Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-09
AGADIARS OF LOUISIANA.
The Descendants OF the Exilss
from Nova Scotia.
What Mr.. George W. Gable, the Novelist
Says of These Peculiar People
Old Fashioned Habits
and Speech.
Nsg York Telegram, March !.

Mr.. George w. Cable, the Southern
novelist, who has just returned to this
city from Philadelphia to fill an engage
ment to read this evening before the
Thursday Club, said to-day to 3 Tele-
gram reporter, when asked upon what
lire of literary work he was at present
engaged:
~ shall shortly begin writing ser
ses of stories for one Of the monthly
magazines. They viii be called "Aca-
dian Pastorals." and will be
founded on Aeadian life in Louis
lana. The Acadians are fire.
auently COMPOUNDED with the
Creoles, but they are an entirely differ
ent type Of people and in my mind,
vastly more interesting. 1 made care
full study of them q number Of years
ago, intending to write about them at
at that time. The Acadians are des-
pendants Of the exileS, from Nova SEQ
tia who scattered about this country,
and about ten years after their exile set
tied along the shores of the Mississippi
at La FOuehe and Teche, and on the
praries OF Attakbpas and OpelOusias."
"How many OF these people are
Thereof
''There is no way Of telling eXEetly
how many there are, as the canvass Of
Louisiana merely shows q distinction
between the eolored and white popula-
ton. The AcadiaHs are all white, and 1t
is probable that there are not less than
$4,000 of them"
Peculiar Habits.
"Haye they many peculiar habits?
'They have none but peculiar haOi,s.
They are aDtiquated to the last degree.
The French language of two hundred
years ago is still used by them. They
have also many peculiar habits Of life.
They are we'll known for their severe
pastoral simplicity, utter estrangement
from the great world which surrounds
them and for their ignorance of it. They
are fine, strong, simple and athletic
people. Small farming and herding
are their principal occupations. They
pass their quiet lives in cottages IN
adorned with paint. Many simple pa
triarchal customs are retained by them.
The Acadians are still strong remain
der of the old Norman stock Of which
they come, Their ancestors were the
fishermen who came from Brest and
other fishing ports"
what is their religion%
1.-THE religion of the Roman Catholic
Church In all the simplicity of the
year 1900"
Giving the Place 90 Others.
"What do you think will become of
them in the course Of time~
"Other people more intelligent and
wealthy are enerOaching upon them
and cIowding them out. Even now
their old simplicity is giving place to
civilization. They are bright, intel
ligent lace and capable Of high Gull
tuIe."
This is Mr.. Cables first winter in the
North, and he says he enjoys the cold
weather very much. He has not been
able to do any literary work since he
began reading, and is very anxious to
get back to his desk. He will remain
North until some time in April, and
till then will give public readings. He
will 60 to Buffalo this week, and will be
in Chicago during part Of next week,
from where he will go to Ann ArbOr
ard Indianapolis. Mr.. Cable Is a mid
dle-sRed man, short and slight in build,
ard wears 3 heavy dark beard.