Newspaper Page Text
SUNDAY MORNING.
The Mushroom Coves of Paris.
By Edouard Charles.
WITH most cities Ilf*? begins
at the ground floor (cellars,
sewers and electric tubes al
ways excepted) anil ends at
thp top story, but In I’aris, while busi
ness is being profitably conducted in
the bright sunshine of the loftiest
etnge, it Is also being as profitably
pursued in the darkness of the depths
below, far beneath even the sewers
and the famous Metropolitan Railway
of wbleit the Parisians are wo proud.
For Paris Is honeycombed with sub
terranean vaults and passages, it is
literally built uion columns and walls,
and if one ilne morning the world
awoke to learn tlini the bottom had
fallen out of the (Jay t'apital and it
bad crumpled up like a bouse of cards
It would be no surprising thing to those
familiar with the underground world
of Paris. It would sarin as though
the former inhabitants had devoted
their efforts to hewing out a place
■wherein they might seek refuge irt
case of dire necessity, for, though few
are aware of the fact, the entire popu
lation of Paris could hide itself be
neath the city.
To build the city we know so well
to-day past generations drived and
dug beneath It for the coveted stone.
What then were quarries hare now be
come oaves, poll lons of which have
been converted into catacombs and
contain the bones of the dead, while
others are used for the very mundane
purpose of growing mushrooms—those
sweet, tasty little champignons with
out which no ragout is complete and
which one never fails to find on a
French menu. The mushroom is tv
comestible particularly favored by the
French. Wagon-loads from near and
far find their way iuio the central
THE PARMER PKSOKNDS TO TUB "LOWER
REGIONS. 1 ’
markets of the city every day In the
year, and the annual consumption by
the Parisians of this vegetable repre
sents n value of over a quarter of it
million Kterlin.tr. Both bciienlli the
city itself and outside it those strange
mushroom-caves extend for miles in
ail directions; and in them hundreds
of men, xvho often never we daylight
from morn till eve, puss their lives in
cultivating the champignon.
1 was told that 1 should find these
"under-boulevards" of the great city
well worthy of it visit, and in a weak
moment of curiosity 1 accepted the
offer of an intliiential friend to obtain
per mission for myself and a photog
rapher to deseend Into the bowels of
the earth and learn something of tin*
art of underground mushroom-grow
ing.
We departed one tine morning, the
photographer and l, for Malakoff. on
the outskirts of Paris. We found tht
mushroom-farmer on his farm await
ing ns—a well-built, hltitf. hearty speci
men of French fermler, M. Bnrvingt
by name. 1 looked around for signs of
caves, but failed to find them, nor did
1 see any hills in the neighborhood
under which they might tie. In an
swer to a question X was Informed that
they were just fifteen metres under
our fret!
"This shaft leads right into them."
Raid the farmer, indicating a covered
circular hole in the ground l had not
hitherto noticed. He pulled the hoards
away and l looked down, shuddering,
for 1 looked only into fathomless dark
ness. How we were to get down pur.-
aled me; how the photographic np-
A BEND IN' THE GALLERY SUOWLNG "OHAMPitiNONN.STES" AT
WORK.
paratus was going tn fare worried the
photographer. amt wo were both im
mensely relieved to learn that this
shaft was not the entrance, but only
the place where they pitcheu the
manure tlowu. 1 still bail hopes of
gaining entrance oilier than by de
scending a shaft u gentle slope or
something of that sort was what I
wanted -and I felt convinced that, this
would be the case when our guide said
we had rather a long walk before ns.
It proved a good three-quarters of an
hour's Journey, over fields and down
country lanes, ere lie slopped suddenly
before a small square fence and told
11s we had reached our destination.
And we had been following the line
of one of the underground passages
THE ROUND WHITE DISCS ARE YOUNG MUSHROOMS -THE CKII*-
ING HERE IS ABOUT THREE FEET FROM THE FLOOR.
all the time! Opening, a gate, the
farmer revealed a shaft. After our
guide had disappeared over the ledge
atal reached the bottom the photog
rapher followed him. When tin* prim
itive ladder oscillated no longer be
neath bin weight I went slowly and
silently down, landing safely Iti about
three inches of mini.
It had been 120 degrees in the situ
above, for the day was particularly
fine. Down here it was cold, damp,
dark and uninviting; so cold that 1
shivered Iu my shirl-sleeves, for I had
1.-tl my coat above. Our guide shout
ed, and his voice, being In keeping
with his stature, lillist the blackness,
rumbling away down the ninny arteries
leading from where we were standing
and coming back again from a dozen
different directions. In answer to his
call there presently danced In the dark
void ahead of ns a couple of lights.
They heralded the approach of a
couple of ehampignonnistos, who,
emerging from their habitual gloom,
disclosed themselves as short, dark
Individuals, of none too prepossessing
appearance, attired, with but scant re
gard for the temperature, in blue cot
ton trousers, blouses mid wooden
shoes. “
Provided with light—small round
eolza-01l lamps fixed on the ends of
slicks—and encumbered with the
photographic materials, we moved for
ward. anil then the real torture of the
experience began.
We formed a weird and ghostly pro
cession as wo moved forward through
the inky blackness, the silence broken
only by our footsteps as we splashed
along through the puddles, the solemn
drip, drip of water front the walls anil
roof, an exclamation now and then
from myself as I nearly tripped over
one of the mushroom-beds, and strange
mutterlngs from the man who was to
work the camera.
The famous mushroom-beds were at
our feet. We were, in fact, walking
iu the narrow space between them—a
path perhaps a foot in width. They
ran along the caves iu rows, two
against the sides and a pair down the
centre. They seemed to lie banks of
sand some two feet iu height, and in
clining up front a two-foot base to a
rounded lop. The soil was clammy
and crumbling to the touch, and inlaid
with round white discs, varying iu
circumference front tin* dimensions of
a shilling to a small-sized saucer—the
precious champignons.
“is there much of this?” 1 asked of
the former leading us. who seemed
prepared to walk on forever.
“Seven or eight kilometres.” he an
swered. unconcernedly.
We had arrived a; a bctul. How long
1 bad be u creeping onwards, bump
ing now my head and now an arm.
stumbling. sprawling and saying
tilings. 1 know tie : but my back ached
frightfully, and 1 appreciated more
than ever before the comforts of being
a short man.
It seemed we had walked for ages.
“We will take a photograph here,” j
said, which brought the party to a
halt. A blue, blinding glare went up.
illumining the space around with such
a light as It had never seen before,
and showing up plainly the trio of
champlgnonnistes crouched down as
they worked, and scaring a million
flies and spiders and goodness alone
knows what other insects anil vermin.
The light died down and went oat,
and again the lamps sprang into life
and shed their flickering, welcome
gleams around.
After securing some pictures we
gladly sought the upper world again.
I had no amliition to explore the eaves
in tlielr entirety, but oniy to get my
cramped spine once more into Us nor
mal position, to sit down and gather
mushroom knowledge from the lips of
the grower himself. Fifty years be
fore. lie told me, these caves had been
open to the broad light of day. They
were (he scene of great activity, re
sounding continually with the explo
sions of gunpowder, for there men
were quarrying the stone that helped
to build I'nrts. latter on they itad been
abandoned and covered in, to be finally
taken over by tin- cultivator of mush
rooms. This is the history of most of
the caves which are now used for this
purpose, not only in the neighborhood
of the* capital, but throughout France.
Rut all are not of tin* g-nre I have
just described. The famous caves of
lssy-les-Moitiineaux. owned by chain -
pignouniate Sauvageot, are in decided
contrast to those previously visited; as
large as the others were small—thirty
feet in height ar least. And there was
no ladder to descend; one walked
straight into the tunnel from the day
light. for it pierced a hill, a chalk hill
whence had been quarried thousands
of tons of chalk of tin* quality that
makes acquaintance with the tips of
billiard cues. The main tunnel, cutting
clean into the hill for a distance of
not less than 250 yards, would have
easily admitted a carriage and pair
carrying another vehicle on top. As
mushroom eaves go it was certainly a
handsome one, but just as cold uml
| .
BASKETS OP FRESH-GATHERED MC3H
KOOMS AWAITING COLLECTION.
damp as any other, with a switchback
sort of road loading front the entrance
to the bottom of the caves. Here there
was space for six linos of mushroom-
Neds to wend their irregular ways sid
in' side, as w ill he seen itt our photo
graph.
There were six of tlmse large galler
ies, from which numerous others ran
off. t w isting and winding about to the
length of some seven kilometres. Cut
in the sides of the passages were
numerous little “chapels," some on it
level with tin*' ground, others high up
itt the side of the wall. In nil. these
eaves contained some sixty kilometres
of fine mushroom-beds: spiders and
flies we found there iu their millions,
the only occupants beyond being rats
and the eats that an? kept there to
catch them.
In no cave of such dimensions are
all the ntushrooui-lipils in the same
stage of advancement at once. While
some thousands of metros are in full
bloom, others arc not so far advanced,
and in some passages the beds are
only jtist being laid down, while in
others the work of clearing out old and
useless bods is being carried on.
Scrupulous cleanliness is an absolute
sine qua non ere anew bed ean be
laid down. The cave must he cleared
of the old bed entirely: not a particle
of it must be left, for with all the
mushroom's aptitude for lightning
growth it is something of a dandy iu
the vegetable world.
New beds are laid down every live or
six months, and as they do not bear
until throe months have passed the
harvest need be a rich oug. for the
THE BRUNSWICK /DAILY NEWS.
average cost of a bed ere it shown
sigg* of produce is two and a half
francs per metre. First the manure
has to be secured, and then, ere It can
be used, it has to be prepared, the work
taking from three to six weeks. When
ready It is carried into the cave or
shoveled down a shaft as occasion re
quires.
The building of the beds is a peculiar
and laborious process. .Silting astride
the portion of the bed he has lirst
made the worker gathers armfulls of
manure and presses the material down
to an even height In front of him. Thus
he is always provided with a seat . Ere
the spawn is sown the temperature of
the beds must have reached about
twelve degrees to fourteen degrees
Fab. Tie- spnjru sown, the manure is
covered wirii sand, and then every two
or three days the beds must be liberally
watered. At the end of three months
the "buttons” poke their heads through,
then gradually the beds become cov
ered with white hoods, which on at
taining the required size are collected
for market. Unless, however, a metre
yields four kilos of mushrooms at Un
icast the proprietor of the cave lias
little- occasion to be cheerful, for its
creation and care account for an out
lay of three francs, while tile harvest
only fetches a franc per kilo.
Winter is the best ‘season for the
champignonniste. Then. M. Sauvageot
told me. he sends to market no fewer
than one hundred baskets a day. which
means 1100 kilos, while during the
other seasons of the year forty baskets
ot 440 kilos is the daily output. In the
production of tiiis perennial harvest
thousands of workmen find employ
ment round Paris alone men who pass
their days in damp and darkness, with
only spiders and flies to keep them
company, and yet seem to experience
no evil effects as the result of
tli“ir strange surroundings.—The Wide
World Magazine.
A Goftftlp’ft r.ridlc,
The brant was practically n scold's
or gossip’s br UJUkJoi ving for its object
the suppression of idle and abusive
language, says the Golden Penny.
This instrument of justice resembles
a rude helmet, opening at the sides to
admit the head, and fastened by a
padlock at tic back. Other varieties
show a plate iu the front, and some
times titled with a knife blade, which
was secured in the month, effectually
restraining the movements of the
tongue. Thus gagged, the wretched
the brake.
culprit was paraded round the town,
and perhaps chained to the market
cross to be scoffed at by one anil all.
The earliest mention of the brank
is in 15i>7, and it was tlieu used iu
Edinburgh. The instrument here pic
tured is datsil li;.'"!, rnd being such a
rare and perfect specimen, it is very
carefully preserved in the vestry of the
parish chinch at Watton-on-Thames.
Indeed, it is the oldest example iu ex
istence at the present time.
A Keinarknhle Fil.
A most remarkable specimen of fish
is iu the possession of Gasper 11.
Kroeger, of Milwaukee. It was
brought to tills country by a soldier
from the Philippines. From the for
motion of its teeth the fish might be
said to belong to the rodent family, if
such a classification could be made u*
fish. Its teeth project from the front
of Its mouth, exactly as do those of
rats and squirrels, and its head is de
void of gills. There arc no scales upon
its body, but it is covered with small,
rough ossicles or bony plates. At the
base of the tail are seven lance-like
spines on one side and nine on the
other, and the eyes are set ar the top
of the head* In spite of the general
piratical appearance of the fish, it is
said to be good eating, tin’ average
length Icing about eight inches. No
fish like it lias ever beet! found in this
country, and the species is said to be
scarce in the Philippines.
>*< Nt>wpa|)r in Korea.
The overworked and sufferers from
nervous prostration will timl a real
haven of rest iu Korea, says Hie Lon
don Express. There is no such thing
as a novel or newspaper iu the laud.
No regular story-writer is known to
have lived there for 1000 years. Edu
cation consists in a knowledge of the
immortal Chinese classics. So sacred
are printed books to the Koreans t list
they cannot be tossed about or trodden
upon without offending the gods.
The t*o|e.
Should the Tope live till T.)o:> he will
celebrate bis diamond jubilee as a
Bishop, his golden jubilee as a Car
dinal and his silver jubilee as a Pope.
\*Hajr Cure.
The Territorial Board of Health of
Hawaii is to begin a series of experi
ments to determine the value ofr X-rays
{ in the treatment of leprosy.
HOUSEHOLD * 9 9
* * * * MATTERS
A Dainty l)Uh.
Pommes ala princess are prepared
as follows: Peel one and a half pounds
of cooking apples, cut them up "and
cook in three-quarters of a pint of
water with four or six ounces of loaf
sugar, according to the sweetness of
the apples, two bay leaves and the
finely cut peel of one lemon. When
the apples are perfectly soft, dissolve
with them threc-quaters of tin ounce
of gelatin and pass tbp whole through
n tammy, mixing in a quarter of a
pint of cream with tin* puree. Line
a charlotte mold with lemon jelly
colored pink and pour in the apple
puttee. Put to set aud when colli turn
out and serve.
llouttHioM ‘*(.U Stork.'*
A spick ami span housekeeper of my
acquaintance rented a small house
which, as she herself expressed It.
“ougli- to have been rented for a
Chinese restaurant, i.- was so well
provided with appropriate live stock.”
As soon as tip- unpleasant discovery
was made itoo laic, of course, to with
draw from the bargain! she entered
upon a policy of discouragement which
hits since rid the house of every in
truder. This was done by bottling
ail household supplies kept in the clos
eis. so that, if they remained, the ani
mals (and eel era t mast starve to and -ath.
The Id ol occurred fo her while pass
ing a -diop v/ite;;’ several dozens of
large preserve Jars were offered at bar
gain rates, list the spur of ihe moment
she purchased Hie entire lot and had
them scut home. The litis were pret
tily painted with white enamel. Into
the jars slit- put everything edible ou
tin* closer shelves. Several contained
sugar, several breakfast foods, and
bread crumbs, rice, beaus, peas, meal,
ct cetera, made up the number. Not
only w-cre the goods kept fresh and
free of dust, hut within a short time
the marauders went elsewhere. Jars
will be found Iwqter for the discourag
ing process than anything else, even
including special tin boxes, for the
reason that they require no labeling,
the contents being always visible. —
Good Housekeeping.
of Cook ins: Apple*. •
Custard Apple Charlotte—Place iu a
buttered pit* dish some slices of apple
and sugar and lemon juice, two ounces
of the former and a squeeze of the
latter: fill to the top of the dish. Bake
till tender. Make half a pint of'etts
tard and pour over the apples in the
pie dish, which will have shrunk.
Rake till lit custard itas set aud serve
ill the pie dish.
• • *
Nursery Pudding—Take as many
cored and pared apples as will till a
pie dish; boil them in light syrup; pre
pare a quarter of a pound of rice in
milk with sugar and salt; put some of
Ihe rice in Hu* pie dish, put In the ap
ples and til! up with rice. Bake until
blown.
* * *
Apple Fritters Take some flour, a
il-tle baking powder and ntix with milk
to a thick batter. Have ready some
boiling fat. also some -sliced apples;
till some deep patty tins with hatter
and put a slice of apples iu the centre
:>f cadi one. Then plunge into the
fat. and when a golden brown takeout
and drain ou tissue paper and serve
hot with caster sugar. They should
be crisp aud light.
* *
Apple Cake-Grate as much stale
bifcad as will till a breakfast cup. a
teacupful of finely chopped suet or
butter, half a teacupful of sugar, the
strained juice and grated rind of a
lemon, a hreaktast cupful of finely
chopped apples, a little grated nutmeg
aril two eggs. Mix well. Rutter a
basin put in tit- mixture and steam
for one hour anil a half. Serve with
sweet sauce.
.(HOVSEHOLD
Potato parings dried in the oven
make excellent kindlings for the
kitchen range.
A Mule kerosene applied with a
v.oolea rag to tinwato will impart a
brilliant polish.
A good way to prevent lamp glasses
from cracking is to put them in coliL
water, bring it to a boil and let thcrifl
cool gently.
Blotting paper placed lietv.Aßfine
elunn plates when it is necessary to
pile them together will be fouud useful.
Cut the paper iu circles large enough
to cover t lie inside of the plates.
Avery pronounced revival of the
gilt-banded white china dinner sets, so
much estcfnied by housewives of Revo
lutionary days, lias been brought about
by the fad for all things Colonial.
J#igv Oileloth may be brightened l.y
being washed with clean water with a
little borax dissolved in it; wipe it
with a ttatitle! cloth tint: you have
dipped into milk and then wring as dry
as possible.
The best way to remove marks made
by hot water jugs on polished trays
or tables is to make a thin paste of
salad oil and salt, leave it on the mark
or ring for half an hour. Then polish
wiiii a dry cloth and, the mark will
have disappeared. "
lo taKe out fruit stains, tie up cream
of tartar in toe spotted places and put
the garment into cold water ami boil
it. It the stains ace much spread stir
Cream of tartar iu the water. If still
visible, boil the garment in a mixture
of superearbonate of soda, a table
spoonful to a pail of water.
SEPTEMBER 11.
TO YOUNG LADIES.
From the Treasurer of the
Young People’s Christian Tea
nerance Association, Elizabeth
Caine, Fond du Lac, Wis.
“ I)sab Mrs. I'ixkham:—l want to
tell you and all the young ladies at the
country, how grateful I am to you for
all the benefits 1 have received from
using Lydia 11. Pisikbam’s Vege
table Compound. i suffered for
MISS ELIZABETH CAIXE.
sight months fro-i suppressed men
struation, .uiJ it effected my entire
system until I became weak and debil
it-itcd, and at times felt that [ had a
hundred aches in as many places. I
only used the Compound for a few
weeks, but it wrought a change in me
which i fdt from the very beginning.
I have been very regular since, have no
pains, and find that my entire body ia
as if it was renewed, f gladly recom
mend Lydia K. I’iukliara’s Vege
table Compound to everybody.”—
Mist Elizabeth i junk, 5S W. Division
St., Fond dn Lac. iris. —;SCOO forfait If
ab9"t tg&Ti’vouial it not ;*nuint.
At such a time the greatest aid to
nature is Lydia K. Pinkham’s
Vegetable Compound. It. prepares
the young system for the coming
change, aud is the surest reliance for
woman's ills of every nature.
Mrs. I‘inkhum invites all
young women who aro 111 to
write bar for free advice. Ad
dress Lynn, M.
Malsby & Company,
41 S. Forsyth hr.. Atlanta, Ga
Engines and Boilers
Mrn Witter HfAtr, Steam Pump* and
Paiberthj lnJetor.
Manufacturers and Dealer* la
SAW MILLS,
Corn Mill*, Feed Mill*, Cotton Cain Machin
ery and Crain Separator*.
SOLID and INSERTED Saw*. Saw Teeth ttuA
Locks. Kuifht'* Patent l)os:. Hlrdsall Saw
Mill and Kuffhi* Opalr*, Governor*, Orate
Bar* and a full line of Mill dnupMes. Price
aud quaJlty of goods guaranteed. Catalogue
free by mentioning this paper.
If more sales ot Ripans Tubules
are made daily than of any other
medicine, the reason may be found
in the fact that there is scarcely any
condition of ill health that ts not
benefited by the occasional use of a
Rlpaus Tabule. and a package, con
taining ten, is obtainable from any
druggist for five cent*.
At druggist*.
The Five-Ont packet is enough for an
ordinary occasion. Ihe family bottle,
ISO cents, contains a supply lor a year.
Genuine stamped CC 0. Sever sold in balk.
Beware of the dealer who tries to sell
‘‘something just as jjccd.”
FreeJTMfjnnßaJmcßj
TEfTH f If you bare n faith in raf tn<hod of
ifjS® \ send me & of your
kjjjfvjß .2) rooming urin* for an*lyt*. 1 will
tUn **nd you by maii my opinion or
vourdiaA*e>and one *•)(’• treatment
* if AU MST. You will tnu
doo-inoed tJhut icy trtment cure*.
.* A. MtilliagwwMd bftttltfof tiring *f\l
tfV wiJiktrN. DW.J.F.SHAPEk,
JSM Pc* Ave.. PitL**urg. P.
Beadaghe, **.
FEVERISH CONDITIONS
AND COLDS CURED BY
C APU J7> i>’ K
Mold by nit Drasglsls.
5 -X %• V* z~, MB e-\ BA s-v MSt M *a -- ss —sa
& m 10 CATS' TAIATSENT FH£E
E J /p 'Ear* E&'ifl Dtbjtj and it3 con-
Efjftfo y xuieatiuss a *j>ecihy tor twensv
[ years wita tfc® nost tyonderftU
a * A H&73 cured u&27 thona
's^^**l* cos**.
I>Z. Z. E. S2X2S'S SCITS,
'&r, Tox I* Atlanta, Ga.
EPFPRAY honi, 1
I uA 1 mining iTn;lnr#. N'ocao 1
r- filing Th* Horn# RfiArdy Cos., I
Ccmfort-chasers swear
&y ‘king Bee” (shot co)
S 5.50 Shoes.
Sm Azst '-vugfe dynip. Tastes Good. Dbc
we&Ji ejes, us# Thompion’s lj* Water