Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-06
THE THIRST AND FUR TRADERS-By Frederic j. Haskin

treal is French, this is not surprising. The
surprising fact is that so much good English
is spoken. Most of the people seem to use
both tongues. The public schools teach both,
and the government issues all its proclama-
tions and street signs in both English and
French Even the billboards are apt to pro-
claim the excellence of their wares in the
two languages.
A Cosmopolitan City
Despite the prevalence of the French, all
sorts of types are in parade in Montreal. In
down town street you may see typical
Irishman, pipe, smile, umbrella and high
topped felt hat; then Britisher, with cane,
tweeds and perhaps spats. His London pa
tots bristling with "cheerio" and "toodleoo,"
is more striking against the French back
ground than it would be elsewhere In the
dominion. It reminds you suddenly that
Montreal is British territory.
The American is all over the city, too, with
his, inevitable camera and guide book, and
his exchange of confidence with his fellow
travellers about trains, boats, connections
things to see, how not to get stung, the best
restaurants, the rate of exchange and SO on,
endlessly.
The French types do. not stand out SO, by
reason of their prevalence, and because they
fit into the atmosphere. Their houses, now
ever, are extremely picturesque. In the older
quarters of Montreal, long rows of these
houses may be seen. They are decorated
spires towers and dormer windows.
But the quaintest touch is that every one
has a flight of steps on the outside going up
| from the street to the second floor, occasion
ally even to the third. Sometimes the steps
are spiral: more often they are straight and
Steep
| This style Of architecture was adopted In
| many instances to divide the houses into
flats. One family uses the lower floor, while
the other, entering above by different set
of stairs and doorway, is at home in the
upper rooms.
The same idea has been used in the states,
though with what would seem to US the more
sensible plan. Especially in country where
winter is a long siege Of snow and ice, a
flight of fifteen or twenty steps to be kept in
condition for use must be a discouraging in
stitution.
How the children keep from falling down
the steep flights, too, is mystery. Chill
dren scarcely more than babies Chamber up
and down them unguarded. Apparently the
head of family considers front steps no
drawback in selecting home. Houses with
this feature are passed for block after block
throughout the typically French districts
Life In this city involves good deal of
! elm bins everywhere. Montreal is on billy
island, where the st. Lawrence and Ottawa
rivers Join Mount Royal rises directly back
of the city, and the city itself Is on anything
but level grade. In one railroad station the
third floor at one end Of the building Is the
street floor at the other, and this is not an
unusual instance.
The people of the city climb the hills and
the stairs without apparent effort or com
plant Montreal is the New York of Canada.
The Joy of merely living in SO great metrop-
oils seems to be sufficient to make up for
any trifling discomforts.