Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-15
BABIES OF OLD PLOUCASTEL
A Part Of France Where the Birth
Rate Stays Up.
LARGE FAMILIES IN BRITTANY
Marriage Feast and ChriteninE Gel
ions stOried Playground
for Chndren-A BiR
Birthday Party.

PLOUGASTEL, Finistere, France. Aug
3-"No. this part OF France, especially
the Finistere peninsula the westernmost
point. il not included when they talk
about declining birth rate and dearth OF
babies" said Monsieur lie Cure with a
smile, tapping his snuff box thoughtfully.
"and 1 doubt n Prof. Charles Richet and
NJ. Leroy Beaulieu had US in mind when
they were planning to give bonuses for
big families"
The priest had just changed his vest
ments and had come from the old church
after a christening service. 1t was a
strange light, this ceremony in the gloom
Of the ancient chapel with the rays OF
light from the windows overhead falling
upon pillows Of filmy white caps and upon
the bowed heads and somber black coats
Of the men and the mites Of creation in
their. brilliant christening dresses. The
bells In the tower were stlll ringing, and
one Of the grandmothers on the steps of
the church was holding the baby so that
all might see II, the mother standing
smiling behind and the father proudly dis
tributing suRared almonds and centime
pieces to the children that flocked around
him.
The sweet meat stand at the church
gate was doing a lively business, and
further down the street crowds were
gathered around the big red and blue
umbrellas Of the itinerant dealers in gew-
gaws for grownups and playthings for
little ones. The day had been made a
Breton holiday and the women In their
brightest shawls, their newest APPS and
their many petticoats Of varying colors,
and the men in knee trousers, coats rich
with gilt embroidery. waistcoats in num-
- - - " A.Iz,w H-l--
purple and red to orange and yellow, and
low black hats gorgeous in red and blue
streamers, had all come from miles around
to see their own babies and those of theii
friends c~hrlstened. A baby was a good
institution and they we're all going tc
see It well started In the world. for chris
tenlng to these impressionable, strongly
religious people was It's true start.
I'VE are fond of children here" thu
priest continued as little ones crowded
around him for his blessing. and although
we are perhaps the poorest Of the French
peasantry the good Lord has blessed mani
of the fathers and mothers with larg'
families.
"They are mostly fishermen and sailor
those that live along the coats. and furthe
inland small farmers, who wrest a llvinI
from the poor soil. The people observ
strictly the customs OF the past, man.
of their usages coming from the middl
ages.
One Of these customs is hat all til
marriages, or very nearly all, are cele
brated on the same day, usually the sec
ond Tuesday in the year. Some time
as many as seventy-five couples ar
.,-lAAa - 49, 49,. - - -.-lA -
scarcely hold all the bridal parties wit
their numerous attendants and relatives.
"a great feast follows. and then tn
gavotte, danced to the music of tn
bagplpe and the flageoiet, continue
In the streets and in the houses for days
Then they settle down to the lives tina
their forefathers for generations hav
led"
The child occupies an important posi-
ton in the sombre Breton life. Jus
at the foot of the hill is a little chapel
a place for pilgrimage OF those who's
babies are weakly, and around the altar
are many image Of wax. some scaroel,
more than candles, fash toned by tn
mothers own hands. as offerings to tn
saints. put there by women pleading
for strength for their babes.
Near by is a spring where the anxlou
parent endeavors TO discover IL he
prayers have been answered. She place
upon the water the little ones tiny shirt
Should it sink she is filled with sorrow
but II 1t floats all is well, the child will b
strong and healthy.
You will find two simple votfve offerinr
at the roadside shrines or clustered b.
side some deep wood fountain to which
their simplicity. the people sscribe SON
miraculous power. On the night Of s
Johns day, when fires blaze on every nil
top, the mothers gather around the cracl
ling branches and wait until the flRm,
have died down. Then they wave the
little one over the embers with q pray,
that 1t may be strong II a boy and beaut
full II a girl.
But there Is enough OF sunshine and ligI
in little ones lives to make Brittany
child's own land. From out of a lit
stone hut that looks not over clean the
will come, az II a cupid from one
Ruben's Canvases. the sturdiest lookiI
little chap imaginable.
You may wonder from what you kno
OF the frailty OF child life how he cou
exist in such surroundings He wadd
over to the roadside from the mud and d
around the door and among the pigs a
chickens a rosy bright eyed picture