Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-07-24
LETTER FROM MONTREAL.

lCorrespondence OF the Alexandria GAZETTE.
MONTREAL, July 22-I am staying in
Hocheaga, a suburb of the city, where
scarcely anybody speaks English. From
my ability to read French nuently and my
difficulty in writing it properly, I had an.
ticipated inability to make myself under
stood and ease in understanding others !;
but 1 find it just the reverse. When speak
what is doubtless "a French not spoken in
France" people comprehend what say
and are too polite to laugh at my pro.
nunciation, but when they answer they
clip their words and run them into
each other 80 that what they say
might be Hindostapee or Chinese for
all can make out of it. Yet I like to be
here, for customs differ more from ours than
in the heart of the city. For example, al.
most every house has not only two families
in it, but two numbers also. Where | am
there are people on the first floor who have
both yards, front and back; my friends
have the two upper stories, getting in by
high front steps to porch and having
large platform and house-like she'd behind.
All the houses in the row are similarly ar
ranged. Opposite is a long row where eve
~ house has wide double door. One side
is used by the family occupying tho lower
part Of the house, which uses the hall the
other opens directly on the staircase, which
leads to the apartments OF the other family,
above stairs. The streets. not only here,
but in the city proper, are merely macada-
mized, tho trouble arising from which your
older readers will understand from their
Washington experience of past years. The
-; Il Nov f,x,o ~ r1c
the width Of ours, and are chiefly of wood
or stone slabs, except on business streets.
have not yet seen 81 prick pavement,
though I am told there are some few. Mon.
treal ia, however, very ilourishipg city,
which ] think is an answer To the do some
thug anyway people at home, who assert
that fine streets make business. The
houses are, many of them, stone and are
quite handsome, especially in the English
part of the city-for the English and French
live in opposite sections aud seldom side by
Sides that in one end all the churches,
schools, etc, are Catholic, in the other, all
Protestant. I have visited very many of
the former, among them Notre Dame, the
largest church in America, which will seat
Is 900 people with easo tits magnificent
edilice. Most Of the Protestant churches
being locked on week days, have visited
but one, the English cathedral. 1t occupies,
with the two houses for the clergy. square
TO itself, and is very imposing building
without, though much less richly decorated
than the Catholic churches within. On en-.
terng, Just after five, in the afternoon, we
heard voices, and supposed some persons
were talking behind a pillar. On advanc.
ing, however, we saw minister in read
ing desk TO the left of the centre and gen.
tleman and lady in a pew. The minister
was reading evening prayer, the gentleman,
who was probably the clerk, was making
the responses. As we were in hurry, We
had, of course, to forego further cxamina-
ton of the church, though our walking
about did not seem to disturb the little con-
gregation any more than it did the kneeling
people we found in all the Catholic church.
es We visited In all the churches we saw
convenience to which we are unaccustom-
ed-hat hooks in the pews. The custom
might be advantageously copied with MS,
and the sweeping away Of beavers and
plug" hats by ladies' trails, which a face.
tious writer, geologically inclined, has term
ed making "a morane of hats" could be
avoided.
The street cars lun in couples, on one
street-an open and closed one; SO hat
you have choice, and the conductor, instead
of punching or ringing an indicator, pre-.
sents you money box, as if he were tax
ing up church collection, and you drop in
your half dime. The Cannucks do not
TRUST in God" to mako up the weight of
silver wanting in our American money, and
if you give the conductor a quarter to
change he will give you only two dimes.
Our pa per no will take at par.
As you 20 up town las the river runs) the
signs change. First, it will be, for example,
Jean Beautemps, bois ct Charlton ven.
Dire" As you go On comes The same, with
an English translation: John Beautemps,
wood and coal for sale" and further on still,
the signs will be in English only. / have
walked about great deal and enjoyed the
changes. First, all the children speak
French; then some speak each or both; then
nearly all English only. FIDELIs.