New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-10
THE LOWER ST. LAWRENCE.
OLD WORLD CUSTOMS OF THE FRENCH AT
RIMOUSKI
GIIMpsEs OF PICTURESQUE AND FRIENDLY
RAcE-PREPAR1SG FOR FESTIVAL
no BrsTrE IN COMMERCE.

40 BUsTLE IN COMMERCE.
Rimoush stands on the southern shore Of the st.
Lawrence. 100 miles or more above Its mouth and
although not OF Tynsn or Venetian Importance, Is
the most considerable port Of the lower river Lo-
cay 1t Is regarded az harbor Of consequence WIN
no END Of commercial possibilities, but il Is yet only
an expanded riverside village, ary climbing the hill
slope and losing its outlines against the fields ana
woods beyond. 1t is the child of sterile parentage
Of sky ana earth though both robed in bengnity in
this soft midsummer season when first behold them
The jewellers here are mainly of kin with those
who dwelt In Acadia before they driven forth In
exile to make piteous song TO after time. Ihpy
keep old world customs yet and speech after maA-
ncr like their fathers, who came over with Jacques
Cartier and Champlain. Like them, too, they yet
cling trustlnEy to the skirts OF priest and bishop,
and preserve the confidence in the onion as an
clement of diet prOclaimlng that faith, without
verbiage. at distance Of several yards. They are
robust and valiant topeFs, yet they live and thrive
the climate helping them and they breed prodgious
families, trusting in Providence and the intercesson
Of their respective patron saints, and the horseshoe
over the door.
Their. is occasional vvaoity in their domestic archi
lecture, showing private initiative and leaning
toward the odd and surprising Little dOrmer windows
and gables break ont here and there where they not
needed nor expected and there are galleries yard
ments into which Romeo might step from the garden
without ladder but which would surely tumble down
even under the airy footstep Of Juliet or Hero At
the windows boxes OF flowers, with hanging BASKETS
and earthen pots In proud under their pumes OF
snow and fire, and shaking forth on the wind their
banneretes Of gold and blue beneath are handoradhs
Of garden. spot OF grsenery; hac-hush. ,mayhap'
late poisoning in this far northern air. /" ster OF
tiger lilies or the yellow roses ornamme whatever
apdfh a arroyr admit
Here, elsewhere, the earth spirit breathes through
them its tender ltany, its message, delicate and pro
found Of hope and promise to the sons and daughters
Of men.
Through the open windows Of the houses can see
the women al their work surrounded by their children,
and however humbly they may be clad, there is some
touch Of lghtness and ornament In their attire II
may be bow OF scarlet ribbon at the throat, or
gayy striped calico bodice, golden ring Pickering
at the ear or rosebud in the HAIRCUT some token Oh
the sort /. rarely wanting The men when at home sit
aloof in any sheltered corner. smoking their pipes and
chatting with their fcIlow-men-who are equally lde
and stepped in Ike depths Of hag tobacco-across te
garden fence. They arc not without occasional out
breaks OF what Is here termed Industry put e@'o.'
best their native tendencies in state Of leisure with
somebody else near at hand their wives IN THIS IN
stancel doing their work for them
The portion of the town devoted to business exhibits
an air Of compo.ure favorable to delibenton and the
formation OF correct theories Of trade. The CONNER
ciaI needs OF the region do not press With constant
urgency against the limits Of supply, but they eAS1
nevertheless and are OF wholesome and normal volume
Everything is Sold or not sold everywhere the snip
kedge anchor and the surveyors theoooAle' dHu .No
sealer's harpoOn; Gsmmer Gurtons needle ana oa'er
Iacoues's dognose and maccaboy. The BACK country
81 Habitants must have his ploughpolnt and harness
dghn his net, the ZIMMERMAN
bs ave and canthook and the sailor his Stops ana
dreadnaughts and his fiddle TO uplft rs wall IN the
lonely forecastle and mix It's music with the Clhi''
n, the waves and the cracking Of the rigging ana the
drum note OF the stretched sail struck with the aplH
~ the northern wind When the ecclesiaSuc comes
in he must have his candle TO make holy Tor inc altar
the nun beads for her rosary, and pous pooA o' nc
ornhanace or picture Of the Virgin 70 brighten inc
wall Of her sleeping chamber Each dealer must nave
all and their wares sprawl wide In and ont OF DOORS on
the sidewalk or heapel on shelves ard counters or let
down with wheel aid rope Into the cellar, "nee
there is q smell Of mackerel and m0lasses ana snip
gror and the signal squeak Of the sometime rat some
NJ the minor shops however. keep TO single nes OF
trade The jewelIer has only row Of silver watches
hanging on a wire In his window. with chains ana
motto rings in the trays beneath them: ana inc
mIner displays ONLY hats in various Stages Oh COM
nletIon with feathers and flowers and lengths OF Drs
r,hbon on which the wandering ny has lnipre97eu S
curt and succinct summer autograph.
converted with one Of these traders, and ne al
dressed me in the Scottish tongue In when relneu
ear could detect occasional traces of English his
oplnions were ready made, and he had goou ihan'
NJ them which he uttered with promputude ana con-
edence "a ~ they settled the questions to which teY
referred His remarks political and social eol
nnercal and general they took IN every tpeme' anu
dposed Of II ont Of hand. As to business 1t was not
worth an expetive which being uncanoncal VIII not
rcc,te Nothing was as it should be poHucaHy ~ 70
the French element Of the population It was not WoH
the powder would take 10 blow IL INTO tldV IulD'
which the church with prayer and chant and the
t-eouent taking OF 1.-THE and tribute was STRIVING 10
keen them out Of. What the Dominion really "dn'eu
was more scotchmen could not say him nay
knew not the need OF the Dominion nor how far 1t
might he assuaged by further CALIFORNIAN nroad' nor
in vhat degree his fellows OF the commune OF other
breed and faith mered his seventies. 10 me they
seemed merry polite folk. making up IN gesture
what they lacked in stature. and atonnG any lack OF
thrift and energy by ever present compalsance anu
good humOr not ALWAYS given to the more ruSsed anu
serious children OF the North
A cathedral is here ard a bishop and tomorrow IS
81 Peters pay and stir OF pety and expectancy IS
noticeable everywhere. The shovel-hatted fathers
IN the other side Of the wav look as something I'M
portant were imminent. and SO do he sisters whom
meet two and two black rulci with white about their
faces, passing forth on theif errS'hd' OF o8'lN anu
succor In the waysidc drnknGsh0ps the iitliAI
are bracng up their moral constitutions IN anticipation
OF The day. There Is saint in the calendar mere held
in higher esteem fhan 81 Peer. and nowhere are the
cIaIm3 which the Church asserts for hun more gen
erously conceded On his day they turn oft in great
force give heed 70 prayer and anthem lay their SIts
on the altar and wind mp the day with innocent tc7-
tIvify--the Young with dancing and household games.
and the eder--the men. At least-wth sOlder Soiacc
merits Of grog and tobacco and gone Of 1omhoes az
the tavern. ,. -. -Lo-o G.. a
Everything tells Of approaching storm. There +
svery mist on the water and the sun shines through
in spreading white halo that drops IN silver nahs,
along ths waverng urruffed water the seabird' w
In circles in and out OF the gathering MIST with shrl
exulang cries the air Is stu ana suity AT Tue
NJ se. going men are gathered. They have moored the
own craft under the shelter Of the lefty ana are
ING their fellows engaged In like duty. They present an
~ harGiness ne not. perh1ps, eN