THE TIMES, NEW BLOOMFlELl), PA. MAKCli 9. 1880.
Lifo in Brittany.
fyitE GREAT attraction of Brittany
A Is " the peasantry," and no wonder
for they ana quite tui generis, quite dif
ferent from all other populations. They
combine the sombre, taciturn nature of
the Spaniard with the droll, wild life of
the Irish. It Is difficult to understand
how the same people can be silent and
noisy reserved and running over with
Jollity. Yet so It Is. There must be a
strain of tiger In a population which
could amuse ltnelf as lately as 1847 In
cutting the life out of friends with a
whip made after this fashion; Lash,
eighteen feet long, swelling at a little
distance from the handle to the thick'
ness of a man's arm, from whence It
tapered to a twisted and strongly knot
ted end, made more like a knife by the
help of a mixture of glue. This play
thing was fixed upon a strong, stiff
tlcls and often not only cut a man into
tenks, but sometimes cut out the life of
him at a single Btroke. Yet a local
historian gives an account of a fete
Which he attended In 1847, at which the
thief attraction was a contest between
twelve men, six on a side, with these
deadly weapons. The Bmuck of these
whips made, he says, much more noise
than a gunshot; they could be heard at
the distance of two and a half miles, and
when Reveral smack their whips In con
cert, the noise is so terrible that one
must either run away or stop up one's
cars. These twelve men were ranged
opposite one another at a distance almost
corresponding to the length of the lashes
of their whips. They stood up, having
for protection in the shape of dress only
hhort felt breeches, and shirts made of
dtout sail-cloth. .Like all Breton peas
ants of the old style, their hair hung
down their backs in long tresses, hut
was cut straight across the forehead,
after the fashion of Gainsborough's
"Blue Boy." They wore no hats or
head-covering. The left arm was naked,
but the right arm, which held the whip,
was protected from the fist to the neck
by an armlet or shield of thick leather.
The sides were distinguished by the
color of the tuft of their whips, the one
being white, the other red.
These men thus standing face to face
were there to be wounded almost to
death for the glory thereof, and also for
the prize, which consisted of half a
dozen striped pocket-handkerchiefs and
a pound of tobacco. The b I glial given
by an old peasant, the combatants put
themselves into the attitude of defiance,
the whip raised, while the lash was held
in the left hand. " Strike," said the
same voice, and the twelve cables were
let loose in an instant, but no smack
was heard, as they met twisted, and
struggled in mid air.
Those most renowned quickly disen
gaged their lashes, and dealt the second
and dreadful blow upon the persons of
their antagonists, opening up long
seams of livid or bleeding flesh ; on the
third stroke, all the faces except two
were seamed and flowing with blood.
These two were the leaders one tall,
the other short ; one heavy, the other
light; one all flesh, the other, although
only five feet high, all nerves and
sinewB. An outsider would have back
ed the giant, but the boys of Plpriao
knew too well the prowess of the dwart
to risk their money against him.
The combat now raged with fury;
men disdained to parry, they were only
eager to strike. The sound was that of
a volley of musketry. The lashes soften
into tow, but , harden again and glue
themselves together with blood. The
faces are no longer human ; the long
hair bangs down In front, bathed in
perspiration and blood. But not one
blow has fallen on either champion,
they have reserved themselves; they
have guarded and parried, knowing that
upon them the issue of the fight did
depend. But now the tall man has
hit home. A long blue spiral mark,
which here and there squirts blood,
twists round the left arm of the little
Joseph, and makes him stagger with
pain. lie recovers himself, launches
his whip at his foe, and but six inches
intervened between its deadly point and
the face of Joseph the great. Animated
by his first success, Kaer stepped for
ward and bent his whole strength to
the blow which he aimed at Josille. The
little man never parried the blow, but
pirouetted, as it were, while without any
effort he threw out bis lash softly. The
blow of Kaer missed; but when Josille
sharply drew back his lash, the whole
fuoe of Kaer was cut in half a gigantic
gap opened up the very bones. These
two stood alone in the lists ; the rest had
made a truce, and were engaged in
attending to their grievous wounds.
Kaer, blinded by the shock, put his
armlet of leather before his face, and
paused. Josille, so far from profitlug
by the occasion, and pressing his advant
age, coolly took out his pocket-handkerchief
and loudly blew his nose, to the
great amusement of his ' hackers, who
thought it an excellent joke. The
laughter made Kaer mad, threw him
out of his aangfroid, and made him
wild. He struck, stamped, and made
wonderful points; but Josille was culm;
and at the end of ten minutes the giant,
covered with wounds, his Bhlrt cut into
ribbons, his mouth foaming, his eyes
blinded, fell heavily upon his knees
" Don't give In V cried some1 velces still;
buttheeftbrttorlse was vain. Josille,
apparently Incapable of pity, like a true
Breton peasant, ngaln blew his nose,
and prepared to give the falling man hi
coup de grace.
A Bhlver ran through the crowd ; put
JoBllle was belter than ho seemed, for
instead of cutting the poor flesh, he
dextrously drew the whip out of the
hands of the victim, and folded his arms
upon his breast. Kaer shut his eyes,
and laid his burning head upon the
sand. The whites were proclaimed the
victors. Each subaltern had a pocket
handkerchief worth sixpence, and Josille
the pound of tobacco. I know not
whether any of these scenes are enacted
now, but this account Is so recent that it
throws light upon the Breton peasant as
I find him.
As to the dress of the agricultural
people, it is picturesque so picturesque,
indeed, that when some foolish servant
is penetrated with the Parisian mode,
and adopts it, she looks like a crow
among birds of plumage. Yet I am
sorry to say that the dress Is changing.
The old men wear sabots, gaiters, large,
loose, baggy breeches fastened under the
knee, with jacket and vest; the hair is
long like that of a woman, and a broad,
felt hat completes the costume. The
young men have taken to trousers, hut
still retain the vest embroidered round
the neck, and the loose, flowing Jacket,
mostly made of cloth of a dark blue
color, and embroidered behind with a
representation of the Holy Sacrament;
this back embroidery Is dying out, as
also the custom of wearing flowing
locks. The women wear short skirts,
made of very thick material, pleated
round the waist, more like a Scotch kilt
than anything else; over the skirt they
wear an embroidered cloth jacket, or
vest with sleeves, cut square and low in
front to display their white, nicely
starched chemisette; to the chemisette
is attached an enormous collar which
reaches beyond thehouldcrs, and is a
marvel of the arts of starching and iron
ing. This, with the great coif of the
country, differing In each commune,
completes the costume. Of course there
are varieties of head-dress, some loose
and flowing, others close -filing, some In
colors, some embroidered, and this gives
to any assemblage a very varied and
pleasing appearance ; but tbe description
of these matters is beyond the reach of
my pen.
The home of the Breton peasant is
quite peculiar, and differs from any
thing I have seen elsewhere. An old
stable, a cow-shed, any old out-house,
does as well as any other building for
his purposes, and is always used when
it may be had; but whether the house
be built of stone, or wood, or mud, its
exterior is almost always the same. It
has a central door, and two little win
dows about eighteen inches square;
within, the floor is of mud literally
mud ; for as Brittany Is a very wet
place, the mud floors are almost always
damp, and often contain miniature lakes
or pools of water.
I recollect one day, when out fishing,
calling in at one of these shanties where
they kept an aubcrye, and finding it
difficult to place my feet on dry land.
Being inclined for a chat, I asked mine
host how he, who, from the valuable
fnrniture he possessed, I took to bo a
man decently well off, could bear to live
in such a pig-sty. He replied that he
always wore sabots, which could not be
wet through, and as to sleeping in such
a place, what did it matter to him ;
when once safely shut up in bis lit clot
or wonderful Breton cupboard arranged
as a bed), he did not care if tbe sea were
to come in to the floor. The poorest
shanties have their bedstead and armoire,
mostly of fine-grained wood, and beauti
fully carved. This . particular anberge
had Its whole side filled up with the
family sleeping arrangements, all con
structed in one single piece of furniture.
A sort of tall, beautifully carved cup
board extended the whole length of the
wall, which contained a bed at either
end, and an upright clock in the middle
a clock like the kitchen clock of our
ancestors. During the daytime tbe
bedding is Invisible, as also, I suppose,
during the night, for it is reached
through two little sliding doors, having
little dwarf pillars for the admission of
air. Tbe doors are only opened to
admit or give egress to the tenants. Day
and night they are kept shut, so that
you may go Into such a room (as I have
done) at midnight without seeing man,
woman, or child, until the little doors
slide back, and a whole family of heads
peep out from within what may be
called a night parlor. Add to this lit
clos or armoire (a cupboard with large
folding-doors), a few pots and pans, a
form or two, and a table, and you have
a complete inventory of a Breton house,
whether it he occupied by a farmer or a
laborer. A year ago I went to see a
chateau which was to be let. It belong
ed to a rich peasant farmer who, when
he bought the estate, moved straight
Into the stable,and I saw him there with
cows, horses, pigs, and servants, only
divided from his dwelling-room by a
slight wooden partition. I put the ser
vants with the cattle, because it was
literally so arranged ; one man slept In a
little box bedstead In a stable with ten
cows-an arrangement whloh my farmer
said was necessary, In case they broke
loose at night.
As the Breton peasant lives in a sort
of a primitive way amidst the cattle, so
he thinks and acts in a primitive way
also. Ills Ideas are few, and those few
descend to him from his ancestors. I
suppose that, with the exception of the
crying abuses arising from priestly
power, supported by the state in the
Middle Ages, and priestly misconduct
in accordance witli the very rude life of
those ages, the religion of Brittany
remains much as It was in the days of
St. Louis.
- - m-- -
Betting a Shirt Off.
t T SAY, Captain Brown, tell us-ls
X it true? They say you can win
every bet you make."
"Yes, Colonel," said the Captain,
smiling, " it is quite true."
" Nonsense 1' ' chorused a dozen voices.
" Itisn't nonsense," said the Colonel ;
" for Tm told on very good authority
namely, his old Colonel, a dear friend of
mine that it is true. He told it when it
was first settled that Brown was to
exchange; and now, you hear he attests
to It himself."
" Proof, proof I" cried the otherB.
"Ah I" said the Colonel, "proof.
Come, Brown, how is it you manage
It V You won't mind telling, I sup
pose?" "Oh, dear, no," said Brown, smiling,
" 1 don't mind telling. You see, 1 study
the countenance of the man I bet with,
and know beforehand how matters will
be. I can read a man's face enough ' for
the purpose of the wager."
" You can read mine, then ?" asked
the Colonel, chuckling.
" Oh, yes," was the calm reply.
And tbe officers around the table grew
interested.
"What can you read there, then ?"
Captain Brown looked at him intent
ly, for a few moments, and then said :
" Well, for one thing, I can read that
the old wound on your back has broken
out afresh."
" Nonsense!" roared the Colonel. "I
never had a wound on my back."
The younger ofllcers exchanged glan
ces, and the Colonel saw it, and It made
him more angry.
" You do not like the subject touch
ed," said Captain Brown gravely-
then we will pass it over. I beg your
pardon for touching so tender a place."
"But confound it all, sir!" roared
the Colonel, " I have no wound on my
back to break out afresh."
The Captain smiled.
"Come, then," said the Colonel, fight
ing hard to keep down his anger, "you
are a betting man ; I'll bet you two ten
pound notes to one that I have not got a
wound, nor yet even a scar of a wound-
even a scratch upon my back. Will you
bet?"
"With pleasure, if it pleases you,
Colonel."
" Damme, sir, it does please me ! I
want this cleared up. A wound on my
back 1 Damme, sir, I never turned my
back to the enemy in my life! Now,
sir, will you bet?"
" I will," said the Captain, speaking
reluctlantly, as if he were forced into it ;
while the Colonel was growing purple
from suppressed rage.
"Qood, then," said the Colonel;
" twenty poundB to ten. The mess here
are witnesses. Smith, lock the door."
A young Cornet obeyed ; and, heated
by wine, the Colonel, In lils rage and
desire to prove his new Captain to be
what he mentally called a humbug, pro
ceeded to divest himself of all his upper
garments, revealing several bullet-scars
and sword-cuts upon his chestandarms;
but there was not the vestige of a scratch
upon his back.
" Come, look all of you!'-' cried the
Colonel ; " I'm not ashamed. You'll
find no old wound upon my back."
One and all inspected the old gentle
man, and declared there was not a scar.
" Now, Captain Brown," said the
Colonel, "perhaps you will come and
look, sir, and satisfy yourself?"
"I'll take the word of these gentle
men, Colonel," said Brown. "I Lave
lost. I was mistaken."
" Humph ! I'm glad of that," said the
Colonel, snatching himself back into his
clothes, and at last buttoning up his
coat, " I'm afraid, sir, you could not read
my countenance." '
" No, sir. I confess I could not ; I
am beaten. Here are your ten Bounds.'''
The Colonel chuckled and looked
delighted as he pocketed the money, for
this, and the feeling that he had been
too much for the new captain, put him
in the best of humors. So Jolly was he
that he patted Brown affectionately on
the baak when they parted.
"You couldn't read me, my lad, eh?
No, no ; rather too deep for you, eh
eh?"
" Much too deep, Colonel. I was
beaten," said Brown.
And from that day, for a whole fort
night, Brown's glory as a better was
under eclipse. At the end of that fort
night there was a change.
The reason was this:
Colonel Ilolllns was so delighted at
having, as he said, beaten the better
man, that he wrote to his friend, the
Colonel of the Lancers regiment.
Deak Waiiiiev : That was all gam
mon about Brown's luck at betting.
He said he' could read people's faces,
and so won in that way ; and, hang me,
if the first night he was here he didn't
bet that I had a reopened wound on my
back. I bet him, of course two to
one proved to lilm I had not, and
pocketed his 10. It will be a lesson for
him. He is a nice fellow, though, and
we will like him very much.
Yours very truly,
John Hollinb.
An answer came back in the course
of a post or two.
Dear Rollins : Glad you like
Brown. Hang him ! we don't. He has
bitten us too often, and has lust bitten us
again. Confound him ! The night be
fore he left us I was talking about what
a sharp officer you were quite a Tartar
and he laid a wager with me, that was
taken, too, by half of the ofllcers in the
mess, that he'd do as he liked with you ;
In fact, that the very first time you
dined together he'd make you take otF
your shirt before the whole mess, and
that you would write and tell me. You
may keep Brown, We don't want him
back. Faithfully yours,
Fiiank Waruen.
A Wonderful Organ.
It Is said that the organ which is now
being built In London for the Stewart
Memorial Cathedral at Garden City will
be the largest and most wonderful in
the world. It will cost about $40,000,
and will probably have nearly one hun
dred and twenty stops. The following
description gives some idea of this great
organ, or rather the method of perform
ing upon It : " At one end of the cathe
dral there is a room in a tower behind a
large painted window, which will be
connected with the key-board in the
choir by electricity. The window will
he opened and closed by an electric apa
ratuB, which will produce the cfTect of
an ordinary swell organ. Above the
celling, in the centre of the building,
will be the echo organ, and beneath the
choir, in a chapel, still another part,
each of which will be played from the
choir. And finally, the great chime of
bells In the tower will be connected
with the choir, so that the organist can
use it in connection with the organ.
The bellows will be worked by five
hydraulic machines."
How They Caught Her.
John Nevins was a fireman on the
Evart and Osceola Railroad in Michi
gan. A Jog was chained to the track
one night, and his locomotive wrecked,
killing him instantly. His widow sued
the company for $5,000 damages. While
tbe suit was pending a good looking
young fellow made her acquaintance,
professed to fall in love with her, and
made a marriage engagement. Having
confidence in him, Mrs. Nevins told
him that the log was placed on the track
at her request, she desiring to get rid of
her husband, while they were to have
all the money that could be gained by a
lawsuit. The wooer induced her to
repeat the story in the hearing of con
cealed witnesses, and then had her
arrested. He was a detective in the
company's employ.
Burled Oak Timber.
In deepening a river in the neighbor
hood of Norrkoplng, says the " Timber
Trades Journal," in order to make it
accessible for ships of heavier draught,
among several objects of Interest brought
up from the bottom, eight oak trees were
found at a depth of seven feet under the
old bottom. The bark was almost de
cayed, and when it was taken off the
wood was found to be black, resembling
ebony. The trees are supposed to have
been lying in the earth 000 years. The
trees have been sold to a firm of joiners,
who intend using them for cabinet
work.
Shrewdness and Ability.
Hop Bitters so freely advertised in all
the papers, Becular and religious, are
having a large sale, and are supplanting
all other medicines. There is no deny
ing the virtues of the Hop plant, and
the proprietors of these Bitters have
shown great shrewdness and ability in
compounding a Bitters, whose virtues
are so palpable to every one's observa
tion. Exchange. 10 2t
"What every one says must be
true," that" Dr. Sellers' Cough Syrup"
has no equal for coughs aud colds. Try
it. Price 25o.
SICLLEltS'
COUGH
SYllUPl
50 Years Before the Tubllc !
Pronounced by all to be the moat Pleasant
and efllcaclons remedy bow la use, for the
cure of Coughs, Colds, Croup, Hoarseness,
Tickling sensation of the Throat, Whooplne
Cough, etc. Over a million bottles sold
within the last few years. It gives relief
wherever used, and has the power to impart
benefit that cannot be had from the cough
mixtures now In nse. Bold by all Druggists at
25 cents per bottle.
SELLERS' LIVER FILLS
are also highly recommended for curing liver
complaint, constipation, sick-hcadacbes, fever
and ague, and all diseases of the stomach and
liver. Boldly all by all Drngglsts at 25 cents
per box. 40 ly
t R. E. SELLERS A CO., Pittsburg, Pa.
J. M. Oinvm. j. H. Gihvw
J.M. GIRVIN & SON.,
FLOUR, GRAIN, SEED 61 PRODUCE
Commission Merchants, .
No. 64 Ronlh Onj, St.,
BALTIMORE, MD.
We will pay strict attention to the sale of all
kinds of Country 1'roduce and remit the amounts
promptly. 45 1vr.
J. M. GIRVIN 9 BON.
jypSSER & ALLEN
CENTRAL STORE
NEWPORT, FENN'A. 1
Mow offer the publlo
A UARB AND ELEGANT ASSORTMENT OF
DRESS GOODS
Consisting sf all shades suitable for the season
BLACK ALP AC CAS
AND
Mourning Goods
A SPECIALITY.
BLEACHED AND UNBLEACHED
MUSLINS,
AT VARIOUS PBICKS.
AN ENDLESS SELECTION OF PRINT8I
We sell and do keep a good quality of
SUGARS, COFFEES & SYRUPS
And everything under the head of .
GROCERIES!
Machine needles and oil for all makes of
Maohlnes.
To be convinced that our goods are
CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST,
IS TO CALL AND EXAMINE STOCK. .
No trouble to show goods.
Don't forget the
CENTRAL STORE,
Newport, Perry County, Pa.
DRUGS. DRUGS.
JACOB STRICKLER,
(Successor to Dr. M. B. Strlckler)
PHARMACIST,
NEW BL00MFIELD, FENN'A.
A,YINO Meceeded the late Arm of Dr. M. B.
Strlckler In the Drug Business at his Store-room,
on MAIN 8THKKT, two doora East of the Big
Sprlnn, I will endeavor to make It in everyway
worthy the patronage of the public.
Personal and strict attention AT ALL TIMES
given to the compounding and dispensing Physi
cians' presciptions, so as to Insure accuracy and
guard against accidents.
BEAR IJT ZfIIM
that my stock has been recently selected and care
taken to have everything cf the BEST QUALI
TY. The publlo may rest assured that ALL med
icines that leave my store shall be as represented
-PURE and UNADULTERATED 'aeu"!a
I BATE CONSTANTLY OS HAND
HAIR Oil, and POMADES
HAIR, TOOTH and NAIL-BRUSHES.
BURGEONS, TOILET. and
CARRIAGE SPONGES,
VVSF BOXES. TOILET POWDEHS,
CASTILE and fANCV SOAPS.
PERFUMERY OF ALL KINDS,
Together with Fresh and Genuine Patent Medi
cines of every description.
ALSO,
Segars, Tobacco, School Books, &c.
ORANGES, LEMON3 & BANANAS,
. In season.
Pure Wines and Liquors for Medicinal
rnrposes.
Terms, Strictly Cash. ,
By strict attention to business, I hope to merit
the eoundence aud favor of the public.
AprtmiSTO. OBSTB.CKtEB.Ph.G.