The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-08

TONS His language is either degrad
ed French or monerel English: he ID
nearly always poor. yet invariably hap
py; his patriotism is OF peculiar sort,
H. that It does not SAVIOR of allegiance
10 France nor concern Tor The welfare
Of Canada, but Is measured by the
mere ambition to preserve French
dominance In the Province of Quebec.
The one mark OF the habitant Is his
love Of home. The Grand Trunk rail-.
way for several hundred miles east Of
Montreal has a large local patronage
which Is designated as the "moccasin
trade" The French Canadian who Is
employed away from his birthplace
win spend his last cent to visit the
home folks. The reluctance to sever
home ties IS shown In the character
of ths farms, which are merely long
lanes, with rows of houses at the ends.
When the eldest son marries the faith.
er splits the home place and gives
the youth a slice of land. The sons
often become so numerous and the
slices SO thin that in order to contin.
ne the multiplication quartering
process is necessary.
No Dover For Them.
Matrimony is an honored institution
among the habitant folk, and they
preserve the European custom, nc.
cording to which parents settle a sum
OF money on children when they mar.
ry. Illustrative Of this point there is
story about a Yankee farmer who
had married a French girl and settled
in one of the back districts of Quebec.
Although he had lived three for years,
and his children had grown up among
his French nelghbors, this man retain.
ed enough OF his American spirit to
refuse to offer a cash bonus to get his
girls married off. Consequently they
threatened to become a drug on the
market. Finally he relented and Of
ferei $500 with each one.
AT once came Pierre, a big, lumber
ing lout, who said: 4 ear you give A.
'undred dollar wild Marie?" He was
reluctantly told that such was the OF.
fer. 81 ear you give f. 'undred dol
lar with Julie?" he was told the same
amount went with julie. well, Mon.
sier." said Pierre, az t'ink I'll take de
bot o. EN-" The Yankee was SO In.
disnant at this attempt to joke about
such serious matter that. he with.
drew his offer at once, and his girls
were forced TO wait until they could
ind husbands who were willing to take
them for themselves alone.
Trips With Satan.
A popular tradition among the
French Canadians is that relating to-
la Chasse. Galerie." This tells how
the shautymen snowbound in the
Northern woods used to make con-
tract with the devil to take them home
in the night for a brief visit to their
wives and sweethearts. These trips
were made In the air in bark canoes.
The arrangement was desperate one,
such as no pious shantyman would en-
ter into. Only profane and sacriiegE-
Gus characters would venture to take
such risk. The devil gave them the
power to navigate the air for that one
nights, with the understanding that IL
the name Of God was mentioned, or a
church steeple was touched during the
flight, that he should have their souls
for torture. There is many an old
timer who will solemnly affirm that he
has seen the canoes passing over
head. and that he has heard the reck.
less daredevils bandying each other
as they piled their paddles in the air.
French in Louisiana.
The Louisiana purchase gave New
Orleans to America, the quaint city
which even modern commerce and pro-
gress cannot rob OF its French at
mosphere. The Southern metropolis
Is twelfth IN size among the cities OF
the United States and as a seaport is
second only to New York. One-fourth
Of the Crescent City is still French. Its
main thoroughfare, Canal street, cuts
In twain a municipality which is Amer
lean and modern on one side and Fran.
co-sranish and carefree on the other.
In 1888 the controversies between the
French and American elements be-
came SO violent that the city was d.
v:ded into three municipalities. with
separate governments. but they were
brought together again In 1852. Al
that time it was the second city in
the United States In population and
first in commerce.
When the immense territory of Lou
isiana was coded to the United States
in 1903 New Orleans had a population
of 11,S5G. 1t was all under French
control and was made mp of people
I