Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-01
4 DAY in ROUEN.
noxn Apeuf 4 rAvK1H AND Old
NORMAN DAYS.
nm q Money and Fine Horses-Ner
ns.dy and xnglsnd Iiks Eas'
lard and ireland.

I3otveen The showers Ia kouen II can
- Aot enough. 10 that aftsr . morning
devoted 20 architecture Il IL pleasant
q And refuge and dinner 1t the
Svsu Tavern. No aYistocrstic place
4 shis, with lis big. tumble-down sta
bIs and bArnyMd looking in ct one
door, and the big. bustling kitchen
oyssAowipg by the other. Yet the
hostess 10 . tall. ladyl!ks figure in black.
and there 10 . coffss-room full Of those
horrible little msrble-toppsd tables
az iron. which in France are considered
I'll that 10 modern and progressive.
Oatside on the simmering place tro-
ply Of flags indicates Q police-ssation.
In the archway leading to the barn
stand three enormous horses, much too
big TO move without the application Of
Gallo oaths and Gallo cracks OF the
whip; ct the adjoining table sit their
masters with two friends, oil solid-loox'
ing men Of the country, not Of the town:
such as in Ireland would DO called
/" strong farmers. Now, IS strong
means well to do, it does not surprise
me that their talk is exclusively OF
money, These men are ofthree types
and II their clothes were slightly
changed might be taken for an Amcri'
can, An Englishman, and an lrishman.
Another enters so far IS face is con-
earned he might have sat for . man In
one of Sir Edwin Landseer's pictures.
The type is constantly seen in Great Bfi-
tain and Ireland, in the Eastern States
Also. and may be found again in Rome,
on those bas reliefs which portray the
Gsulish prisoners to Roman Emperors.
Much exuberance of romping sort be-
rims when the serving maid PUSHES IN
rom the kitchen, for between her and
the hatchet.faced Norman there is con-
stant banter. The maid has settled itin
her mind off-hsnd that the strange guest
il English, and understands no French;
she airs about ten words Of English
NTH the utmost pride, the utmost SIM
plicity. An old man with q bad hat
rises from tho corner and passes out.
uWho would imagine, says this giddy
damsel. "that there goes man VINO
owns ten good houses in Roueny lie
wears coat not one Of you would dare
TO sport "--for which she is reproved
in low tones by one Of the diners, and
flies Off to hide her confusion in the
kitchen.
The slur cast habituAlly on the Nor
mans for their love Of money seems
little far.fetched If one tries to remem'
Der in what country, in what society,
on what occasions, it is not common
topic. Dining the other day in Paris
next to the last remaining scion OF q
great French family, the subject was
soon raised. 1t is the same In
London, the same at Berlin. Per-
hans Americans hear it oftener, be-
cause Europeans consider US q nation
of rich men, il not Of spendthrifts,
and our presence suggests the weary
theme. The statement Is also often
made that Americans not only talk
money habitually, but brsg money; SO
we must conclude that among the thou
sands Of our countrymen whom the big
steamers disgorge each month on these
shores there is fair number who in
cultivation and good taste do not sur
pass these rough farmers at the Swan
Tavern. This can be said for the ordi-
nary educated well-to-do European !:
He does not brag money. Normandy
has lost her vineyards owing to
some change in climate, it is said, and so
more cider, more beer, are consumed than
heretofore, the people thus returning to
the earliest forms Of drink known in
local history. The ordinary cider at
this iime is hard stuff; one might DO
drinking cold cast-iron in liquid form,
and cookery at the Swan Tavern is, to
saw the least, mediocre. Over there on
one side of the place is a well-kept
greensward, shaded by trees, in which
stands q fountain. A lot Of jolly
little boys, bareheaded, incased
in the black apron tunics one
sees on the charity scholars in London
streets, have taken advantage Of the
absence Of the policeman. They are
playing bandit, and after pretending to
garrote one Of their number, seize him
by the head and legs and bump him
against certain specified trees. If he
can manage to touch the ground he is
freed. They have banged him Against
four trees and now scurry across the
inviolable sward to the fountain. Al
the edge be gets q foot on the rim and
sends all down. But he has not touched
earth. They struggle up and now hi
is about TO be chucked into the basin
when an old, old fat man arrives
on the scene. He has an immense
cooked hat-no, he's not beadle
quite-a uniform and . sword. With
wild shrek they drop their comrade
there is . dissolving clump OF littl
legs that flourish like those OF rabbit
at burrow, and the French park Pc
liceman has the whole place to himself
He takes off the heavy chapeau, mop
his brow, shakes his head, probabl
siehs and frowns the terrible frow
that nature has bestowed on such con
SENATORS Of the peace.
These auis. people one would neve
suspect to be the descendants Of pirate
upon whom Christianity made so littl
real mark that wars and tumults IL
political or religious reasons were tn
rule during many centuries after a
we're baptized. The Revolution did M
snare the cathedral itself, but for tbs
matter Heaven seems to have . particr
lar spite against that wonderful pile
Again and again in the course of the Ger
turiss II has been struck by lightning
the last time Was within fifty years.
the reign Of King John 1t was burne
and soon rebuilt. Doubtless the unfol
Inmates across the English Channel VII
were ground to the dust BY Norm.
kings and basons thought II bat Il
xightfal punishmsut Of those who spe
wealth earned by Saxon labor on y
capital Of Normandy. Ystthe faced
he ssulpturss, most Of the window
end the beautiful side portals vc
built after the Kings Of England b
= lost their hold on this side. There
p certain general analogy between 4
position that Normandy then bore
England and that which England has
times borne to Ireland. The 90
onArop. and hia DESCENDANTS hald III