The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-18

skill of the Breton fishermen. Bred
thus to contend with wind and wave
on their own rock bound shores, Bre-
ton men take first rank as sailors when
they ship to go away from home.
But on shore these fine scunen are
apt to leave most of tie hard work to
their women. Indeed the little Isle OF
Batz, on the coast of Brittany. might be
called the women's island. The men
are mostly away at the Sartline fisher
les, so it happens that the women do
the lighthouse. But Brittany is not the
only region where the men are lazy and
the women Industrious.
Looking at the inhabitants of Bre-
tagne, one is convinced they at least
are an exception to the charge that the
French nation is degenerating physic-
ally. This may be true of the under
sized men of Paris and of those parts
of France usually represented among
the common soldiers of the army. 1t is
not true of Bretagne. Some of the an
cient Celtic blood yet runs pure here.
The men of the Breton race are tall.
strong and healthy, the women equally
tall and strong in their way, with hand
some faces and free stepping, noble
bearing that, peasants though they are,
invests them with a queenly air.
Breton women and girls sometimes
go to Paris as serving maids, and the
lady considers herself fortunate who
can secure one of them. they are so
faithful and Industrious and not given
to CAB. At home in Brittany the wom
ems dress is the same as it was centu
ries ago. with it's snowy white cap and
full. short skirt. The Breton maiden is
chara cteriZed by one curious piece Of
extravaganza which in the long run is
after all not an extravaganza, for Bre-
ton fashions do not change. A girl will
skimp and save for years to buy Sun
day and holiday gown. 1t is richly en-
broidered and is SO costly that even in
America working girl would not in
cur SO much expense, $50 to 500, but it
lasts the Breton maid perhaps the rest
of her life if she does not live too long
1t is cut the same style for each gener-
alton, and the large, handsome Breton
girl never has to crack her brain over
whether she would have q three gored.
five gored. seven gored nine go"ed or
eleven gored skirt. Happy Breton
maidi
In Brittany it is as if an enchanter
had put spell upon the land 500
years ago and the mode of life, the
manners and customs, the very thought
of the race, had stood still ever since.
The language itself of this fine people
is not French. Many of the grown ups
among them do not even understand
French, though the children do, for
now it is the language taught in the
schools. But the native tongue of the
Breton folk is modification of the
speech of the ancient Celts, from whom
most of the people here are descended.
Their language is very like Welsh and
the tongue of old Cornwall. showing a
common origin for them all.
A long time ago. heaven knows how
long, the Breton people got bad name
In respect to cleanliness. ard 1t stuck.
as bad names do. Proverbs were built
upon this alleged aversion to soap and
water on the part of the inha bitants of
Brittany. and they were of this sort.
'.Ninety-nine pigs and one Breton make
a hundred Bretons." Again: people Of
lower Brittany and pigs sleep together.
l would not bave believed pigs were so
dirty" 1t is only fair to say that this
charge of dirtiness 50 gross is libel
on Bretons. They are as clean as the
average Of people-just about At any
rate, the women's caps and cooking
utensils are clean
The high days of Breton people are
church festivals and other occasions Of
religious observances. Bretons are
deeply religious folk, like all seafaring
people who take their lives in their
hands and venture forth upon the wa
tiers. One of the most impressive serv-
ices of all the year is when the fisher