The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-11
4 FOSSIL row v.
Pictures of Life in a Far-OH Corner
the World

the FAUX, which multiply 50 fdpluly
over the inland parts Of France, Pougues
is favorte; but its renown has
not yet crossed the sea. Holiday makers
are daunted by the heat In summer, and
by the dread, almost groundless, OF mos
quitos; while winter tourists hurry past
to scenes more famous or more lively In
the South. Nvernais is charming
country. however and full OF interest.
Nowhere in Southern France does the
English traveller recognize such homelike
scenery Big bare fields and gray hills
are alike absent. There are vineyards In
plenty, of course; but wine-making is not
the great industry Of the district. The
olive does not flourish in these lowlands,
where people use oil expressed from
walnuts-and an excellent substitute II
is. Walnut trees, therefore, make a
feature" OF the landscape surrounding
evory village and farmhouse, standing
In line across the fields. which would be
thought rather small even in England.
Pretty lanes. deep and shaded, just
such as are familiar to our eyes, wind
through the landscape. There Is no
scientific farming here. Quickest hedges
broad and struggling and delightfully."- un-
kempt, enclose the little green meadows
and the crops OF wheat and barley when
are scarcely yet touched in this first
week OF August. But they make short
work Of the harvest here when they be-
gin, assured of a cloudless sky and a
blazing sun day after day, with rarely
the break OF a thunder storm; until the
Northern stranger, at least would ma
some consolation in a deiuge. Certainly
Il Is hot: hotter even thar IN those lands 10
the south where the glass marks higher
figure, for the region is MINDLESS. But
not so hot that any man or woman de-
La nln
deferred from visiting this Nivernais,
even at midsummer, II 50 inclined.
A country so remote, where the Revolu-
ton took a milder form than elsewhere
generally. must needs be full Of curious
Old World spots. One OF them, the little
town OF La Charlie, is famous among
students of archaeology. The only scene
like IL with which we are acquainted Is
that most striking relic. Nilleneuve, by
Avignon; but the circumstances are very
different Many notable events have oc-
CURED at La Charlie. but its most strik-
ing claim to distinction is generally over
looked This was the most northerly point
held by the Moslems when they overran
Provence in the ninth century. The town
stands within the fortified enceinte or e
great Benedictinc monastery which was
the most powerful religious house In
France. Much OF its walls remain; the
church is still used; a great number or
funnel shaped towers rise here ana there
among the thick-pressed roofs, but the
form OF the building has persisted so ut
terlv that the most painstaking and in
genious Of antlquarlans could not Identity
the plan by any traces that survive. THIS
Is not 10 suggest that such traces are rev;
on the contrary, II is the bulk OF them
the enormous extent and variety, which
puzzle the explorer
There are everywhere, in fact, great ia
cades, sculptured dOorways. masses OF
wall, ponderOus vaults, towers, staircases,
blocks OF carving, groups OF columns
arches. and gateways. But the CONNECT
ing links have vanished. pulled down, or
masked by walls constructed OF their own
masonry.
Rut although one feels inclined TO say,
after wandering up and down, that the
town is. in brief, the ruined convent, that
would be q gross mistake. Gaps have
been filled. the little hilly streets have
been aligned, no doubt. by pulling down
or taking in bits OF the enormous ediiice
or detached structures pertaining TO II;
but the town itself is medieval Of I'M
known date. II is this which gives unique
interest TO La Charlie. Elsewhere you
find "bits"-a house OF this or that cen
turv-here they stand in line, 400 yards
each way. perhaps, from the river bank,
nm the hill by the Quatre-vingt-qua, re-
thus vaguely they describe the LOFTY
staircase which mounts within the thick
ness OF the prodigious wall-from the
foot Of the main street TO the plateau
above.
Little shops have been made in the
lower floors. bright and cheerful enough;
v,indows have been enlarged; but most OF
the houses remain Inconsistencies
study for the antiquarian. Even in the
buildings he may find details
10 rejoice his heart-eVen, indeed IN the
shops In the window OF the chemist we
marked two old vases OF MouStiers or
Nevers pottery; the one Inscribed IN
quaint writing, on the neck, Antidotus
Orneriani Al venena securrism: AleM-
the other. "Deakermes |
,,tnsrinrn an altiss: medicinal" II seems !
that a chemist or the hlhe-
teenth century dispenses these mystef-
Gus indictments, but the tiles thus dis
nIaved are in admirable accordance with |
the surroundings.
Elsewhere one observes aim sketches
of the stock in trade painted upon the |
wall beside the cntrance-a sign OF al
age when a few could read, and every |
shop was a general store Inc church !
has little interest save Tor an archltecI |
~ genealogical tastes, for II has been |
s.rinnod hare TO the walls: but no In |
telligent person can behold building con-
oecrated. by the Pope himself. In the !
frst decade Of the twelfth century, with |
ont pleasure. II was once painted In !
strong colors. evidently; the monsters and
erotesdue scenes sculptured on panels
round the choir seem TO be even more
curious than usual; but they can hardly
be made out from below.
The entrance 10 the church, however,
,s striking; a ruined tower, profusely
above a broad arch lined
with columns. IL opens upon what Is
left OF the cemetery. paved court
Upon the left hand fine columns run
along the top OF the broken wall 10 the
church door, and many fragments OF
carving peep through the cascades OF
wine merchants. which occupies this
side OF the court The other is a massive
blank wall, topped by wilderness OF
pointed roofs and towers crowned with
an extingusher-a View so exactly like
one OF Gustave Dores illustrations In
the Contes Drolatlques that we may
suspect he drew II from nature at La
Charlie.
III. r,,tn, Iottv~oo1 Nfomortai ASso