The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-06-14
The FRENCH CREOIES.
Some OF the PecuIIaritIss of This simple
Minded People

The French Creoles OF tho lower
class are hard-tO-mouth class of peo-
pie, purchasing tha stick of wood to-
day ard the handful of herbs that are
10 cook aad scsisCn their potagc, filing
their small market baskets with in
nunc-ablc pinches Of this. that ;Iad
the either, laying in few sous of
sugar nd cofIco N a time, and-goin-
next day, for three hundred and sixty
livo days in the year, and doing idon-
ideally thc saTno thing, in sa,cula
sseculorUm- Dislike TO the accumula-
ton # household goods. To weIl-stored
cellars and pantries, to generous
abundance, to picturesque profusion,
To tho essentials of a large handed
hospitality even within the narrow
limits or their neighborh oCd acquaint-
anccs, an ant-likc economy and alb
-tcmiOusucSs, 4 curious ju-stai;o-ftion
of eternal sclf-rcstraint and passion
for sensations, colors, sounds, per-
fumes, fantastic scnSUaliLi-s. an in
sIinct FOR microscopic mUncy-getting
welded 10 an instinct that has filled
New Orleans with noble instiIutions
for tho poor, tho blind. the sick the
word weary; a passion for moves and
for splendid churches, u fond en-
durancc Of risors of cold and hunger
for the brilliant cffloroscence of care
mcprcn@nc and carnival, n voluntary
exile from all laughter and Joy that
their feet may twinkle night or two
on the nirrOred floors OF the masque
balls down in Chartres and Royal
streets; such are the fragments OF
sweet and bitter herbs that go to
make UP part Of the paradox of Creole
character and communicate to it an
indcfinablo piquancy and strangeness
by their thick bars of light and
shadow.
The chief charm OF The character is n
touching gentlencss and benignity that
blends ali other characteristics and per-
meate5 the whole constitution OF the
native Creole. There j. something
elegiac. tender, dreamy about the
race, n remnant or recollection OF
earlier and better days, an aroma of
exile coming from old colonial times,
when so many emigrated from the gay
fatherlaud To the trackless Wilderness
OF Louisiana seeking their fortunes.
disappointment seems TO have i'm
pressed itself as trait of heredi;y on
their spiritual make up; a brooding
languOr has spread from the luxurious
climate through the limbs and conSti-
tuition Of tho immigrants. tho advent
UroUS spirit q the marvellous brothers
Bieuvillc. lb.rvil,e and Sauvallc, laid
undcr pc petual embargo by Chinese
wall of swamp, bayou and boguc. has
sunk into a Gu iou5 psychological
numbness and content .ith surround
ings; geography, exp ioration, litera-
ture. research. travel (hcyond the in
evitablo transit TO ErInce once IL
lifetime)-are unknown luxurlcs TO these
lotus-cating folk, and in Their W. they
are as still in their sunny o"r-sr rs the
sun-loving alligator that haLLIs their
streams.
The customs, games and sports OF
these exiles are full OF "reminiscences
of tho fatherland, mingled with odd
Rccretions and aftcrgrowths. n clinging
conservatism. poetic suscepti bility.
There are songs and Christmas customs
smacking Of Gascony, Provence, Cham
pagnc. San Domingo, Franche-Comte,
such a. linger in Canada and form
touching links with the folk over the
sea j. y Harrison, in AutrcfoiS