The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-10-17
SUMNER IN FRANCE.
The Host Delightful Country in this
Wide World.

Wide World.
The people in France make much
simpler affair of everyday life than We,
and thus find more time for recreation,
which, indeed is so much a matter Of
course with them that there is no trace
of effort about their little diversions.
Where a garden is possible, it becomes
furnished with a table and chairs, a
much-used outdoor room, rooted with
that dome some three miles high of
soft dappled gray and yellow cloud,
through the vast lattice work whereof
the blue sky peeps" There in pleasant
weather the children play among the
lilac bushes and the mignonette; there
their elders resort with needlewOrk and
newspapers; and there a simple meal
is often served. How well appreciated
are the public gardens of Paris any fine
day viii show. Groups of happy peo-
pie along the main walks, or in some
| Out-of-theway nook of the lovely gar
dens, seem entirely at home as they
quietly make the most of their oppor-
tunities for pleasure.
A pleasant feature of some French
houses is a porch before the entrance
door partly enclosed with glass. One
such vine-clad summer parlor, opening
into its tiny Paris garden, was most
| refreshing contrast to the glaring,
dusty street from which it was all hid
| den by high wall With it's cool sum-
mer furnishings, and large ornamental
plants IN green tubs, it made delight
full reception room for visitors, while
q little round table with its load of work
baskets and books bore evidence of the
| family liking for this summer rendez-
vous. In a pretty country house the
space between two projecting wings
was rooted and fronted with glass. The
room thus gained was one of the most
| interesting of its kind, being graced
with an extensive collection of the ferns
| of the locality, and guarded by pair
OF curious Chinese idols holding back
! the opened door on either side.
To the American in France it never
| ceases to be a wonder where so much
| leisure for out-of-doOr life is found.
| particularly as it does not follow that
| home duties are shtrked to obtain 1t.
| Indeed. =, e proverbial French thrift Is
| in no way better shown than in the
| readiness with which French women
| take a share in the work of the house
| hold, even in well-to-do families, and
| this without loss of dignity, since GUS
! tom sanctions the keeping of few SER
wants in France. And but few servants
! are needed, as no baking or laundering
| is done at home, and polished floors do
! away at once with dust, and that tear
| ing-up and tiEC-to-rights process
! which we call house-cleaning. 1t would
! seem that they arrange their days, as
we'll as their household affairs, wisely
| in France, and are skilled in the happy
art OF making the most Of each one as
| it passes. For, however busy the morn
| ing hours may be, in most French
! homes the long afternoon finds house
| hold cares laid aside for a time, While
| rest and quiet enjoyment take their
| place.
| Perhaps one secret of this wonderful
| leisure may lie in the fact that French
|
| consider it one Of the cardinal virtues
| always to have cake in the house, and
| it really was not evident that the chill
dren suffered at all in consequence. 1t
| is, therefore, quite possible that the
pleasant sight of mothers spending
whole happy afternoons with their chill
dren out in the open air may be partly
owing to this great lack of ambition in
cake making.
The little baskets which French chill
| dren carry with them to their much
| loved parks and gardens are usually
supplied with generous piece of one Of
the long French loaves of bread. and
| bar or two of sweetened chocolate. A
few sons procure this quite sufficient
lunch, as we'll as time for those pleasant
little expeditiOns-it may be only tO
the nearest public garden-Which they
ike and so well know how TO arrange
n sunny Fr3nce.-American Agricul,
| tUraliSt.