New-York tribune., 1912-03-16
IN RURAL FRANCE
Regions of Beauty, Happiness
and Economy.
IN THE HEART OF THE yosGES. an' !GI

Ier % BT Miss Betham- Edwards. Illus
trated. Svo, PIP. 81 Chicago: a. -
McClurg & Co.
Miss Betham- Edwards has done wisely
in making a new collection OF her
sketches of unfrequented regions or
France. Many of these regions-partcu-
Iarly the Vosges-are not only unfre-
quented, they are positively unknown
10 most travellers who pursue the beaten
paths. unaware that not far away are
landscapes of marvellous beauty and
architectural remains of great historical
interest. Carcassonne and Aignes-
Mortes have an Increasing number OF
visitors capable of appreciation OF these
gloomy survivals of the Middle Ages;
but how many people, for example, know
ANYTHING about Provins, which is be-
lieved by one author to be the most per-
feet specimen of the mediaval walled-ln
town in France? The automobile has
been the means of bringing into the
French countryside a multitude OF for
eigners. but the proportion Of those who
find themselves in the out-of-the-Way
places is small.
The gloriously beautiful slopes and val
leys of the Pyrenees have received just
praise at the hands of Miss Betham-
Edwards. She has delighted not only IN
these mountains, these woods and
waters: she has made friends with the
rustics and entered into their joys ana
sorrows. All her observations there. as
elsewhere in rural France, show that Aola
was unduly harsh in his attributions to
the peasants Of unreloved brutality and
sordidness. She relates cheering in
stances of unselfish kindness in these
people, and she dWelis on their intelIl-
gence and good manners. Here in thlS
agricultural region, is found the self
suficing mode of life once known to pio-
neer America. The peasant owns his
property, and, no matter how smalL II
NAV be. his little crops and his stock
are made to supply the needs of the
family. "Thus on a field or two enough
flax is grown with which 10 spin linen
for home use enough wheat and Indian
corn for the years bread-making, maize
being mixed with wheaton -four; again.
pigs and poultry are reared for domestic
being reduced
to the minimum. Coffee is a luxury sell
dom INDUCED in; few drink home
grown wine. but all are large milk drink
ers." Delicious milk. from the COWS on
the upland pastures costs only penny
or two Of our cents-a quart, and eggs
and butter are equally cheap. For 81
or so a year the peasant can cart MS
supply Of fuel from the communal forest.
In many Of these little homesteads the
housewives OWN dozens and dozens OF
household linens spun on the spot. The
people are satisfied with their lot and
have a dignity and solidity Of character
nurtured under conditions free from
envy and worldly ambition. 1t Is life
which would not suit the restless Ameri-
can, but it is happy one, nevertheless
Nor do these quiet, modest peasant farm
ers cling to unrelieved drudgery; they
have a Pyrenean watering place, and
regularly flock thlther to drink the
waters and enjoy vacation at small
cost.
High above the plains the mountains
tower under their mantles Of snow, but
they look much colder than they are. II
is recorded that early in September some
years ago the heat was so intense on
one OF the SUBMITS, nine thousand feet
above the sea level, that a little flock Of
sheep were seen literally hugging the
snow, laying their faces against the cold
masses, huddled about them as shiver
ing mortals round a fire in winter And
a little way off the eyewitnesses Of this
strange scene gathered deep blue irises In
full bloom" Coming away from these
happy valleys by way Of Bayonne and
Bordeaux, one passes through the Landes.
that region of shifting, desolate sands
which, if we may believe the picture
books of our childhood, could only be
traversed by the peasants on stills.
With artificial irrigation and tree plant
ing on a great scale the Landes have
been transformed, and the region can no
longer be called an arid one. Every
where in these supposedly primitive parts
of France is found a refreshing thrift.
In the little village Of Quissac, where
Florian, the fabuist, was born, the
author happened upon truly odd in
dustry. They make good living out
Of old boots and shoes! Some native
genius discovered that, however well
worn footgear may be, valuable bits OF
leather may remain in the sole. These
fragments are preserved, and from them
boot heels are made; the debris, boots,
shoes and slippers, no matter the ma
terial, find their way to the soil as
manure"
Many pages Of this volume are de-
voted to the provinces which. while no
longer French, are still French at heart.
In Mulhouse Prussia rules only as the
conqueror There, the author tells us.
not even the German officials Of highest
rank are received into any kind of So
ciety whatever. Families have emf
grated, unwilling TO have their children
submitted to the enforced German edu-
cation. Long as 1t has been since Alsace
and Lorraine passed away from France,
there is still an intense soreness Of feel
ing among the inhabitants.
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IlcTER