New-York tribune., 1884-01-26

and tbcre was scarcely any furniture. Squalid
children PLAYED on the vcrandas and Oh the roads
outside while the women were at work in tic
fields or around the mines. Yet these houses had
white curtains and in ctlor ways kept UP respect
able outside appearance. In passing through the
villages Of this region ] often found the nam
tborouzhfare literally lined with women doing
their weeks washing while the Older DANES were
holding baby. making lace, cuibroidmg OF knitting
in the front yard garden. II is curious sight
TO see scores of women. all in white caps, kueel-
ing in line on a ,laut1ug board extending into the
gutter, through which Is made to flow fresh water
from 4 noghborinc spring or stream. On the board
the soilrd garments are scrubbed, rnscd IN the
swift running water wrung out tightly and placed
ia little pile on the road. have even seen soiI-
taiy women scruhhIng away by the ald "1 ian
tern at midnight on the banks Of streams ahd ny
the roadside in this part OF France, perhaps after
they have done DAYS work ~ the fields or on the
canal One of these midnight scenes IS worth de-
scrbng. | wasabout twenty kilometres from Nan
cy in the valley of tho beautiful Meurthe. Iron
works and blast furnaces were tGeraDiy thicK, !ei
not concentrated enough. as IN England 10 spoli
the grandeur of the surrounding NILS The green OF
the thick foliage. the ceainesS of the stfeanlcf
II was nearly twelve o'clock. / he SNORING names
from The furnaces now and again lighted the land
scape and revealed the tall trees ana grecn-toIped
hills The half-naked men looked weird enough as
guiding the fiery writhing bars of steel, forcing
Item between the rollers only 10 have them return
ed again increased in length. BY the riverside
several lights hickered, and the splashing OF the
water told of the women obliged at that hOur
YEARLY 10 scrub and rub, and rinse, that the NOR
row might he devoted to other and ncyer-ending
labor Not far from here on the banks OF the same
river was a long building constructed OF boards,
from which issued the strains of music. dalnlng
admittaucc by the aid of a small fee found Il
large dancing-hall in which probably two hundred
work -ppople of both sexes were assembled me
roof Of this structure was hung from end 10 the
other with tri-coored hag~. The music was very
good for such place: the company orderly, neat
Iy and cleanlv dressed and dancing ia" better than
one finds in aSScmbages of greater pretenslons III
England and America On the board seats running
along the walls of the room sat the old women
in white caps and neat gowns, closely watchiihg
their brown faced. black-eyed daughters Skipping
round with the cood-looking vonng French work
ers " hose dark CompleXiOns were shown or by 1lcn
colorpd silk ucckerchefs negligently knotted with
ends hanging over their clean blOuscs. ffcnch
maidens in this station of life find, cOuld not at
tend dance without chapcIOne, and The unmaI-
dance | Observed. was paid for by the young men
when the music stopped the price Tor y couple
helug two SOUS two cents, person OF 'he los'
limited means not being precuded from the ENJOY
lpcut however brief, of this attractive pleasure.
The money collected and the orchestra refreshed,
the iddles strike up again. and away the dancers
wLir seemingly as iglt in heart and foot as though
the,COmlng day was not 10 DllhB Will II iOHE AOAo
Of hard labor ~ .,,
Ii was gratifying to find very little obectiona0Ie
drinking in the villages of these regions, though 1
cannot saw as much OF the larger consequently
of Nancy Here appalling number OF places
have the follow ing sign