The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
FICTION AND TOURISTS. i
IN EvANGELINE'S LAND.

IN EvANGELINE'S LAND.
''In the Acadian land. ON the shores
OF the Basin Of Minos.
Distant, secluded, still. the little viii
lage OF Grand-Pre' lay In the fruitful
valley"
The most interesting part Of Nova
Scotia, the spot where the Quintessence
Of her charm lies. Is the region about
Grand-Pre', the district immortalized
by Longfellow.
The spirit of the poet still pervades
this part of the country, even the en-
gines on the Dominion Atlantic rail-
road bear the names Of Gabriel, st.
Eulalie and Basil. The little steamer
on the Minas Basin, is named Evange-
line. and the charming shore of Long
Island is known as Evangeiine Beach.
The most popular headquarters for
visitors and one OF the most attractive
summer resorts Is Wolfville. This pref
ty little town lies on one side of the
ridge which divides the valleys Of the
Gaspereau and the Cornwallis. En-
powered In apple orchards, facing the
restless Minos Basins by ma
jestic Blomidon, where the 'sea fogs
mighty Atlantic looked on the happy
valley. but ne'er from their station de-
scended," It combines the charms of
seashore and pastoral beauty. The air
has an inVigorating quality which Is
ignorant of malaria and guiltlcss Of hay
fever. The town Is not without it's in
tellectual atmosphere. Here Is Acadia
College. Baptist institution for men.
The main building bears strong re-
scmblance to our national capitol. This
college maintains good standing, its
graduates entering without examina-
tion, the senior class at Harvard. There
is manual training school. and Acad-
emy and Il Young Ladies' Seminary.
Tnere are several ways by which the
distance of three miles between Wolf
Vile and Grand-Pre may be accom-
pl!shed. BY railroad. by carriage and
ON foot.
The first method accommodates the
tourist who wishes to do" Grand-Pre'
in a few hours. He Is satisfied with
hying gl!rDses from the car windows.
with the few minutes at the station
where the courteous officials give all
the information possible In so limited
time. SO satisfied that he is even
unmindful of the irony of the wag who
adds to his comments on rapid transit.
Evangeline when the bell rings!" Sup
pose, however, one visitor to be one not
too worldly, whose heart still beats a
tritle faster when he steps on soil hal
lowed by poets verse and we will stroll
with him through the shady lanes on
the more attractive of the two roads
that lead to Grand-Pre'
AS we ascend the slope to gain the
ridge, the beauty of the landscape is
spread out before us. A pale green
eXpanse of marshland. the stretches of
Sed beach, which the tide as it retreats,
leaves uncovered, the silvery winding
Of the Gaspereau, the clumps of grey
green willows. the sparkle of the waters
of the Basin, now red, purple or green
according to the sky and home and the
wide-spreading orchards which make
famous 'the apple lands Of Acadia"
Imagine the beauty Of sixty thousand
apple trees in blossom on one place.
Then the more tangible charms Of
the wayside. In few places has nature
scattered her gifts with more lavish
hand, Emerson's worst wounds"
would have been here quickly cured by
"a wildr ose or n rock loving column
bine," only the columbines are a little
more domestic in their tastes. They
are found usually by the fences and
homesteads, from whose gardens they
no doubt escaped. They are of all
colors, pale pink, rose color, purple, pale
lavender white and blue. larger than
ours and frequently double. The wild
rose is larger, of many shades of pink
and of delicious fragrance, and the
sweet brier. with Aldrich we wonder
What mortal knows whence come the
tint and odor of the rose" Hue In the
shade Is a bit of charming carpeting
made by the dainty foliage of the wood
sorrel and there are banks of partridge
vine perfuming the air with it's deli
cate odor. In the enjoyment of Ma
lures largess he almost fought, we are
on an historical pilgrimage until we
find ourselves at the quaint old church
of the Covenanters, which was built
by the settlers who came to replace the
banished Acadians. OF course,t his
building has nothing to do with Evan
geline's times, but 1t Is the oldest edi-
flee in this locality. 1t Is small, has
the old box pews, a sounding board
and such a very high pulpit that as
some one suggested, the minister could
easily in laying down his notes, mis-
take the railing of the gallery for the
top Of his desk. Now we reach our
goal. 1t is nearly literally true that
"naught but tradition remains of the
beautiful village of Grand-Pre'!" Still
there are to be found some traces Of
French occupation. The modern VIII
lage stands back little on the hillside.
but the station is very nearly IN the
heart of the village. where the Acadians
lived and loved. Some years ago n
well was discovered by some gold dig
ger, which Is now known as Eyange-
lines well. 1t is to be regretted that
instead of the graceful sweep with its
moss-grown bucket. the we'll is incon-
grouously fitted up with a modern,
bright red pump.
Nearby the foundations Of a building
supposed to be the chapel where the
Acadians were imprisoned. have been
discovered, and here, too, we locate by
the finding Of tools, the smithy of
Basil. Just beyond is the long line of
French willows that marks the single
street. Old and gnarled are the will
lows! Had we the ears Of Melampus
or could we like Rhoecus Of old some
service render what might we not learn
from these willows Of Evangeline and
her people!
The story Of the great tragedy needs
no repetition, hut while we Yield our
selves to the pathos of the poet It Is
we'll to keep undistorted the history
point OF view. One should take his
Parkman rs well as his Longfellow to
Evangeline's land.
1t is not only in song and story that
the Arcadians survive. An interesting
monument to their patient, unceasing
toll remains In the wide. rich meadows
which stretch like a pale green island
across the country. These lands were
all reclaimed from the sea. Here the
waters of Minos have a rise and fall of
fifty feet, and these mighty tides were
fenced into their channels by the long
rampant of dikes. Eternal vigilance is
the price Of this possession and today
the land owner works as did the
Frenchmen nearly two hundred years
ago. LOUISE II. c. BUELL..
RESURGAM.