Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-08-03
THE FRENCH cREoLes.
Some Of the PecuIlarltIos OF This Slmplo-
Minded People.

SOm0 Oh the. ReCuIiarAtlCS OF Vh1S SlInpIC- |
Minded People.
The French Creoles Of tho lower |
class are q hand-to- mouth class of peo-
pie, purchasing the stick of wood to- |
day ard the handful of herbs that are |
to cook and season their potago, filling |
their small market baskets with in
numerable' pinches Of this, that and
the other, laying in a few sous of
sugar and coffee at u time, and-going
next day, for three hundred and sixty
five days in tho year, and doing iden-
tically tho samo thing, in secula
sseculorum. Dislike TO the accunula-
tion of household goods. to wcll-stored
cellars and pantries, to generous
abundance, to picturesque profusion,
TO the essentials of q large-handcd
hospitality even within tho narrow
limits Of their neighbour ocd acquaint-
ances, an ant-like economy and alb
stomiousness, curious juXtaposition
Of eternal self-restraint and passion
for sensations, colors, sounds, per-
fumes, fantastic sensualitics, an. in
stinct for microscopic money-getting
welded to an instinct that has filled
New Orleans with noble institutions
for tho poor, tho blind, the sick, tho
world weary; u passion for novels and
for splendid churches, fond en-
DURANGO Of rigors Of cold and hunger
for the brilliant eflorescence of care
mcpreuant and carnival, o voluntary
exile from oil laughter and joy that
their feet may twinkle q night CT two
on ,o nf
balls down in Chartres md Royal.
st:ects; such are the fragments Of
sweet and bitter horb3 that go to
mako up part of the paradox OF Creole
character and communicate to it an
indefnab piquancy and stran%cnoss
by their thick bars of light and
/ shadow. 4
Tho chief charm of the character is q
touching gentleness and beni ignity that
blends al other characteri5tics and per-
rleatcs tho whole constitution OF the
nativo Creole. There IL something
e!egfuc, tender, dreamy about tho
! race, q remnant or recollection Of
earlier and better days. an aroma OF
exile coming from old colonial times,
when SO many ernigrated from tho guy
fatherland 10 the trackiesj Wilderness
of Louisiana. seeking their fortunes.
Disappointment seems 10 hayo i'm
! pressed itself as n trait Of horeiity on
thoir spiritual make up; a brooding
languor has spread + ON tho luxurious
climate through tho limbs md conSti-
tuition Of tho immigrants, tho advent
urous spirit Of. the marvellous brothers
Bienvilfe. lb4rvil!c and Sauva,lc, laid
undcr perpetual embargo by q Chinese
wall of swamp, bayou and bogue, has
sunk into o CHI iouj psychological
numbne&s and content with surround-
ings; geography, exploration. litcra-
ture. research. travel (beyond tho in
ovitablo transit TO Francs once in q
lifetime) arc unknown luXurieJ 10 these
lotus-oating folk. and in their way they
nro as still IL lnclr nuGny corner as the
sun-loving alligator that haunts their
streams.
Tho customs, gamo9 md sports oi
thesc eSics are full Of "reminiscences
OF the fathcr!and, mingled with ode
accrction9 aud aftorgrowGhs. ~ nclingina
conservatism n poetic susceptibility
There nrcaongs and Christmas customs
smacleing OF G;tScony, Provence, Chum
pagna. SaD Domingo, Fi'anche- Comte
such az linger in Canada and form
touching links with the folk over the
sea. j. 4. Harrison, in Autrefois.
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