The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-14
DAY AND NIGHT In QUAINT OLD NORMANDY.
The Chimes That Came Quartz
Of a Century After the Opera
The Prisoner Of Gisors.

HAlsOkS. sept 11.-The Chimes OF
lie Normandy. The original French
MI name of the ever popular oper-
cite is les Cioches de corne-
viile"-"The Bells OF Corneville." corne-
vile being small Norman town. too
insignificant even 10 be noticed in the
Baedeker. The most remarkable thing
about Bonneville Is that II has no bells.
or rather. had no bells. until this sum
mer- But the Normans are a canny
folk. and. twenty-five years after their
town had achieved world celebrity by
reason OF the bells IL did not own the
Bonneville population had the idea 20 in
vest a small sum in printing and post
age stamps. The circular that they sent
out broadcast over musical Europe CALI
ed attention to the anomaly of a Corne-
vile without its cioches-you might say
a Normandy without Its chimes-and
asked. In the name Of the sparkling OPP
erette. a contribution 10 the Corneville
bell fund At last the money is collect
ed. the chimes bought, and the latter
part OF this week is TO see the first OF
a series of village representations of
THE Chimes OF Normandy" performed
after the Ober-Ammergau Company
fashion--in the public place OF the town.
The cast comprises the entire population
Of the town." including all the babies
because their mothers cannot leave them.
On our way 10 Corneviie we note how
art giorihes nature. The chorus In THE
Chimes of Normandy" is a hilarious lot
Tho young men whoop II up to the rattle
Of the cider pot, the girls skip about in
silk stockings. ever breaking into song.
Here the real people are morose and
censorious There Is no skipping about
the streets OF Gisors Paris draws TO
foeif all those who thirst for gayety
and noise. Those who remain are con-
tent--iike the legendary English-to take
their pleasure sadly. They sy~. stili the
pleasures OF the cider pot. supplemented
with morning absinthe and . deal Of
after-dInner brandy. But they drink I'm
silence.
The towers OF the old castle lift them
selves up into an atmosphere clear and
redoient with the perfume Of new mown
hay and grain. Ntghtingales quarrel
nausicaily in the blackberry thickets OF
the ancient moat Of the English kings.
and the plowman and the cowman, as
they plod their weary way to the cider
tavern. are welcomed en- route by be-
wiideringly frequent lusty children. with
their cheeks as round as apples, calling
pau. pap"
wear six or seven skirts. hanging heavily
from the hips From the hips up she IL
enca.ed In a stif stun that makes her
movements awkward Her hair licked
back severely under a phenomenaliy ugly
archaic white bonnet. stuffiy starched: her
shoulders rigid above the long corset In
which she tortures herself. the corsage
plain and badly ntting. with long single
row Of silly buttons, heavy black mitts
on her hands ana pink kid shoes on large
feet--ths country girt suffers much in con-
trast with tho Parisienne. II IL the lat
ter who seems TO have the country vir-
tues. even that OF health. The Norman
maiden's cheek was biotehy. and her nose
a tribe tinted at the tip Helast and
are the chorus girls Of Corpeville 70 look
soy I have not seen fresh face IN
this town Of Glsors.
The phvsognomy Of Cisors is diversified
hy running streams. Three little rivers,
trinity banked with stone. rivers twelve
feet wide, wind all through the place. In
their sluggish currents green TUFTS OF
water grasses wave like whiskers. Tho
narrow bosoms Of these streams are dec
Grated with water fowl. geese ducks and
swans. tho latter the property OF re-
tired Paris grocer. Eel fishing is the
| pastine OF thoughtful residents along the
| ranks. and stewed eel, served cold with
sauce tartare IL notable dish at the
| Hotel de fEcu de France.
The three streams. which at one time
fed tho moat OF the castle. straggie
throukh the town and join each other
outside, like three tramps- Along the
| crooked streets you c6fne upon 80 many
unexpected ancient bridges that You might
thlnk ten rivers flowed through Gisors.
| Each bridge affords vista OF overarching
trees that shade the stream and dark. cool
depths through which the air comes fresh
and moist. even in the high summer noon.
Gisorx r. fifty miles from Paris. on the
line to nieppc, more thafitmsdway 20 the
sea. II has now only s"a Inhabitants.
but in the thirteenth century, when Il