The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-21
DRINKING FIERY POTIONS.
Natives Of Normandy Who Make . Son
of Brandy and Bread.

of Brandy and Bread.
For some time past the lower classes
in Normandy have not enjoyed a par
ticular reputation for sobriety, but
some really appalling evidence is fur.
nished to-day which affords material
for very melancholy reflection. To be-
gin with Rouen, it is estimated that the
population Of that town consumes year.
ly upward of 5,ooO,O00 liters of alcohol
The dock laborers, who are often fine
specimens of humanity at the age Of 90,
are often quite old at the age Of 40.
Earning on an average about three
francs a day, they spend only from 20 to
so confines on solid food, and all the
rest is thrown away on poisonous drink.
Formerly they were an exception to the
rule of temperance, but now the Other
worlimen are succumbing in their turn
to temptation. One person who en-
ploys $50 hands SAYS that cut of that
number there are only five whom he can
eend out on special work. In another
establishment where. 200 men are EN-.
ployed but Is are comparatively sober
All go straight off to the public house
whenever they have moments leisure.
Alcohol is taken with the so-called
coffee. A couple of men after their de
jeuner will order "quatre sous de cafe
ct IN franc de goutte." Two cups Of
chicory and Hree-quarters of liter of
atrocious eau de vie, into which a little
sulphuric acid has been introduced, is
placed before them.
The women are nearly as bad. After
their work they reduce their cooking to
the simplest expression, and bread,
alcohol end coffee are the chief in
gradients of the repast. though even the
last is sometimes absent. Slices Of
bread are thrown into a tureen and q
liter of eau de vie poured over THEM
Thus is the soup not seldom made. In
stances are on record where infants
have commenced the coffee and alcohol
regime before the age of one month. A
schoolmaster once asked the children in
a class of s., and from six TO nine years
of age. who were accustomed TO drink
this vile concoction daily, to hold up
their hands, and "a did so at once, but
he thinks that many did not under
stand the question. it being estimated
by these teachers that from so 70 sc
per cent take alcohol after their meals
Nor is this practice confined 20 the
towns. The country laborers are get
ting just as bad They drink every day
about eight liters of cider and six or
seven full-sized glasses of eau de vie.
Their Sundays are spent entirely at the
carabet, and in the evenings they are
to be seen lying dead drunk AT the sides
of the roads or on their doorsteps 1t
is estimated that on market days-that
is. twice or three times a week-the
peasant takes from 20 TO 20 cups of cof-
fee with the usual alcoholic supple
r1ents over bargaining. Naturally lam.
eutations are being uttered over
these sad disclosures. Now" 4: ia ex-
claimed, there is no cause for surprise
that the finest race in France should De
on the decline! That its population
should be diminishing ard tia: Nor
man industry should be growing less
and less capable OF competing with the
industry Of England whose wor,cmen
are steadily replacing the alcohol which
they formerly drank with tea. butter
and good roast beef"-Londoa Tel--
graph.