The Guests Were
Escorted Down The Avenue By Their Host And His Family, And As He Bade Them
Good Night, The Shouts And Merry Laughter Of The Younger Ones Rang
Joyfully In The Night Air, Startling The Passers By With Their Frolicsome
Happiness.
Mr. Perrault's table had a wide reputation, and although he never issued
general invitations, it was rarely without two, or more, guests, for those
who happened to be at the Asyle at meal time were cordially invited
to join in the family repast.
From taste and habit, his board ever
presented a tempting display; but, as regards himself, he was most
abstemious, partaking sparingly and of but few dishes, while to his guests
his hospitality was unbounded. His old cook sometimes found her task
hard, or pretended to; and on one occasion, returning from confession, she
remarked that she had said to M. le Cure, when he counselled patience and
submission, "je voudrais bien vous y voir," (I would like to see you in
my place). Even in those days cooks were testy, for, when Mr. Perrault
found fault with her, she would answer as impertinently as one could in
these days: "voulez-vous que je vous dise la verite? Vous commencez a
etre degoute de ma cuisine," (Do you want me to tell you the truth? You
are getting tired of my cooking). To the tried and impatient, the above
incidents will cause them to ask themselves if there be any truth in the
old saying: "God sent us food and the devil sent us cooks."
A custom illustrative of the habits of that period, was the visit of
relations on New Year's morning. Old and young presented themselves at
five o'clock and repaired in a file to Mr. Perrault's bedroom to receive
his blessing. He afterwards rose, dressed and made all happy by giving
them suitable presents and paying graceful compliments. Later in the day
was witnessed a still more interesting scene, when his pupils, of both
sexes, and doubtless to their fullest number, arrived at his hospitable
mansion to offer him their grateful acknowledgements of his kindness. A
table, close by where he sat, in a large arm chair, was covered with piles
of "horns of plenty," filled with sweetmeats, and to each he presented
one, with a small piece of silver; and these children, who needed more
substantial gifts, had but to make their wants known and they were rarely
refused.
On that day he also made calls immediately after Grand Mass, in the
extremity of his politeness carrying his hat under his arm, regardless of
the weather, with the queue of his wig blown to and fro by the
wind. His arrival, as a matter of coarse, caused a social stir, often
recalled with pleasure by many afterwards.
MARCHMONT.
"Oh! give me a home on that bold classic height,
Where in sweet contemplation in age's dark night,
I may tread o'er the plain where as histories tell
Britain's stout-hearted Wolfe in his victory fell."
Adjoining the expanse of table land, now known as the Plains of
Abraham, and divided from it to the east by a high fence, lies with a
southern exposure a level and well-cultivated farm - Marchmont -
tastefully laid out some sixty summers ago by Sir John Harvey, next
occupied for several years by Sir Thomas Noel Hill, subsequently owned
by Hon.
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