Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-15
AN A,,>rI\E sr,N,kMAH.


 stranger. some uf th,e,' huuS,'S, like the AndruS huu<,', one uf tho oldest in the parish, wrr' built nearly at the lN%,inninS of the C,'uturv The Nu,lru~ r~id,'nC, was enN't,Nl in lNI5 and k rn well pr'~"r\ rd that it k hy uu means a lHId dwelling yet. It ha> h,rn the fnmilyS hvI.lquar trrs all thcSr fuursrurc years, lcinS handed down from father to son until 1t has tN~ como almost sSIcr,d, and an offer tn pur chase member of the family would be con sider,d scarcely less insulting than one to buy the roof which has sheltered several gencratio of ancestors. With this expo riertc duplicated on every hand numbers ui these families have gained the designa- tion of "ariStocracy," and they seem to have earned it.
 Riches do not nccCeSSarily abound in fertile land, and tho Acadiun or old French families arc not all wealthy. The war was destructive of many q fortune, and the de prCssion in business has been felt hero as well as in sections ncart,r the worlds high ways.
 \ visit to one of these old homcstCadS revealS new phase of life. IL k as if one wcrc suddenly transported to n furcign land and wcrc set amid a new people Many of the adult memhcrs of Acadian families can speak no English, and in the homes Frrnch k spoken almost Cntirrly They arc conservative in custom and man ncr and cling tcnaciously to the habits and ways of their fopcfathers
 Said q business man in one of the lead ing towns of the parish II went out last summer to tho farm of a Cadyan family, and although was prvparVd for c0n>idcrsl- bio prlmitivcncSS did not apprchcnd that would S,r what I did. Tho family was quite puur and pcr1hapS that HCCounttd {" al h., yard Was tho stump of a pine trVN'. It had b,Vn hulluwUSl out, and thcrC, bonding over it and working a hugo pestlc, was the hus- band, grinding rice into flour or as near tO flour aS he could apprOach The grain had bCcn cut by hand and winnOwCd in the wind This was an exceptional and un- usual casa but it slows that it k not nc, cSssary to go abruad to find odd customs and ways.
 Lotus Eaters.
 On the other hand prOgnssiveneSS Is secn in many of the old Frcnch families The younger generations arC feeling tho influence of the northern immigration which is pouring so rapidly into the south. They arc buying improved machinery and keeping in touch with the modern bust ness life However, they do not hurry. Life Is long with them, and the halmy southern airs, tempcrcd by gulf hreezeS, in cline them to preserve some of the manly leisure that was characteristic of the ''ba- sin of Grand Pre-"
 Talk to these people and they are charm | ing conversationists, They are not very | familiar with the topics that arc so eagerly | discussed in northern cities They know | little and, imagine, care less about the gold rsServe or the per capita of circula tion, while the tariff is an unsolved puzzla Nl.,ks .NFH hRrFNrx- # ha AfNa. | dian exile, and sec their faces glow. Amusements, dancing, riding and the af- fairs of the heart are their texts. and how | eloquent Is the Scrmonl Just little be wildering are the thrush of northern capital | and the hum of sawmills, rice mills, Sug ar rCflneries and Strvet cars. They would far rather drive the cattle aflcld gather fruit of vine and trcc, smoke odd shaped | pipes and be happy.
 Tho schools Are nothing to be proud of in most of che parish settlements, and the wealthy families send their childrcn to New Orleans or farther north to be edu- | cated. A largo number indeed gO so far l as to send their children to New England colleges, completely forgetting the old time differences Their naturally delicate compilations arc made still fairer by the | exquisite care taken of them by the Aca, | dlans, young and old. Tho graceful, wide brimmed hats and the luxuriant dark hail | arc noted on every hand, and a childlikG expression of trustfulncSs is soen in many faces. Here and there Is one sturdy veter- | an of the Host cause" who seems dirUci descendant of tho old guard They arS
 proud of their war records and exploit thu deeds of the southern army with pride
 whose impetuoSity is softencd by the pass
 ing of 8 third of a century.
 Tho air of romance is everywhere in evi
 dence in Acadia land The fragrance of the
 pages of "Evangeline" is sppSd over th'
 people, and the studious among then
 arc as thoroughly familiar with tho events
 -s -%e fateful departure from their north