Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-09-21
Queer Trades In Paris.

Queer Trades In Paris.
One ant merchant, whom the author
knew, was Il young woman named
| Blanche. She is described as present
ing a terrible appearance. Her face
and hands are tanned as though they
had been prepared by some skillful tan
ner. She is clothed in buffalo skin, and
in spite of this armor she is deyoured
by her stock in trade But her skin
has become so hardened and insensiblc
from long practice, that she can sleep
surrounded by sacks full of her mer-
chandise undsturbed by their singing
Madamoiselle Blanche has negotiants
| in the departments where there are eX-
tensive forests she pays her employees
two francs day. Her business
extends even rs far as Germany. She
never receives less than ten sacks
(millers' sacks) of ants daily. The
ants lay eggs and these are sold for
feeding pheasants. At the present
moment Mademoiselle Blanche is on
the road to fortune
Another trade somewhat similar TO
this is that of the maggot merchants.
These supply the fishermen with their
bait, and number from eight to ten,
doing serious business. They are well
known TO the fishing corporation, and
three are mentioned rs being cclcbri-
ties in their profession. Onein particu-
lar-Le Pere Ner-de-F FerTe-reckons
that he sells from thirty To forty mill
lion maggots every summer. This
gentleman can never part with one Of
his loads of maggots, whom he calls
his children, without emotion.
4 lucrative business Is the cooking
of artichokcs. There are but three or
four important retailers of cooked arti-
chokes in Paris. The information VI,
Grison gives us on the subject he OBJ
taincd from Madame Pauline g.. one
of the extensive dealers in that article
at La Halle, the largest market-place
in the city. ITO gain anything in this
business" says our informant, ait must
be conducted on a large scale, for
though the cooking of artichokcs ap-
pears very simple affair, it neyerthe-
less demands considerable outlay in
proportion to the price of selling. Be
fore being put into the copper the arti-
chokcs must he washed. Women en-
ployed for this work earn three francs
a day. Others cut off the stalks. This
done, the artichOkcspass into the cooks
hands. who earn from four TO FIVE francs
per diem. They first assort them. and
then pile them in heaps according 20
their size in the coppers. The layers
are separated by cloths. This work. Of
course, takes some time but it would
not do 10 throw the artichokcs all in
together, as some people imagine to be-
the case The largest traders in this
line employ generally two cutters and
sortcrs, three cleaners and five or six
cooks. The boiling is done 10y night,
and entirely finished by Z O'Clock in the
morning. At 4. VI. the frli!'ercrs and
street vendors take their stock for the
I day. The price varies from n penny
/ to three-pcncc per artiChOkc. The
chief part of the artichOke one sees at
the fruit shops, kept warm in large
baskets by means of hot water. come
from La Halle" Madame Pauline
earns on an average 81 900 year at
this business. and the season only lasts
four months. But the trades mentioned
are the three rich ones out of the petts
meters Among the less remunera-
tive ones there are the rat-catchers. egg
dyers for Lent and Easter days, soup
and coffee itinerant merchants. the
scale cleaners, and lastly. in connection
with Les IIalles. the caller. whose busi-
ness it Is to wake up the porters, car
riers and all who have to begin worI,
ut daylight. The callers form large
company and any one walking in the
vicinity ofthe market-place after mid
night hears variety of strange cries
and peculiar sounding notes proceeding
from whistles. Each caller has his
particular note, known to his client,
who opens his window in reply. One
of these men, well known in the market
is Peter. surnamed the Blackbird." on
account of the remarkable manner in
which he modulates his cries.-LoHiioH
Standard.