THE SUNNY SOUTH. 



CHAPTEE LIII. 



" La Prouven^o ounte 1'oulivo afloco 

 Sus li pendent de touti li coustiero." 



THE natives of these parts are, as a rule, frugal and 

 laborious, but, once their work is over, there are no 

 mortals in this world more festive. They pass their 

 cheerful life, to use Victor Hugo's words : 



" Aux rayons d'un ciel sans nuages, 

 Parmi le myrte et 1'aloes." 



A lady of the English middle class came in from 

 a walk with the report that there was a great fight 

 going on in an open place near the new Boulevard, 

 and such a crowd ! " Did not the police interfere ?" 

 some one inquired. " No ; why ever should they ?" 

 The other next asked how long the fight had been 

 going on. " Well, it began yesterday afternoon, and 

 they tell me that these fights often last two or three 

 days." " Goodness gracious ! " exclaimed her friend, 

 " a fight going on for two or three days, and the police 

 don't interfere : how shameful ! " Fortunately some 

 one then turned up who understood the Cockney 

 accent, and it became clear that nothing worse than a 

 " fete " was taking place. 



These " fights " begin in Spring, and they 

 continue all through the Summer, mostly on Sundays, 

 but often on week days as well. Sometimes there 



