4326. LABORERS, French.—[continued].
I set out * * * to take a view of Fontainbleau. For this purpose
I shaped my course towards the highest
of the mountains in sight, to the top of
which was about a league. As soon as I
had got clear of the town I fell in with a
poor woman walking at the same rate with
myself, and going in the same course. Wishing
to know the condition of the laboring
poor, I entered into conversation with her,
which I began by enquiries for the path which
would lead me into the mountain; and thence
proceeded to enquiries into her vocation, condition
and circumstances. She told me she
was a day laborer, at eight sous, or four
pence sterling the day; that she had two
children to maintain, and to pay a rent of
thirty livres for her house (which would consume
the hire of seventy-five days), that often
she could get no employment, and of course
was without bread. As we had walked together
near a mile, and she had so far served
me as a guide, I gave her, on parting, twenty-four
sous. She burst into tears of a gratitude
which I could perceive was unfeigned because
she was unable to utter a word. She had
probably never before received so great an
aid.—
To Rev. James Madison.
Ford ed., vii, 34.
(Pa.,
1785)
