Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-03
OET ST. MICHEL.
RYEREyF PILGRIMS STILL 60 TO TsE
ROCKY SHRINE
Bui lhs March Of Modern Improvement Has Already
Altered the Placs--Hisiory Of the Fortified
Monastery and the Mount From
the Tms Of The DraidS.



he sea 400 or 500 feet an eQullateral
yfrlangle. with a church Spire for us
ppex. below that cluster of pinnacles,
broidery OF flying buttresses and gar
gbyIes, and the fortified walls OF a
monastery. Then a little nshlng VII
lage. clinging like a oarnacle TO the
side Of the rock; lower still, ramparts
and towers and a gate with porte
cullis; then the ses, or, at low tide, the
sands, and you have misty picture OF
the most interesting spot 10 France,
Mont St. Michel. IL is far more abrupt
and picturesque than the rock OF Glib
raltar.O of which it nevertheless reminds
one. 1t recalls, too, the mountains we
used TO draw Ia our youth, delightfully."-
uncOmDrOmising cones ending IN eX-
tremely acute angles.
The village is Quaintness itself. NO
wheeled vehicle can come within us
gates. There Is only one street that IS
not composed OF steps, and that one
would be easier to climb were 1t so con-
structed. The gray stone houses, hud-
died close together, with walls ana
roof at every conceivable angle are
Immensely old. Many Of them used to
be hostelIies for the pilgrims who
thronged TO the mont, and they still
serve the same useful purposes 70 the
altered type OF pilgrim who goes there
now.
The rivalry between the various es-
Adjustments is amusing. As our dill
gence drove up to the outer gate
bevy OF fresh-iaced peaeant girls
thronged around, and there arose
babel OF voices 600 10 the Chev9l
Blanc, Monsieur. and you will never re-
greet itl' "MoutOn dOr, Madame,
rooms on the sea-" "HOtel Ridel, II
you wish to watch the tide" "Poulard
jeune is the place you want TO go''
They lowered around US as we came
down from the top of the coach, fol-
lowed US through the gate and up the
street: "MoutOn dor! POulard jeuue.
Cheval Blanc Ridelm till we were half
deaf. But we kept on bravely to the
establishment POulard aine, as we had
been told 20 DO, and when once we had
seen the Widow Poulard and come I'M
der the magic OF her smile, we rejoiced
at our cOnStancy.
IL has become famous far and wide
this inn of the Widow POulard, and no
wOnder-famOus for its fried sOleS and
famous for its omeletS, bat above all
for its hostess. That woman is ge-
MUS in her way-ubiQ tireless,
fnconceivably exactiuL She 10 is who
makes the celebrated omelets and turns
tho spit on which the chickens roast
before the great open wood ire in the
kitchen, which is also the Office. She
it is who waits on the table and presses
her guests 70 take just wee, wee bit
more OF salad. She il is, too, who
meets you the first thing in the morn
ing with your name pat at her tongues
end, and hopes; with such sweet smile,
that you have slept we'll under her
roof.
Madame's success, as is the habit or
success, has excited envy In the breasts
OF her cOmpatriots, aud one, more en-
terprising than the rest. has built big
house next door aud called il POulard
jeune, hoping by the cOunterfeit name
10 lure aside travellers from the goal
where they would be. And when the
charming widow added TO her sign the
legend Ia renOmmee de POmelette, the
hrGzen cOmpeer actually dared 70 paint
above his door Ia renOmmee de Iome-
lette soufJeeL But in spite Of them all
Poulard aine prospers, and will prooa-
bly, continue TO as long as Madame con-
Af.kueB 20 smile at her guests.
happened upon Mont st. Michel
at md very time of the full harvest
moon, which brings the highest tide OF
the year, the famous maree de gaSpas.
The sight OF the incoming tide is a thing
10 haunt one the rest Of ones He.
The sands stretch out in all directions
uniting the rock With the mainland
miles and miles OF level brown sand.
All at once from the side toward tn
sea come a sound likes distant thunder
storm, a low, ominOuS grOwl. The ma
tive MOntOiS catches at once and stops
10 listen. The seal Presently 10 APP
pears, a wall OF water with the ocean
behind it sweeping over the sands faster
than horse can RallOp, hungrily eat
ing up the brown beach till no trace Is
left Of IL, and IN its place is a great bay
and Mont ST. Michel is once more an
island. OH 10 is cruel and wicked,
that tide. Trust it not. Have care
how you walk on the strand. And yet
the tide is not the worst danger. There
is one enemy more treacherous than the
seattle QuickSands.
Woe to the unlucky wight who steps
Annwarily into the smooth sand or
AA.isss. H.s feet sink dOwn-he is up TO
his Fnees-his struggles only involve
him more deeply. The sand has reached
his waist. He stretches ont his arms,
calling for help. Still it is drawing him
down-Pax vobsoum! The grave closes
over bis head. II is all over.
There have been whole armies that
came TO attack the mount swal owed up
in the Quicksands, and the defenders
had nothing 70 do but chant the TIE
Deum. Once not very long ago a ship
was driven ashore on the sands. By the
next morning 10 had been sucked out Of
sight, mast and al.
Yet the MOntois fishermen have no
fear OF the sands. They know the hard
from the soft tracts by instinct. Their
children are turned loose on the beach
70 hunt for ShellfiSh as so0n as they
can walk alone. They are fine, manly
set, these Montois ishermen-sturdy,
week.-Mrs. OF body, and not lacking in a
rongh-hewn dignity. Sombre some
what Ia temperament A life full or
hardship and danger like theirs has
a SOLDERING effect In the long run. Very
religious withal and regular atmaSs Of
q Sunday. SkepticiSm and Indifferent
ism are all very we'll in the city, but
hung here between the sea and the sky,
one needs to believe ia something. Not
friendly, like the peasants ashore "a
= trife farouehe, these fisher folk, re-
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