeping like their O'
viz vile animals, men, women and On
taIo the dren packed promiscuously
urs gether IN one bed-chamber, tn
3SslIS, 3SIs,. dirty bodies a prey for fat verm
con. con- the men dissolute and drunken,
'itics tiles women illiterate, they neverthel
hold their heads high, boast
j their freedom and chiyalry, W
sell with excessive pride the badges
ssSND military men, received from
ri pins !; dead EmperoF-for nearly all h
,iI ,TtS. 4. been soldiers-tell with vain 30
-, faction the rank and titles VIII
sent, distant cousins have risen to in
.... .Ss army, and are ready at all times
shoot and carve each other il
~ quarrel over q measure of oil
CH Pious and strictly observant of
forms of the church, their con
sation filled with inyocations to
saints, they blush not at the =
vile forms of speech, uttered
perfect good humor; no SUBJ
made however base, and no manner
- treating it, however infamous,
- inc excluded by delicacy from
Ill. social circle; praying three tim
Ed 7 day, when the sound OF the beI
Gn' heard at morning, noon ana u
they hurry through the forn
devotion to continue where
left of the bitter dispute in "
Oss they may have been engaged
,,, to hurl at each others head
.i1 most fierce and horrible curse
cky have known man and wife 70
. ,oru,. clawingaeach others hair as th'
'G 'I'a1b bper's rang; and, rapidly endiln
4, ,.atVA tho hQtflp.