Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/183

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 123 ■was most sought was the beginning of tlie year. On New Year's Eve there was a cus- tom, among the young men, to gather in a numerous group, arrayed in fantastic dress, some appearing as clowns, some as negroes, and others as Indians, but eaeli carrying a bucket, box, basket or other receptacle. Thus dressed, the young men made their way from house to house, and at each place they sang what was called "La Guignolee." This was a jocular song in which there was de- manded from the master and mistress of the house their eldest daughter, and also a con- tribution of some sort of food which was called "La Guignolee." After the donation had been given the young men danced before the house and then went on to the next liouse. At some central point, before day, the whole population of the settlement assembled and heard mass. After mass all the children and grandchildren made their way to their parents where the.y placed themselves upon their knees and implored a parental blessing. This pleasing custom of submitting them- selves to the authority of their parents and of imploring a blessing upon them was one of the peculiar customs of the French settle- ments. On Januar.v 6th, of each year, there was given at some selected house a supper and a dance. A cake was baked for this occasion which contained four beans. At some time during the festivity the cake was cut into small pieces and a piece given to each girl present. The girls who were fortunate enough to obtain a slice containing one of the beans were hailed as queens. Each cjueen then selected some young man as king. The selection was made known by the presenta- tion to him of a bouquet. The four young men thus selected were charged with the preparation of the next ball. They made ar- rangements for it and bore the expenses of giving it. The.se balls were called Bals du Koi. At each one of them, arrangements were made for the holding of the next.* One thing concerning the condition of these French people, which struck all observ- ers, was the absence of anything like a caste, or even a class system among them. The people were almost all related by blood or by marriage, and this fact tended to produce a feeling of unity among them which very largely prevented the development of the class spirit. It was true, of course, that men of intelligence and wealth were more highly regarded than others, but this regard was largely a personal matter and was paid to the individual showing great attainments, and not to the class itself. Innovations were not regarded with favor. There was something of a clannish spirit among them. Th(v were satisfied «nth their conditions of life and they did not wish for changes. Their wants were easily sup- plied from the produce of the soil, and from the wealth obtained by traffic and from the mines. It is true everywhere, that among a population no larger than that of the French settlement, bound together by ties of blood and language in a country where plenty abounds for everyone, there is an absence of a stinnilus to great progress. This feeling that they had no need to display very great activity, a feeling of security and well being, led some who visited the settlements to re- gard the people as lazy. The.v were not lazy — the.v were industrious and frugal — but they found that they had time for leisure, and need not devote all of their energies to the acquisition of wealth. They were simple ' Jlissoiiri Ilistoi-ical Sofietv Collections, Vol. II, ■So. I, p. 12.