The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-05
Tho Toad Market OF Paris.

BY the Jardin des Plantes, in the old and
quaint quarter of St. Marcel, Paris, you
will find, every Wednesday morning, from
spring to autumn, very curious market
place. From seven to nine A. NJ, youl
| attention is called to al open space OF
ground, separated by a boarding from the
street by noise like unto that which grccts
tho ears Of tired Senators when the sun OF
day Is meeting tho twilight hour, and all
frogdom on the banks of the Washington
canal is chorousy joyous and loud! We
approach this market place SO full of simp-
licity and sound. Young men in blue
blouscs, black silk caps, pert faces, jaunty
airs, big finger rings, dandy boots, greasy
hair-partcd down the middlc--and prinl
moustaches, are the vendors. In one hand
they hold a little stick, and when the
sounds alluded to grow heathenisll, whack!
goes the stick on the top Of q barrel whence
these dlabolical noises cmanatc, and silence
| regnS. The tOadS arc mOmcntarily dumb.
We know there is great deal of unlovablc
! sentiment arrayed against toads, yet toads
are full Of love sentiment. A toad carries
all it's young in a most loving and sen,i-
mental manner, and why should not like
bcgct like, if there be any truth in the doc
trino Of Aristotlc2 Much bad blood and
malignlty is got up against toads. This
one OF the young mon in blouse tells me, in
foppish, philosophical way. Barrels
of toads! Think of it Barrels packed like
barrels of potatoes! "Sclling at francs 3,
DO to francs dozen, prime toads! nice
toadsl" Who buys thom2 Vegetable gar
dencrs. Why? For the reason tha, toads
devour the insects that otherwise would de-
your the vegetables. Who dcvours the
toads2 Contrary to some ideas-not the
French people. But toads are being sold
now, not devoured, and it is with tue sell
ling VIC arc interested. How do they vend
them2 Young man in blouse barcs his arm
and thrusts his open hand into the Shiny
swim and brings up two, three or four gym
nastic toads, wrigglng and writhing. He
points out their merits and delivers them in
box by the dozen to the eager market
gardener who takes his choice and pays his
price. The buying and selling is done cx-
peditiously and quietly. The license rcvc-
nue. TO the Government is great, while the
profit to the wonders ls greater, arising from
this other peculiar Partisan bascncss, the
selling of toads. ! addressed myself to one
of the merchants: "Pcrmit mc to ask if you
have been long in this business 2" licrch-
ant looks at me and laconically replies:
"Born in it !" Then resume and say, en-
couragingly: "You know good dealabout
it2" lie looks at me again and replies:
GAIL" l am uneasy as to his feelings,
therefore change the attack by asking
"Does it pay well? ?" he dcigns not to look
at me now, but replies. "It does!" "Do
you suffer much loss by death by packing
the toads all Of n mass in a barrcl2' 81 do
not ~ ''Is it expensive to cultivate them ?"
''lt is !" GLOW do you care for them and
propagate thcm?" eve don't care much,
and they propagate themsclvcs!" "Where2'
'Dlarshcs and rockeries!" "Do you ever
feed them 2" "Neverl ~ GLOW do you
liver" ''Pretty welll', "Have you large
supply7" "Too large |" look upon him
as the concentrated assemblase of many
toads, and leave him.