JULIA KAVANAGH.




THE BRETONS AT HOME.

BY CHARLES W. WOOD, F.R.G.S., AUTHOR OF "THROUGH HOLLAND," "LETTERS
FROM MAJORCA," ETC. ETC.


The long grey walls, the fortifications, the church towers and steeples,
the clustering roofs of St. Malo came into view.

It is a charming sight after the long and often unpleasant night journey
which separates St. Malo from Southampton. The boats leave much to be
desired, and the sea very often, like Shakespeare's heroine, needs
taming, but, unlike that heroine, will not be tamed, charm we never so
wisely. As a rule, however, one is not in a mood to charm.

[Illustration: A BRETON MAIDEN.]

The Company are not accommodating. There are private cabins on board
holding four, badly placed, uncomfortable, possessing the single
advantage of privacy; but these managers would have them empty rather
than allow two passengers to occupy one of them under the full fare of
four. This is unamiable and exacting. In crowded times it may be all
very right, but on ordinary occasions they would do well to follow the
example of the more generous Norwegians, who place their state cabins
holding four at the disposal of anyone paying the fare of three