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Tous las autres exemplairas orlginaux sont fllmto en eommen9ant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustratlon et en termlnant par la darnlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparattra su.r la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifle "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signifle "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent ttre filmte A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est fllmA A partir de i'angle supArleur gauche, de gauche A drolte, et de haut en has. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les disgrammes suivants lllustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 ,,. 4. ,-y. A& 1 2 3 4 5 6 -*. '" <« : '-:, # MRS. LETITIA YOUMANS. :ii H ■if#'im>iimmmiifm *<<• J&; I N^ ECHOES w- mi ^^■■^•j?'w^^AP«V' OK » %%^. I.ETITJA YOUMANS, WRtlTK?? R-y RIKiefffir »»t V-i'* *«f5(Vf-»i:1.*t WOMAN'S • Th)!(^D Editio.".. ' ■ ( CAMPAIGN ECHOES., THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. LETITIA YOUMANS, THE PIONEER OF THE WHITE RIBBON MOVEMENT IN CANADA. I WRITTEN BY REQUEST OF THE PROVINCIAL WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION OF ONTARIO. INTRODUCTION BY MISS FRANCES E. WILLARD. Endorsed w Lady Henrv Somerset. Third Ewtion. TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS. NroMTREAL: C. W. COATES. Halifax: S. F. HUESTIS i ^^\ ,\- Entered accordinR to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thou- sand eight hundred and ninety-three, by William Briggs, Toronto, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa. ! I DEDICATORY. TO MY mhiU l^ibbon §tsiitxsi IN THIS AND OTHER LANDS THIS HUMBLE VOLUME . IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED, 'ilt-t. + V PREFATORY. At the request of my sisters in the work, I have en- deavored to recall the story of my life. It has been no easy task as an invalid confined to my bed, without the aid of any but the merest fragments of notes to call up the memories of the past. Had I not been blest with a most retentive memory, I would not have ventured to perform the task allotted me. I have endeavored truthfully to recall the transactions of the past, and bring prominently to view circumstances that might be of benefit to others. To Miss Frances Willard, President of the World's W.C.T.U., I am deeply indebted for many acts of sisterly kindness and official courtesy. In my days of health and prosperity she never failed to recognize me as a sister beloved. During my years tsf affliction and solitude her sympathizing letters Jiave cheered many a lonely hour. I cannot better express my appreciation of this noble woman than in the language of Bishop J. H. Vincent: ** Miss Willard is the best illustration of the 13th chapter of St. PauVs 1st letter to the Corinthians lever knew." She has labored as faithfully in Canada as in her own country ; her PREFATORY. name in the Dominion is a household word. Although I have never had the privilege of meeting Lady Somerset, yet her kind words of sympathy, conveyed through Miss VVillard, have called forth my deepest gratitude. One more generous friend, whose kindness I cannot fail to recognize, is my pastor, Rev. A. C. Crews, whose assistance in revising and otherwise preparing this volume for the press lays me under lasting obligations. Sometimes depressed in spirits or racked with pain, my memories have been transmitted to paper by the aid of an anianuensis. My desire is that I may leave behind me, 1893. *' Footprints on the sands of time ; Footprints that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's treacherous main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, may take heart again." Letitia Creiohton Youmans. *•**' ! .■ V •^^) INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY BELOVED FRIEND AND COMRADE, MRS. LETITIA YOUMANS, OF CANADA, FIRST PRESIDENT, AND NOW FOR A NUMRER OF YEARS HONORARY PRESIDENT, OF THE DOMINION woman's CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION. . The briefest possible definition of our Canadian sister is found in Paul's sententious words, "much, every way." Whether we consider her ample avoirdupois or the remark- able breadth of her views, the warmth of her heart or the weight of her arguments, the strenglh of her convictions or the many-sided brilliancy of her wit, the vigor of her common- sense or the wide extent of her influence, Mrs. Youmans is a woman altogether remarkable. Like most natures which unite so many royal qualities, and whuse kindness and simplicity are, after all, their crowning charm, Mrs. Youmans is a combination, in her ancestry and her experience, of widely varying elements. Her father, John Creighton, was an Irishman, her mother was a Yankee, and she herself was born and reared in Canada. She had the advantage of a close companionship with nature, having been brought up on her father's farm near Cobourg, where she was born Jan. 3rd, V / / VIU INTRODUCTION. 1827. Dr. Van Norman, now a well-known educator in New York city, was her earliest teacher, and from his school, the "Burlington Academy," at Hamilton, she gradu- ated with high honor at the age of twenty years. Here Letitia Creighton remained two years as a teacher. "From her early days," says a Canadian paper, " she manifested in a remarkable degree what have since become the most prominent traits of her character, namely, an intense desire for knowledge, an almost unlimited capacity for hard, intel- lectual toil, an unwavering determination to devote herself to the realization of a high ideal of life, and an intense sympathy with sorrowing and suffering humanity. The practical view she took of whatever most interested her, prevented this sympathy from being dissipated into mere sensibility, and made her an earnest and active promoter of whatever had for its object the amelioration of the condition of others. While at the Academy she was not more dis- tinguished among her schoolmates for hard work and rapid progress than for her zeal in enlarging the school library, in projecting and sustaining a literary periodical for the im- provement of herself and fellow-students, and in setting on foot and maintaining in operation' schemes of active bene- volence." At one of the Old Orchard temperance camp-meetings, Mrs. Youmans told us that a speech made by Neal Dow in her home at Picton, thirty years ago, convinced her that the liquor traffic is " the gigantic crime of crimes ; " and that INTRODUCTION. ix right reason, enlightened conscience, and wise statesman- , ship all demand its prohibition. ^ Though always sympathizing with the temperance cause, as with every form of philanthropy, the day of Mrs. Youmans' active public labors was long postponed. She was married at the age of twenty-three, and from that time lived quietly in Picton, Province of Ontario, until the trumpet-call of the "Women's Tempyerance Crusade" woke in her heart the deepest echo it had ever known. She had already organ- ized a Band of Hope, numbering hundreds of the children of her neighborhood, and the first autumn after the memor- able crusade year (1874), Mrs. Youmans, unheralded and uncredentialed, appeared in Trinity M. E. Church, Cincin- nati, at the first anniversary meeting of the W. C. T. Union. She modestly stated that she had " come to learn," but was courteously invited to address an evening mass meeting, and her powerful voice rang out for the first time over the historic battle-ground of the new and mighty war. Her American sisters were electrified. What a magazine of power was here, and what an explosion it would cause among the conservatives of the Dominion I From that time on, the name of Mrs. Youmans has been beloved and hon- ored in •* the States " even as it had already been " in her ain countrie," and at nearly all the great summer meetings she was wont to be our invited guest, always accompanied by her husband, a dignified and genial gentleman, who was very proud of her. /■■ I- INTRODUCTION. Her cheery greetings and unfailing bonhomie have greatly helped to strengthen the ties between the two sides of the line, and her favorite prediction about " the women tying tcgether across Lake Erie the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes with ribbons that are total abstinence badges, while the Yankee eagle soars above and the British lion crouches beneath," never fails to " bring down the house." . Mrs. Youmans was for years President of the W.C.T.U. of Ontario, and by her great gifts as a speaker, and her remark- able energy and effective work, did more than any other one to make the W. C. T. U. known in Canada. Clear and logical as were all of her appeals, Mrs. Youmans was never so effective as on her favorite theme of " home protection," though she declined to give to those words, dear to American White Ribboners, the broader significance they have acquired upon the prairies. Her addresses founded on the books of Esther and Nehemiah, are among the most forcible appeals ever uttered for prohibitory law. All honor to brave Letitia Youmans, and may " the ripe, round, mellow years " of her life's benignant afternoon be crowded full of trophies for the Master whom she loves; for although she now lies on a bed of pain, having been pros- trated by that most agonizing disease, inflammatory rheu- matism, in August, 1889, our Canadian Great-heart, with her blithe and sunny spirit, still illustrates that wonderful saying of Holy Writ, " The Lord hath not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." ' i INTRODUCTION. XI Although unable to use her pen, she has, by the invitation of the White Ribbon women of Canada, in which invitation her American sisters heartily joined, dictated the heroic story of her helpful life. I most earnestly hope that this book, which no woman can read without being glad and proud that she is a woman, may have a large sale, and that the financial outcome of this enterpnse may afford our beloved sister a comfortable maintenance now that she is unable to oe self-supporting by any other means. If everyone who has listened to that deep voice, those cogent arguments, that motherly heart beating through every word, would buy one of these books, Mrs. Youmans need never have another anxious thought as to the suppiy of current needs or the provision for her old age. I shall do all in my power to help the circulation of the book in America and England ; and by our united efforts in making known its high merits, I am confident we can do a stroke of work for temperance and for one of its most faithful and gifted advocates, who deserves well of the cause and of her comrades. Lady Henry Somerset joins me in these expressions of affectionate appreciation and good-will. FRANCES E. WILLARD, President of the Worlds s Womatis Christian Temperance Union. Eastnor Castle, Jan. 26, 1893. ■ -xfi^ (t l< CONTENTS. Chapter I. PIONEER EXPERIENCES. Pao« Parentage — Birthplace — Named after a Lady of Rank — ^Life in the Backwoods— Cutting down the Forest Trees — Glimpse into a Pioneer's Home— The Farmer's Garden. 17 Chapteb II. SCHOOL DAYS. A Primitive Seat of Learning— The Country Schoolmaster who Boarded Round — A Schoolhouse Temperance Pledge^ Asiatic Cholera — An Eclipse — Evils of Intemi>erance in the Early Days — Opening of Upper Canada Academy at Cobom-g 28 Chapter III. SCHOOL DAYS— Continued. Discouragements — ^The Prospect Brightens — Leaving Home — Training in the Ladies' Seminary at Cobourg — Victoria College Reception — Some Notable Names — Conversion — Graduation— Seminary Removed to Hamilton — Became . a Teacher 44 Chapter IV. RURAL LIFE. Introduction of Telegraphy and Photography — ^The Old-time CSmp-meeting — Tne Early Itinerants : Dunham, Losee, Wm. Case, the Ryersons, Anson Green, Richard Jones and Miss Barnes — Opposition of Elder Case to Women Speakers — Lorenzo Dow — Elihu Burritt — Marriage — Pleasures of Rural Life — Churning, Sugar-making— ^he Care of Poultry — Teaching Again 62 Chapter V. SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK. Give up the Farm — Suffer the Penalty of Endorsing — Com- mence Sunday School Teaching — Take Charge of a Bible « Class, which eventually numbers One Hundred — How to Retain Older Scholars in the School — The Power of Music — Introduce a Total Abstinence Pledge into the School— Commence a Band of Hoije— Thrilling Incidents 82 \. \ XIV CONTENTS. Chapter VI. TRIP TO CHAUTAUQUA. Paob Interestinfr Visit to Chautauqua Assemblv — Model of Palestine — Fine Meetings — Singing by P. P. Bliss — Addresses by Rev. Dr. Eddy, Bishop Simpson, John B. Gough. and others — A Woman's Temperance Meeting— The Urusa- ders— Formatlbn of the W.C.T.U. in the United States — Carry Home Fresh Inspiration for Work 96 Chapter VII. V ORGANIZATION OF THE W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. Meeting of Women in Picton — Commence Practical Work — Petition the Town Council not to grant Shop Licenses— The Women Appear Before the Council ni Person — Make my first Speech in Public— The Dunkin Bill — Edward Carswell's Song — An Election Campaign — Threatened with a Libel Suit— The Temperance Act Carried 105 Chapter VIII. CONVENTIONS AT MONTREAL AND COBOURG. Immense Meeting in the Skating Rink— Various Remedies Suggested — Three Cheers for Prince Edward County — The Tolling Bell— Visit of the Picton W.C.T.U. to Napanee — Interestiiig Meeting on Bfiard a Steajner — Making it Hot for a Whiskey Seller— Address a Meeting at Cobourg 122 Chapter IX. VISIT TO TORONTO. The Temperance Reformation Society— Form a W.O.T.U.-»- Address Convicts in the Central Prison — Talk to the Female Prisoners in the City Gaol — Visit the Haven — Look througli Gooderham & Worts' great Distillery — Tendered a Banquet by the Reformation Society 133 Chapter X. GREAT CONVENTION AT CINCINNATI. National W.C.T.U. Convention — Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer, President — Meet Miss Willard for the First Time — Am Forced into Speaking — Stop off at Guelph on the Return Journey— Grand Lodge of Good Templars — Addresses by G. W. Ross, M.P.P., and Dr. Oronhyatekha— Unions •> formed at Hamilton, Dundas, Brantford, London, etc. — Incidents of a Meeting in the Centenary Church, Hamilton 141 CONTENTS. XV ne :'^l id H a- i es • 96 'a rk A V, i Chapter XL * INCIDENTS OF A CAMPAIGN. Paoi Meeting ftt Port Hope — TlAomas McNausrhton appointed Organizer— A Lost Child — Telling Illustration— Speak at^ethamr — A Moderate Drinker's Bad Example — A Doctor's Touching Story — Travelling in the Northern Townships — A Penitentiary Incident — The Dunkin Bill Carried— Good work done by the Ladies of the W.C.T.U. — A Tragic Illustration of the Liquor Curse — Advice to Young Woiren— Acknowledgment of Services Rendered 153 Chapter XII. TRIP THROUGH LENNOX AND ADDII^GTON. A Dunkin Bill Campaign— Pledge Signing — The Blue Ribbon — Nine Farms drunk up — Danper of using Fermented Wine in the Sacrament— Two Boys help me out of a Difficulty — Great Meetings in Napanee — Indirect Influ- ence of Intemperance — It Lets Nobody Alone — Duty of the Minister of the Gospel — More Illustrations from a Penitentiary — ^Victory ii. the Two Counties 174 Chapter XIII. HAMAN'S LICENSE. Mr. Gladstone's Famous Utterance — What gives the Liquor Traffic this Power? — Wrapping the Flag around the Business — A Case of Legalized Wrong — Haman a Proto- type of the Liquor Sellers of To-day — Queen Esther a Typeof the W.C.T.U.— Bowing Down to the Traffic- Prevarication and Falsehood — The Question of Revenue — A Dreadful Tragedy— A Heart and Home Question — A Heroic Woman's Petition — Haman Hung on his own GaUows .' 184 Chapter XIV. THE MAINE LAW. >[y First Vote— Duty of using the Ballot — Neal Dow's Speech atPicton — The Maine Prohibitory Law — Its Inspiration — How it was Passed — Visit to Old Orchard Beach — Miss Willard Honored — Prohibition does Prohibit — What we saw in Portland and Bangor — A Sea Captain's Opinion — Witnessing "An Execution" 200 Chapter XV. THE MARITIME PROVINCES. l''rcdericton Carries the Scott Act — The People Alive on the Temperance Question — Visit to Marysville, the Prohibi- « tion Town — The Lumber King's Influence for Temper- ance — Sir Leonard Tilley's Appeal to Young Men — Fine Meetings in St. John, N.B.— Prince Edward Island 220 V / I XVI CONTENTS. Chaptkr XVI. WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. CoQventirm at Toledo — A Town where no Liquor was Sold — SpHalc at Hillsboro', Dayton, Akron — Story of the Woman's CruHade — Visiting the Saloons — Bloodhounds let Lot)8e — Praying in the Streets — The Soldiers' Home — Rev. Dr. McCabe — My Husband's Death — Go on with my Work — Organize wjveral Unions in the Province of Quebec Chapter XVII. ENGLAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 4ent as a Delegate from the Dominion W.C.T.U. — Set Sail from Portland — Greeted by the W.C.T.U. of Liverjxxjl — Go on to London — Warm Welcome from British Sisters — Reception in Exeter Hall — Address by Francis Murphjr — Spurgenn's Tabernacle— Spurgeon Wears the Blue llibbon — ^City Road Chapel — Edinburgh — Belfast — Dublin — Grave of O'Connell — A Prohibition Town. , . . Chaptke XVIIL BUILDING THE WALLS. The Bible a Book of Models— Nehemiah's Prayer and Confes- sion—Influence of the Queen — A Convention Called — Clearing away the Rubbish— Some tco Aristocratic to Work—The Young People Help — The Military Depart- ment — Four Stages of a Reform — The Liquor Traffic has no Politics — The Revenue Question — Successful Work — A Demonstrative Meeting Chapter XIX. CALIFORNIA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. LoK Angeles — San Francisco — Sacramento — Victoria — New Westminster— 'Chilliwhack — Vancouver i«f Chapter XX. NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. Morley Indian Orphanage — Calgary — Medicine Hat--Regina — Winnipeg— Bat Portage — Port Arthur — Owen Sound. Chapter XXI. WASHINGTON, D. C. Visit to the City of Washington, D.C. — Interview with Mrs. Hayes — Baltimore — Philadelphia Chapter XXII. CONCLUSION. County of Lambton — Stricken with Inflammatory Rheumatism —A Helpless Invalid Paoi 227 247 2G0 2:0 25)5 801 310 CHAPTER I. PIONEER EXPERIENCES. MY birthplace was the hill country of West Northumberland, township of Hamilton, Province of Ontario. The precise locality had been named Baltimore, by a crazy man, who wandered all the way from the State of Maryland in search of his native town. He professed to find it here, and conse- quently named the place Baltimore, which ever after kept the name. Baltimore is situated five miles north- east of what was then known as the village of Hardscrabble, which, as civilization advanced, became the county town of Northumberland and Durham, and subse- quently the classic town of Cobourg, for many years the seat of Victoria University. My parentage consisted of a wonderful combination of nationalities: my father, a genuine son of the Emerald Isle ; my mother, a native-born citizen of the United States; her father a Frenchman from Paris, and her mother a native of Holland. My father spent most of his childhood and youth in the city of Dublin, and consequently enjoyed more privileges of education than most Irish boys of his age. He was a good penman, quick at figures, and had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. \ 18 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. On arriving in America, his finances amounted to just one-half crown. However, with strong arm, clear head and indomitable will, he faced the almost unbroken forests of Canada. He found employment with a farmer during the summer months, and in the winter gathered the children of the scattered settlers, and taught them the rudiments of an English educa- tion. The long winter evenings were spent poring over the few books he had brought with him from the Old Country, and what few he could borrow in the immediate neighborhood. The burning of the pine knots he gathered, furnished him the necessary light, for this time was long anterior to the advent of the kerosene lamp, and even the tallow candle was a luxury. ■ ., '':;■ ■;^' The clergy reserve question of this early period enabled the new settler with small means to appropri- ate to himself a farm, a deed of which he subsequently might secure, when the land was brought into market by the Government. Accordingly, my father took up a small farm, cleared away the forest trees, and built the old-time log-cabin, furnished it with the rudest kind of furniture, and as small in quantity as a bachelor could well do with. But, alas, for the cook- ing operations and the domestic arrangements. To use his own terms, his cupboard was a storehouse of comical oddities, and things that had never been neighbors before. His house companions consisted of a cat and dog, and his out-door associates a yoke of strong oxen. ^ PIONKER EXPERIENCES. 10 This state of things was in no wise con<(enial to a warm-hearted impulsive Irishman. He was a firm believer in the maxim that it was not good for man to be alone. He accordingly began to look around him for someone to share his lot, and bring order out of chaos in his solitary cabin. A friend informed him that eighty miles east, in the county of Prince Edward, might be found just the woman he wanted. Accordingly, with his characteristic energy, he secured some business to be transacted in the locality he wished to visit, and armed with a letter of introduc- tion, walked the whole distance. Before seeking an interview with the lady in question, he was caieful to ascertain as to the correct- ness of the reports that had reached him with regard to her. Like one of old, he soon found that the half had not been told, for in addition to supporting her- self and a widowed, invalid mother, she had secured a good supply of household furniture, two cows, and a fiock of forty sheep. This accumulation of pro- perty, to the young farmer, was a source of wealth he had not anticipated, but she possessed something much more valuable in her native industry and her unsurpassed economy. The matter was soon settled, for love affairs then did not spin out to the length they sometimes do in these modern times. But who was to tie the nuptial knot ? The contracting parties were both members of the Methodist Church, but at this time no dissent- ing minister was allowed to marry in Canada. Eng- I \ CAMPAIGN ECHOES. lidh Church clergymen and Roman Catholic priests were the only authorized officials. Fortunately, however, a magistrate could perform the ceremony, and Squire Cotter, a neighbor, was summoned, and John Creighton and Annie Bishop became husband and wife. The neighbors arranged to escort the newly-married couple to their western home. The invalid mother was carefully and com- fortably tucked into a warm bed in a covered wagon, with her faithful daughter by her side to watch over her. " ', • . ■'-■■ After a long and tedious journey, the place of des- tination was reached, and now we will leave the weary travellers awhile to rest, and transform bachelor hall into something like a home. I will now especially invite my youthful readers who know nothing, except by tradition, about pioneer Canadian life, to take a poop into the scene. There is the broad, open fireplace, with its back log, fore- stick, and other adjuncts throwing out light and heat ; the hearth is composed of flat stones from the bed of the creek. The rough boards of the cabin floor are scrubbed scrupulously clean. In the far corners of the room are two respectable beds« with ample f ather ticks and pillows ; an old-fashioned blue ari ^v^•u, coverlet. Midway between the two beds sttj,iia;j the pale blue chest of drawers, with bright brass knobs, decidedhr the most aristocratic piece of furniture in the cabiiu Its ample drawers aflbrded accommodation for articles qo numerous to mention. nONEEU £XI>£u1ENCI!:H. 21 A white pine table, scoured ^o look like snow, and half-a-dozen splint bottom chairs complete the outfit. A ladder in one corner leads to the attic, which no one in modern trailing skirts would dare attempt to mount. U;,> here are stowed away the spinning whef V woei, ^nd swifts, and other articles not in dailj' na.u X\j L Jiow in the middle of the forenoon, the newly- • istalled housekeeper has entered fu)ly upon the duties of her office ; a large pan of flour sits on the table propiiratory to the week's baking ; the dough is thoroughly kneaded, and deposited in two iron bake- kettles placed sufficiently near the Are to keep them comfortably warm. Our young readers will now query where the oven is to bake this bread. Just wait a little; the young mistress understands her business — she knows where the oven is. In the meantime the dough swells and puffs until it fills the kettles ; the iron lids are then heated over the fire and placed on the kettles. Then a shovelful of hot coals covered with ashes is neatly arranged in one corner of the fireplace. On this she places her bake- kettle ; then on the top of the iron lid she places the same fixtures of coals and ashes. In one hour from time two of the brownest, sweetest bread wis loaves will be turned out ready for use. Suspended by a wire in front of the fireplace, hangs a fowl frying and sissing, as it revolves around, and is occa- sionally basted by the young housewife with the dripping which falls into the pan beneath. The V: / V $2 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. vegetables for dinner are boilinp^ in pofcs hung on hooks attached to the lug pole in the chimney. The savory articles now placed upon the dinner table made the young benedict's heart dance for joy, and gave him strength for his arduous toils, for there is no denying the fact that properly prepared food invigorates both mind and body. v The time of the singing of birds has come, and spring bursts upon them in all its beauty. To this frugal housewife a vegetable garden was indispensable. She had accordingly furnished herself with a good supply of garden seeds. In old Prince Edward, where she came from, farm life was con- sidered incomplete without an abundance of garden "sass." At first the hitherto bachelor farmer was quite averse to the trouble of fencing in an enclosure, but woman's persuasion prevailed, and soon a rail fence protected the prospective garden from roving animals. The head of the house spaded up the soil while his better half deposited the seeds. A genial shower or two brought to the surface promising rows of onions, lettuce, beets, etc. Nor was the ornamen- tal altogether neglected, for here and there a scarlet poppy and golden marigold raised its head to add beauty to utility. The virgin soil gave out its wealth of fertility. Such cabbages, corn, and golden pump- kins grew as we scarcely ever see now, since the soil has become impoverished. Towards the end of the first year, a little stranger appeared in the cabin home, an heir-apparent to PIONEER EXPERIENCES. 23 the Baltimore estate. Little Johnnie (for so he was called at once by his mother), like many a transient flower, soon faded away, and at the end of the second week was taken safely home to the Father's house above. The sorrowing parents toiled on improving their homestead, and thus enhancing its value. At the close of another year, an infantile voice again breaks on the ear of the lonely pair, this time a little daughter, who, from the first, seemed to have unlimited use of her lungs, for she was said to be the Grossest little creature they had ever known. This time the father claimed the privilege of nam- ing the child afte one who had been to him a protec- tor, guardian and almost more than a mother in the days of his early youth. Lady Letitia Berry was his model woman. Rich in intellect as well as this world's goods, she seemed to live to bless others. Her large estate was the scene of many a gathering of the surrounding peasantry. It was likely in one of these gatherings that my father first attracted her attention as a suitable valet for her two little sons, who were about his ov/n age. She succeeded in gaining his parents' consent that he should come into her family ; the chief inducement being a promise from her, to them, that he should receive private lessons from her sons' tutor. He spent several years under the mould- ing influence of this excellent woman, and on his leaving for America she obtained a promise from him that he would write to her on arriving at his new \ome. For a length of time this correspondence was 24 CAilPAIQN ECUOES. kept up, her letters were carefully perused, and among my earliest memories was looking these over. They were written on large letter paper very closely, and then crossed in a beautiful lady-like hand. So Letitia was the chosen name. For two and a half years I shared without a rival my parents' affection and care. Then a second little Johnnie appeared, and I became the happy possessor of a brother. Now that my father was becoming the head of a family, the thought burst upon his mind that the fifty acres would not be sufEcient for the maintenance of an increasing family. He must have a large farm. A block of two hundred acres, within three miles of Cobourg, was now offered for sale, and although almost an unbroken forest, my parents resolved to begin the formation of a second home, and another log-house was built of larger proportions. My earliest recollections point back to these giant beech and maple trees that came thundering down under the woodsman's axe. " Oh ! what a slaughter of the innocents.'* And marvellous as it may seem to modern ears, these monarchs of the forest were cut down, rolled together and burned up, simply to get them out of the vray, and to clear the ground for the cultivation of food for the settlers. The ashes obtained from the burning of this wood were carefully collected, leached off, and boiled down into potash, which was the only article for which the farmer, at this early date, could obtain PIONEER EXPERIENCES. 25 money. One of the sweet recollections of my child- hood was the tappin^y of the maple trees and boiling down the sap, out of which the year's supply of sugar was manufactured. Over this new farm the deer roamed in apparent security. About a quarter of a mile from our house was a " deer lick," or salt spring, where a mother deer came annually, at the time of the birth of her fawn, secreting it among the bushes, while she grazed around, keeping a watchful eye upon her oti'upring. Father used to take me by the hand and lead me down to see tlie baby deer, for which he seemed to cherish a parental fondness. On the approach of fall, the old deer would retreat to the forest, no doubt for bitter protection. These visits were repeated every year for some time. The neighbors were strictly for- bidden to molest these favorite guests ; but, unfortu- nately, a rambling hunter, unaware that any protec- tive game law existed in that locality, aimed a deadly shot, which cut off the great source of my summer's enjoyment. Not unfrequently did a huge bear venture over the new clearings, and packs of howling wolves were the terror of the sheep and their owners, but amid all these disadvantages, the march of improvement went on. As the adjoining town increased in population, the demand for fuel became greater, and the wood, which had been hitherto cut and burned, was manu- factured into cordwood, and disposed of for dry goods, groceries, and sometimes a little money. \ 26 Ci^MPAlGN ECHOES. Now, I am writing just here for the gratification of my juvenile friends, who never had a glimpse of backwoods life, except by tradition. When the long winter evenings came, the pumpkins had to be peeled and suspended on poles above and in front of the open Hreplace for future use ; the corn had to be shelled, which was a staple article for man and beast. Oh ! the delicious Johnny-cakes that used to spring out of that golden meal. I think I see them steaming on the breakfast table now. And then such butter! Would that something somev/here approaching its delicacy of flavor would sometimes visit our Toronto markets these days. But to return to the d&rn-shelling, which was the joy of our youthful hearts. As the kernels were rasped off on an iron bar laid across the wash-tub, the cobs were thrown on the floor and eagerly grasped by the youngsters, and manufactured into houses and fences, until a whole village was laid out. By this time a second brother had arrived, and before he was able to take part in the building operations, would crawl around behind the fortifications, and with his chubby fists deal a blow which would annihilate the whole town. This was generally the signal for a hearty laugh, in which the young marauder took a vigorous part. Now, a word more with regard to these precious corn- cobs. What do you suppose, young friend, was their final destination. Well, this was my first idea of cremation. They were gathered up carefully by my mother and placed in a large potash kettle, outside FIOXEER EXPERIENCES. 27 the hou^e and burned, furnishing the most beautifully white ashes, which were carefully bottled up, to be used as we use baking soda at the present time. Had you been invited to partake of the fluffy shortcakes inflated by this primitive ingredient, you would have said it was far ahead of our modern baking powders. Thus everything was utilized at this practical period. Our family by this time consisted of fi«^e children, three sons and two daughters, myself the eldest of the group ; my little sister Maria the youngest. She was a frail child from infancy, gentle and aflectiouate in disposition, beloved by everyone, remarkably intel- ligent and devoted to study while permitted to attend school, but her stay on earth was short. God took her when she was nine years old to Himself. \ CHAPTEK 11. SCHOOL DAYS. THE spring of eighteen thirty-one was a very im- portant era. I had arrived at the mature age of four years, and my father pronounced it time for uie to go to school. The first part of the preparation was to buy a gaily-painted little basket from an Indian woman, for the purpose of cairying my dinner. In thia were deposited some nice slices of bread and butter, and a hard-boiled egg. My blue and white calico dre9s and a sun-bonnet of the same piece com- pleted the outfit. And thus the little schoolgirl was started on her lonely journey of a mile and a half, mostly forest, with here and there a house. After trudging along until I was pretty well tired, I was attracted by a peculiar sound, and looking ahead, saw a flock of geese which had lately become possessed of a brood of goslings ; the father of the family, true to his paternal instincts, at once assumed the protection of his family, and with protruding head and open mouth at once started at a lively pace in pursuit of the invader. My screams of terror brought to the rescue a dear old lady, whose little hut was close by the road side. In my heart I have blessed her for it during the last sixty years, for this was the first great fright of my life. She came out armed with a broom, much to the dismay of his gan- SCHOOL DAYS. 20 dership, and thus I was rescued from the jaws of the devourer. She took my hands and rubbed them, for they were cold with fright, then stroked down my disordered hair, and sent me on my way rejoicing, at the same time telling me that the first house on my left was the schoolhouse (taking the forethought to ask me if I knew which was my left hand). In my confusion I reached out my right, but the dear ol iu another neighborhood, familiarly known as HulTn Corners. Sirango as it may appear, my next teacher was a hotel-keeper, owning the so-called best regulated hotel in the township of Hamilton. He was a gentleman in his manners, affable and polite in his address, and school teaching seemed to tit him much better than liquor sellinq^. Morning and evening he attended the various duties in connection with the hotel, even to attending the bar. During school hours his wife per- formed these duties, and thus they had the twofold source of revenue. For many years their place was well kept up, and for years everything was apparently prosperous, and he seemed to escape the usual doom of the man of whom it is said, " Woe to him who giveth his neighbor drink." For a number of years I lost sight of him, but dur- ing my temperance work I found he had taken up his home in the United States. He had lost all his property and was supported by one of his children, thus furnishing a striking illustration given by Wesley that the money obtained by liquor selling never goes to the third generation. During this year Asiatic cholera appeared in Canada, and secured many victims in the town of Cobourg. One morning before leaving for school, an emigrant, looking for work, came to my father's house, bringing his sickle with him, for that was the instru- ment then used in cutting wheat. He was taking his 36 CAMPAIGN ECHOES, breakfast when I left, and to my horror on returning from school they were taking his body away for burial. He had commenced work when he was seized with fearful cramps. He tried in vain to get to the house, but sark down exhausted, and was carried by the other men to the barn for fear of contagion. He was at once wrapped in warm blankets and given hot drinks, while the doctor was summoned. My fatfier looked for the man's wife, and found her in an advanced stage of the same disease, and she died about the same hour as her husband, neither knowing the other was sick. During this summer a total eclipse of the sun occurred, and I remember how the darkness increased until we could not distinguish each other in the schoolhouse. The fowls in the barnyard went to roost, cattle in the field seemed filled with consterna- tion, while as someone has expressed it, " Nature made a pause, an awful pause, prophetic of her end." The juveniles believed the day of judgment had come, and oh ! how we did wish we had been better girk and boys. A heavy chilliness, such as I have no words to express, settled down upon the earth. It was a great relief to our minds when the darkness began to break away, and light once more dawned. It seemed to our terrified minds really like a resur- rection from the dead. SCHOOL DAYS. 37 ce a resur- MY LAST SCHOOLMASTER. Temperance Taught in School, 1837. The advent of a new teacher in a country school is always a sulject of great interest to the pupils. He is carefully scanned from head to foot, and mental conclusions drawn with regard to his exercise of authority. Our new teacher was a rare combination of firmness, good nature and benevolence, and was well educated for those times. His father, a wealthy lum- ber merchant, had him prepared for a partnership in his business, but the young man chose to see a little more of the world before settling down, and as a means of replenishing his coffers occasionally took a school. According to the custom of the day, he boarded around among his pupils, a week in a place for each scholar. The teacher's sojourn at our homes was hailed with delight, although it involved considerable restraint in our hilarity. To the inhabitants of the poultry yard it was a terror, for they were slaughtered without mercy ; pies and cakes abounded as they did at no other time, except when a Methodist preacher arrived. Someone of that day professed to have overheard a conversation between two pullets who had secreted themselves in the currant bushes until the departure of the guest. They then ventured to sing sympa- thizingly : ** And are we yet alive, And see each other's face?" V \ 38 CAMPAIGN ECUOES. I spent three months with this teacher, during which time an incident occurred which had much to do with shaping my future destiny^ One day at the noon recess, after disposing of our lunch^ the teacher called us up to his desk. He proceeded to speak of the evils of drunkenness^ which had become very apparent in our neighborhood, telling us that unless we were very careful, some of us might become victims of this fearful evil. He closed by informing us that he had discovered a safeguard against the danger, and then proceeded to read a temperance pledge wbich he had drawn up and signed himself. " Now,** said he, " I would like as many as are willing to give me their names." At first, the appeal seemed to be only to the boys, for up to that time I had never seen or heard of such a thing as a drunken woman. I resolved to be on the safe side, however, and consequently put down my name. I am happy to say that pledge has never been, violated since. This, no doubt, was the beginning of temperance work in the schools of Canada, and if not scientific, it was, at least, eminently practical. Our teacher took the pledge with him to the homes, and in this way obtained many signatures. Would that every common-school teacher from that day to the present had pursued a similar course. I believe Canada would now be free from the curse of the liquor trafiic. Someone has said : " The star of hope for the temper- ance reform is over the schoolhouse." The late lamented Mr. Crooks, Minister of Educa- SCHOOL DAYS. 30 r of Educa- tion for Ontario, instituted the movement of scientific instruction on the effects of «.lcohol in the schools, in response to a petition from the W.C.T.U. This move- ment has spread through the different provinces of the Dominion, and we hope to see a law on the statute books of each province, requiring every teacher to teach temperance in the schools, with as much interest as he does any other branch of instruction. About one mile from my home, in an out of the way place, stood an old log-house with moss-covered roof and dilapidated surroundings. At a certain season of the year, large piles of golden pumpkins surrounded the old building. Scrawled in almost illegible characters on a board surmounting the fence, you might read (if capable of deciphering hieroglyphics) something like the follow- ing: "PUNTONS BOT HERE A GALLON OF WHISTY FOR A HUNDRED PUNTONS." We may translate this into modern parlance, and say : " One gallon of whiskey given for one hundred pumpkins." This man manufactured the pumpkins into whiskey, and thus, early in the history of Canada, were the fruits of the earth which God designed for food converted into liquid fire and distilled destruc- tion. The next object of distillation that came to my knowledge, was the contents of a large storehouse, filled with potatoes to be shipped to the United States. Winter coming on early, navigation closed, and tiie > • \ ilii 40 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. potatoes were frozen. In order to save them, they were carted off to the distillery, and made into whis- key. My attention was continually drawn towards the evil of drink. Harvest could nol^ be gathered in, nor a building raised, without the bottle. I used to watch with sorrow the downward course of one of our neighbors. He was one cf the first to mount the timbers when a building was being erected, but scarcely ever failed to be injured more or less before the raising was over. This man had a family con- sisting of a wife and two little girls; the latter had been my companions from infancy. The paternal grandfather was a member of their family ; he, too, was a victim of drink. The wife and mother, a good Christian woman, toiled early and late to supply what might have been provided by him who should have been the natural protector of the home. Up with the sun in the long summer morn- ings, she would hasten out to the field to gather straw- berries, which abounded in that region ; on returning with the fruits of her toil, she would prepare the breakfast, dress her children, then arouse the father and grandfather from sleeping off the effects of their drunken debauch. Her household duties hastily dis- posed of, she started on her weary four-mile walk, carrying her pail of berries to town to be disposed of for necessities. Nature could not long sustain this fearful strain; the hectic flush and the ominous cough soon betrayed the fact that disease was doing ii» fatal work, and the little ones were soon to be left SCHOOL DAYS. 41 motherless, and worse than fatherless. The scene soon closed, and from what had preceded, as well as what followed, one could not but exclaim, "Poor broken heart, it was well that she died." There was now no restraint to the miserable hus- band, and his end hastened on apace. He walked into town one day with a neighbor about his own age. I remember seeing them pass my father's house conversing pleasantly as usual. The bar-room was the first place of resort. A mutual treat followed, then one from the liquor-seller, which aroused the Irish blood in one and the Scotch blood in the other. From hot words came heavy blows, and they were ordered out-doors to finish the fight. The subject of our sketch, a man of slight frame, was felled to the ground by his. opponent, who, in his frenzy, jumped upon his prostrate victim. A strange, gurgling sound in the throat, a deadly pallor over his face struck terror to the heart of the assailant, and as he aid, it sobered him up instantly with the thought, " 1 am a murderer." He called aloud to the liquor-seller, who hastened for a doctor, and then went to a magistrate and gave himself up. The assizes had just closed, and he had to lie in the county jail for one year await- ing his trial. Such had been his regret for his fearful crime, that a case of manslaughter was made out, and he just received one more year in jail. But the thought of his horrible deed ever after preyed upon his mind. The wretched father was now left alone in his ^ CAMPAIGN ECHOES. miserable abode ; his constitution, naturally strong, withstood the ravages of alcohol, but yield ^t must sooner or later. The little farm, small in quantity, but excellent in quality, was heavily mortgaged. The man who supplied him with whiskey and with pro- visions necessary to sustain life, closed the mortgage, moved him out into a small hut by che road side, with a promise to support him while he lived, and the worst feature of the whole was that the man who put the bottle to his lips was a prominent member of a Christian church. The poor old man did not long survive the removal from his old home. There was no one left to care for him. He would wander out after nightfall with his little jug and basket for food and whiskey. And this so-called Christian man dealt out the soul-poison with as much sanctimonious- ness as he assisted the minister on Sabbath to pass around the communion cup. For several days the aged man was missing ; he was not seen as usual at the door of his hut, and as the door was tightly closed, no one made any advances, until a neighbor, noticing an unpleasant odor coming from the place, went and burst open the door, when a scene presented itself which baffles description. Huddled in one corner was the remains of the poor old creature, really swarming with worms. This was my first impressive temperance lesson, and I still look back to it with horror. I was now of efficient aid in the household. My mother needed my help, and it was decided that for a SCHOOL DAYS. 43 time, at least, my schooling should be suspended. This announcement would have been more afflictive to me had it not been for the fact that I had completed the curriculum laid down in the country schools. This course of study consisted of reading in the New Testament and English Reader, spelling from Maver's Spelling Book, doing sums on the slate, set by the teacher, in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. About this time the Upper Canada Academy was opened in the town of Cobourg, for the education of young men and women. I had looked forward in hopes that I would benefit by it; but alas, in this respect I was doomed to disappointment. The dis- tance was too great for me to walk, and the expense of boarding in the institution too great for my parents' meana i lit ■in Hi il CHAPTER III. SCHOOL DAYS CONTINUED. MY prospects now seemed darker than ever, as so many young people were being benefited by the academy. I kept up my courage as best I could, and learned to bake, wash, iron R,nd spin. Occasionally when an emergency required it (as in cases of threatening storm), I lent a hand in the hay field. All this was developing muscular strength, which was much needed in after life. My eye was, in the meantime, fixed on the goal of learning. What appeared to be the final blow to my hopes was the announcement that the academy was to be transformed into a college, and girls excluded from its halls. This seemed to me cruelty in the extreme, and no ray of light appeared to penetrate the gloom. Many a night my pillow was wet with my tears over the thought of the Egyptian darkness which surrounded me, but as is often remarked, the darkest hour is just before the break of day. A new ladies' school had just been opened by Professor Van Norman. My father remained out very late one night, and at the breakfast table the next morning explained the cause in this wise. Said he, " I was at the examina- tion of the new academy last night, and if ever I was SCHOOL DAYS CONTINUED. 45 / lan ever, as delighted it was with the proficiency of those young ladies. I have made up my mind, Letitia (addressing himself to me), that if yon and J live you shall be amonor their number at the next examination." This was an une:;.pected revelation, quite an electric shock. I scarcely knew whether I was in the body or out of the body. Hastily leaving the table, I sought a place where I could give full vent to my feelings. The summer glided almost imperceptibly away. Every duty seemed light and joyous, the spinning- wheel buzzed with cheerful sound, as I pulled out the soft white rolls into threads of yarn ; the cows seemed to contribute with more than usual bounty of their lacteal stores, and the hens were more than usually lavish for my benefit. All contributed to replenish my wardrobe and provide pin money for my entrance on my new sphere. A nice new pine chest made for the occasion, painted and varnished to order, with fitted lock and key, received my clothing. This was long years anterior to Saratoga trunks. I remember the events f that leaving home as vividly as though it had been yesterday. Seated by my father in the little one-horse wagon, as they called it, not a word was spoken for the first mile or more, when he broke the silence by say- ing, " Well, you have the desire of your heart at last. Your mother will miss you very much, and I will have to work hard to pay your school bills, but if you make good improvement, and come out creditably at the close of the school, I shall feel well repaid for 40 CAMPAIfJN KCHOES. what we have done for you." I responded with choked utterance, " I will do my very best.'* On entering the academy, I was welcomed by the »t interested would never have detected. A couise pur^i'jied by the second mother, which would have been all right on the part of her predecessor, will at first be criticised, then openly condemned, and thus a barrier thrown in the way of the good the children might otherwise have received. I am now addressing myself particularly to the young woman contemplating a position similar to the one I assumed. If the man whom you take as your hnsband has children, be sure there is room in your heart for them, as well as for him. Do not on any account cherish a sentiment like that of one whom I could mention, who remarked to a man whom she was about to marry, " I will do my duty to your chilrlren, but do not expect me to try to be a mother to them." That expression, to my mind, was too f^^d a.nd heartless to ever have escaped from wor - ^ lips. I would say, exert - < '.'y energy of head yiid r ^^.rt RUHAL LIFE. 71 ke the title v'i re is a R who ;hem a stances res and formed sh the etected. I would ecessor, led, and )od the to the to the IS your in your on any whom I om she o your jther to 00 vd 7or i u 1 .rt close your eyes, if necessary, to many of the foibles of youth and childhood ; labor on patiently, seek wisdom iTom Him who has promised to give liberally, and upbraidoth not, and leave the result to Him. September 2nd, 1850, found me in my own home in the country, four miles from the town of Picton. For seven years I had been a resident of the city and town, b ■ had never lost my relish for rural life, nor forgotten the many useful lessons learned and duties practised while under my mother's care. These were of incalculable benefit to me in my new vocation. Although supplied with good domestic help, I found abundant exercise in the supervision of affairs. Win- ter was approaching ; beds, bedding, and personal wardrobe needed special attention : new articles to be manufactured and old ones to be rejuvenated, house- hold stores to be supplied for winter, which at that period involved the manufacture of many things which have since become obsolete. The sewing machine had not then made its appearance on the stage of action, neither had the knitting machine been introduced. Woman's hands were the family machinery of the day. Soap and candles had to be made. The modern mode of lighting houses was still unknown. The rock had not .then poured out its rivers of oil a.^ *fc does in fhis present day. Some cf r'fi neighbors over-solicitous for my hus- band s wriiare, were very fearful that he had made an injudicious choice — one who wti,3 ignorant of life on the farm, and perhaps reckless of expense, and would ultimately lead him to bankruptcy. ^''- ■" J 72 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Some of them asserted that I could nofc even boil a potato without looliing into a book to see how it was done. To the latter part of this charge I will, to a certain extent, plead guilty. I had some years before come across a volume written by Catherine Beecher, sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe, entitled, "Domestic Economy and Recipe Book." I resolved to purchase it, and if ever I became a housekeeper, avail myself of its aid. It has been in my possession ever since, and if there ever was a helper to an amateur housekeeper, it is this same volume. It leaves no item of domestic manafjement un- touched, and I consider it better to look into a book and find how to do a thing right, than to run the risk of spoiling it. But the teaching of Miss Beecher did not altogether supersede the early instruction of my mother. The testing experiment of my ability to fill my new position was the making of soap. There seemed to be an idea prevalent that no amateur could succeed in this department. However, the soap was bound to come. A large leach was properly constructed, and filled with ashes, from which we extracted the lye. The large kettles were hung over the out-door tire by masculine hands. Then my part of the programme commenced, and during the whole process my book was my faithful mentor. My chemical knowledge of the combination of alkaline and oil came to my aid. RURAL LIFE. 7M I proceeded on a small scale at first, carefully experi- menting^ upon the union of the ingredients. Some- times the alkaline was too strong, then I would test its affinity for water ; and the oil, or soap grease, as it was commonly called, predominating, then I would increase the quantity of alkaline. Thus I labored with as much earnestness as the great philosopher did in his search for specific gravity. I found here the use for my motto, "Perseverance conquers all things." My labors were crowned with success, when two large barrels of beautiful soft soap were stored away, and additional for Lonors, my book instructed me how to make a large quantity of hard soap. This was a step in advance of my more experienced neigh- bors, and seemed to settle the question of qualification for my new position. A second part of my programme, and one to which I attached special importance, was the mental culture of those committed to my care. The standard of education in that locality had for some time been very low. The echoolhouse was out of repair, and a diversity of sentiment with regard to the election of a new one had caused the school to be suspended for the winter. The alternative I proposed was a school of our own at home. Accordingly the sitting-room was extemporized for that purpose, the necessary articles of fari\lture supplied, and our winter session commenced. Never was Ir-v:--.^ interested in the advancernent of my pupils. Vs iiiid graded classes on a small 74 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. scale, from the little tot of three years old, with her ABC book, to those of m. ..arer years, with more advanced studies, (.ur neighbors looked in occasion- ally on this unusual scene, and applications became numerous, that their son or daughter should be ad- mitted to join the circle. It was hfl*"' to say no, with my interest in the young people, and soon the room was filled to its utmost capacity. Christuiass came, and we must of course have a vacation. During the interim the trustees offered to repair the schoolhouse and make everything comfort- able, if I would accept the situation of teacher. That little word " no," the shortest word in our language, was always very diflficult for me to pro- nounce when the welfare of the rising generation was involved. The schoolhouse was on mv husband's farm, a few rods from our home. I had a most efhcient housekeeper, who had had charge of matters for a year or two before I came. Therefore, I had no valid reason to decline. Accord- ingly after the holidays were ovor we took possession of the renewed premises. The neighbors' children came flocking in, and young people from the adjoining neighborhoods cauie, hired their board, and joined our ranks. It was on the whole a busy, pleasant winter. The long evenings and alternate Saturdays enab\ m* to keep an over- sight at homo. When spring came we had a general review of the work of the winter. * RURAL LIFE. 75 Parents and patrons seemed delighted with the improvement made, but I had decided henceforth to confine my labors to my own home. A new schoolhouse was erected and an efllcient teacher employed, so that I felt relieved from future tuition of even tny own family. Although shut out from the busier scenes, and from wli^t once seemed indispensable to happiness, I found that there were sources of enjoyment of which I had not dreamed, even in ordinary occupations of life. The siigar-making in the spring was to me of special interest. A grove of some three hundred sugar maples near the house poured out an abundant supply of saccharine fluid which, being boiled down to the con- sistency of syrup, was brought to the house for the purpt . J of sugaring-oif, as it was called. This process it was my privilege to superintend, and the product added matorially to my culinary stores. Gard ming was next in order, and here my knowl- edge of botany enhanced the interest with which I watched the process of vegetation. The domestic animals were no small source of enjoyment to me. It had been my privilege some years previous to meet the celebrated Elihu Burritt, commonly known as the learned blacksmith, who had detailed to me in private conversation the interest he took in rural artairs, and hence aroused an interest in them I would nut otherwise have experienced. He stated that after his long lecturing tours and his 76 CAMPAIGN F.CHOKS. return home, he experienced great pleasure in visiting his friends in the stables and barnyard. The horses would toss their heads and neigh as he approached them. The stalwart oxen enjoyed to have him stroke down their long, smooth horns ; and, said he, " I loved to look into their honest eyes, knowing there was no deception there." The sheep would follow him around the yard, and the feathered tribe never failed to give him a hearty greeting. Although some years had elapsed since meeting Elihu Burritt, the enthusiasm he infused was still alive, and I resolved to cultivate an intimate acquain- tance with my dumb friends. I have no sympathy with the idea, now too preva- lent, that farm life is a drudgery and utterly destitute of interest. With the modern inventions which facilitate labor, the farmer may be, if he will, the most independent man in the country, and his wife one of the most intelligent and happy women. My poultry-yard was to me an untold source of enjoyment as well as profit. Allow me to recall some of the improvements in this department. From a few diminutive barnyard fowls, almost as wild as the birds of the air, stealing their nests in the grass and bushes, and of the least possible value to their possessor, I developed an .improved stock, both in habits and avoirdupois. Their limits were circumscribed by a high fence and convenient poultry-house. I found it exceedingly easy to cultivate their KUHAL LIFE. 77 acquaintance so as to almost interchange sentiments. A stormy day was my favorite time for visiting them. With my knitting work in hand, I would take a seat on a stool, fixed for the purpose in their home, and watch proceedings. They would really seem to appreciate their protection from the elements, and to realize in some way that I was their benefactor. Sometimes a matronly hen would approach me, and in their peculiar vernacular, confide to me confiden- tially her future prospects as to progeny. I would reply in her tones as much as possible, thus keeping up, as long as I could, the peculiar dialogue. We had now a large quantity of eggs, both for home use and for the market, and chickens innumer- able for the same purpose. I cannot close this part of my subject without reference to the dairy department. The patient, useful cows each morning and evening contributed their stores to the household larder. We were not slow to discover that improved stock, gener- ous nourishment and protection from the inclemency of the weather greatly enhanced the value of our dairy products. A scanty, dried-up pasture in the summer, and straw diet and no shelter in winter from the storms, would never help the farmer to grow rich. When the foaming pails of milk were brought in, I loved to strain it away into pans, and after the cream had properly risen, skim it off, and convert it into golden butter. R ' \ 7S (CAMPAIGN ECHOES. My youni^ lady reader exclaims with horror, " You don't mean to say ycu did the churning with your own hands ? " Be patient, fair young friend, while E describe the modus operandi, and let you into the secret. Modern machinery for manipulating the cream had not lent its assistance. I had discovered that, comfortably seated by the churn, with a book poised before me on a rack, slowly and surely came the butter while I pored over tlie contents of the volume, and in this way killed two birds with one stone. Butter had been with me a hobby in my girlhood days, for my mother excelled in that department, and when she saw fit to compete with others always took the first prize at the county fair. I was then, as I am now, a strong believer in here- ditary traits, hence I resolved to aim at excelsior. In this connection I cannot refrain from giving expres- sion to the gratification I have experienced in reading of the efibrts on the part of the Ontario Government concerning the butter-making of this Province. This is a much needed reform. I think I will not be called a croaker if I express my disgust at the article called butter too often presented on the Toronto market. If I am credibly informed, carloads of the inferior, condemned article are shipped away to be used as oil for machinery. I speak whereof I know, that it requires no more labor or ej^pense to produce first- class butter than an inferior grade. Now that the travelling dairy is abroad, and the Agricultural Col- f . RURAL LIFE. 79 lege at Guelph is open to younj; women as well as young men for tuition in this department, it is fondly to be hoped that butter-making will not have to be classed among the lost arts in this country. I would suggest to the young farmer in quest of a wife, " Among the other qualifications you seek for in the woman of your choice, be sure she possesses a first-class diploma for butter-making." One item more in connection with the dairy. The hot weather of summer was more favorable for the making of cheese than butter. In this I had no early instruc- tions to fall back upon, neither was the book to which I have referred sufficiently explicit, so I was compelled to seek the counsel of one experienced in the matter. It was not a very difficult lesson to learn — not at all to be compared with vulgar fractions before mentioned. To me it was exceed- ingly interesting. A room in my husband's flouring mill, not used in the summer, was an admirable place for operations. The apparatus for packing the flour in barrels proved to be a first-class cheese press and here the milk was transformed into curd, the process bringing fresh to my mind scientific principles stored away during my school days, whtch at the time seemed dry and uninteresting, little dreaming that at some future day they would be of practical utility. I have already said that a knowledge of cheese-mak- ing was easily acquired ; in this assertion I allude merely to the theory. To insure success requires a level head, a steady 80 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. 1 hand, and the utmost punctuality in every step of the process. The large airy room proved an admir- able place for curing the cheese. It proved a quiet resting-place for reading and contemplating after the morning task was over. Each day added to my stores, and I used to gaze with a great deal of self- complacency on this new exploit. The second season of my dairy experience found me a competitor for the prize given for the best cheese and butter. It seemed at first presumption to aspire to such distinction, yet I ventured, and to my gratifi- cation, as well as that of my husband, Mrs. Arthur Youmans stood at the head of the list for cheese and butter-making in the township. It seemed now an established fact in the neighbor- hood that book learning does not disqualify for the practical duties of life, and that a woman may possess a literary diploma without endangering her success in domestic affairs. In bringing to the light these homely, common-place details, I am oppressed with the thought that they savor too much of egotism, and yet I am conscious that my sole object has been to present a faithful detail of actual occurrences, and thus hope to stimu- late some weary, discouraged one, who might find herself similarly situated, that there is a dignity in labor, and solid satisfaction in what some would con- sider a treadmill routine, companionship even in the brute creation, that nature all around us is an open book, and the transition easy from nature up to nature's God. RURAL LIFE. 81 iep of idmir- quiet ier the to my f self- ind me cheese > aspire gratifi- Arthur ese and ighbor- for the possess success Before closing this part of my history, I would sound a note of warning to the occupants of the farm : and first allow me to address myself to the farmer himself. Make everything in connection with house- hold duties as convenient as possible for your wife and her helpers. Be sure that she has sufficient help, and that she is not over-taxed in any respect. She should have occasional relaxation and change of scene, even at the expense of a little outlay. Better retard a little, if necessary, the payment of the mortgage, than to run the risk of a mortgage on your wife's mental and physical constitution. My visit to the London (Ontario) Insane Asylum drew my mind out in this direction. I was astonished at the large number of women confined there, and on enquiry of the superintendent. Dr. Buck, " What class of women was most largely represented ? " he replied, to my astonishment, " Farmers' wives." I asked hiin what he thought was the cause. He replied, promptly, *' Hard toil and monotonous mode of living." \ m CHAPTEE Y. SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. T HAD been eighteen years on the farm discharging JL- to the very best of my ability the duties that devolved upon me, and my family had grown up to manhood and womanhood, and the sons had chosen other avocations than those pursued by their father. He now re^solved, with my full consent, to dispose of farm and mills, which necessarily involved so much responsibility and labor, and spend the remainder of our lives free from business cares. I am reminded here of ray resolution on .commencing this sketch, to withhold no experience^^ no matter how trying, that might be a warning to others. My husband, who was always ready to lend a help- ing, hand to those in trouble, had repeatedly involved himself in financial difficulty by endorsing notes. Shortly before our marriage he had become responsible for a large amount. This he did not attempt to conceal from me, nor did it in the least effect my decision in sharing his lot in life. And it was the strongest incentive to me to be what God intended woman should be, " a helpmeet to man." As we read together the Book of Proverbs, we were both astonished at the minuteness with which it por- SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. 83 }S that i up to chosen •ather. dispose 50 much nder of pminded etch, to ng, that a help- nvolved notes. lonsible nor did lis lot in lie to be Imeet to re were it por- trayed the danger of those who became surety for others. I refer to such passages as the following: " He that hateth suretyship is sure ; " and " He that becometh surety for a brother shall smart for it." As we continued my husband would say, " Oh ! that I had read this book more carefully earlier in life." Whether Solomon had had any experience in this direction, I V ^ow not. But of one thing I am fully conv ', that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of G )d ; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof and insti ion in righteousness." While we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, there. is no intimation that we are to love him so much that we will injure ourselves and our families. Someone has laid down this rule for anyone who is solicited to place his name to a promissory note : Before attachir g your autograph, settle the question satisfactorily in your own mind, " Am I able and will- ing, should it be necessary, to assume thio responsibility when it becomes due ? " If you cannot answer in the affirmative, respectfully decline. We moved to the town of Picton, and now began slowly but surely my temperance work. I had had in the p*ist a deep interest in the Sabbath - school, and had done everything in my power to pro- mote its interest as a teacher. In coming to town, the thought occurred to me, " Now is the time to take a little rest on the Sabbath." But lo ! and behold ! the superintendent met me at the close of the morning \ 84 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. service, and with that genial smile for which W. J. Port is noted all over the country (for he was for many long years the faithful guardian of the Sabbath- school), greeted me with this salutation : "Mrs. Youmans, I have a class waiting for you. The girls* Bible-class is without a teacher ; will you take it ? " With that characteristic weakness which I have already mentioned, my inability to say '* no " when the welfare of young people is implicated, I responded in the affirmative, and that afternoon found m ; .seated in a class-room, surrounded by some eight or nine bright young girls who had just entered their teens. We spent a few Sabbaths in pleasing perusal of our lessons, when one afternoon the superintendent came in, making the request that the Bible-class of boys might that day join us, as they were destitute of a teacher. He added, "they are pretty lively, and may possibly give a little trouble, but I hope for the best." They were accordingly admitted, and they took up the lesson with apparent interest, and proved them- selves well worthy of the position, and gentlemanly in the truest sense of the word. The next Sabbath they requested to take their place with us again, and were never afterwards excluded, and here allow me to say, I have always been an advocate of the co-education of the sexes. There seems to be a mutual stimulus that calls forth emulation, self-respect and advancement supe- SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. 85 rior to the old-time method. I rejoice that the doors of our High schools and universities are now thrown open to our young women, and the results are proving very beneficial to both sexes. But to return to our Bible-class. It increased in interest and numbers from week to week, until our room became altogether too small to accommodate them. Then we were permitted to occupy the body of the church, which gave us ample room to expand. The question then agitating the minds of Sabbath- school workers was. How to retain the older scholars, for it was found that in too many instances, as they approached the transition period between child and man and womanhood, they slipped out of the school. It was now evident to me from practical observa- tion, that if we would retain these older ones, they must be entertained according to their advancement in years. As the infant class teaching would not satisfy the intermediate classe.s, neither would the intermediate programme be satisfactory to the Bible-class. St. Paul imbibed the sentiment that I would like to inculcate here : " When he became a man he put away childish things." vVhile the good old Bible is the text book, and while the moral and spiritual wel- fare of his pupils should be the special care of the teacher, at the same time, the social and intellectual part of their nature is not to be ignored. The service of song is a most important element in ,.i»i.^ flR m CAMPAIGN ECHOES. these advanced classes. An occasional essay on some Bible character, and a recitation on a similar subject, exercises the mental powers and tends to keep up a variety, which is a necessary rtimulus. A provincial Sabbath-school convention was about this time held in the town of Belleville. It was the first I had ever attended, and it was to me an inspira- tion in Sabbath-school work, such as I had never experienced. We had at that convention, Philip Phillips, the singing evangelist, whose ministrations convinced me that singing must have a large place in my class. William Reynolds, of Peoria, 111., the prince of Sabbath-school superintendents in the United States, brought forth from his treasury of experience thoug;hts which, to m^, were more precious than silver or gold. • I returned to my Sabbath -school class, feeling that it was the most desirable spot on earth, and that I occupied a place more to be coveted than Queen Victoria on her throne. I had now an ample stock of theories and ideas which, to me, were fresh, rich and rare. All that remained was to test them by practice. I was now what might be called a real enthusiast, and there is contagion in enthusiasm which youthful minds seldom fail to contract. My class proved to be co-workers with me in every plan proposed. Shortly a^ter this the church was enlarged, and a room prepared quite large enough SUNDAY-SCHOOL WOB«. 81 for the Bible-class, and v . He always ati integral part of the Sabbath -school proper, we were allowed at times to conduct our own exercises. As an illustration of the power of music over the youthful mind, I cannot forbear mentioning a circum- stance in connection with this class : During one summer, for a number of weeks I had been prostrated with low fever, .,nd /er^' slight hopes had been en 'rtained of my recovery But, on be- coming conv ..iescent and able to resume my place, what was my grief to find my class dwindled down from ninety to about twenty. Thi>» to me was a real sorrow of heart. The question, " Where have they gone ? can I ever collect them togethe»* again ? " was the perplexing problem. Try the magic power of music, was the mental response. A commission of inquiry was instituted, for the members of tjie class were to me an advisory committee in a > emergencies. It was ascertained that among our you)\^ nien were some who could play on different instruuxents, clarionet, cornet and flute. We thus organized an orchestra, with a service of song on week evenings. The class now began to show fresh signs of anic\!,tion ; the old members came back bringing new one '^ A^ith them, until more than the original number assembled on the Sabbath. There is a power in music that is well aigh irresis- tible. I believe it brings us nearer the heavenly world than any exercise in which we. engage, and sometime." it seem's to me that invisible intelligences 88 CAMP iny ECHOES. hover around us, catch up the strains and echo t'u .iu through the heavenly mansions. In my intercourse with the young people (for I visited them at their homes us much as possible), 1 found occasionally that intemperance was doing its deadly work in our town. Finrling that I sympa- thized with them in their trials, tales of sorrow were communicated to my ears. " Oh," said one dear young girl (in the strictest confidence), " my heart is just breaking; father is so kind and good to us when he is sober, but liquor makes him a raving maniac. He hurled a burning lamp at mother the other night ; sometimes he pursues us with a kettle of boiling water. I fear that sometime he will take our lives." A widowed motli^^r said to me on another occasion : " My son was brought home intoxicated last night for the first time." Me had but recently entered the class, and this was a startling revelation to me. The ser- pent had actually coiled himself into my class. Said she, " When my husband died, I was left helpless and alone, with two little children, nothing but my two hands to support us. My friends ofiered to adopt the children, and thus lighten my burden, but I could not be parted from my little ones. I toiled on, early and late, sent them to school as soon as they were old enough, until my son was qualified to enter a store as clerk. He is just beginning to help me a little, but now my hopes seem all blighted ; what shall I do ? " The case to me seemed hopeless. In that little town of less than three thousand inhabitants were nine •;^^^-^:^.-W: SUNDAY -SCHOOL WOllK. 89 broken wife to support ' at God's open doors to entrap that boy ; nine individuals (for I could not call them men) had government authority to ruin that widow's son, and break his mother's heart. Just adjoining my own home was a hec and mother, stitching away day and her family, while the man who had p-o altar to support and protect her until death, and who might have had a first-class salary as an accountant, was spending what little he did earn in a bar-room, and sharing the pittance of his wife's earnings with the children. The liquor purchased on Saturday night for Sunday use, she had sufficient nerve to say should not be brought into the house. Accordingly, ho hid it in the barn in winter, and in the grass in summer. On one occasion, the children came in on Sunday morning, and said, " Mother, we have found father's bottle." She paused a moment asking God to direct her, and then said, " Show me where it is." She fol- lowed them to the garden, they parted the grass, and placed the bottle in her hands. She said, " Children, I want you to kneel down," and then, holding up the bottle, she said, " Here is the cause of all our trouble, and the reason I have to work so hard, and why you cannot get books to go to school, and sometimes we have not even enough food or fire to keep us warm. Now, there is one thing that would make me suffer still more than I have yet, that is, if one of my children should ever get to be a drunkard, it would break my heart. Raise your right hands to heaven (they raised -i*:' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ ^i^^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 Lit23. 12.5 1^ ^^" ■■■ itt liii 12.2 2.0 m lit u 14.0 0% ^ 7. Hmtographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4503 ^^^' \ 00 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. those little hands, with streaming eyes fixed on their mother). Now," said she, " I want you to promise — and God will hear the vow — that you will never taste anything that would make you a drunkard." They made the solemn promise while she broke the bottle. I have sometimes wished that that scene could have been photographed, and suspended on the walls of our Dominion Parliament when the prohibition question was up. " It might have helped to get the country ready for prohibition." One more incident, and I am done in this line. A cry of murder broke on the night air less than a block away from our own house. The neighbors rushed in, when a heart-sickening sight presented itself. A young man was stretched on the floor bathed in blood, the razor with which he had attempted his life grasped in his hands. The doctor was summoned, the wounds dressed, and with the greatest difficulty his life was preserved. His young wife and child, who had a short time before left the room, came to his side. I ven- tured in after the excitement had a little abated, my husband having been one of the first to respond to the call for help. The young man's father who had been sent for, had arrived, and was standing at the head of the bed ; the doctor had forbidden him to speak to his son, saying the effort to reply would cost him his life. I think I see that venerable form now, with snow-white hair, and tears streaming down his face, gazing on his ruined boy. SUNDAY-SCUOOL WORK. 01 I have narrated these circumstances to show how I became aroused to active work in the temperance cause; not that the enemy had entered my own home (its shadows had not crossed my threshold), but it was desolation all around, and it seemed to me that inaction was criminal. Self-protection then seamed the only remedy. Accordingly, a total abstinence pledge was intro- duced into the Bible class. Another department of work was now suggested to my mind ; that was, if possible, to rescue the children. A group of small boys ranged on the front seat at a temperance meet- ing arrested my attention. They had come early, and evidently selected a place where they could hear and see to advantage. Their attention to the speaker, and apparent appreciation of a good point in the discourse, suggested the idea of a juvenile organization. A short interview with them at the close of the meeting resulted in an arrangement to meet me at my own house the next evening. But how was I to proceed, was the perplexing question. I had never attended a Band of Hope meeting, and knew nothing of the manner in which it should be conducted. However, a hasty search among some temperance papers discovered an abstract of rules for such societies. I would remark, in passing, that for several years I had been reading (at the time I knew not why) everything on the temperance question to which I could gain access, and it seemed to turn up in every quarter. oi CAMPAIGN ECHOES. The Montreal Witness, ever faithful to the tem- perance cause, was one of our home papers. The monthly publications of the temperance society of New York, under the able guidance of J. N. Sterns, came, I know not how, into my hands. They proved a most efficient help to me, and ever since have been a temperance encyclopedia of information. But to return to my juvenile friends. They came according to appointment, and in good time, full of fun, at first, and then of enthusiasm for the new undertaking. "It would be just jolly to have a meeting of their own, and not so pokey as some of the old folks' meetings." This was the plan of action : To meet on Saturday afternoon, and bring others with them. "And we can have girls, too, can we not ? " said some of them, evidently firm in the belief that it was not good for boys to be alone. Full consent was at once gain o this suggestion ; accordingly, Saturday afternoon found us assembled in the Bible-class room of the church, after obtaining permission from the proper authorities. We numbered that day about twenty, an equal number of girls and boys. These were to constitute a sort of charter membership, each one to be a recruiting agent, receiving the title of leader of a circle, with full authority to enlist others. The stipulated number was to be fixed in each circle. The pledge taken was as follows: I solemnly promise, Ood being my helper, not to use intoxicating liquors of any kind, not to use tobacco in any form, and never to vse bad langua^ge. f -I- SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. 93 3mnly )ating form, Our meetings were to be weekly, and to be opened by repeating the Lord's prayer and singing. Other exercises were to be arranged as circumstances sug- gested. Each leader had his or her own seat, and seldom failed to bring in some new recruit In an incredibly short period of time the twenty leaders had each a list of four members, in addition to their own names, and thus the band attained the respectable number of one hundred. The meetings grew in interest as the numbers increased. But here an obstacle, that often obstructed a good work, presented itself. Although there was not the least thing sectarian in the movement, yet it began to be whispered around, " It is a Methodist afiair ; Mrs. Youmans herself is a Methodist, and the Methodist Church is going to run the whole thing." We did get quite a number from other churches, but nothing like the representation to be desired. This obstacle must be removed, or many who might be benefited would be excluded ; accordingly, a suitable hall was rented at the rate of twenty-five dollars per year, to be used one hour during the week. A second-hand organ was purchased for sixty-five dollars, and all this without one dollar in the treasury. The initiation fee for those who were able to pay, was ten cents each. This was hardly sufficient to buy catechisms, singing books, and other appliances. Although not an incorporated body, and no financial backing, our credit proved to be good in the market. 94 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. s We were too independent to ask for subscriptions or donations to help us, but proceeded at once to prepare for public entertainments. It was difficult then to get suitable readings, recita- tions or even singing; 58 Read Street, New York, proved a golden store, where we found help fresh, rich and rare. The Youth's Temperance Banner, for which we subscribed one for each family, was a monthly delight, as it came in fresh from the press and was distributed. Our first public entertainment proved a grand suc- cess. The parents all came out with pleasure to see and hear their own children. Those who had none of their own, and consequently a monotonous time at home, came to spend a pleasant evening; and even the crusty old bachelor looked as though he would like to be represented in that juvenile crowd. The influence of the entertainment was most grati- fying, and the financial results exceeded our most sanguine expectations. These meetings were kept up at suitable intervals, and were quite sufficient to pay off past indebtedness and pay off all current expenses ; and I must remark here that the strictest watch was kept over every sentiment uttered on these occasions. Every recitation, dialogue or song rendered, even by the youngest of the crowd, inculcated some strictly moral or temperate sentiment. Nothing merely comic was ever tolerated, so that the entertainments never degenerated, as is someti. les the case, into mere buf- foonery. I have reason to believe that sentiments. SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. 95 dropped from almost infantile lips, took hold of hearts under other circumstances impervious to such in- fluences. The result of our removal to the hall, and the puhlio meeting which advertised proceedings in their true light, was a large accession to our numbers, until nearly every family in town was represented. But let no one imagine (though pleasing in its character), all this was carried on without arduous effort and unremitting labor. If there is anything that requires unflinching assi- duity, unfailing punctuality, and in fact entire devo- tion, it is in work for children. The leader should be at her post before the first child appears on the scene, the programme all ready, the machinery oiled and ready for action. Nowhere is the old maxim more applicable than right here, " Variety is the apice of life.'* If possible, have something new and varied for every meeting, something to influence both head and heart ; and I would add, let these meetings always be held during the daytime ; do nothing to keep chil- dren out after night. Monday afternoon, at the close of the day schools, we secured, and the exercises were never prolonged so as to become irksome. CHAPTER VI. TRIP TO CHAUTAUQUA. THE summer of 1874 was to me memorable in shaping my future life-work. As I now retro- spect the past, I recognize the Divine Hand in guid- ing my path, and preparing me for future duties. Years spent in the country had given me more time for reading and reflection than could possibly have been my privilege in city or town. Where there were many household cares, there was exemption from the routine that generally absorbs woman's time, such a,s formal calls, evening parties, etc Stormy Sabbaths, when the weather was too inclem- ent and the roads too much drifted to attend church, I would employ my time hoarding up knowledge and stowing away ideas for future use. As it now recurs to me, those Sabbaths at home were never monotonous or wearisome. While I loved to attend the house of Qod and join in divine worship, still I found lessons in trees, sermons in brooks, and good in everything. In the discharge of my duties, both in the Bible- class and in the Band of Hope, I needed constant accessions to my stock of helps ; for the teacher must keep in advance of her pupils, otherwise she cannot be a true leader. The Sabbath-school periodicals now announced an ,(., ,,^.- TIUP TO CHAUTAUQUA. 97 assembly to be held at Lake Chautauqua, the newest and best methods of Sabbath-school work to be dis- cu<«sed by specialists in the different departments from various localities of the United States. Normal classes were to be held each day, and a thorough drill in Bible study. A special attraction promised was the Palestine Park, a model of the Holy Land, laid out with great care and minuteness. To my husband the latter was the special induce- ment. He had cherished a life-long hope to visit Palestine and wander over the scene of the Saviour's life and labors while on earth. This hope had now about vanished, so that the prospect of a miniature representative of the Holy Land prompted him to fall in with my proposal to visit Chautauqua. We took the train for Chautauqua, which we found to be a Methodist camp-ground, pleasantly situated on the shores of Lake Chautauqua. A short trip on a little steamer brought us to our place of destinatio < The Assembly, as it was called, had not yet opened, so that we had time to reconnoitre and locate our- selves. Comfortable lodgings in a private house were secured, and very much to my husband's delight, quite convenient to the Palestine Park, which to him became a daily resort A brief reference to this model of the Holy Land may not be amiss. About two acres of land border- ing on the lake were set apart for the purpose. Water was forced up through the centre by means of an engine to supply the River Jordan, which, after pur- 7 ! , 08 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Buing its course through the country, m^os emptied into the Dead Sea by means of another engine. The cities and villHges of ancient Palestine were indicated by groups of plaster of Paris. Every place of interest in sacred history was faithfully represented. There was Capernaum on the shore of the Mediterranean, which the lake represented ; Bethany, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and even the location of the fig tree the Saviour cursed. Each day there was a pilgrimage of the crowd to this attractive spot. An oriental guide in Arab costume walked on one side of the river, while his audience kept the opposite shore. As we approached a place of interest, he called a halt, and explained. One of these I remember was where the swine ran down a steep place and perished in the waters ; an- other, when we reached the place where Moses went up into the mount to get a view of the promised land. This scene was really touching, as we were reminded of the toilsome journeys and life labors of the faithful leader excluded from entering the land to which he had brought his people. As we stood on the shore and glanced across the narrow lake to the beautiful landscape beyond, many an eye was suffused with tears, while the grand old hymn was sung : ** On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, And cast a wistful eye, To Canaan's fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie." It is not my intention, neither would it be advisable TIUP TO CHAUTAUQUA. 00 to go into anything like a minute detail of this feast of tabernacles. Each successive day brought a bill of mental and moral fare, fresh, rich and rare. Music was of the highest order ; singing by the whole con- gregation, led by P. P. Bliss, while the tones of a silver cornet reverberated through the grounds. Bible reading and prayer commenced and closed the exer- cises of each day. Normal Bible-classes met for drill each forenoon. The afternoons were set apart for lectures on different topics. The speakers were among the most eminent of the United States. Among others, there were several bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Eddy and Bishop Simpson of the number ; John B. Gough, T. DeWitt Talmage, and others whose names I do not recall. It was indeed a " feast of reason and flow of soul." A children's day found the juveniles flocking in every direction. Steamboats crowded to their utmost capacity, with banners flying and enspiriting music, landed their occupants on the wharf. While I stood gazing on the Stars and Stripos which floated at the masthead and fluttered all through the grove, I longed for one more look at the old Union Jack. Never was there a more enlivening scene than that presented by these happy juveniles as they gamboled through the grove, or sat down to their lunch, for which they had an evident relish, after which they formed a line of march to the great Auditorium for a mental repast. Short, pithy addresses were given, and Frank Beard, the celebrated cartoonist, aflTorded them no little merriment by his remarkable sketches. •/ 7 100 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. But most memorable to me among the varied exer- cises, was the woman's temperance meeting announced for each afternoon at four o'clock. A tent, seating some two or three hundred, was the place of resort. The meeting was for women only, to be conducted by themselves. It was understood that St. Paul's order was reversed, and that a man would not be suffered to speak in the church. Ne^ ertheless, the brethren flocked in large numbers to be silent spectators of the proceedings, and stood in respectful silence outside. The canvas sides were rolled up for ventilation, so that the outside worshippers could see and hear to very good advantage. The first meeting was conducted by Mrs. (Dr.) Knox, of New York State. The earnest prayers and testimonies which consti- tuted the programme soon revealed to me the fact that I was in the midst of the Crusaders. They were evidently women of mental culture, good social position and deep piety, not by any means belonging to the class I had supposed. They referred with gratitude to blessings received while praying in saloons, to perishing ones rescued and sorrowful homes made happy. While they spoke and prayed, hearty responses came from maseulino voices outside, and tears streaming down manly cheeks could be per- ceived on every side. During one of these meetings, an opportunity was given for requests for prayer. A pale, sad-looking woman in widow's attire arose, and with choked utter- ance asked prayers for her son. She said, " He is my TRIP TO CHAUTAUQUA. 101 er- sed ing on. by rder ered tiren [the le. ►n, 80 ar to acted by was )oking utter- isroy only child, my sole dependence. Up to the present time he has not known the ta^te of alcoholic liquor, for there had been none sold in our village. Recently they have opened a saloon opposite the store in which he is a clerk. I atn so afraid that he will be led astray." This request met with a hearty response from the company. The leader said, " Let us kneel right down and take this request to the throne of ^race." No one was named to lead in prayer, but a clear, earnest voice took up the petition, and carried every heart with it to the mercy-seat. It was not a stereotyped prayer, but an importunate pleading for a needed answer to a request. It was really conversing with One who she believed heard and would reply. She referred to the Saviour's work on earth ; to His sympathy and help to the widow of Nain. She recog- nized Him as the same yesterday, to-day and forever, claiming that this widow's son should be the special object of His care. My mind went back to my Canadian home and our ruined young men; to the nine places of legalized temptation, and so much apathy and indifference by even the Christian people. 1 resolved more firmly than ever that something must be done to rescue the perishing of Picton. One afternoon public exercises in the Auditorium were given exclusively to temper- ance. Mrs. Jennie Fowler Willing was the principal speaker. This was the first lecture I had ever heard delivered by a woman. It was an eloquent appeal for total abstinence and prohibition. Its glowing 102 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. sentiments found a deep lodgment in my heart. Dr. Fowler, now Bishop Fowler, of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, brother of Mrs. Willing, next told us what he had seen of the Woman's Crusade in Cincin- nati, when stationed there as pastor of the church. He stated that the Crusaders had visited the saloons, and aroused public sentiment, so that the traffic was beginning to suffer from its effects. The liquor-sellers had influenced the mayor to issue a proclamation that there should be no more obstructing the sidewalks, nor praying in business places. But the women chose to obey God rather than man. They came out as before ; paused in front of a saloon, ranging themselves so as to leave room for the passers- by, as they sang, " Jesus, Lover of my soul." A police- man approached the leader, laying his hand upon her shoulder as she sang, and said : " Madam, you are under arrest." She looked up into his face and continued the strain, " Let me to thy bosom fly," then pausing, said : " We were never arrested before ; what do you wish us to do ? ** He looked perplexed, as if driven to his wit's end. She continued, " We women begin our proceedings with prayer. Shall we pray now ? " He nodded his assent, and the company was instantly on their knees, praying earnestly for the saloon- keeper, the policeman and all victims of intemperance. When they arose from their knees, the policeman led the way to the courtroom. A crowd had assembled, attracted by the unusual trial that was about to take place. The accused were seated in front of the judge's TRIP TO CHAUTAUQUA. 103 Dr. Epis- Id us Incin- sb. loons, ic was sellers n that walks, n man. saloon, )assers- police- )on her under itinued ausing, do you driven begin now i stantly saloon- )erance. nan led embled, to take judge's bench, while gathered close around them were minis- ters, lawyers, doctors, wealthy merchants and leading citizens, in many cases the husbands and brothers of the arrested women, naturally deeply interested in the proceedings. The presiding magistrate, evidently much embar- rassed, read the indictment. His position was anything but enviable, but he must go through the formula. So, after eulogizing the criminals on their high stand- ing in society, and their adheronce to law and order, expressing a hope that there would be no recurrence of that day's proceedings, dismissed them on suspended sentence ; and, added Dr. Fowler, it was well that he did, for had he committed them for even one hour, there was not sufficient cement in the city to keep the walls of the lock-up together. The Assembly was now drawing to a close, and the temperance women met together for the last time. A different programme was arranged for that aftei^ noon. Alter singing and prayer, the lady presiding pronounced that it was decided to take steps towards the formation of a Woman's National Temperance Association. She requested the women to arrange themselves in groups according to the states they represented. This matter was soon adjusted, and I was surprised to find that the different states were so well represented. 1 alone was left out in the cold, being the only Canadian woman. My husband, stand- ing very near the enclosure or tent, addressed the lady presiding, " Mrs. Willing, could you take in Canada ? " f--: 104 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. She responded smilingly, " Certainly, we will make it international." There was a moment's pause, to see what Canada would do ; but I, fearing to take too much responsi- bility without consulting my sisters at home, hesitated to join the ranks, resolving at the same time that Canada should not be neglected. The preliminary steps for organization were now taken, and the following officers pro tern, were elected : Mrs. Jennie Fowler Willing, President, and Mrs. Emily Huntington Millar, Secretary. The closing day of the Assembly was set apart for a review of the subjects studied during the session, and the awarding of diplomas. I had studied dili- gently the topics assigned us, and felt quite prepared for a successful examination ; but a previous engage- ment at home induced me to leave the preceding day. Thus I was deprived of the honor of being a Chau- tauquan graduate. We now journeyed homeward, highly gratified with what we had seen and heard. We crossed the national boundary lines freighted with a stock more precious to me than silver or gold, and yet we escaped the tariff, for my merchandise was not dutiable. I had now fresh material for both Bible-class and Band of Hope, and the germ at least of a Woman's Temperance Union. The latter sprang into existence a morth or two later, but not until after a similar Union had been formed in Owen Sound, which de- prived Ficton of the distinction of forming the first W.C.T.U. in Canada; but she stands second in the list. 3 it ida isi- ted bat lOW •ed: lily for ion, iili- red Re- lay. au- rith inal ous the and •in's nee ilar de- irst list. Miss F'rances E. Willakd and Lady Henry Somerset, hi i 'if. ^'^^^'J CHAPTEK MI. «)RGAV./,AriON OF THE W.C.TU. IN CANADA. 1-^\'l 'V V iif d tluvt <^acH orif '~!?>tor^ that *dl that was (\\?- "tehe should (h> the heH she coul'' and if she desired it, be ivleased at the end o f tl jit(> thf ;ii!)nths. The work we nn(h..-rtook for iivsr, weelv was to ascertain what tanuiies were KU n\ frfijo it, em per tiiice Wli'.'i) we cn:»;e towther at the next meetin::. iher*; was no^. suilicKSit time to present the fearfi illS- '•r,VV •e>. Weelv .Mftcr week c(airiii!,iHl to rt'V ireai ;K i fl. iii t rvs. W aomii alt Hi 1 "ur ft{]\\ 10 :eve lie iniKictnt vK^hms, the Wi'mcn ana coiun'en. we were iwcr'es- to f- scue the (•noiktud"^ ,1- A n iiiouir \\ a-< ^nstitnt'ed. What ao'cncv i'-^ mo "Hectivc ill tliis wos''-. of death ;' 'Mi this point th.rti .•emet I t-. h one •;en timent, tlic licensed ^o-<>cto-i uhich are sendinir the li l-Al-y lIlNU\ Su\|{ K.-K( , J V ■'y\ ■--fc :.}'-' \ '^::^n.:..y\ .: :./.; 'i':m^4' -m ■■'■ :■: :'?*^!'" J UmiiiKiilil*'!'"*"--^"' CHAPTEK VII. ORGANIZATION OF THE W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. NEVER did a more fearful, timid company of women assemble to(rether than that which met in the lecture hall of the Methodist Church in Picton, to discuss the subject of organization of a Woman's Temperance Society. Not one of the number felt qualified to take an oiTice. They could not see what they could do when the men had failed in their efToits. After much discussion it was resolved that each one should take the part assigned by her sisters, that all that was expected of her was that she should do the best she could, and if she desired it, be released at the end of three months. The work we undertook for the first week was to ascertain what families were suffering from intemperance. When we came together at the next meeting, there was not sufHcient time to present the fearful dis- coveries. Week after week continued to reveal dread- ful things. While doing all in our power to relieve the innocent victims, the women and children, we were powerless to rescue the drunkards. An inquiry was instituted. What agency is most effective in this work of death ? On this point there seemed to be one sentiment, the licensed groceries, which are sending the liquor into the families to be 106 CAMPAIGN ECHOKS. drunk on the Sabbath, and thus preparing the b(*3'8 to take their father's place in the near future. It was decided, by the advice of our gentleman friends, who were our Advisory Committee from the first, to peti- tion the town council to grant no more shop licenses. It was now mid-winter, and the time for licensing was March. The petitions were now accordingly drawn up and circulated. Every elector was to be visited, and his name, if possible, secured. An ani- mated discussion took place at one of the meetings as to who should present the petition to the council. Some proposed a minister of the gospel ; others sug- gested, put it in the hands of a lawyer, who is used to pleading in court. Another idea was, let us take the petition ourselves. This thought was perfectly ap- palling to some of our number. " It will seem so bold. Oh ! it will be so unwomanly for us to appear before the council board, we will certainly lower ourselves in the public estimation." " But," argued the one who first spoke of it, " If one of our sons was under the sentence of death, would it be considered unwomanly for the mother to plead with the proper authorities for his pardon ? Every right-minded person will see that this act will only be asking the protection of our loved ones." The plea prevailed. It was decided that before go- ing to the council, we should meet at the house of one of our number just opposite the hall, for prayer, and then proceed in a body to the council chamber. Two evenings before the regular meeting of the .V:J^.i..-k.-' ORGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 107 go- lone land council, we were informed that the chamber was already lij^hted, and the licenses were to be issued that night. The news spread like wild-fire from house to house. A gentleman, who was our faithful ally in the work, rushed to the livery stable, and procured a large sleigh, drove around and gathered up the forces of the W.C.T.U., bub, strange to say, the horses balked, actu- ally went on strike, refusing to carry the cold water freight ; so, true to their colors, they left the sleigh, and, in great haste, walked the rest of the way. Nevertheless the season of prayer was not omitted. The husband of one of our number volunteered to let us know the proper time for entering the hall. On being informed that our time had arrived, with pal- pitating hearts we entered the august presence of the town fathers. Seats were assigned us in front of the jury, who were to decide our case. The petition (which should have been placed in the hands of a member of the council, and his sympathy enlisted) was merely laid on the table by the janitor. His Worship the Mayor took up the document, and glancing over it, said, " There is a petition from the ladies. Who is to present it ? Will any member of the council volunteer his services ? " The case now seemed hopeless, for' temperance men on that board were few and far between. To our great relief, S. M. Conger, Editor of the Picton Gazette, and member of the council, read the petition, at the same time expressing his approbation, and laid it be- fore the council. But we were not to get off as easy 103 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. as that The mayor insisted that someone should advocate the petition. He addressed himself to us, saying, " Ladies, have you selected any gentleman to speak in your behalf, or will one of your number address the council ? " This was indeed a testing time, a trial we had not anticipated. We looked at each other almost in blank despair, when one of our number, catching my eye, nodded encouragingly, as ' much as to say, " Do please try." Almost uncon- sciously I arose to my feet. A mountain weight of responsibility rested upon me, and the pent-up agony of the past found vent in words which did not seem my own, but voiced the sentiments of another and a higher source. It was a literal fulfilment of the promise, " It shall be given you what ye shall speak." A 'canvas panorama seemed to pass before my mind, on which were depicted the suffering families, the freezing in the snow-drift under the influence of drink, and the amputations resulting therefrom. Although the liquor demon had not entered my own home yet, his ravages were all around, and should I have held my peace, the very stones would have cried out against me. The hall was now filled up by spectators, drawn together by the strange proceedings. The council took aides, for and against the petition ; men in the audi- ence were allowed to take part, and the battle of words ran high. Old temperance men, who had grown discouraged and had almost laid oaide their armor, were quickened into life. OllQANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 109 One member of the council proposed that if the licenses were withheld, the men who expected to get them should be compensated for their loss, as they had quite a stock of liquor on hand which would remain unsold. It was now nearing midnight. An adjourn- ment was moved, which was coupled with a promise that should the ladies the following evening bring a majority of ratepayers, their petition should be granted. The next day, although the weather was unfavorable, the canvass of the town was completed. We again met for prayer before entering the council chamber. Our number was greatly increased ; the one who had done the pleading the night before, was again urged to voice the company ; she had put her hand to the plough, and dare not look back. As an object lesson for the council, she requested that two of our number, who had suffered severely from the traffic, should sit at her right hand. It was with difficulty that the women found an entrance to the hall, for it was packed to the door. A policeman escorted us to seats he had reserved for us in the front. In addition to the townspeople, numbers from the country had flocked in to witness the strange scene. Our champion again presented the petition, which was eagerly scanned and compared with the ratepayers' list. The friends of the traffic found, to their satisfaction, that we had a minority of names on that list; nevertheless, we had a good majority of the property-holders of the town, as some of the petition- ers held land in every ward ; but this plea, though no cAMPAinN Kriiors. h valiil, WAN not ivllowod to proviiil. Riich wim tho tidu of sympathy with tho petition, on tho part of tho orowil that Noniuthin^ iiiUNt l)o dono l)y way of coin- proniino at leant. Will anyone volunteer to buy up tho Mtook of li(|UorN loft uiiNold ? wan tho quention proposed, but no one wan prepared to make the ven- ture. Anotlier propcsition waH to renew tho lioenHu for Hufliciont time to sell out the stook. The mayor, addrcHninj^ himMolf to tho women, Naid, "Will that Hfttinfy you, ladies?" as if we were the only onei interested. Our answer was : " We women are not well posted in law, but wo are aware that you cannot issue a license for less than a year, and we understand the tralKo well enough to know tliat the stock of liquor now on hand will he supplemented so as to last a year." The evenin< was passing, and thn discussion must be brought to aclo^e. The assertion was repeated, *' These mon must not sustain loss; will you ladies buy up the liquor, or become responsible for it?" The response was, " Yea, we will buy tho liquor and pir.y full price, on condition that the liquor-sellers will compensate the loss of two of our number." Then the speaker, laying her hand on the shoulder o^ hho woman at her right, said, " This woman's husb^^i '-• in a drunkard's grave, cut off by delirium trci.iu«i8. Will they compensate her losses ? Then, reaching over to tho wo. "in next her, it is well known to the gentle- men of the r. ;ncii that this woman is suffering untold agonies from w.e iffHcts of the liquor on her husband. Can they compensate her ? No ! gentlemen of tho OHfJANIZATluN WOTIJ. IN CANADA. Ill council, tlioro \h not inotioy <;tinu;r)i in tliin town, nor in the univorNu, to conipoiiHiitu tin ho two." Sliu addtMi, " Wo havu brought you thn iuuiiun of tlirco hundriMl citizrnH ii>*kin){ that thonf) lict^tiNOH nIiouM Iu) wiiiihcM ; thrr ii lividualH bnU that thoy nhall bu ronuwed, w;ii m w lil you hear — ttiu thruo, or thu thruo hundred? W have miduavorod to nhow you tho uvii thin li(|Uor in prtulucin^, and yet wo have failed to portray its awful conHcqUtincus. Now, wo will make a propomil, if these throe men will conio forward, and hIiow that they have bontditod a ninglo family, we will with- draw our petition." The applicantM for liconHOH were in an anteroom, oil' the platform, awaiting a decision. Kvery eye in the crowd wan now fixed on that door, but it remained cloned. After a Hiif!lcient pauHo, the speaker added, " I will go still farther; if tlioso men will show that thoy have even benefited a 8in;;ie in- dividual, by the sale of their liquors, we will withdraw our petition, and leave the hall." And still there was no response — a silent consent to the fact, that evil und only evil was the result of the traffic. We added by way of conclusion, " The decision will evidently be against our petition ; it will be asserted that we are defeated ; but remember, gentlemen of the council, it will only be an apparent defeat, merely the signal for renewed effort, for we have nailed our colors to the mast ; we have covenanted together never to give the matter up until the traffic is swept from this country." We now paused to see a vote taken. The yeas and nays were called for. The nays prevailed ; and the 112 CAMPAION ECHOES. liquor-dealers took their friends in the council home for an oyster supper. We went to our homes, cast down but not de- stroyed. On reviewing our situation at our next weekly meeting, it was resolved to commence at once to pledge the electors, at the next municipal elections, to support men who would vote against these liquor stores. But a second thought prevailed. Why spend a whole year opposing only three licenses, while it is in the power of the electors to abolish every license in the country ? The adoption of th<3 Dunkin Bill was the means proposed. It had been carried in the country some years before, and was working admirably, when it was discovered that the seal of the municipality had not been attached to the document. An appeal was made to the courts to set it aside, and, strange to say, the absence of a little bit of sealing wax over- threw the best protective law that Prince Edward had ever enjoyed. As a proof of efficiency, the late J. P. Kolin, ex-M.P.P., had interviewed the leading men of the town, and ascertained that they had done more business and taken in more money during the months that the law was in force than they had the corresponding months of the previous year. Still the law was allowed to go by default, and the country went back into the hands of the drunkard-makers. It was very doubtful whether the electors could be induced to rally again around this standard. How- ever, we resolved to try. ORGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 113 A meeting was called in one of our homes, and our gentleman friends invited. Here we were reminded of the necessit}' of being wise as serpents and as harmless as doves, as an impression was gaining ground that this " woman's movement was instigated by party politics." Some said 'twas the stratagem of the Conservatives, some said it was a Grit manoeuvre ; but we knew that home protection was the guiding star. In sending out the invitations, care was taken that each side of politics should be evenly represented. When the m ting was called to order, the presi- dent explained the object we had in view — that the young men of our town, and, if possible, the older ones, should be saved from the ravages of intemper- ance ; that the only means of defence was the Dunkin Bill That has been tried and proved a failure, was the objection. It is needless to go into the discussion that followed, but woman's persistency prevailed, and the brethren resolved to back up the movement by their votes, on condition that we vrould take the pre- liminary steps. We had now secured the influence of the town; we must also have the co-operation of the county, as it was a county measure. A convention was called, in which every municipality was well represented. The proposition to give the Dunkin Bill another trial was laid before them, and earnestly discussed. The frivolous technicality that had overthrown the law before, had disgusted very many, and seemed to cause 114 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. a distrust in law and law-makers ; but as this was our only weapon of defence, it was resolved to give the measure one more trial, guarding, at the same time, against every possibility of error. We were now committed to a Herculean task. The county consisted of nine municipalities ; each of these was to present a petition containing the names of, at least, thirty electors. The county was to be canvassed from Carrying Place to Long Point, and those who understand the geography of Prince Edward, are aware that that meant from Dan to Beersheba. • Here my old motto came in splendidly, " Persever- ance conquers all things." Letters were written to leading ladies in the different localities, as well as to ministers of the gospel, asking their sympathy and co-operation. The canvass was at length completed. We had secured influential politicians to head each list. The petition proved to be the largest that had ever been presented to the county council. ' In the meantiuie, the leaven of public sentiment was working. Two of the councillors who bad opposed our petitions in the town were leading mer- chants; they had proved that the most sensitive nerve in a man's organization is that which goes through his pocket-book. Some of their most pro- fitable customers had withdrawn their patronage. These two men wrote letters of apology to the Woman's Union, pleading by way of excuse that they were pledged to their constituents, but always here- after would be found on the temperance side. ORGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 115 The children of the Band of Hope were doing their part bravely, talking temperance in their homes, sing- ing it on the streets, and pouring out hot shot pro- hibition sentiment in their recitations in their public meetings. Through their influence, Edward Cars well (who was a great favorite with us) was brought to the town to lecture. This was considered quite a triumph, as the Sons of Temperance had tried repeat- edly to get him and failed. He was considered a Prince Edward boy. as he went out from our town to lecture. He was expected on an early morning boat, and the President of the Band of Hope, Master Her- bert Wilson, in company with his' secretary, drove down with his carriage and span of Shetlands to meet their speaker. Master Wilson, now Dr. Wilson, is a prominent citizen of the North -West, and has been (if not still) President of the Council; and W. H.. P. Clement, our champion reciter, another of the escort of that morning, now a rising barrister of Toronto city. The promise of his boyhood is being realized in the developments of manhood. He will yet make his mark in political circles, and will be an honor to any constituency that he may represent in legislative halls. Mr. Carswell's lecture did us much good. The officers of the Band sat on the platform, wearing their badges. The children led the singing, and many a parent's heart was glad that night to see their child- ren promoting so good a cause. Before Mr. Carswell left, he composed an ode dedi- cated to the Picton Band of Hope, to be uaed as a pflmpaign sonof, which we subjoin : 116 CAM PA ION ECHOES. Dedicnted to the Ficton Band of Hope^ and published in the Picton papers. Whkn Canada is Free. Get ready for the jubilee, Hurrah ! Hurrah! When old Prince Edward bIiuII be free, Hurrah ! Hurrah ! The girls will sing, the boys will shout, When alcohol is driven out. And we'll all feel gay when Canada is free, And we'll all feel gay. We are only children now, you know, Hurrah ! Hurrah ! But temperance children always grow ; Hurrah ! Hurrah ! The girls will all be women then, The boys, of course, will all be men, And we'll all fight rum till Canada is free, And we'll all, etc. From Quinte's Bay to Wellington, Hurrah 1 Hurrah I From Marysburg to Consecon, Hurrah ! Hurrah I The struggle now is going on, And when the mighty victory's won We'll all feel gay that whiskey's reign is o'er. We'll all, etc. It will not do to simply say Hurrah ! Hurrah I For others work— yourself deny, Stand by the right till by and by We'll all feel gay that Canada is free. We'll all, etc. One of the editors added : "Throuffh the exertion of one lady, Mrs. Arthur Toumans, Pioton has, perhaps, the flneet Band of Hope in the Dominion." Ill \ ORGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 117 At the summer sittincj of the county council, we went in a body to that aufijust assemblage. As on a previous occasion, our visit was preceded by a prayer- meeting. One of the very men who opposed our petition at the town council, volunteered to advocate our cause and present the petition. After reading the document, he stated that it was the largest and most influential petition that had ever been presented to that body, that it contained the leading names in each municipality, and that every councillor would find there the signatures of his constituents. He closed his remarks by saying, " If we expect to be re-elected next January, the prayer of this petition must be granted." The document was passed around to each member, and carefully scanned. There were some significant nods to each other, when another member arose and seconded the motion already made. The vote was taken for the petition without an opposing voice. The county clerk was requested to tix the day for polling, and take all other preliminary steps. We could scarcely credit our senses, that the whole work was done without opposition, for we had expected a severe contest. But we were not to get off^ so easily ; the council was in the best of humor, and demanded a speech from the ladies. This was not a difficult task, for our hearts were fil ed with gratitude and admiration for the noble stand that had been taken for the right. But most of all, we praised the Giver of every good and perfect gift. ma. 118 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Now, it was our duty to watch as well as pray. The county clerk, through whose blunders the bill had been overthrown before, might possibly make a mis- take again. Notices were to be posted in each muni- cipality four weeks before the day of election. At the closing of the second week after the polling day was fixed, he was interviewed by our secretary. In answer to the question, How are you getting along with the bills ? he replied, *' Splendidly, they are all up except one municipality." It was objected that that municipality will not have sufficient notice to meet the letter of the law. He was quite annoyed, saying, " When all the rest is right, it will not matter." " Well," said the secre- tary, "we will see about that." A meeting of the Union was at once called, and after earnest consulta- tion it was decided to secure advice of R. A. Harrison, of Toronto, who was considered the highest authority in municipal law. A letter was sent at once stating the case, and requesting an immediate telegram giving his decision. Promptly came the answer. Wrong. There was now evidently no safety without legal supervision. Mr. Harrison assumed the guidance of affairs, and wrote down minute directions for every step up to the day of polling. A new polling day must be appointed, the old bills must be taken down and new ones substituted, each one being in their place full four weeks before the voting. , I OUGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. IIU The clerk was only too glad to obey orders, for a storm of indignation was bursting upon his head from every quarter. We now entered upon the campaign. Meetings were advertised throughout the county ; ministers and leading laymen from the town were solicited to take part in them. The women went in carriages or on the little steamers that plied the bay. I have already intimated that we were looked upon with distrust by some politicians who feared party influence. An election contest had recently taken place, and the smoke of the battle had not quite cleared away, in one of the townships, where, strange to say, both of the candidates belonged to one church, and there was not the best of feeling among the brethren. We dreaded that municipality more than the whole Cf *unty, fearing our motives would be misconstrued ; but there was no retreat, we must meet the lion in his den. The meeting was large and enthusiastic. The leading men on both sides were out in full force, and evidently deeply interested. While addressing the audience, a war incident came forcibly to my mind. I feared to bring it out, lest it might be considered personal. But, like Bancho's ghost, " It would not down," so out it came, hit or miss. A battle was raging, when the commander noticed one of the enemy's guns that was sweeping off a large number of his men. He called two of his captains to him, and pointing out the destructive agency, said, 120 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. II ! HI i •' Combine your companies, and take that gun." Said one of the officers, " We cannot do it, general, for we two are not on speaking terms." The commander spoke in thundering tones, " Shake hands this minute and take the yun." The illustration took effect. A leading politician sprang to his feet before the meeting closed, and fully endorsed what had been said, adding, " We politicians have been at loggerheads, but we will shake hands and take this gun." A leading man in the other political party quite as enthusiasti- cally added his approbation to the movement. He urged the women to proceed with their work, saying, " Your hands are not fettered like ours ; you have neither business nor politics to obstruct your way. Go ahead ; you will find us at the ballot box at the appointed time." The meeting closed, and we went on our way rejoicing. A few days after this I received a lawyer's letter, demanding a retraction of certain sentiments uttered in one of the meetings, and an apology ; otherwise an action would be entered for one thousand dollars damages. A respectful answer was returned, that no names had been mentioned, neither had there been any intention to injure anyone personally, consequently there was no apology to offer. The next day the high sheriff of the county stood at my door, with an ominous document in his hand. Seated in a carriage outside was his escort, the county judge. The sheriff proceeded to read the writ, for so it proved to be, citing me to appear at court, in answer to the charge already made. My husband said, "I ORGANIZATION W.C.T.U. IN CANADA. 121 will stand by what my wife has said if it takes my last dollar." No sooner had the minions of the Ip-w taken their departure than our local member, who lived just across the street, came over to sympathize. He said, "I watched that whole scene from my win- dow. Those two dignitaries came to make the affair as impressive as possible, and chose the noon hour, when the men would be ^oinw home to dinner, in order to give it publicity ; but don't you flinch, let it go through, and we will have the greatest temperance meeting at the court house at the next assizes that has ever been held in this county." I may remark in passing, that R. A. Harrison was guiding our ship, and the liquor men found their craft was in danger, and it was now war to the knife. R. A. Harrison's legal aid was solicited, and he agreed to come to Picton when required, and defend the suit. A local lawyer was to take the preliminary steps. Everything was adjusted for taking the suit into court when it was quietly dropped. One of the liqilor-sellers who had prompted the action, was heard to remark, "Of course, we cannot do anything wuth her, only to scare her and stop her mouth lor a while." But the scare had the con- trary eflfect. The writ proved admirable kindling for the temperance fire. The meetings increased in interest and numbers until the day of polling. When the different outposts were heard from, the majority was over six hundred for the Dunkin Bill. '■>1 • CHAPTEE VIII. CONVENTIONS AT MONTREAL AND COBOURO. PETITIONS had been pouring in to the Dominion Pdrliainent from all parts of the country demanding the prohibition of the liquor traffic So strong was the agitation, that something must be done before the next general elections. The Gov- ernment called the convention to meet in Montreal, September 17th, 1875, asking all temperance organi- zations to send delegates, that the subject might be thoroughly discussed as to the demands of the people. The convention proved to be a representative one. The delegates from the different provinces were numerous and influential. Politicians were not want- ing to guard the interests of the respective parties. A variety of proposals was made, such as higher license fees, more restrictive measures, severe penal- ties for law-breakers, and the adoption of the Dun kin Act. The last named law had been on the statute book since 1864. The only municipality in Ontario that had adopted it was the county of Halton. Immediately after coming into force, it was quashed through some infor- mality, and the people let it go by default. This measure was framed by Judge Dunkin. of the county of Brome, Quebec, aiid adopted very soon CONVENTIONS, MONTREAL AND COBOURG. 12:) after its passage by this constituency, proving to be most effective in the suppression of the liquor traffic. Several townships in Ontario availed themselves of its protection. In some of them it is still in force, and although numerous efforts have been made to jrepeal it, the people refused to allow it to be over- thrown. The mention of the Dunkin Bill seemed to arouse the convention ; the pros and cons were vigorous for and against. Prince Edward county, that had voted only one week before, was held up as a beacon light. One delegate from the west stated that the steamer on which he came contained ocie hundred delegates, and as they passed the Prince Edward shore, the delegates all came on deck and gave three hearty cheers for the prohibition county and the women who led the van. This announcement brought out the intelligence that a Prince Edward woman wr.s there as a delegate. The voice of the convention now was to hear from her. I happened to be the delegate in question, and regardless of entreaty and remonstiL^ance, I was almost by main force brought to the platform.* What I said was neither premeditated nor treasured up in my memory, except one illustration that came forcibly t6 my mind. A temperance meeting had a short time before been held in the State of Indiana. A very large audience was assembled. The church bell tolled at short intervals; someone asked the pastor to eiplain the tolling of the bell. He replied, " I have directed the sexton to toll the bell every eight 124 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. minutes during the pro^'ress of this meeting, for it has heen ascertained by careful computation, in thu United States alone, every eight minutes a drunkard dies." Then, laying his hand upon the Bible, said, "This book tells mo that no drunkard can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." I added, " Would that a bell could be suspended in the dome of the Dominion Parliament, that when the prohibition question is up, it might toll every time a drunkard dies in Canada." Our W.C.T.U. was now invested with considerable personality. We were not an incorporated body, yet were acknowledged to be an organization not to be ignored, and recognized by other temperance organi- zations. A deputation of the Right Grand Lodge of Good Templars was about to visit Napanee, the next county town, on their way to a convention in the United States. We resolved to go in a body and attend a reception to be given them, but how were we to get there was the perplexing question. The boat for Napanee that day carried a bar, and one of our resolutions was not to patronize liquor groceries nor anything that helped on the traffic. We had a little steamer, whose commander. Captain Port, was a true Christian man, but his trip that day was to Belleville. We chartered his boat to take us to Napanee, some twelve miles off his route, and then, returning, call and take us home. We were met on arrival by leading temperance men of the town, who urged us to give an address of welcome from the W.C.T.U. of Pictc fi to the guests. It fell to my lot to CONVENTION'S, MONTREAL AND COBOUIia. 12) prepare the address, which, I supposed, would be placed in the hands of the secretary to be read. An immense audience was assembled in one of the churches, and after the welcome from the order in the town was given, it was announced that a p;reeting of the W.C.T.U. of Picton would then be presented by one of their number. Mrs. Younians was called to the platform, and, alas, for poor me, I felt I would rather, like Jonah, have been cast overboard into the deep. The thought of facing that sea of eyes was overwhelming. I had never stood on a public plat- form in my life. I could not do it, but did venture to read the address from the aisle. At the close of the meeting we went on board our temperance steamer en route for home. The little cabin was crowded ; it was now eleven p.m. ; we had a three hours' sail before us, and needed some- thing to keep up our spirits. Severe 1 gospel hymns were sung, and then it was proposed that we have a gospel testimony meeting, each one who had ever been injured by the liquor traflBc to state his or her experience. The late Jacob Spence, of Toronto, was the first to address us with his usual earnestness. Then Rev. W. Afflick, of England, told how he had suffered from the drink, of having his limbs broken twice while in a fit of intoxication, of hunger, destitution and wretchedness before he signed the pledge. One after another spoke freely of what they had themselves endured, either directly or indirectly, from the traffic. One gentleman 126 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Spoke of a sister whose husband had broken her heart; another of a father, whose downward career had desolated their home. The meeting was strictly in- formal ; each one seemed to speak out of the fulness of his heart. As we drew near the end of our journey, it was proposed that, as we had heard so much of the evil of the liquor traffic and the injury it had done, it would only be fair play that, if anyone had any- thing to say in its defence, he should be allowed to speak. I had noticed during the proceedings, that a man sitting in full view of the speakers, with his chair flipped back against the wall, was the leading liquor- seller in our town, and had the most money invested in the traffic ; and he was the leader in opposing our movements. His hat was pulled farther and farther over his face, until it was almost entirely obscured. He sat there as motionless as a statue. His daily avocation had been denounced in the most unlimited terms, and still he had not a word to say in its defence. When the whistle announced our place of destination, he sprang from his seat as if shot from a gun, and darted out for the gangway. He stated afterwards that that was the hottest three hours he ever spent in his life. This happened in May, 1875, previous to can- vassing the county, and before I had even conceived the possibility of addressing an audience. After the Montreal convention, requests came from various quarters for me to come and get the women organized CONVENTIONS, MONTREAL AND COBOURG. 127 missing link and to work. This seemed to be the that had been wanting in the temperance work. A convention was about to be held in the town of Cobourg for the purpose of uniting two orders of Templars ; it was expected to be largely attended and a meeting of great interest. To my astonishment I received an invitation to be one of the speakers in the mass meeting. This was indeed an ordeal. Cobourg, if not the immediate place of my birth, was the scene of all my childhood and youthful memories. It was my father's place of business for the last twenty years of his life, and there were still many of his old friends remaining. I knew curiosity would draw them out, and I dreaded their criticisms ; however, to Cobourg I must go. A warm invitation came from one of my father's special friends to be his guest. He and his excellent wife showed me every kindness during my stay. The evening of the mass meeting proved to be most unfavorable ; one of the officers called to see me early in the evening, and remarked, " Our prospects for a good meeting are threatened, it is as dark as pitch and storming furiously ; I fear we will not have a baker's dozen out to-night; a carriage will come for you shortly." I retired to my room trying to comfort my- self with the thought, if I break down, there will not be many to witness the catastrophe. I put on my wraps, then seated myself awaiting the summons to go. While sitting there I thought I realized exactly how a criminal felt when waiting for the officers to take him to the gallows. ^:| .1' j: 1.1: 128 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. On arriving at the hall, the gentleman referred to opened the carriage door, with the exclamation, "We are all right, the hall is packed ! " and so it proved to be, for it was with great difficulty we worked our way through the crowd to the anteroom. On taking my seat on the platform, I saw at once that I was sur- rounded by familiar faces, some of them from several miles in the country, attracted by curiosity to hear what the Baltimore girl had to say on the temper- ance question. Cobourg was always a conservative town, adhering tenaciously to time-honoured rules. What was popularly known as woman's rights was in this town at a discount. Strong-minded women and blue stockings were below par. Still, I believe the good people felt they had some vested rights in me, and were prepared to receive me graciously. We hear sometimes of stage fright which is said to seize the speaker when first appearing before the public. My trouble on that occasion was a choking sensation, which threatened to obstruct utterance. However, some benign influence came to my help, and the impediment was removed. It seemed imperative that I should define my position; accordingly I assured the audience that I had not come there to advocate woman's rights, but that I had come to remonstrate against women's and children's wrongs. But there is one form of woman's rights in which I firmly believe, and that is, the right of every woman to have a comfortable home, of every wife to have a sober husband, of every mother to have sober sons. COXVEXTIONS, MONTREAL AND COBOURQ. 129 d to "We id to way 5 my I sur- sveral hear [nper- /ative rules, ^as in m and ^^e the in me, These inalienable rights had been wrested from us by the liquor traflSc, and I have come here to appeal for protection for our homes and our children. This assertion seemed to strike the key-note of the meet- ing, and received a hearty response by way of general applause. The term prohibition is obnoxious to many, but the idea of protection is congenial to everyone. The term protection has its political aspect, and hence is adverse to the sentiment of one of the parties ; but home protection is a platform on which all parties and creeds can stand together. And thus I talked for one ' hour at least, without a written note, the memories of years coming to my rescue. The meeting was pronounced a grand success. The audience numbered some thirteen hundred. One amusing incident in this affair I must not omit to mention. My husband had accompanied me as far as Belleville, where he had business to transact that re- quired immediate attention. He saw me safe on board the cars, promising to meet me the next day, to return home together, which he accordingly did ; and as we took the steamer homeward bound, our conversation naturally turned upon the events of the previous evening, and he inquired most minutely into the particulars, even asking me if we had a good meeting, saying, "Surely, no one would turn-out on such a fearful stormy evening," thus drawing out of me a full description, and the assurance that the hall was packed to its utmost capacity. On reaching home, I found 9 lao CAMPAIGN ECHOES. two of my lady friends waiting to hear the result of my venture. My husband sat quietly listening while they plied me with about the same questions he had asked while coming down on the steamer. One of the ladies said. " Do you suppose all those people could hear you dis- tinctly ?" My husband, not giving me time to answer, responded, " Yes, I am sure they did, for her voice was clearer and more distinct than any speaker on the platform." I looked on in blank amazement. My friend exclaimed, " Why! did you go with Mrs. Youmans ? " "Only as far as Belleville," said he, " but finding I had got through my business sooner than I expected, I ascertained that a train left Belleville that would reach Cobourg at eight o'clock p.m., and that another would leave Cobourg for the east at half- past ten. I resolved to see and hear for myself just how my wife would acquit herself in her new sphere. I seated myself so if possible to escape her observation. It was really refreshing to listen to the observations of those around me, when she referred to old times in Cobourg, such as, ' What was her maiden name ? ' ' Where does she live now ? ' ' What kind of a hus- band has she got ? ' And on leaving the hall, one person asked me what I thought of the lecture. I replied, * Oh, I suppose it was very good for a woman.' The man gave me an indignant look, as much as to say, * I guess you are in league with the traffic' On the way to the station the lecture was the main sub- ject of conversation with the crowd going to the cars. COXVENTIOXS, MONTREAL AND COBOURG. 131 t oi plied vhile said. 1 dis- Lswer, ;e was ►n the friend lans ? iding I pected, would mother ten. I ly wite seated on. It Aons oi ^imes in name?' a hu9- lall, one ^ture. I woman. ^ch as to .c' On lain sub- the cars, and finding I was from Picf.on, they were anxious to know what position the lady speaker occupied in her own town. I told them that as far as I knew, she bore a very respectable name among her neighbors. ' Does her husbcnd amount to anything, or does he drink ? ' I vouched for the truth of his sobriety, saying that he was a man of strong temperance prin- ciples, but otherwise I did not know much about him." I may add here that I, too, knew he was a man of strong temperance principles, for he carried them into every transaction in life. For years before our mar- riage, he had prepared unfermented wine for the church. As a farmer he never sold a bushel of grain to be manufactured into alcohol. When the wheat crop was a failure several years in succession, he was obliged to raise rye. Finding that the Lower Can- adians were glad to get rye flour, he boug it up a sufficient quantity from his neighbor, in addition to his own crop, to make up one hundred barrels of flour, and ship them to Montreal. He had the bran and middlings to feed his cattle. He thus netted as much profit on his rye as others, and best of all, had a clear conscience. As for hops and barley, he said he would not desecrate the ground with them. He persistently refused to grind malt for a distillery that then was the scourge of our town. When applied to for plank to make heads for beer barrels, he replied, " You can have my lumber for any i-il 132 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. purpose except to help on the liquor traffic, but for that you can never have one single plank." On bringing freight on the boats, he would never patron- ize a vessel that carried a bar. And as to patronizing groceries that sold liquor, it was utterly out of the question. He was a strong prohibitionist in principle. I love to recount these characteristics, and now in my loneliness and widowhood I thank God for thirty-two years of companionship with one so good and true. but for s." On patron- ronizing b of the jrinciple- )W in my urty-two d true. CHAPTEK IX. VISIT TO TORONTO. THE Temperance Reformation Society, of Toronto, sent me an ur^^ent request to come and organ- ize the ladies of the city ; hut a previous engagement called me to the county of Leeds first. I addressed an audience in the town of Brockville on the evening of my arrival. The next morning, accompanied hy a deputation of Good Templars, hy whose invitation I had come, I found myself in an omnibus, en route for Toledo, about twenty miles north, to attend a convention. After a vigorous afternoon session, a mass meeting was held in the evening, which closed about ten o'clock. After hastily partaking of some refreshment, I started in an open buggy for Brockville, to catch the train for Toronto, at which place I arrived the next forenoon, and was met at the station by members of the Reformation Society, — as I recall them now, Rev. John Shaw, Mr. James Thompson, Mrs. Luke Sharp, and others. I was taken to a delightful home, where I was informed the lady had asked the privilege of entertaining me. My escort informed me, before leaving, that that hack and driver were at my disposal to go when and where I liked through the city during my stay. But conscience would not allow me to 134 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. V trespass on their liberality except when doing the worjj assigned me. Public meetings were arranged in different halls and churches. The ladies came together in the after- noon for the special purpose of organization. I found them to be an earnest, devoted company of Christian women, zealous of good works. They seemed to feel deeply the ravages of intemperance, but had already so much work on their hands that there was no time for any new undertaking ; besides there were a num- ber of organizations already at work. Sons of Tem- perance, Good Templars and Reformation Society ; surely these could cover the whole ground. The afternoon passed away, and we adjourned, to meet the next day. The adjourned meeting brought large accessions to our number and increa-^ed interest. A spirit of prayer pervaded the company, and the inquiry was : " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" A reference being made to the work already in hand, such as relieving the poor, visiting the hospitals and the haven, I inquired: "What is the cause of all this work ?" With one consent they all replied : " The liquor traffic, to a very great extent." " Then," I said, " would it not be better for a time to drop some of these, and concentrate your efforts so that the cause may cease ? " It recalls to my mind an incident which will perhaps more clearly illustrate my meaning. A lady returning, after a temporary absence, found the house in the utmost consternation — servants biisj^ with VISIT TO TORONTO. 135 the lalls iter- )und itian > feel ■eady time num- Teni- ciety ; The set the dippers and mops to dry up the water, which was flowing over the floor. She inquired : " Have you examined the faucet ? " The answer was : " No I in- dade, ma'm, we have not had time to look at the faucet." She examined it herself and, finding it open, turned off the water. The women so.w the point, and fell at once into line for definite, persistent and aggressive temperance work. On Sabbath morning the city missionary called for me to go to the Central Prison, to address the con- victs. On our way he informed me that the hackman who drove us was paid by the Government for taking Christian people to the prison. I was now collecting facts for my work; and this was to me an important item. The absurdity of the idea was, on the whole, quite amusing. Licensing men to make drunkards of our young men ; incarcerate them in prison, and then pay hackmen to take Christian people there to teach them for one hour once a week. A company of women would have legislated more wisely than that. They would have cut of the traffic, and saved the hack fare. But the Government hack brought us safely to the Government institution; and, as the chaplain con- ducted us to the platform, we were informed there were two hundred and fifty in the company before us, being the Protestant Sabbath- school. A Roman Catholic service was going on in another part of the building. I inquired : " How many of this number do you 136 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. suppose are brought here through drink ? " His answer was: "Perhaps one-third." I listened wliile they sang : " Depth of mercy can there be, mercy still reserved for me." I saw the tears trickling down some of their faces. One poor fellow wept convulsively. The chaplain asked me to take a class, whose teacher was absent. I took my seat in front of eight boys, apparently not past their teens. They seemed so glad to have some one to talk kindly to them. After going over the lesson, " I want to talk to you," I said, " as your mother would if she were here. I do not wish to know your name, nor the cause of your being here, but I would like to know just what drink has had to do with it ? " I appealed first to one on my right. He said : " Drink, and nothing else. If I had not been brought here, I would have been dead new, for I was drinking myself to death." So on through six of the number. The seventh said he was not a drunkard, but his parents drank, and led him to steal. The eighth persisted that drink had nothing to do in his case ; he looked more hardened and defiant than the others, and my settled impression was that drink was responsible in his case. I inquired of the chaplain if that class was a fair representation of the prisoners. He informed me that it was. " Well, then," I responded, " instead of one- third, as you have estimated are here through drink, there are at least seven-eighths." In addressing the prisoners collectively at the close, I said , " Boys, don't think I am unkind if I say I am fl VISIT TO TORONTO i:]7 p;lad you are in here." They looked for a moment iMdi^nf^nt. I said, " I mean it. I am glad these walls are thick and those gates strong, so that you cannot get out to the liquor nor the liquor get in to you. " You are better protected than the youn^ men walk- ing the streets of Toronto to-day. You have in here a prohibitory liquor law which (Heaven helping us) we will have some day for the whole country. Then you can go out safe from temptation." I urged them to give their hearts to God, and seek divine help in the struggle that would await them on being released. The next day I was taken to the city gaol to talk to the ferr>ale prisoners. The matron informed us there were seventy present, this being all they could spare, as it was washing day. I found it a more difficult task to arrest the atten- tion than I did the previous day at the Central Prison. On some faces there was a sneer, on others a look of incredulity. It seemed to me there was no response to my utterances. I thought of the three magic words — mother, home, and heaven. Then I spoke of the days of their childhood, when they knelt at mother's knee and said, " Our Father." I saw the tear glisten in many eyes. I dwelt on the home of their childhood, and the happy days of innocency, before they wandered away. And now the Saviour was waiting to receive them, and said, as He did to one of old, ** Thy sins, which are many, are all for- given thee." The stony hearts seemed melted, and the aprons r u ?'« Yi] . r> i;i8 CAMPAIGN KCHOKS. that went up to many faces to wipe away the fast- llowing tears, led me to hope that the seed sown would bring forth fruit if even after many days. I sat down by the matron, while the lady M'ho came with me addressed them. I inquired, " Had drink any- thing to do with bringin;; these women here?" " Yes," she said. " it had everything to do with it. Every one of them was a drunkard." Then she added, ** Did you notice the nearest buildings outside the gate are licensed liquor sliops? Those girls, some of them, get the liquor as soon as they get out, and some of them are in again the next day." She pronounced the word license with a bitter emphasis, and well she might, for the license system is our national crime ; it is a foul blot on the statute book of a Christian country. This prison scene was a new revelation to me. I had not the slightest idea that women were, to such an extent, the victims of drink. In fact, I was ashamed of our Government boasting of British liberty, and yet selling the people to the drunkard- makers. Had there been any better state of things across the lines, I should have Hed for refuge to the opposite shore, and felt myself powerless to do anything. But their tlag bears as dark a stain as ours. These two flags must be washed, and women's hands, that have always done the washing of the world, are going to be chief instruments in erasing the dark blot. VISIT TO TO HON TO. 130 I visited the Haven, ami found a large number of unfortunates who had there found a shelter and help in their time of need. As I looked at these youthful victims (for many of them were little more than chil- dren), and then at their helpless offspring, I askod my usual question, " What has drink to do with this ? " The matron's response was : " A very great deal. Their seducers were almost invariably drinking men, some of them holding high positions in society." I was informed afterwards that in Toronto, at this time, there were over one hundred that were known to be houses of ill-fame, besides many more that were known as of doubtful repute, and that each of these houses sold liquor by the bottle. I addressed the children on several occasions, and obtained a large number of signatures to the triple pledge, against alcoho' tobacco, and profanity. The last place of interest I visited was the great distillery. I had seen the storehouses where the fruits of the trarfic were housed, and was anxious to see the old tree itself that produced the fruit. Here a new and startlinor revelation awaite IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^^^ <^^ ^ 1.0 1.1 11.25 m ^ 122 ^ U& 12.0 /: '/ s PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation ^1 23 WIST MAIN STRiET WEKSTER.N.Y. 14S80 (716)S72-4503 '^'^ fs J. ISO CAMPAIGN KCIIOES. !^^' that the mother and daughter were dressed in deep mourning; a great sorrow had visited the family. The eldest son had secured a good government position on the Pacific coast, and after spending a few years out there, was returning home to spend the summer. He had written home, stating the name of the vessel upon which he had taken passage. The sad news soon reached them that the ship went down, and all on board perished. The particulars of the catastrophe were these : The captain of another vessel, celebrating his birthday, plied his men with liquor. Under its influence, they were incapacitated for guiding the ship, and ten furiously against the other vessel, caus- ing her to sink, and then refused assistance to thu victims. Said the mother, as she concluded the narrative, " My son was a total abstainer ; he never touched liquor, but it murdered him." I said in my heart, " Thank God, there are those who do recognize the hand of the assassin." We frequently hear the re- mark, " Just let liquor alone, and it will let you alone." But the fact is, it lets nobody alone. A minister of the gospel who had been stationed in the town of Napanee a few years before, received a telegram announcing the death of his son. He hastened to the place, and received the sad information that his son had rushed into eternity by his own hand in a fit of delirium tremens. He sat down beside the coffin, and for hours never uttered a word. For more than thirty years he had been a faithful LENNOX AND ADDIXOTON. 181 preacher of the gospel; and the Bible tells us that no drunkard can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. I met that aDlicted father some years afterwards on the temperance platform in the county of Leeda On being introduced to the audience, he stood for a moment without uttering a word, then in faltering accents he began : " I arraign the liquor traffic of Canada as a murderer. It is indeed a murderer of fathers, a murderer of mothers, and a man-slayer." That father had let the traffic alone, but it had not let him alone. It had wounded him in the tenderest feelings of a parent's heart. I have heard with in- dignation the advocates of the traffic say to the minister of the gospel, " You preachers have no busi- ness to meddle with this matter. You don't pay taxes ; you had better attend to your preaching, and let politics alone." If there is any subject that should be fearlessly advocated from the pulpit, it is the duty of Christian people to unite in uncompromising hostility to the foe. Towards the close of this campaign, a meeting was arranged at Portsmouth. Members of different de- nominations were on the platform ; among others, the Rev. Canon Dodds, who took an active part in the meeting, and on being called upon to pronounce the benediction, before doing so, appealed tc his own people, saying, " To-morrow is the Sabbath ; will you think over what we have heard to-night, and pray earnestly to be guided aright ? If you do, I am sure you will go next Tuesday and vote for the Dunkin Bill." !< 182 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. •^ My home, during my stay in Portsmouth, was just opposite the penitentiary. My ho})t and hostess being intimate friends of the warden, Mr. Creighton, I was afforded every facility for gleaning facts and figures from that institution. The estimate of the warden was that seven-tenths of the convicts were there through the influence of liquor. He kindly gave me the privilege of conversing privately with any convict I wished. There was one individual that I was very anxious to interrogate, as he was quoted by the advocates of the liquor traffic as a temperance man, and that the liquor had nothing to do with his incarceration. When the guard brought the individual in ques- tion up, I stated to him the work in which I was engaged, and my desire to get information. I in- quired : " Would 3'ou be willing to tell me what was the cause of your being here ?" He answered, v jut a moment's hesitation : " Drink, and nothing else." I asked : " Did you drink because you liked the taste of liquor ? " "Not by any means," he said. " I would not have given a straw to have bought a bottle, and carried it away and drank it myself. It was the jolly company of the bar-room, treating and being treated, that has made me a drunkard." How forcible the words of Isaiah, when he calls the traffic, " A refuge of lies, a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell." This testimony from the convict was just the argument I needed in defence of the Dunkin Bill. While that measure did not pre- LENNOX AND ADDINGTON. 183 vent an individual from keeping liquor in his bottle, it rendered the bar-room sale a dangerous operation ; besides the fines on the liquor-seller, there was the danger to the customer of being brought up as a witness, and a respectable man would rather not figure in a police court. When the time for voting came, I made my way home as soon as possible ; and as the law required one day for every four hundred voters, there was nearly a week before the returns were made. A telegram brought me the pleasing intelligence of eight hundred majority for the bilL >' y CHAPTEE XIII. HAMAN'S LICENSE * MR GLADSTONE says, in reference to England : '' The traffic in intoxicating liquors is pro- ducing more devastation than the combined influence of war, pestilence and famine." The question before us to-day- is: " What has given the traffic this power ?" There is a little principle underlying our laws which is the key to the situation ; and, as my audience to- day is intiernational, I might remark, although we parted company one hundred years ago, and differ in our form of national government, yet the fundamental ])rinciple of jurisprudence is the same in both countries still. What we license, we make a legitimate branch of business; we throw the strong arm of the law around it, or, to use a still more expressive simile — we wrap the flag of the country around it. Everyone present will be ready to admit that whatever has the Union Jack, or the Stars and Stripes, protecting it, has tremendous power at its back. It is a deeply humiliating fact that these two flags, that should pro- tect our homes, are wrapt around their destroyer. * This address, which has been delivered by Mrs. Younians, in almost every part of Canada, as well as in the United States, is here reproduced, having been especially requested by many friends. It was first given at the International Temperance Camp- meeting, 1,000 Island Park. .v.^~: UAMAN S LICENSE. 185 riand : J pro- luence before 21) which ace to- gh we iffer in mental jntries branch le law mile — eryone las the ing it, deeply Id pro- ler. I am sometimes accused of disloyalty by opposing what my country sanctions. Says the objector : '* This traffic is legalized ; these men have a right to sell" My answer invariably is : " They have the privilege to sell. They cannot have the right to do what is wrong. n Every right-minded person is ready to admit that the traffic is morally wrong; and what is morally wrong cannot be legally right. I found very early in my temperance work that Bible argument is by far the most effective in sustaining temperance truth. The question that now loomed up before me was, Is there a case of legalized wrong in the Bible ? I had firm belief in the declaration that " All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and Instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works." I believed if there was a case of legalized wrong, it was given for our admonition. This question followed me incessantly. I turnt'd back the pages of memory, searched faithfully the pages of sacred writ, and almost concluded there was not a case of legalized wrong in the Bible. I always loved the history of the noble Queen Esther, and was lead to peruse again the interesting narrative. As I read, Haman loomed up to view, until he really overshadowed my noble heroine, and actually presented an embodiment of the principle for which I had sought, a case of legalized wrong. 186 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. • As I sat in the solitude of my room, with the Bible open before me, and read the fearful details of Haman's scheme, I exclaimed with devout gratitude, " Eureka, I have found it at last." Now, let us for a little time inquire candidly into this matter. Haman is before us, the prototype of the liquor-sellers of the present day ; and inseparably connected with his history is that of the illustrious Queen Esther, the first woman that ever went to a government to ask to have a wicked license law repealed, or to claim home pro- tection. Haman is introduced to us as the first man in the Persian Court, next to the king. The royal mandate has gone forth, all heads are to bow as Haman passes by. The first point of analogy presents itself here. In every department of society, heads are bowing to the liquor traffic. The wealthy brewer or distiller, with his matched team, liveried coachman and fine carriage, in which is seated his elegantly-dressed wife and daughter, drives down the street. Hats are touched and heads bowed in every direction. Politicians, with scarcely an exception, are most obsequious to the traffic. Business men, too, often pay homage, regardless of principle ; and worst of all, the Church itself sometimes bows its head. A wealthy wholesale dealer occupies a front pew, and his ominous frown sometimes causes the .preacher to soften the truth, if not entirely suppress the woe denounced against those who give their neighbor drink. A golden coin, or a crisp bank-note thrown •' ' . t HAM AN 'S LICENSE. 187 upon the collection plate often covers a multitude of sins. But the Church is getting its head more erect ^ A minister of the gospel in the county of Oxford, after preaching a faithful sermon, was followed to the vestry by one of his churchwardens, who, with a menacing gesture, exclaimed, " You will never get another dollar of my money for your support." The intrepid minister replied, " I would rather saw wood for my living than to have your blood money." A Presbyterian minister in the county of Lambton was assailed in a similar manner by one of his qfBcials, who did not sell liquor himself, but feared the falling off of those engaged in the traffic. He said to his pastor, " We did not hire you to lecture on temperance, but to preach the gospel." The response was, " God called me to preach His gospel, and He holds me responsible for proclaiming the whole truth. I shall obey Him rather than Lian." But to return to Haman. There is one head tha« refuses to obey. The head of Mordecai is alw|iys straight up, not through wilfulness or obstinacy, but because there is neither mental nor moral worth in Haman to demand a bow, and Mordecai would submit to have his head severed from his body before he would bow to such a man. Oh, for more such heads ! It would not take many to save the country. Haman did not fail to observe this one upright head. The record" says he was filled with rage ; and he seems to have had tremendous capacity for rage. Revenge on one man would not satisfy him ; he must strike a 188 CAMPAIGN ECH0E5*. blow at the whole race to which the offender belonged. He first consulted his gods, that he might have super- natural help in the diabolical undertaking, and then committed himself to study out the most successful plot. I have often thought he took the night season for his meditations. As he sits there alone, the difficulties involved loomed up before him. To take life under ordinary circumstances would be murder. It might cost him his own life. But Haman was well posted in legai lore. If there were any characters in those days corresponding to our modem lawyers, doubtless he had been a lawyer in the city of Shushan. The thought is suggested to Haman's mind — get govern- ment authority to do it, and it would bo a legitimate branch of business; then the government will be partners in the business. But Haman wishes to take the life of the whole Jewish nation, to which Morde- cai belonged, and that would involve a falling- off of the revenue. Haman is equal to this emergency. He prepares a patriotic address, with which to approach the king. " There is a certain people scat- tered abroad over the king's provinces whose laws are diverse from the king's laws. Therefore, it is not for the king's profit to suffer them." Haman does not deign to give the Jews a name, although he knew their name as well as he knew his own. They are scattered abroad, as though there was only one here and another there, when they were really an immense nation. " They do not keep the haman's license. 1N9 kinf^'s laws." Now, they were as loyal as any sub- jects the king had. He began with prevarication, and ended with falsehood. I need scarcely suggest that the liquor traffic is prolific of more prevarication, falsehood and perjury than all other causes combined. Haman now comes to the desired point. " Let it be written that they may be destroyed, and I will pay into the king's treasury ten thousand talents of silver." This was the provision to forestall the objection of the falling-off of the revenue. Haman had made an estimate of what the Jews were paying. Perhaps he was the minister of finance, and knew the exact amount. The king accepted the proposal ; he took the ring from his finger, and gave it to Hainan, say- ing, " The people are given to thee to do with them as seemeth good to thee, the silver also." Sir Leonard Tilley, our Minister of Finance, tells us that when Canada demands Piohibition, the Govern- ment is prepared to dispense with the revenue. The United States Treasury is equally prepared to do without the silver of the traffic, ^i^ccording to their own statements. Now, let us look for a moment at this ring. It bore a seal, and a document no matter how vile its charac- ter, or how much blood flowed through its influences, if it bore the impress of that seal, it was law through- out one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, all the way from Ethiopia to India. Oh, the tremendous power of that ring ! Thank God, no person in the United States or Canada possesses such a ring, neither 190 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. the President of the Republic nor the Governor- Qeneral of the Dominion, and yet the ring has its counterpart in both countries. When the elector goes to the ballot box and marks that little mysterious paper, he puts the ring on the linger of his favorite candidate, and chooses him to legislate for him during the term of office to which the candidate is assigned. In what relation does the elector stand to the one for whom he votes ? Just the same as the king did to Haman, — accessory before the fact to whatever his substitute does during his term of office. Oh ! that Qod would roll upon the heart of every elector the tremendous responsibility of the franchise. The vote is a trust that Qod has given ; its record is taken up in heaven, and Qod holds the electors of these countries responsible for their destiny. Haman can write what he pleases, and seal it with the king's ring. When the liquor-dealer receives or renews his license, he has a blank indulgence to be filled up with as many broken hearts, desolate homes and lost souls as he can crowd in for a whole year ; and the State has no more right to sell indulgences than the Church. The letters or licenses are made out and stamped with the king's ring. And this is what the scribe wrote at Haman's dictation : " To destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, and take the spoil of them for a prey." This is a fac simile of the liquor licenses of the present day. HAMAN S LICENSE. 191 They kill, destroy and cause to perish in every con- ceivable way. One victim of the drink habit enters the licensed place of death, and quaffs the soul poison. Maddened by the draught, he rushes out and plunges his knife into the heart of a friend, and expiates his crime upon the gallows. One rushes into eternity by his own hand, by a pistol shot or rope. Another plunges into a watery grave ; another, stupefied by the drink, lies down upon the railway track, and is crushed by the wheels of the cars ; another perishes in the snow-drift. The language of the traffic is : "Anywhere, anywhere out of the world." All done by special Act of Parliament, God holds the people responsible for the slaughter. Haman's license included aged men, little children and women. These innocent victims are by far the greater sufferers from the liquor-seller's licence. I saw it all combined in one fearful tragedy in a recent visit to the town of Peterboro'. The lady by whom I was entertained, called me to the window one morning, and pointing to a building with closed shut- ters, she said, " That was the home of Ryan, the wife murderer." She proceeded to detail the dreadful occurrence. Ryan was a respectable citizen of this town, only an occasional drinker ; when sober, a kind husband and father. As his little daughter testified at the trial, " When pa was sober he was always so kind to me and mother." The lady continued : When he drank, he was a perfect maniac. On the morning of the murder, his father said to his daughter-in-law, 192 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. " We had better have James confined in the lock-up, I am afraid he will take someone's life." She replied, "Father, I cannot consent to that, our son has just gone to college to prepare for the ministry ; I would not for the world, ever have it thrown up to him, that his father was once a prisoner." Btfore the sun went down that day, that devoted wife and mother was in eternity, murdered by her husband; and he was in a felon's cell, to be tried for his life. I read a letter written by Ryan in the penitentiary, addressed to George A. Cox, Esq., then a resident of Peterboro', now well known in Toronto, asking Mr. Cox to sell his house and lot. He said : " Get all you can for them, as well as the furniture. (He specified a piano and other articles, showing that they had a well-furnished home.) Will you see that my poor children get the benefit of the sale?" Referring to his aged father, he said, "God forgive me for bringing down his grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. He is about to take my children to the Western States, and I hope he will take them so far that they will never hear of their wretched father." Then he spoke of his wife (here the letter was tear-stained). Said he, " She was the kindest woman that ever lived, she never gave me a cross word, nor even a frown ; and yet I so cruelly murdered her, and here I am in this gloomy cell to spend my life." He concluded the letter with this request : " Mr. Cox, if you ever geii a seat in Parlia- ment, vote this cursed traffic out of the country as soon as possible." UAMAN'S LICENSE. 193 This is the view of the traffic fron* the cell of the penitentiary and from the scaffold. Would to God that such men as George A. Cox were our law-makers. " For when the righteous rule, the people rejoice ; but when the wicked are in power, the nations mourn." Mr. Cox kindly lent me Ryan's letter for a time, and I used to read it to the audience when appealing for the support of the Dunkin Bill. I believe it gained many votes for the measure. I enquired, " Where did Ryan get his liquor ? " She replied, " In one of our first hotels. A licensed, well-regulated place, as it is called." If licensed liquor did not nerve the robber's arm and whet the murderer's knife as effectively as unlicensed, then there might be some excuse for licensing. But as long as the effects are precisely the same, let no one have a license to sell the drunkard's drink. Haman's plot is completed ; he and the king sit down to drink. This is a heart and home question ; for both of these countries are occasionally guilty of the same outrage. The king and Haman too often sit down to drink, at Ottawa, as well as at Washington, and both countries have reason to blush at the national debauch. Even the mournful procession of a martyred Presi- dent has been the scene of a drunken revel. Oh ! that the day may speedily dawn on both of these countries, when the question asked by the elector, when is vote is solicited, will not be, " What is your 13 194 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. political creed ? " but, " Are you a total abstainer ? and will you vote to protect your country from its greatest enemy, the liquor traffic ? " It is the most important question of the present day, away above and beyond any partisan issue ; one that will live in both countries, when the names of Conservative and Liberal will be forgotten in Canada, and the title of Republican and Democrat will cease to exist in the United States. I have not the least doubt that Hamnn provided the liquor for the banquet. For, with his shrewd knowledge of human nature, he knew that if the king's brain was kept clouded with alcohol, he would not be likely to ask any troublesome questions, and if he could be kept away from the beautiful Queen Esther, he might not find out that her life was in- volved. No doubt Haman rejoiced that his scheme was working admirably, for Esther had not seen the king for thirty days. Mordecai, who had been the guardian of Queen Esther before she was called to the court, was the king's gate-keeper. Deeply impressed with the peril of his people, he put on sackcloth and ashes, and went down the streets, uttering an exceeding great and bitter cry. Queen Esther, looking from her latticed window, recognized her good old relative. She could not go out, as women can nowadays, to interview Mordecai. She accordingly sent her attendants to ascertain the trouble, and to convey raiment to Mordecai, that he might put away his sackcloth. Bui his circui shalt If the haman's license. 195 and ticed ould view ts to it to But Mordecai wa^ too much absorbed in the doom that was hanging over his people to listen to the friendly message from the queen. Esther was not to be baffled ; she at once assumed her queenly prerogative and sent a commandment to know what it was, and why it was — two plain, pointed questions, just such as a woman knows how to put. And the answer must be a direct one. Mordecai sent her a copy of the license, also the sum that Haman had paid for his license. When she read the former, she would find that her own life was at stake ; and when she had read the sum that Haman had paid for tne privilege, she knew that he meant business. Mordecai also sent a request that she should go to the king, and ask for the lives of the people. Humanly speaking, there were two mountainous obstacles in the way. In the first place there was an edict of that haughty monarch, that should anyone approach him uninvited, unless he saw fit to extend the golden sceptre, their life was the forfeiture. Secondly, Esther had not seen the king for thirty days. Ail this time he had been drinking with Haman. She had reason to believe that she would never see his face again. Her royal predecessor had been deposed from the throne and banished from the kingdom, at his caprice. She sent to remind Mordecai of these circumstances. His reply was : " Think not that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than the rest. If thou boldest thy peace, then will deliverance come 106 CAMPAIGN ECUOESt from another quarter." Mordecai was strong in the belief that a deliverer would be raised vp. Queen Esther saw her responsibility, and assumed it with no doubt as much fear and trembling as any modest retiring woman ever went into the Crusade. Her re- quest to Mordecai was : "Gather all the Jews that are in Shushan (the original expresses that every man, woman and child must be brought together), and fast ye for me three days and three nights ; eat and drink nothing." Not even a cup of cold water was allowed to break the fast. It was to be a complete humbling of themselves before God. Then she added : " I will go to the king, and if I perish, I perish." She was willing to die, if necessary, for her people. Would that that spirit might actuate the law-makers of both these countries, that they might be willing to lose their seats, and be laid in their political graves, if such should be the case, for passing a prohibitory law. The Jews fasted, and although the record does not say they prayed, yet we know that when they fasted they did pray. Another strange omission in the book of Esther is, that it does not mention the name of God, and yet God is as legibly written in every chapter as in any other book in the Bible. The three days of fasting and prayer are passed. Esther puts on her royal apparel, and, I doubt not, she adjusts it with greater precaution than she had ever done before ; and if there were any articles of clothing particularly pleasing to the king, they are no doubt selected ; although her dependenco is in prayer. haman's license. 197 yet she does not neglect the externals. She ap- proaches the king as he sits on his throne, no doubt with her heart going up to the Throne of Grace. As soon as the royal eyes rest upon her, the golden Nceptre is extended, and the king inquires : " What is thy request?" Her answer is: "Let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I have prepared." Is it possible that she has invited Haman, knowing, as she does, his wicked plot ? What does the woman mean ? Well, in the first place, like any other good wife, she selects company congenial to her husband, and Haman was the king's favorite. She does not invite him as some ladies invite guests nowadays, hoping he will not accept the invitation. She is no doubt anxious for his presence when she brings the accusation against him, for she is one of the few who will not tell a story behind a person's back, that she is not willing to say to his face. The guests are seated at the banquet, and the king inquires again, " Esther, what is thy request ? It shall be given thee^ even to half of the kingdom." If Esther had been an ambitious woman she might have secured half of the one hundred and twenty- seven provinces. But she has a higher aim in view. She hesitates, she does not falter. Her eye of faith is steadfastly fixed upon Him who has said, " / will guide thee by Mine eye." The Holy Spirit doubtless suggests, "The Jews are not humbled enough yet. Another night of fasting and prayer." She replied, " Will the king and Haman come to-morrow, and then shall I present my request." 198 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. The king does not fly into a towering passion as he was accustomed to do when his request was not com- plied with. He goes out as meek as a lamb, for Qod's hand is upon him in answer to prayer. Haman returns home more proud and arrogant than ever. On his way he passes Mordecai, whose head is as erect as ever ; he would not bow that head to save it. The record says that Haman was filled with indignation. He calls his family together, he reminds them of his riches, of the high place he occupies in the kingdom; and as the crowning item informed them that: he was the only one invited with the king to the queen's banquet. And to-morrow I am in- vited again. But see how little a thing it takes to make a wicked man unhappy. Says Haman, "All this profiteth me nothing, as long as Mordecai refuses to bow to me." Haman's wife responded, "Let a gallows be built fifty cubits high, and hang Mordecai." What a sug- gestion ! to come from a woman. Some people think women are angels ; but she must have been a fallen angel, if angel at all. The idea just suited Haman, and although it is the midnight hour, he orders the gallows to be built at once. But a fresh difficulty is here presented. He could not execute Mordecai under the old license, for the time had not yet arrived. To kill him now would absolutely be murder. Haman must have a new license of special permission. To illustrate : A young man goes into a saloon and calls for a glass of brandy. Should the liquor-seller haman's license. 199 draw a revolver and sboot him down, that would be murder in the first degree ; but if he gives him a glass of brandy, and the young man under its influence goes out and shoots himself, that is a legitimate branch of business. And yet the liquor-seller is accessory before the fact to the death of that young man. Another difficulty presents itself. Even Haman dare not approach the king uninvited. He goes as far as he dare, to the outer court, and there he stands, waiting for something to turn up. But what is going on in the royal bed-chamber. The king has retired to rest as usual; he cannot sleep ; God is troubling his guilty heart. He does not call for music as usual, although the best musicians of Persia are in an adjoining room, to allay by their sweet strains the evil spirits that were supposed to keep the king awake. He asks for someone to read for him, and, strange to say, he asks for the Chronicles of the Kingdom. The statute book of either the United States or Canada would be considered rather dull reading for the midnight hour. But God Him- self is now guiding the matter. The people have humbled themselves and done their part. The reader opened to the very place that pointed out the king's duty. His life had been saved by the interposition of Mordecai, jnst before Haman was promoted to the premiership, but Mordecai was left to watch the gate. Very much like the government of the present day, the best men seldom get the best offices. A minute 200 CAMPAIGN ECHOE& of this transaction had heen entered in the chronicles, and this was the first item read to the king. He interrupted the reader by asking, " What has been done to Mordecai." Josephus says the king laid his hand on the arm of the reader and said, " Stop, I will hear no more, until I hear what honor has been done to the man that saved my life.'' The king asks abruptly, if it be abrupt, " Who is in the outer court ? " How did he know there was any person there. It was too far to hear a footfall. A strange, mysterious power overshadows him. Someone informs the king that Haman is there. Just the very man whose presence is required. Business of state is to be transacted. The premier's presence is necessary. The king says, " Tell Haman to come in." Haman needs no urging ; he stands at the royal bedside. The king says, " Haman, what shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor ? " Haman had received all the honor in that court in the past, and no doubt he expected to in the future. Very likely he had it all prepared in his mind what he would like to have done to himself some day. His response is a prompt one, as if premeditated : '* Let the royal apparel and the crown that the king useth to wear, be placed upon the man, and he be placed upon the king's horse, and let one of the most noble princes array him, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, * Thus shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor/ " haman's licensb. 20: . Then the king said, " Make haste, and do even as thou hast said, to Mordecai, the Jew, who sits at the king's gate." He pointed him out so there could be no possibility of a mistake. Poor Haman I He goes out, not to hang Mordecai, but to do him the greatest pora, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. And they wrote that the Jews should stand for their lives,and de, *:^o.y,slayand cause to perish all that would assault thare, . nS to take the spoil of them for a prey. Then Mordetai went out from the presence of the .,», HAM.VN'a LIcE^'SE. 205 kinj; in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple ; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jows had light and gladness, and joy and hon" "it what will come to many a desolate homo wii^n the ii )uor traffic is put down, and they set apart t\. ) wliole days to celebrate the victory. We are working in both these countries for the passage of a prohibitory liquor law, and when the victory is won, let us have an international holiday ; beginning with July first, which is our Dominion holiday, and closing up with the fourth, which is the United States Independence day. And we will take the two intervening days to celebrate the passage of the prohibitory law. This is the programme proposed. The assemblies shall meet at Niagara, where the two countries are tied together by the Suspension Bridge ; each country on its own soil ; the women of the W.C.T.U. to lead the van ; the United States women to plant the Stars and Stripes on their side of the river, and the Cana- dians to erect the Union Jack on their side ; each party to have bunting enough to meet in the centre of the bridge, where the two flags are to be tied together with white ribbon ; the American Eagle to poise on the top, while the British Lion is to crouch underneath ; the Eagle to see that no Canadian whiskey crosses over to his domain, while the Lion guards the Cana- dian shore fr^m Yankee rum. Thus we will have annexation, in spite of the politicians ; and the best reciprocity treaty that could be enactod. CHAPTEK XIV. THE MAINE LAW. IN the year 1885, the Ontario Legislature gave unmarried women the power to vote at the muni- cipal elections. I had always believed that when I had the privilege to vote it would be my duty to do 80 ; for I was firm in the belief that it is a duty to " Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can, and as long as you can." So strong was the opposition in Canada to what was commonly termed " woman's rights," that I had good reason to believe that, should I advocate the ballot for women in connection with my temperance work, it * would most etFectively block the way, and it was already uphill work for a woman to appear on a public platform. It used to seem to me that I was just the snow- plow preceding the train to clear the track. I saw, in this respect, the necessity of being as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove. I was firm in the conviction that it was my duty to appeal to the men, the natural protectors of the homes, to use the power that was in their hands to protect those homes ; and that this could only be done at the ballot box. Even the term prohibition, when applied to the THE MAINE LAW. 207 liquor traffic, was obnoxious, so much so that I would announce my subject as " home protection," assuring my audience that I had not come to advocate woman's rights, but to remonstrate against woman's wrongs ; to claim for every wife the right to have a sober hus- band, and every mother to have a sober son, and a comfortable home for herself and children. This assertion of rights would invariably insure a hearty response. When in 1885 the Ontario Government gave unmar- ried women the municipal vote, my duty was quite ptain, to vote m} )lf and urge my sisters to do the same. It did seem a dear price to pay for a vote when my husband was taken away ; however, I was thankful for even this innovation on the laws of the past. It is a problem I have not yet been able to solve, why a woman having a husband should be disqualified from voting any more than a man who had a wife. An old-fashioned maxim declares, " It is a poor rule that won't work both ways." If only widows and spinsters are allowed to vote, then surely bachelors and widowers should be the only men eligible to the same privilege. If this amendment to the municipal vote could be secured, it would no doubt adjust matters. The first Monday in January, 1885, found the W.C.T.U. of Picton assembled in the house of their President to discuss the momentous question of going to the polls. As Samantha Allen says, some of the 208 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. t'-. nuruber " had been to the well pole," the hop pole, and the bean pole, but none of these seemed anything like as hefty as the one where a little slip of white paper had to be lifted into the ballot box." The question now to be decided was, "Shall we ffo in a solid body, or go one at a time, in a sort of Indian file ? " The latter mode was adopted, and I was selected as the first ofiering on the altar of female sufirao^e. A sense of responsibility aroused all my energies as I started across the street (for we were just on the opposite side of the way from the polling place). On opening the door, I found the room occupied by a number of men, and dark with tobacco smoke. The sickening fumes struck me full in the face. Just as it had often been said, " The polling place was not a fit place for women." Nevertheless, I ventured inside. The men gazed at me in astonish- ment, and then at each other, as much as to say, " What does the woman mean ? " Fortunately I espied a little group standing apart, composed of good temperance men. Bowing to them, I said, " You will remember, gentlemen, that I am a citizen this morning." A smile of complacency passed over every face, and pipes and cigars suddenly dis- appeared, and I was politely escorted into the inner room, the mysteries of the ballot paper explained, and a still more secluded spot pointed out where I could designate the men I chose to represent me in the town council. While alone marking that paper, a deep sense of THE MAINE LAW. 209 personal responsibility rested down upon me. None but the eye of God was cognizant of the act, and I would not have dared to be influenced by mere party principles, or any other unworthy motive. This wondrous feat being accomplished, I returned to the outer room, and found the windows open and the smoke all cleared away. My mental inference was, such will be the effect of women taking part in public affairs, it will clear up the moral atmosphere most amazingly. My report to my sisters induced them to go without hesitancy and deposit their votes. Having a vote in another ward of the town, a car- riage was sent to convey me ; and aspiring candidates, waiting at the door, eagerly helped me to alight, not- withstanding my inconvenient avoirdupois. I had always been treated with kindness and respect in the town of Picton, but that morning I was evidently of more consequence than ever I had been before. That little slip of paper had a wonderfully elevating influ- ence. The superintendent of the railway oflered to hold the train fifteen minutes, to enable me to vote before starting to meet an engagement in the West. While visitinsr British Columbia, two earnest Chris- tian temperance women walked twenty miles, over muddy roads and through inclement weather, to circulate a petition against issuing licenses in that locality, where there was about to be an effort made to establish the traffic. This forty miles' journey was heroically taken, prompted by mother love, and yet neither of these noble women could drop a ballot to m. if 210 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. secure the desired end. They were, both of them, in delicate health, and have since gone home to heaven. This circumstance impressed me more forcibly than anything else of the injustice of excluding women from the ballot box, and now that the women of Ontario have the municipal vote, the duty is impera- tive to use that vote for the country's good. It is, to my mind, as much of a duty to vote as to pray. While the one is done, the other should not be left undone. An event of considerable interest to me was the visit of Neal Dow to Picton. From my earliest recol- lection, I had been impressed with the evil of intem- perance, but had looked upon it as a sort of necessity, a something to be endured, and that the only remedy was moral suasion. But the champion of the new enactment, viz., prohibition, fresh from the battle- field and flushed with victory, aroused a wonderful enthusiasm in favor of legal enactment for the over- throw of the liquor traffic. He related the circum- stance that first opened his eyes as to the power of the traffic. While seated in his office, in the city of Portland, the broken-hearted wife of a drunkard approached him, and, in faltering accents, said, " Mayor Dow, I have come to ask a great favor. Will you go to saloon, and ask the proprietor not to sell any more liquor to my husband ? I have been to him, but he treats me with scorn." I went to the place and found the rum-seller behind the bar. I told him my errand, and urged that he TUE MAINE LAW. 211 would sell no more liquor to the husband. He looked me defiantly in the face, and retorted, " Are you aware. Mayor Dow, that I have a license to sell liquor in this city, that I have paid my money for the privilege, and that it is a legitimate branch of business ? Now if that man comes with money he shall have liquor. ' Said Mr. Dow, " I saw as I had never seen it before, just where the power of the traffic was ; that it was in the license the man quoted; that to take away the license would make the traffic illegal, disreputable and criminal. An inspiration came over me such as I had never felt before, and looking the liquor-seller as sternly in the face as he had me, I replied, ' God helping me, you have had the last license to sell liquor in this city that you'll get to the day of your death.' I returned to my home, shut myself up in my room. I thought, and wrote, and paced the floor until morn- ing, and when the sun arose the next day, the Maine Law was blocked out in the rough." Every sentiment uttered by this grand champion of the right was engraven upon my heart. So vivid was his delineation of the scene that I seemed to wit- ness the whole transaction. The liquor license loomed up before me as a soothing cordial for a guilty con- science, and the statute book of the United States as a pillow for a guilty head. The solemn accents of Laiah seemed to echo down the centuries, " Woe to him that justifieth the wicked for reward." While listening to General Dow on that occasion, a fire was kindled in my heart that has never been extinguished 212 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. since ; but little did I think it should ever be my duty to advocate this question or any other on a public platform. However, August, 1878, found me, accompanied by my husband, en route for Old Orchard, Maine, to attend the International Temperance camp-meeting. It is sometimes said, " Wonders will never cease," and this to my mind was a proof of the truth of the assertion — an old-fashioned Canadian woman to take her place among the champions and orators of the great re- public ; but I had enlisted, " for life, or during the war." I had consecrated every energy to the over- throw of the great destroyer, and now that a new door was open, I ventured in the strength of Him who has promised to use the weak things of the world to destroy the mighty. There was no state of the union invested with so much interest to me as the State of Maine. It stood there as a city set upon a hill. It had been represented, and misrepresented, according to the views and wishes of those who had visited it. Thousands assembled day after day on the old camp ground. The pioneer prohibitionists were there in full force. They would sit for hour after hour on the hard plank seats listening to the stern array of facts and figures, which proved the superiority of prohibitory enactment over the oft-repeated failure of license laws or restricted regulations. The staff of speakers consisted of Dr. Babcock, president of the association ; Professor G. E. Foster, secretary ; Miss Frances Willard ; Dr. Boole, ol New THE MAINE LAW. 213 of It it. v of Jersey ; Dr. Reynolds, of red ribbon fame ; Francis Murphy, of the blue ribbon army, and numerous others of more or less distinction. One pleasing little incident of this meeting I recall with very much pleasure. At the close of the meeting, Mrs. L. M. N. Stevens, of Stroud water, had planned an excursion a few miles out of the city to visit one of nature's choicest retreats. The party consisted of the persons whose names have just been enumerated. Mrs. Stevens informed us on the way out that the dell which we were about to visit was to be dedicated to Miss Willard. On reaching the spot, we were struck with admiration at the wild beauty of the scene which surrounded us. A carpet of verdure under our feet was studded with wild flowers of various hues. The trees, whose branches were interlocked over our heads, seemed to speak of ages of the long ago. The feathered songsters were pouring forth notes of joy. The crowning beauty of the scene was a bubbling spring bursting forth among the rocks ; its pure, cold water proved a refreshing draught after our drive. We stood around the spring, and Ox-ank from cups provided by Mrs. Stevens for our use. An informal meeting was arranged, opened by singing and prayer. Short addresses were delivered, and Miss Willard, the special guest of the occasion, was introduced. She gave us one of those bright and sparkling addresses by which she has always won all hearts. She repeated what she had already stated on the camp ground — ^her 214 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. entire consecration of body, soul and spirit to the temperance cause. Dr. Babcock then proceeded to consecrate the place, to be henceforth called " Willard Dell." We filled our cups with water, and poured them out upon the sod; then closed by singing the doxology. At Miss Willard's request, we gathered a bouquet of flowers, ferns and mosses, which she ex- pressed to her mother at Evanston, with a graphic sketch of the afternoon's proceedings. Saturday and Sabbath we spent in the city of Port- land. My husband devoted a good part of Saturday to a tour through the city to ascertain if prohibition did prohibit. He visited all the likely and unlikely places, but discovered no vestige of the traffic ; no one under the influence of liquor, and no probability of obtaining the contraband article. Before leaving Portland, Mr. Dow invited us to accompany him to the sherift's oflfice, to see the con- fiscated liquor. He informed us that they were obliged to employ a special sheriff and officer for the enforcement of the prohibitory law. On entering the building, we found a large room occupied by numer- ous boxes, barrels and kegs of diflerent sizes and colors, all carefully labelled. Some bore the inscrip- tion, "Sugar," others, "Hardware," and various other articles, not by any means indicative of their real contents. We had only to remove the heading, which had already been loosened, to ascertain that they had mailed in under false colors. Some barrels contained bottles of liquor packed in sawdust ; some of the boxes THE MAINE LAW. 215 contained a large jug of spirits carefully stowed away in the same article. There was also a variety of lead pipes, that had been discovered coming down through obscure places in the walls, conveying liquor to some out-of-the-way place, where the thirsty customer could have his wants supplied. An old-fashioned, pine wash-tub, of the capacity of about four pails, was said to have been found under a bed in an attic, which was reached by two flights of rickety stairs, and covered by an old calico dress. Everything indicated that the trafiic was brought to the smallest possible compass. I remarked to my husband that I sincerely wished that all the whiskey in Canada was placed under just such restrictions ; that the individuals who drank were compelled to get down on their knees and crawl under a bed to obtain it. We inquired what was the fate of the confiscated liquor. The sheriff replied that, after being advertised, if anyone could prove that he had paid the United States tax, and intended the article for his own pri- vate use, he could pay the expenses, and take it away. " But," he added, " it is very seldom claimed. Then," said he, " we have a day of execution, and the article is destroyed." I inquired if it would be possible for us to witness an execution. The response was : " If you had been here yesterday, you might have been gratified to your heart's content, but as Canada and the United States are on pretty good terms, I will venture to accommo- date you to-day." Accordingly, he rolled down a hi' ' 216 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. barrel, and poising it upon what he called a sewer-box, knocked in the bung ; the contents came foamin^jr and hissing out, as if in great agony to escape. It seemed to me, no wonder that the men who drank it displayed such fearful antics under its influence. On inquiring where the liquor went, we were informed that the sewer was connected with the ocean. It was certainly a hard fate for the fish, but better destroy them than the men. This was our first visit to evil spirits in prison, and it suggested the idea that the State of Maine had placed things on a right basis. Put the rum in gaol and leave the men out, for if the rum had got inside of the men, both would have found themselves inside of prison walls. Our next place of destination was Augusta, the capital. Having a few days to spend here, my hus- band again constituted himself a royal commission to explore for the effects of alcohol. Saturday is gener- ally a high day unJer license law for the exhibits of the traffic. Hotels, railway stations, wharves and other public places are generally sample-rooms for the traffic. The policemen usually have very lively times ami the lock-up is in great demand, but Augusta seemed perfectly oblivious of these transactions, and the Canadian explorer returned to his temporary home to report another failure. We visited the city gaol, found four prisoners: three of them were serving out a term for the violation of # THE MAIKE LAiy. 217 the prohibitory law. I shook hands with them, and quoted mentally from Murphy's pledge card, " With charity for all/' gentlemen, I am glad to see you here ; and " With malice toward none," I hope they will keep you here until you resolve to go into better bu^iiness. Some remark was made indicating that I was from Canada. Upon hearing this, one of the prisoners assumed* an air of injured innocence, and in most pathetic terms appealed to me, saying, " 1 hope you will tell your people when you return home that the law is unconstitutional." This was the only remark of the kind that I heard in the State of Maine, and reminded me of the old adage, " No roguo e'er feels the halter draw, With good opinion of the law." A tour of the State of Maine would be incomplete without a visit to the city of Bangor, and here it was said the law was more openly defied than in any other part of the state. We were the gussts of Mrs. Pren- tiss, one of the wealthiest ladies of the city, and president of the W. C. T. U. Here we had time to investigate and drive around the city ; learn the work- ings of the prohibitory law and the crusade which was still fresh in the minds of the people. A Russian man-of-war was ancliored off the coast, and there had been repeated interchange of sociability between the citizens and the officers. A reception was given by the city to the officers of the ship, and m m :> 218 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. when the commander responded, he stated that he always liked to anchor off the coast of Muine ; that it did his men good to get ashore and get land breezes and land fare ; that when they visited Maine they always returned sober, but any other state they generally became drunk and had to be disciplined. This I considered to be the highest tribute to the effectiveness of the Maine law I had yet received, as it came from one who was not by any means a temperance man. We spent some six weeks travelling through the state, visiting towns, villages and rural places ; found that there were young people grown to be men and women who had never seen a drunken person, and did not know the taste of intoxicating liquor. •• How did you manage to get the law passed ? " was the question asked of Neal Dow. " By hard, unremit- ting toil," was the response. "We sowed the State of Maine knee-deep with temperance jiterature. We took tallow candles in our pockets and went out to the log schoolhouses, lighted them up, and poured hot shot prohibition arguments into the ears of the farmers. We interviewed members of the Legislature, watched closely the formation of the bill to see that there were no loopholes ; we left no stone unturned, and the Lord crowned our efforts with success." The question is frequently asked, "Is there no liquor sold in the State of Maine ? " " Certainly there is," says Neal Dow ; " but under very different circumstances to what it used to be. The men who THE MAINE LAW. 219 Nell it are not doin,; a legitimate branch of business ; ' they are law-breakers now. There are other laws broken in Maine as well as the prohibitory law. We have a law against stealing, and yet hen-roosts are robbed and sheep stolen. One law-breaker is just us respectable as the other." CHAPTER XV. THE MARITIME PROVINCES. HAVING completed my investigation of the State of Maine, my next trip was to the Maritime provinces. Business matters now called my hushand home, and I was obliged, very reluctantly, to pursue my journey alone. My first engagement in New Brunswick was at St. Andrews. For six weeks I had not seen the slightest vestige of the liquor traffic, but nov/ it was apparent on all sides, for New Brunswick was under a license law. St. Andrews is in very close proximity to the State of Maine, only separated by a narrow river. Calais, the adjoining town on the Maine side, had a vigorous W.C.T.U., and they had stipulated that I should give them one evening. I found that saloons were planted as close as possible to the Canadian side of the river, so that the thirsty ones from Maine could have easy access to the beverage they could not procure at home. I was informed that there were frequent cases of drowning while crossing the river ; that they were invariably persons returning from Canada to Maine. Canadian whiskey had dethroned reason, and con- signed them to a watery grave. On arriving at Fredericton, the capital, I was met at the station by Mrs. Steadman, and taken to her THE MARITIME PROVINCES. 221 hospitable home, where I received every possible kindness froui her^ielf and her husband, Judge Stead- man. A series of meetings in the city had been arranged, preparatory to a vote on the Scott Act, which was about to take place. In these meetings, the county sheriff and Judge Steadmau took a prominent part, and everything indicated that the better class of the community were fully identified with the temperance movement. The result was that Frcdericton was the first city to adopt the Scott Act, for as one of old said, " The people had a mind to work." I visited a number of localities in the province, and found the people generally alive on the temperance question. One little incident I cannot fail to note, &s showing the general sentiment of the liquor traffic. At a junction where we had to wait for some time, and expected to take dinner, but found that the hotel had been burned the night before, a temporary sub- stitute for a bar had been constructed, so that liquor could be obtained, but no provision whatever for the hungry. The woman who presided on the occasion was entertaining a group who loitered around with an account of the fire and the loss she had sustained. One of the listeners, evidently a stranger in the locality, inquired which party in the election won the day. " Well, indade," was the response, " I couldn't tell you the names of the parties, but one of them was for the whiskey and one of them was agin it, 222 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. and the one that was for the whiskey won the day." I took a note of this utterance, and have frequently used it since, in proof that the liquor traffic has no politics. It is neither Reform or Conservative, but self-interest, and that alone. The old lady did not know the name of the victorious party, but she knew their leading characteristic, and that was sufficient for her purpose. Before leaving Fredericton, I received an invitation from Marysville, a little town across the River St. John, to visit the place, and give them what they were pleased to term " a lecture." Perhaps I might remark right here that I have never dignified any of my talks by the term lecture.. There always seemed to me to be something so stilted in the term that I have invariably ignored it as applied to myself. My hostess, Mrs. Stead man, informed me that, as the in- vitation came from Mr. Gibson, who was appropriately called the lumber king, and was really the proprietor of the place, that I must of course accept it. I had heard of Marysville as a prohibitory town, and had now an opportunity to test the validity of the reports that had reached me. As I was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, I had ample opportunity to investigate the matter. Like all truly magnanimous spirits, I found my host and hostess extremely reticent as to the part they had taken in benefiting the place. In fact, it required quite a pumping process to discover the real state of affairs. I was compelled to ask a direct question which admitted of no evasion, I said, THE MARITIME PROVINCES. 223 and irate ts, I IS to In " You own this entire village, do you not, Mr. Gibson V* He replied, " Yes, I do " ; and added, "Would you like to know how I came to be the proprietor ? " I replied, ** Yes, I believe it was something in connection with the temperance question." His answer was, "Yes, that was just it. I found that the men in my employ who did not touch intoxicating liquor, were indus- trious, and their families prosperous and happy, while the reverse was the case with those who drank. I resolved to banish the evil from the place, and accord- ingly bought all the land that I could possibly secure, and now," said Mr. Gibson, with an emphasis that I shall never forget, " that infernal stuff shall never be sold in this place while my head is above the ground." " But," I said, " what will you do in case the liquor should be sold contrary to your regulations ? For you know as a general thing those who engage in the traffic, if they cannot sell it legally, will do so illegally." " I am well aware of that," replied Mr. Gibson ; " I will first try the effect of law in the matter, and if that fails to remove the difficulty, I'll get a hickory club that will regulate the business, and take the law into my own hands, and give myself up, and pay the fine." I looked with inexpressible admiration at the holy indignation Mr. Gibson manifested. He seemed to me a modern Nehemiah come to judgment. It seemed to me that it would not take many such men to redeem Canada, that they would soon supplant the leaky laws passed by our legislatures in their "moments of weakness." !i'>4 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. I spent the Sabbath at Marysville, and attended the Methodist church, built wholly at Mr. Gibson's ex- pense. It was the most beautiful structure of its size that I had ever seen. I shall not attempt a descrip- tion of it, but simply say it was furnished with an excellent pipe organ, was carpeted and cushioned throughout, plentifully supplied with bibles and hymn books, each of which bore the inscription, " Marysville Methodist Church." Mr. Gibson named the place after a loved daughter who, a few years be- fore, had passed away to heaven. I was informed by a gentleman, who drove back in the carriage with me to Fredericton, that the cost of the church was over sixty thousand dollars, and its seating capacity about six hundred. The parsonage, school building, town hall, and house for teacher, all built and owned by Mr. Gibson ; also houses for men in his employment were neat and attractive structures. In the recent trial before the royal commission in Fredericton, Mr. Gibson's testimony in favor of prohi- bition was the most conclusive evidence taken. His exemption from losses by fire and incapacity of work- men ho attributed to the absence of alcoholic liquors. On being asked by the commissioners how much capi- tal he had invested in his business, he replied, " About four million dollars." The next point of interest to me in New Brunswick was the city of St. John ; it was shortly after the preat fire. The city was again rallying its energies. My meetings were well attended, the first one being and THE MARITIME PROVINCES. 225 presided over by Sir Leonard Tilley ; his presence was no doubt the <:»reat attraction. His election had been contested, and he had been busy all day in the court. The pledge was presented at the close of the meeting, and Sir Leonard's appeal to the young men was most effective. He made this statement : " All that I am to- day, under God, I owe to signing the pledge forty years ago, and keeping it. Now, boys, come and give us your names." The young men came flocking up, wrote down their names, and put on the blue ribbon. I was informed at Fredericton that w^hen Sir Leonard resided there, the example of the Government House stamped the Fredericton Society. Would that every governor, from the Governor-General down, would set such an example. During my stay in St. John, Mrs. Barker and Mrs. Turnbull showed me no little kindness. Mrs. March, my hostess, who has since passed away to the eternal world, was most devoted in her hospitality. Prince Edward Island was to me a place of special interest; if I might be allowed to coin a term, it appeared to me a *' baby kingdom." Everything seemed to be in miniature. The little Parliament Buildings, Government House and other appendages reminded me of the days of my childhood, when we used to play house-keeping. Nevertheless, it was a bright, wide-awake little place. My hostess, Mrs. Kennedy, just the one to make a stranger feel at home, and Mrs. McGowan, wife of the Government librarian, who drove me around to see the sights, and cheered 1ft 226 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. me with her merry conversation, made me forget tho long distance I was away from home. It was a matter of deep regret that duty called me away before I had time to visit Nova Scotia, which is the only province in the Dominion I have not reached. CHAPTEE XYI. WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. IN the early summef of 1879, a request came from Mrs. Dr. McCabe, of Delaware, Ohio, President of the State W.C.T.U., asking me to deliver the annual address at their convention, in the city of Toledo. Although weary with an extended tour in the Eastern States, I could not forego the privilege of meeting the crusaders on their own soil, and learning more of that glorious pentecost of which I have already spoken. That convention was to me an inspiration, which has thrilled me ever since. At its close, I was solicited to take a tour in the coming autumn, with which I com- plied. I can only mention a few of the many places I visited. The first that comes up to my mind is Ober^ lln, Ohio, the home of the sainted Finney, and the seat of the great university. The gentleman who met me at the station and conveyed me to my place of entertainment, informed me that they would not allow liquor to be sold in that place. He said : " The law does not absolutely prohibit, but the people will not have it." I inquired : " How do you prevent it ? " He » replied : " They generally try to get the small edge of the wedge in first by a tobacco shop, which we know means liquor in the near future. The women get 228 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. together, and hold a prayer-meetin:; ; and they cru- sade him. The men call an indignation meeting, and appoint a committee, visit him from day to day, until they crusade him, and dog him out of the place. It seemed to me that the spirit of the departed Finnev hovered over this place. A point of great interest to rhe was HfLLSBOUo', Qhio. My home was with Mrs. Judge Thompson, the first crusader. I now felt that I was at the cradle of the crusade. I had from Mrs. Thompson s own lips the story of the bloodless war. She told me of Dr. Dio Lewis* lecture in 1873. She was ill and unable to attend it, but her family were there. On their return, they related to her the doc- tor's proposal : That the women should organize and visit the saloons ; and would you believe it, they have chosen you to be their leader. They said : " Mother, what will you do ? " The Judge, sitting by, said : " Children, don't trouble your mother any more to- night ; give her time to think. You know where she goes for advice." "The next morning," continued Mrs. Thompson, " my daughter came into the room, with the Bible open in her hand, saying, as I was praying, * This » morning, the Lord gave me this Psalm, for you to read in your first meeting.' She pointed to Pjsalm cxlvi., which has been our crusade Psalm ever iince." They met, according to arrangement, in the Presby- WITH THE CRUSA^^llS OF OHIO. 229 tcrian church for prayer-meeting. After a season of prayer and consultation together, they formed them- selves into a procession, and proceeded to the saloons* singing, *• Give to the winds thy fears ; Hope and be undismayed ; God hears thy si^hs and counts thy tears, He shall lift up thy head." They continued the crusade from day to day, unjiil many saloons were closed, and the traffic commenced to repel the invasion. A druggist, whose sales had fallen off largely, entered a prosecution against the women for injuring his business. A learned counsel was employed to defend the plaintiff. He was armed with a pile of law books, that he might cite the rulings of other courts. The criminals sat in front, their hearts going up to God in prayer. The advocate commenced an eloquent address, by referring to the songs of Zion which were chanted in our churches and places of worship, t d the sacredness of prayer, which, he said, should only be offered in places con- secrated for God's worship ; that saloons and liquor stores, where God's name was never heard, except in profanity, were not suitable places for prayer. He was evidently making a deep impression upon the minds of the court prejudicial to the womaii's mo^ e- ment. One dear old lady of the number, seemingly oblivious of her surroundings, was mentally praying, " Lord, confuse him ; Lord, confuse him." The lawyer adjusted his spectacles, and read from one of his 230 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. books. Then, laying; his glasses down on the table, with the end protruding over the edge, he proceeded with his eloquent plea. Just at this moment, a little dog frisking around, sprang up, and, seizing the spec- tacles, ran away with them under the seats ; and when he needed them ac^ain, he looked on the table^ then felt on his head, and then in his pockets, but in vain. He tried to read without them, but the print was too small ; he stumbled through as best he could, but made a miserable failure. The Lord had evidently con- fused him in answer to prayer. I was particularly struck with the part that the dogs were permitted to take in this crusade. In one of their elegant homes, a house dog walked uncere- moniously from room to room, evidently perfectly at home in every apartment. I inquired of my hostess if there was anything peculiar in the history of the animal. " Oh, yes," she replied, " he was our crusade dog. He went with us to the saloons. He used to trot on before us, and pause in front of the door. When we knelt down, he stood beside the lady who led in prayer, and on zIaQ occasion fought the saloon- keeper's dog (which had been let out upon us) while we prayed." In one of the principal cities, a saloon-keeper vowed if the ladies approached his place of business he would let his blood-hounds loose on them. The intrepid band, not in the least daunted by the threat, knelt in front of his door, the leader a little in advance of the others. As she, with uplifted hands, he he WITH THE CRUSADEUS OF OHIO. 231 1 1 was supplicating the Throne of Grace, the two vicious animals came bounding out, and crouched as it' awe- stricken by her side ; she laid her two hands upon their heads, and concluded her prayer. Daniel's Qod, who closed the lions' mouths, was there that day. At one of the national conventions, this circumstance was mentioned. The lady presiding made the request that any present who witnessed that scene should rise to their feet. Four ladies responded. The City of Dayton Was to me of very much interest. My hostess, Mrs. Dr. Berger, w as all aglow with the fire of the crusade. She told me that, on one occasion when they visited a lager beer saloon, they were ordered out, and they knelt on the pavement in front. She was leading in prayer. The saloon-keeper seized a pail of dishwater, and, rushing upstairs, opened the window, and throw it over her head. She added, " Such was the power of God resting down upon us, that the filthy contents of the pail did not disturb our devotions." She con- tinued, " I asked a lady afterwards if I did not look dreadful with those apple peelings dangling from my bonnet. The lady who had been present at my wed- ding a short time before, replied, * You did not look half as beautiful when you stood at the marriage altar with your bridal veil and orange blossoms.'" She showed me the rich dress and expensive shawl hung out in an outhnuse as souvenirs of the battle. The ladies took me out to the Soldiers* Hom'e, where a 232 CAMl'AION ECUULH. large number of the disabled soldiers of the war were comfortably provided for. A beautiful church was erected for their use. A meetinf^ had been arranged in the building for me to address them. I shall never forget that audience. Some of them came in on crutches, others had lost both arms, very many were totally blind. It was, indeed, an affecting sight. At the close I requested anyone who might be from Canada to come up and speak to me, and was sur- prised at the number that responded of our own Canadian boys that had taken part in the fearful struggla Everything was evidently being done to make these poor fellows as comfortable as possible. There was a large menagerie of animals ; an artificial lake, with some of the rarest aquatic birds, and a tank or reservoir containing alligators. The soldiers were accommodated in c ttages, containing about thirty each. I was informed that they were dying oflf very rapidly. No liquor was allowed to be sold on the ground. It was three miles from the city, and the ladies informed me that durinor the months of sum- mer, the three miles were strewed witb drunken soldiers, and out of the S80,000 of pension money an- nually paid, at least $')0,000 found its way into the till of the saloon-keepers. The next place that I visited was Xenia. The principal object of interest here was the Home for the soldiers' orphans, where they were comfortably housed, clothed and fed. Good schools were provided, band WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. 233 and they were tauj^ht trades to prepare them to take their place in the battle of life. The City of Akron furnished rnc with many suggestive ideas. I visited that place by invitation of F. Schumacher, Esq., the leading temperance man in the place. His extensive mills and elevators formed the leading industry of the city. The Sabbath School, in connection with the M. E. Church, was considered to have the model schoolroom of the continent. L. Miller, Esq., was Huperintendent ; he had planned the building and its furnishing. There was everything that could con- tribute to make the school interesting and attractive Maps and charts adorned the walls. A first-class organ and piano, accompannd by an orchestra of other instruments, discoursod the sweetest music. The infant class room was evidently a juvenile paradise. The whole arrangement was my ideal, for I had always considered that the Sabbath School should have the best furnishings and provisions in connection with the church I have only space to mention some of the leading objects. There were fountai: .s playing, and plants in their richest luxuriance. When the sliding doors, which partitioned off the different rooms, were thrown open, and the building arranged into one large auditorium, it was a fairy scene. To me it was a vision of a life-time ; I seem to see it yet. ^ But to return to my mission to Akron. My hu.s- band accompanied mo there. We were met at the J' 21U CAMPAIGN LCUOtS. station by Mr. Schumacher, with his liveried coach- man and carriage. We were to be his guests, and never was hospitality more genially given or gratefully received than that extended by himself and his ex- cellent wife. As the name indicates, they are natives of Germany, and when alone, speak the German language. My husband, who was always deeply interested in milling, accompanied Mr. Schumacher through his extensive manufactories, consisting of mills for grind- ing barley, oats and wheat, with two large elevators. My husband said he was spell-bound with the variety and completeness of the machinery, the order and despatch with which everything was conducted, and the neatness with which every operation was per- formed. As I have already stated, I resolved in bringing out this volume, to suppress nothing that might be of practical utility to my readers, and I feel that I would be recreant to my vow did I not bring to light valuable ideas calculated to benefit, others. Mr. Schumacher informed us that he erected the barley mill to see how many ways barley could be prepared for food. Mrs. Schumacher kindly furnished us with samples of her husband's productions. During our stay of several days, we had at different times very nicely prepared pot and pearl barley, porridge made of barley meal, griddle cakes made from another preparation, and excei 'int bread from barley flour The culinary skill with which these articles were WITH THE CllUSADERS OF OHIO. 235 ere prepared, made thenqi most appetizing, and proved the correctness of Edward Carswell's little ditty : " Grain was made to be eaten, And uot to be drank, To be cooked into food, And not soaked in a tank. Make it up into loaves. And your children are fed, Brew it up into beer And you will starve them instead." Mr. Schumacher will, I am sure, pardon if I reveal still farther the ideas he furnished me. His family consisted of himself and wife, his aged mother of eighty years — bright and energetic as a young girl — two sons and a niece. The eldest son had j ust attained his majority, and had secured the prize offered by his father of five hundred dollars, if he reached the age of twenty-one without knowing the taste of alcohol or tobacco. The second son, still in his teens, was determined to claim the same prize. He remarked to me pleasantly one day, "I thiak I have property enough now to give my boys a good start in the world. I am buying farms for some relatives who need help. When that is done, I am going to lay up for the temperance cause." Many people will help the churches liberally, but seem to have no duty in the line of temperance, which I consider is quite ns important. I addressed a large audience on Sunday afternoon in the opera house, and in the evening, a union meet- 236 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. ing of Baptists, Universallsts ai^ Methodists in the M. E. Church. Before leaving the city I accepted an invitation to return a short time after, for the opening of a temper- ance hall in connection with the Universalist Church which was being erected. This hall was to be used for ordinary temperance meetings, and by sliding doors was to form a part of the main auditorium when required for a mass meeting. • In consequence of this temperance annex to this church, Mr. Schumacher increased his subscription from ten thousand dollars to twelve thousand. The National W. C. T. U. has shared largely in his donations His latest gift of five hundred dollars was towards the introduction of scientific instruction on alcohol in the public schools of the United States. I mention these facts that other nien of wealth may be induced to follow his example. The greatest need of the W. C. T. U. in Canada is money. And we have men who are contributing thousands to foreign missions, colleges and other philanthropies, who could well afford to " help these women " who are working for *' God, home and hu- manity." One more visit, and I must bid adieu to Ohio, DELAWARE, the seat of the Methodist University. My home was at the residence of the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. McCabe. The latter was then Piesident of the State W. C. T. U. Dr. McCabe had just returned from the city of Wash- WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. 237 ington, where he had been invited to attend the silver wedding of President and Mrs. Hayes of the White House. He had performed the marriage ceremony twenty-five years before. He wore the identical coat which had done service a quarter of a century ago at the nuptial ceremony. It was well preserved, and not at all antiquated. The faculty of the collejre, by the suggestion of Dr. McCabe, invited me to address the students in both these seats of learning. This being my first experi- ence in i. ''■ dressing the literary institution, it was quite an ordrn iut not at all unpleasant, as the faculty manifested such an interest and treated me with such cordiality as secured the earnest attention of their pupils. A little incident occurred a short time previous to my visit to Delaware, that showed the esteem in which Dr. McCabe was held by the college authorities. He was about retiring from his professorship, ripe with honors as well as years, beloved as a citizen, honored by his Church, and held in highest esteem by his co-workers in the college. His door-bell rang one evening, and a note was handed in with a remark, " There is a horse and car- riage for you at the gate." The note contained an address of tenderly-worded sympathy and regard from members of the faculty, asking his acceptance of the accompanying gift. On going out to the gate, what was the surprise of Mr. and Mrs. McCabe to find a noble animal of the 2:}S CAMPAIGN ECHOES. most improved kind, with a finely-finished harne^*, " I am sorry to tell you that your husband was very ill yesterday." WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. 239 sat ou ■ro/' There was something in his manner that impressed me deeply. I inquired, " He is not dangerous, is he ? Surely he is not dead ? '* His reply was, " We will hope for the best, but you had better be prepared for the worst." The whistle then announced a stop- ping place. The conductor said, " I will telegraph, and get a reply at the next station." I looked to God for strength to meet the emergency ; and when the conductor returned, I read in his countenance the sad intelligence ; and yet I inquired, " Is he gone ? " It will be unnecessary to attempt to describe to those who have experienced a similar shock ; and to those who have not, no language can convey its import. It seemed to me it must be a dream, and yet it was a stern realit5^ My first thought was, he is in heaven. I had not the slightest doubt of that, for, like one of old, " He walked with God." On arrivinsj at Picton, our old and long-tried friend, W. T. Yarwood, Esq., met me at the station. He, too, has since entered into rest. He took me to his home, where my husband had the pre- vious evening suddenly passed away, smitten with heart disease. As I gazed at his lifeless remains, there seemed the same smile of welcome that always greeted my return. Telegrams had been sent to the different members of the family, and although so haotily summoned, they all met at the funeral. His sons carried him to the grave, and as the earth fell upon his coffin, it was a consoling reflection that, although he rad not left 240 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. them a rich worldly inheritance, he had bequeathed them what was far better, a noble example. The sons, five in number, now all heads of families them- selves, had yet to learn the taste of alcohol and to- bacco. The next day being communion Sabbath, it was arranged by the suggestion of the eldest son. Rev. J. S. Youmans, of Cleveland, Ohio, that the family, consisting of five sons, three daughters and myself, should together commemorate the Saviour's death, doubtless for the last time on earth. On inquiry of my friend, Mrs. Yarwood (who stood at my husband's side when he passed away), if he left any message for me, she replied, " He went too sud- denly to leave any message." My thoughts at once reverted to the letter he sent me a few days before, closing with this remark, " Do all you can, your re- ward will come in the great future. Your affection- ate husband." I accepted that as his dying message, and none could have been better. The thought came with overwhelming force, I can never go out alone, my journe^ ing must cease. My mind was directed to the experience of Ezekiel, which I failed to remember that I had ever read before. " Son of man, behold, I take away the desire of thine eyes at a stroke ; yet weep not, let not thine tears run down. Bind thy tire on thine head, and thy shoes on thy feet, and restrain not thy lips to speak to the people. And that night my wife died " The next objection presented was, " your travelling WITH THE CRUSADERS OF OHIO. 241 alone will call forth unfriendly criticism." The words of Isaiah were given in response : " Every tongue that shall arise against thee in judgment,, thou shalt con- demn." I said, "It is enough, I^ord, I will take Thee at Thy word." Accordingly I went on with my life-work, rrii£, ing, oh, how sadly, the strong arm on which I had leaned ; the tender sympathy that had always beeii mine ; the gentle criticism of sentiment, style and manner which none but a bosom friend would bestow; but most of all, the earnest assurance, "I prayed for you all the time you were speaking." Thank God for those prayers. All through the weary journeyings of that long, cold winter through the State of Michigan and the Province of Quebec, I realized the presence of Him who said, " I will never leave thee, I will never for- sake thee." And again, " Thy Maker is thy husband," and " underneath are the everlasting arms." January, 1883, found me in Ottawa to address a series of meetings under the guidance of Mrs. (Major) Tilton, whose sisterly sympathy and hospitable home were most congenial to my heart at this time. Major I'ilton, whom I had never met before, and their dear (ittle son, who has since gone home to heaven, con- tributed much to my enjoyment. The staunch little teetotaller showed me the blue ribbon that he had requested his mother to sew firmly around on his coat so that the boys at school could not tear it off — a beautiful illustration of nailing the colors to the mast The two little sons of Sir Leonard Tilley, his 242 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. companions, were equally staunch in the temperance principles. During this visit, I met Sir John A. Macdonald for the first time. I found that he remembered his first law practice in the town of Picton, and his voluntary- defence of a colored boy, who was indicted for a criminal offence. He was evidently keeping his eye upon the temperance work, for he inquired very significantly, "How did it come that the Dunkin Bill was repealed in your county, Mrs. Younians ? " I re- plied, " Had you and the Ontario Government given us as good officials as they have in some other counties, it would not have been repealed " ; adding, " Law without machinery for enforcing it, and efficient agents to perform the work, is of little avail." He was affable and genial, and I ventured to inquire, " When will we have the prohibitory law, which we have been encouraged to hope for ? " Leaning back in his chair with a look of most complete satisfaction, he said, " Just as soon as men are sent to parliament who will pass the law." Oh, for a telephone to reverberate from one end of this Dominion to the other this truth into the ears of every Christian temperance elector ! And this class holds th3 balance of power in Canada to-day ! Send men to Ottawa t.nd Toronto as politicians, and they will legislate for party interests. Send them there pledged to prohibition, and we will have efficient protection for our homes. There was much in the capital to interest and WITH THE CllUSADEKS OF OHIO. 243 land entertain me : among other things, the opening of the Houses of Parliament; the pomp with which the Governor-General entered and took his seat on the throne ; the antics of the usher of the black rod, as he sumrrioned the Commons to the Bar of the Senate ; end last, but not least, the bevy of ladies in half dress on that cold January day. Oh . how I did pity them, and thought how much better to have put the silk that trailed on the floor around their arms and shoulders. A lady sitting near me (we were in the Senate gallery) whispered, " You never saw 3uch a sight as that before." I assured hei that I had. She said, "I would like to know where." I replied, " In my own garden. I have seen many such a flock of butterflies." I might enumerate many other things, but space will not permit. I hasten on to the city of Montreal, invited by the Quebec branch of the Dominion Alliance, for the purpose of forming a W. C. T. U. It was just at the close of the winter carnival; the ice palace was still lighted up, reminding one of the palace of the Empress of Russia centuries before. The late Rev. Thomas Gales, whose death has been such a heavy blow to the temperance cause, devoted himself, in connection with one of the ministers of the Presby- terian Church, whose name has escaped my memory, attended each of the ladies' meetings, and urged the necessity of organization. The meetings were largely attended, and much interest manifested. The ladies were evidently intelligent, devoted Christians, anxious —■-"ji:; .sa:.: 244 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. to do good, but were fearful of committing themselves to anything that would not be womanly. After three afternoons of explanations and pleading, an organiza- tion was completed, with an efficient .staff of officers ; and it has been most gratifying in the years that intervened, to read of the victories they have achieved. My route was now to the city of Quebec by the way of Three Rivers, the only available point on that side for the formation of a union. I was kindly entertained at the Presbyterian manse, ana succeeded in forming a .^imall Union at Three Rivers. In the old walled city of Quebec everything seemed to speak of antiquity. I was kindly entertained by Mr. Gegie, the energetic secretary of the local Union, which had been formed there some time before, at the suggestion of Hon. S. H. Blake. Here I met for the first time that lady-elect, Mrs. Middleton, whose fame is in all the churches. Several days were allotted me here, and although they were stormy, were rendered interesting by the hearty co-operation of my white ribbon sisters, and the Young Men's Christian Association, as well as that of some of the churches. The children's meetings were seasons of special interest. I shall never forget some of the bright answers of those Quebec boys and girls. Here I had confirmed a state- ment made to me that there had been a funeral in the province of Quebec, and alcohol had been buried. Mrs. Gegie had assured me that such was the case, and proposed that we should drive out next day to see the grave. But, alas ! a heavy snowstorm (such as WITH THE CUUSADERS OF <»H10. 245 as Quebec knows how to manufacture) prevented us. I liowever succeeded in securitijr ^he following details of the transaction : Father Chiniquy, a Roman Catholic priest in an adjoining village, had so aroused the people upon the temperance question that the traffic was completely annihilated in that locality. The good priest, exulting over the victory, said, " Now, that alcohol is dead, the best thing is to bury him." So a box filled with empty bottles was placed upon a bier, and carried out to the burying-ground, and interred with much fornmlity on the part of the priest. A cross was erected over the grave. I had looked forward with much interest to visiting Stanstead, as it was the seat of a literary institution, and a borderland between the United States and Canada. A W.C.T. Union had already been formed there. A letter from the secretary Informed me that I had three engagements for the Sabbath: At 10 am., at Stanstead Plains ; at 3 p.m., for Rock Island, Vermont ; at 7.30 p.m., Beebe Plain. I showed the letter to my hostess, saying: "Thit is a regular imposition; I only agreed to speak in the town of Stanstead, and here they are about to drag me to the United States, and back again." She laughed heartily,. and said: "You don't understand the geo- graphy of the place. Stanstead town is called Stan- stead plain ; Rock Island is really a part of the town — some of the buildings, a part of them in the United States, and a part in Canada ; and Beebe Plain less than a mile from either place." Here I found, as I 246 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. often did, it was best not to cros-s the bridge until I got to it. ' En route to Montreal, I visited and formed Unions at the following places : Cowansville, Coaticoke, Dan* ville, East Farnham, Sherbrooke, Waterloo, Sutton, Knowlton, St. Andrews, Lachute, Oranby, Richmond and Melbourne. I had previously formed Unions in Huntingdon and Aylmer. These Local Unions were united into a Provincial Union in the autumn of 1883. They have steadily added to their numbers, and departments of work, and the blessing of Qod has attended their efforts. CHAPTER XVII. ENGLAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND, MAY 2nd, 1883, was a memorable era in my his- tory. The Dominion W.C.T.U., to which I had been appointed President, had elected Mr^^. (Rev ) M. Fawcett and myself as delegates to the British Woman's Temperance Association. We sailed from Portland, Maine, May 2nd. Rev. D. V. Lucas and Uia. LucuB, my daughter, Miss Sophia Youmans, and myself constituted our party. I have neither time nor in- clination to go into the details of the sea voyage; a journey of eleven days, in which old ocean exhibitdd its power to be disagreeable, found us approaching the English shore. In these few days' experience, I had seen much to sadden my heart, not only with regard to the perils of the deep, but to human depravity. Great as are the evils of intemperance C" ^\e land, it is even worse on the ocean. If there is one place more than another from which alcoholic liquors should be excluded, it is where human life and destiny are placed, humanly speaking, at the disposal of men whose brain should be unclouded by alcohol. I was not unmindful of the sentiment of some of our most eminent scientists, that the smallest portion of alcohol deranges, more or less, the functions of the brain. 248 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. We had daily proof that the officers of our ship, with one exception, imbibed freely. The chief en- gineer, who occupied the head of one of the tables, invariably kept his wine-glass inverted. When the ship was heaving in the midst of the storm, it was a consoling thought to my mind, that the one (humanly speaking) in whom our destiny was more immediately placed, had his mind free from the derangement of alcohol. The appearance of birds in the rigging of the ship indicated the approach of land ; and we hailed them as the harbingers of mercy. Those of our fellow- passengers who were on their homeward journey re- joiced as they neared the English shore. But to those who, like myself, were getting farther away from home, a feeling of loneliness crept over us. A dense fog prevented us from getting a view of the Irish coast, which we expected to be our first glimpse of the Old World. The pilot that conducted our ship into port had come on board and taken his place. I re- tired to rest, grateful for the thought that, at least for a time, I should find myself on terra firma, although, to me, it was to be the land of the stranger. I was awakened the next morning by the stewardess, who handed me a letter of greeting from the Women's Temperance Association, of Liverpool. They had waited several hours, as our ship was behind time, and they were obliged to return to their homes. I was instructed to take a carriage to a certain house, where entertainment was awaiting me. This sisterly wolpnme was most £jratefully received. f » JI- BS, he $ a of lip em w- re- ose om ise ish ;he ito re- br ityh, kras ho n's ad ne, I ise, rly PSMi''S»???Sf?^^S?*l'!^S'^W^»W:'''-'J.:,- •■' -rfv^!!,'- t-^itf-iis'jfcaca msmsmSi^m MISS WILLARD, Preii. United States W.C.T.i:. MRS. LUCAS, Prvs. BiitUh W.C.T.C MRS. YOU MANS. Pres. Canadian W.C.TA'. ENf.L.VND, IJ{L1.A^{' ASD SCOTLAND 240 OUMAN^- dian W.C.TX- An aiiiusin;:,' inci-lrfit. (.•'•'. rivd ns we joiiii'i i-ur travelliriLr cotnpanion^ «':; • tUh-k. 1 had iiot, in all my loinTicvMr!;' America, ani! I wh . \V()\i!d bo )io 'iii<:''- '■ W'liut was my ■ : • hand upon ri. i ■ contained inf'-:.?- - Fawectt did f"-. ,■ iifiirty hiuo'h. ■^u'..? ' contained neithi One of thf^ ur-t ' on the streets ■>$' I-- the women an)'■■ was 8«venty years of ;i^*\ ui, 1 I ■?<(. .-i ]nnp.'.'se of attemliiii,' 5.K' ' \>nv > i.tt^i^v hy iinxieiise muta'MU .:■.,. Af, '.rK' -v le.O'K) peopl« ^.vere pr-x*. li. '•• ■ ■■ » i-'ai ihat Mrs. i.'ioau ini^^^r. » • aiahi like thiti, wosih). k ■.>•;■ ^ V',,;' . I'ht; President intitnir-.-fi '' • ■. .. iiti^'iaiiil," and Mrs. ^i..';";>t ir f"'^r.^;ii>e«n," and "My Country 'is >;! i > *■■ :M^Jerfttl, and the scene ori>- i"r.t ■ •>< f.ti f., witii rt ■ .%■ ■ • Ul' ■>. * I i i.iiif ill ■Mil f^— "—-■:::■ '■...i ,."',",'" V,"T •-^-' ^^jHW*'., V^iiJi> ^U...itf.k.,-A<-^-^U.^'^- yVic.^. i'liid'd Sta'cn ir.( '.'/•(■". Mks. i.rcAs, . >' < |IV,. KNGLANI), IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 249 An amusinj:^ incident cccurred as we joined our travelling companions on the dock. I had not, in all ray journeyin^.aper, of the Alliance, gave addresses. Francis Murphy, the Bluo Ribbon evangelist, also took part and gaVe an address. A representative meeting of different organizations .h:^ 252 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. was held in Cannon Street Hotel. Messrs. Ray and Raper contributed very much to the enjoyment of this visit in London. To Mr. Raper I was indebted for access to tho British Parliament while in session, and an intro- duction to Sir Wilfred Lawson. Westminster Hall was, to me, a place of special interest. Mr. Raper conducted us through it, and presented the different scenes in connection with the corQnation of the different monarchs of whom I had frequently read. Most notable of the places visited was Westminster Abbey, that city of the noted dead. The sensation produced in my mind, as I wandered among the monuments and tablets of the departed of all ages, is still vividly before me. My first Sabbath in London I was privileged to hear Mr. Spurgeon, in his great tabernacle. He was, to my mind, the model preacher. The immense crowd that thronged the pLce from Sabbath to Sabbath was the highest tribute o£ his popularity. Yet one thought seemed uppermost, as he gazed on his audience, and that thought was his responsibility to God for his message he was about to deliver. At the close of the service i was favored with an introduction to this noted divine, and was delighted to find the blue ribbon in his button-hole, indicative of his temperance principles. We intended to hear Canon Farrar, i'^ Westminster Abbey, in th after- noon, but, being a little late, the crowd was br. ^leat EN! LAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 253 we could scarcely get within sound of bis voice. In the evenino: we attended a blue ribbon meetinor in Exeter Hall, conducted by Francis Murphy. My time was altogether too limited for visiting the great city, and I can now only glance at a few of the many places of interest, — the British Museum, Kensington Museum, the Fisheries Exhibition, which was just about being closed. I was astonished beyond measure at the extent, value, and variety of the British fisheries. St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London had hitherto only been vie .. cd in the dirstance ; they were now a pleasant reality. In the Tower we inspected a model of the rack and other instruments of torture used in tho Spanish Inquisition. It seemed incredible ^at man's inhu' manity to man could ever have reached such atrecity, and yet we have in our own day, in these nominally Christian countries, a system quite as diabolical. I need scarcely name it — a License System. I believe there is a time coming when these license laws, which disgrace our statute books, will be regarded as great an atrocity as these relics of barbarity to which I have referred. The last place visited in the city of London was City Road Chapel. The old parsonage, and especially the room hi which Mr. Wesley died, seemed redolent with sacred memories. As I sat in Mr. Wesley's chair and wrote on 'is desk, the sentiment came forcibly to my mjnd, Tuo chamber where the good man meets lis fate is privileged beyond the ordinary walk of M 254 CAMPAIGN ECIIOEP.. life, quite on the vc {^» ot heaven." I gathered sotno verdure from the grave of Wesley, and also from the grave of Dr. Adam Clarke, just adjoining, and have cherished them since as choicest relics. I must not fail to note an interview wit^ ^' B. W. Richardson. It was to me a rare privilege. After leaving London, I spent a few days at War- rinoion with Mrs. Margaret Parker, whom I had met in A'nerica; then to Blackpool, by invitation of the Women's Association for a series of meetings ; then on to bonnie Scotland. The noble work of the Chris- tian people in rescuing the children from lives of vice and destitution is beyond all praise. We saw them in the Rescue Home when first brought in, in a con- dition that beggars all description. Here they are bathed, clothed, and when sufficiently renovated, are sent to the training home at Wiers. This home is well worthy of note. It consists of cottages accom- modating about thirty children each. A man and his wife are appoi/ited as father and mother to the family, and the family management seemed to be complete. We glanced into two or three of these while the family were at dinner, and v;ere deeply impressed at the devout attitude of the children when the blessing was asked; their deportrrent throughout the entire meal would put to the us'i many an aristocratic family. One article of food which the children seemed to relish very much was a soup of lentils. At my request, I was allowed to taste it, and I must say I was not surprised at Esau's preference of the article; ENGLAND, IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 255 but, poor fellow, like many a one of the present day, he paid too dearly for the gratification of his appetite. These children are sent to school, and trained morally and spiritually until considered qualified to be sent out to the distributing home in Canada, where they are under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, at March- mont Home, Belleville, and distributed among the many families who apply for them. I will only add that Mr. and Mrs. Wallace keep close watch over these children in their new homes. The blessings of those who are ready to perish are eminently the portion of this devoted couple. There was much in and around Glasgow to interest. The temperance women gave me a reception before .' aving, after several public meetings. One line of Wo-rk in which they were earnestly engaged, was getting alcoholic wine off the communion table. They told me that so fa.r they had only succeeded with one church, and that numbers of persons who regularly worshipped in other places, came there to commune. as their conscience would not allow them to partake of alcoholic wine. From this circumstance, this church had received the name of the " unfermented church." In Edinburgh we were the guests of Dr. and Mrs. Blakie, of world-wide fame. This noble couple did everything possible to make our visit enjoyable. They took us to many places of interest ; most noticeable, perhaps, was Holyrood Castle, the home of the ancient kings of Scotland. The rooms occupied by Mary of 250 CAMPAinx fCHOES. Scots, and other monarchs, seemed to proclaim more loudly than words could, " Passinfif away, passing away ! " St. Giles' Cathedral was invested with very much interest. I gazed in wonder at the performance of the beadles, who assisted in conducting the ser- vices. It seemed to me that if Jennie had been there, fhe would have hurled her stool as indignantly as she did at the head of the prelate on a former occasion. Last in my places of visit, although not by any means least, was Ireland, the birthplace of my father. We landed at Belfast, and, after a short stay there, proceeded to Dublin. Rooms had been engaf()n^ l(;Hvin<; tlio Stntu, that it wuh no uncotninon tliiii;^ tor himn to got p(>^8eNi»i.m of the attic of a hoiiso, lleturnin;,' to Los Antrclos, tho W. C. T. U. had arrnrififrd two m(iotin|L:j.s for tho Sabbath, one in tlie Mt'thodiNt and the otlicr in the Congregational church. At tho close of those niei.'tinfjs I was astonished at the niiT»ber of Canadians that came up to shake handn, many of whom I had never seen before ; but it seemed a pleasure to them to meet anyone from Canada. From Los Anj»eles we proceeded northward, to visit my brother at Visalia. It was, indeed, delightful to visit the friends from whom we had been so lonjif separated, but sad to call to remembrance the brother who ha^ £8G CAMPAIGN ECHOES. parallel was a very strong one, and even those who do not agree with the speaker could not but admire the admirable manner in which the subject wus handled. There seemed to be an entire absence of any effort at stage effect ; it was a woman's address, deliv- ered in a womanly manner, and, in our judgment, by far the ablest temperance address we have ever listened to in Victoria." During my stay in Victoria I addressed the Chinese through an interpreter, and the Provincial Teachers' Association, on the subject of scientific instruction on alcohol in the schools. From Victoria we proceeded to Saanich, Nanaimo, Wellington and Comox, the latter place being 150 miles up the Gulf of Georgia. In these remote places I found breweries being estab- lished, and was glad to know that the Good Templars were extending their outposts. Many things of in- terest might be noted in these remote regions, but space forbids. In every place I found the sentiment very strong for entire prohibition. I took a plebiscite, as I used to tell the people, for the purpose of report- ing in Ontario their views with regard to prohibition. On asking all in favor to raise their hands, there was a general upraising. From Comox to New Westminster, where the ener- getic President of the Union, Mrs. Jas. Cunningham, had everything in readiness for a series of meetings, including a provincial convention. Miss Willard had already formed the nucleus for the latter during her visit to Victoria. We had delegates from every CALIFORNIA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 287 available point in the Province. Hon.>John Kobson came up, to urge the ladies to petition for scientific instruction in the schools; he informed us that he had a bill prepared to bring before the House, and he wished to have ifc sustained by a very large petition from the ladies. Since that time he received the liighest honor that his Province could confer, being appointed premier. Just in the midst of his popu- larity and usefulness, he was called away suddenly from earth, but, no doubt, to a brighter inheritance in our Father's house above. The children's meeting during this convention made a deep impression upon many minds. The little ones assembled at the school- house, and were formed into a procession, with ban- ners and mottoes. One motto was, " Tremble alcohol, we're growing up." This motto was seized by a saloon-keeper, and wrested from the hands of a boy who carried it. During the convention the ladies were invited to the house of Mrs. David Robson for tea. Here a pleasant surprise awaited us. The Indians who were encamped on the shore of the river, taking part in the salmon fisheries, came over after tea by invitation of Mrs. Tait, the missionary's wife, to see their white >isters. We found the large kitchen packed to its utmost capacity with men, women and children. Mrs. Tait told them, in their own language, that we were there for the purpose of putting away the fire-water. She asked them to sing, and they favored us with one or two hymns, which we greatly enjoyed ; then Mrs. 2S8 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Robson sang, as only she can, " A Child of the King." I talked earnestly to the crowd seated on the floor,, and Mrs. Tait translated my words into their lan- puage. They seemed to have a dread of the fire- water, and were quite ready to sign the pledge when it was presented. Mrs. Tait informed me that several ot' the young people could write ; these were invited up first, and took up the pen with evident satisfac- tion to write their own names. We pinned on the blue ribbon, which they seemed to consider a badge of honor. As the evening was wearing away, I pro- posed to give the ribbon, and have them come next day and sign their names ; to this they objected, not willing to wear the badge till they were pledged. I could not but admire their integrity. While listening to Mrs. Robson as she sang in the meetings, I was wonderfully impressed with the power of song. An incident was related to me of the efficacy of Mrs. Robson's voice in reaching the heart of a hardened criminal. He was under sentence of death for murder in New Westminster gaol, and had refused the services of ministers of the gospel and Christian men. Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Robson requested permission of the sheriff* and gaoler to visit the prisoner, but were refused, as he had said he oo CAMPAIGN ECHnES. who stated that he would not risk his lite twenty- four hours with that tribe if the law was repealed. They heartily condemned the permit system, and yet said that with this difficulty prohibition was much better than license. May God have mercy on the men who deprived the Territories of the protection they had gained. In 1883 I had visited Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg, and formed unions in each of these places ; it was now pleasant to renew the acquaintance then formed and to find the temperance sentiment was still rising. We spent the Sabbath at Winnipeg, met the ladies of the local union, and arranged for a provincial union. Then on to Rat Portage, where a meeting had been arranged by Rev. Geo. Long. Had a very pleasant visit at the parsonage before leaving for Port Arthur. Very much might be said of this romantic place did time and space permit. Here we took passage on board the steamer Athabasca for Owen Sound. The vessel was well fitted up and the officers most obliging. The weather was propitious, so that there was not a ripple on the water the entire journey. Two of the passengers in whom I was most interested was a Church of England minister and his wife, who had been captured by Riel, and treated with great cruelty. We spent the Sabbath on board, and the Captain invited me to speak to the passen- gers, which I did, and presented the pledge. Quite a number signed and put on the blue ribbon. We ar- rived safely in Owen Sound, just in time to attend the Ontario Provincial Convention. // \> CHAPTEK XXI. WASHINGTON, D.C. ■'wni A MONG all the places that I visited, none was ir\ invested with more interest than the city of Washington, D.C. I went there by invitation of the District Union. The President, Mrs. Dr. Riley, planned the meetings and conducted the campaign. I was delightfully entertained at the Holly Tree Inn, the W. C. T. U. Coffee House. This proved to be a model temperance house, and was conducted on the European plan ; the lodging rooms and restaurant were separate institutions. You could get a comfort- able meal at any price you saw fit to offer, and every- thing served up in good style. Mrs. La Fiitra, who had the oversight of the lodging department, was a prominent officer in the W. C. T. TJ. She was a cul- tured Christian lady, well calculated to give character to such an establishment. She is row at the head of a very large and fashionable house of entertainment in connection with the W. C. T. U. of the city. Allow me to remark in passing, that there is no more efficient aid to the temperance cause than that afforded by a well-conducted hotel from which the contamination of the liquor traffic is excluded. My first meeting in Washington was in Lincoln Hall, Sabbath afternoon. Private invitations were sent to 302 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. each member of Congress and senator. The general public were, of course, not excluded. This was truly a mass meeting, and hundreds went away for want of room. In the evening of the same day, the Foundry Methodist Church was placed at our disposal at the hour of public service. Dr. Lanahan, the pastor of the church, treated us most courteously. This church was named after the old Foundry Church in England, occupied by Mr. Wesley. It is the church attended by the President of the United States when he hap- pens to be a Methodist. Meetings were arranged during the afternoons of the week in halls in different parts of the city, and in the evenings in the different churches. These after- noon meetings were truly gospel meetings. Special pains were taken to gather in the victims of the traffic. The object of the evening meetings was tu get the churches interested in the temperance work, and especially to enlist the ladies in the W. C. T. U. work. In this respect they were successful, for each successive evening made converts to the white ribbon movement. The afternoon meetings, of which I would speak more particularly, were seasons of great interest. Special pains were taken to find out the victims of intemperance and invite them to the meet- ings, and every afternoon found more or less of this number present. One afternoon a wreck of the traffic found his way into the hall, and knelt very near the door ; two of the ladies caiie to him, and urged him to give his heart to Christ. He wept bitterly while WASHINGTON, D.C. 303 they talked, and begged them to pray for him. Atter they had offered prayer, they urged him to pray for himself. He answered them, " I cannot pray, ladies, I am too hungry; I am nearly starved." This, of course, roused their sympathies, and they assured him that ho should have a good meal at the close of the meeting. This assurance caused a fresh outburst of grief on his part, as he said, "I have a wife and two little children who are just as hungry as I am, as we have had no food for two days." At the close of the meeting he received an order for a substantial meal for himself, and a good basketful of provisions for his family. Another afternoon, on the way to the hall, the ladies met a policeman taking a woman to the lock-up; they begged him to resign her to their care, saying, " We can do her more good than you can." This he did reluctantly; and the poor creature, realizing that she was in the hands of friends, spoke freely of her sorrows and her downfall. She was the daughter of one of the proud families of Virginia, her father a judge, and she the wife of a lawyer. By the time they reached the meeting, she appeared to be quite sober. She begged them to pray for her, and as they pointed her to ihs sinner's Friend, she was enabled to trust in Christ for salvation, and rejoiced in a sense of forgiveness. Said Mrs. Riley, in speaking of the circumstance afterwards, " When that poor soul received the blessing, I was as con- scious of it in my own heart as when I was converted myself." 804 CAMPAIGN ECHOLS. One more incident in connection with these meet- ings. A young man was found one afternoon in an obscure corner of the hall, the most abject being thai> had yet presented himself at the meeting, tattered and filthy beyond description, yet he found warm- hearted sympathizers in these devoted women. When they pointed him to Christ, he said, " I am too wicked to be saved." Then they assured him that Jesus could save to the very uttermost. Earnest prayer went up in his behalf until the stony heart was melted and the message of salvation was accepted. They had him conducted to a home which was provided for such destitute ones; here he was bathed and furnished with comfortable clothing, and returned to the meet- ing the next day so changed in appearance that he could hardly be recognized. The ladies inquired his name and found that he was the son of a prominent business man in New York city. They urged him to return to his father, but he refused, saying he had disgraced the family and they would not receive him. The ladies then requested that they might write to his father ; consent was reluctantly given and a letter was immediately dispatched. A telegram was soon received by the ladies, that read as follows : " Praise the Lord, my son was dead but is alive again, was lost but now is found. A letter containing money is on the way, take good care of my boy and draw on me for all the funds you need." I have no words to describe the faithfulness of these devoted women, and the zeal they manifested in WASHFNOTON, D.C. 305 of bin rescuing the perishing. They rejoiced over these returning prodigals as a mother would over her own son. They were not by any means women of leisure, they were in most cases heads of families, had many domestic affairs and were engaged in church work. As Christian women always should do, they regarded temperance work as an essential part of Christian duty. . One Sabbath evening our meeting was in the Methodist Metropolitan Church. It was elegantly furnished, brilliantly lighted, and was by far the most imposing edifice in which I«h&d ever ventured to address an audience. While in Washington, I was favored with two interviews with Mrs. Hayes, who was then Mistress of the White House. One was on her public recep- tion day, and the other was a private interview in her parlor. I found her to be all she had been represented, simple and unassuming, dignified and, I might say, queenly in her bearing, and quite as approachable as many a woman in the most humble position, although the first lady of the land. She directed the usher to show us the principal objects of interest in the rooms, and to give me any plant I might choose from her private conservatory. I need scarcely add that this plant has received the tenderest care, and I have now in my window a slip taken from the original. The ushers showed us the punch bowl, presented to General Grant by the Japanese embassy. This article, 20 '-:r 306 CAMPAIGN ECUOES. he added, has never been used since Mrs. Hayes was Mistress here, and the White House was never so pure as it is now. Neither the President nor his sons use alcohol or tobacco. We were presented to Presi- dent Hayes on his reception day, and found him quite as genial as his worthy wife. Among the many places of interest visited in Wash- ington, I shall only mention one; that is. Ford's Theatre, where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. I was pleased to learn that it was closed forever af?. a place of amusement after that fatal night. The Gov- ernment bought the building, and it was used as a surgical and medical museum. Among other relics that it contained was the spinal marrow of Wilkes Booth, preserved in alcohol, and the vertebrae of the neck through which the bullet that killed him penetrated. Before leaving the city we took a day to visit Mount Vernon, the old home of George Washington, sixteen miles down the Potomac from the city. It was the month of January, the weather was as warm as June with us, and the sail on the river was delight- ful. The old cottage home was surrounded by a wide veranda, and bore every indication of antiquity. On entering the hall, the only noticeable object was a large key suspended against the wall. This, the usher told us, was the key of the Bastile, which was presented to Washington by La Fayette, as he stated that the principles of the United States had done more to open the Bastile than anything else. In the WASHINGTON, D.C. 807 I old parlor was Martha Washinjrton's spinning wheel, and the harpsichord that her husband presented her with on their wedding-day, and an arm-chair that came over on the Mayjiower. On the second floor was the room occupied by La Fayette while a guest in the place. The room adjoining this was the one in which Washington died ; it was considered the most sacred spot in the building. In the attic above was the room selected by Mrs. Washington for herself after her husband's death, as its windows looked out upon his tomb. Here she remained in seclusion, seldom seeing anyone but her colored servant. A short distance from the old mansion was the tomb of Washington. We were informed that the Prince of Wales, when visiting the place, stood by the tomb with uncovered head. There were the old barn and stables, the brick for which was brought from England by Washington. There was the strict- est prohibition with regard to removing any relic from the place, and yet I succeeded in securing a branch of the willow that had been planted by the grave in which Washington was first interred. The original had been taken from the grave of Bonaparte at St. Helena. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Associa- tion own the mansion and contiguous grounds ; they are endeavoring to restore them as nearly as pos- sible to the condition they were in during ihe life of Washington. After leaving Washington, we spent two weeks in Baltimore, speaking in different parts of the city under the auspices of the State Union. 303 CAMPAIGN ECHOES. Mrs. Dr. Thomas, State President, took charj^e of a deputation to visit AnnapoHs, the capital, and inter- view the Qovernment with regard to local option, a bill which was before the House. We had a respect- ful hearing before a select committee of the House of Representatives, and were permitted to address the Senate in a body. The leader of the House left his seat and took his place beside Mrs. Thomas, while she explained the object of our mission, and intro- duced me as a speaker to advoctite their cause. It seemed to me almost too much like foreign interven- tion for a Canadian woman to address a United States senator ; however, I made the venture. At the close of my address, Mrs. Thomas bowed in prayer, and offered a mont earnest supplication that those who had the power to protect the people should be deeply impressed with a sense of their responsibility, and that such laws should be enacted as would glorify Qod. I must not omit to mention that we were accompanied by Dr. Thomas and another gentleman, both of them influential politicians. No doubt their presence and sanction contributed very much to the success of our expedition. A week's engagement at Philadelphia enabled me to see a little of the Quaker city. I visited an inebriate asylum for women, superintended by Dr. Scott, a competent lady physician. I found here women of different ages and classes of society, slaves of the drink habit, shut away by their friends from the tyrant which had conquered them. Here, for the first to a of the bhe Irst WASHINQTON, D.C, 309 time, I saw n huHband weeping over an inebriate wife. • He had for fifteen years sought to save her, but was hopeless and heart-broken. During my stay here I had an interview with the mother of Charlie Ross, the little boy who had been kidnapped a few years before. I found her to be an, intelligent Christian lady, sad and sorrowful, yet seeking to be resigned to her sore bereavement She believed her child was still alive, and the other children prayed for Charlie every nighi. ■•'■ if- CHAPTER XXII. CONCLUSION. AS I review the pa§t, a host of memories come trooping up, so that it is difficult to select material for a closing chapter. Many circumstances quite as interesting as any that have been narrated demand more than a passing notice. Kind and loving friends whose names I have not even mentioned, have contributed much to my welfare. The county of Lambton, Ontario, should have had an earlier notice. It was among the first to take up the Dunkin Bill, which was carried with a good majority, but I say it to the disgrace of our law-makers, it was allowed to be overthrown by a frivolous technicality, which could in no way effect its validity. When the Scott Act agitation commenced, Lambton was again in the field. Undaunted by the previous defeat, they fought like brave men long and well, and gained another grand victory, when another ridiculous technicality was found to overthrow the law. Still again they buckled on their armor and renewed the conflict. All honor to the brave men and women of Lambton County. In the Scott Act campaigns of Ontario, I had a share in each county contest except one. The states of the neighboring Republic, in each of which I spent several weeks, were Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hamp- CONCLUSION. 311 it to shire, New York, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minne- sota and Kansas. After eighteen years of unremitting toil in the public temperance work, I was suddenly seized with inflammatory rheumatism, in the month of August, 1888. In a few days I was deprived of the use of my limbs, and since that time have been a helpless invalid confined to my bed. Everything that medical skill could suggest has been employed but without avail. I rejoice to believe that my Father's hand prepares the cup and what He wills is best. He is too wise to err and too good to be unkind. I seem to hear His voice saying, "I have refined thee, but not with silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." At times the furnace seems to be heated seven times, but His grace is sufficient. I believe that when the dross is consumed and the gold well refined, I shall enter into His presence where there is fulness of joy, and sit down at His right hand where there are pleasures forever more. I cannot close this volume without thanking ray many friends for their words and deeds of kindness ; for the many prayers that have been offered in my behalf. I have no desire to live unless my heavenly Father has work for me to do. It is a comforting thought that when the workers ars buried, others are raised up to take their place. ADDENDA. AN important item that should not have been omitted in the first edition of this book, was the formation of the first W. C. T. U. in Canada by Mrs. R. J. Doyle, of Owen Sound. Mrs. Doyle had read of the Women's Work in the United States, and saw the necessity for similar work in Canada. She did not visit the States, nor did any of their workers visit 0\ren Sound at the time ; she saw the great need for r^ 'orm in Owen Sound, and felt that something must be done immediately, and set about doing it. She was no luke-warm worker — even the liquor-sellers could not but respect her. They felt that she was in earnest Mrs. Doyle was not only the founder of the Union in Owen Sound, but she was its life and soul, as well as of all temperance movements in that locality, and continued to be so until a few weeks previous to her death, which occurred a year ago last February. The unfailing enthusiasm, sweetness under disap- pointment, and spiritual magnetism, which always pervaded her atmosphere, are not things to be written on paper, but they will be long in the memory of her fellow workers. Such is the testimony of one of her most intimate friends in Owen Sound. H have been book, was Canada by I>oyle had States, and lada. She ir workers jreat need something doin^ it. lor-sellers ^Q Was in tie Union h as well IHy, and s to her y. r disap- always written ^ of her ntimate