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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commenqant par la premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la derniftre image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symboie -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fiim^s d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour §tre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmA d partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ( i K 'iwm ■ »!H»ilM,MijW THEY TWO; oa, t PHASES OP LIFE IN EASTERN CANADA, FIFTY YEABS AGO. . -V WRITTEN IN 1876, BT AN EX-JOUBNALIST. P0ttt»at: PRINTED BY JOHN I4OVBLL & SON. 1888. rOB SALX AT THB BOOKSTOBBS. .'■-■»■ •■ - >' SXZd^ AUG 2 9 1974 wmm »0 <9ne of our »arU»0t, tno^t rottotatit, an( f ^ libtral iiatrano of t4i0 trifle i0 re0pertfitU9 itt0rrilte^. ■. V By the Authob. *? . ■ f': ii:-^-tn, EXPLANATOEY. H As the author of this book, who wrote it fourteen years ago, had not the fortune to publish it, a few prefatory remarks may be permitted. It is no commendation of a novel now-a-days to assure the reader that the incidents are all actualities ; for the more absurdly false they are, so long as they are sensa- tional, the more popular are such stories with a certain class of readers. What influence the perusal of such " Munchausenisms " will have on the literary taste of the age, and on the morality of the rising generation, the future alone will solve. This book has neither falsehood nor sensation to recom- mend it. It was written by a parent for the amusement of chil- dren, but the adult will find in it something of interest. To those who read between the lines, another objact will become evident, and they will perceive that the writer intended to crystallize some phases of Canadian life into our literature. "" ' ^ / Had the author been the publisher, some needful cor- rections might have been made ; as it is, the public will have to receive the work as men accept their friends, with their faults and imperfections. ..,. The Editor. :'-\ CANADA. Our country, first of all, Free, fresh, and fair j No serf,— no human thrall. Has breath'd our air. Fresh from her Maker's hand. As rose new blown ; There is no other land Fair as our own. Fair as the morning's smile, On dewy height ; Or fairy, sea-girt isle Bath'd in moonlight. Our country, first of all. Fair, fresh, and free ; Until death's shadows fall, We'll live for thee. 07- T, 0! ' V, I !■■>. THEY TWO; OB PHASES OF LIKE TN EASTERN CANADA. : . CHAPTER I. * , , . „ "What wordy siory-tellcrs these old men were," said Luoy to herself, trn she laid down a volume of '*LeB Eolations desJ^suites" she had been reading. " How minute they are, too I the slightest detail of every incident is recorded. I should like to be as able as ttiey were to set clearly before my readers what I write. And yet I should not choose them for my model ; they are too trivial. I should like to bo purely Canadian, which these fielations are not, and after all what is there in Canada to write about ? We are too young ; and what is more, we are what the French term, ' sec.' Our climate lies in that direction. Summer bakes onr juices, and winter freezes them. Our life tends to materialism. We are all straining in the race for wealth, and even those who have obtained the prize enjoy but little of what is known in Europe as ' elegant leisure.' ' The world is too much with us,' and as a consequence we have little romance and less poetry." Lucy had got this fur in her thinking when the silvery tinkle of sleigh bells fell upon her ear. The sound ceased opposite to her door, and looking out she saw her couain Huntly alight from his cutter and come up the steps. She was glad to see him. He hud only got back from Quebec a few days before, and after the holidays he was going up to the pine woods; and it was now only a week till Christmas. Huntly had come to ask her out for a drive, and she gladly accepted his kind offer. She was soon ready, and in a few minutes was gliding over the crisp snow. The air was keen, but not disagreeably cold to one nestled close in furs. The stars sparkled in the blue above, and the moon shed floods of splendor on the snow beneath. The I !■ . 7,;-. 10 THEY TWO. tinkling of the bells, the prancing of the horses, the smooth and rapid motion, anc^ the bracing air, more intoxicating to young blood th*"! cliampagne, made driving duHght.^ul. But they had not gone far when a huge dog fiom an adjucent farm house attacked them. Huntly, who could cut with his whip within an inch of where he wanted, struck him across the nof> . V . -: i ^r .!■ ■ i (•' ^■J':.-: CHAPTER II. :!: ! M; J ■':■. LcoT Delisle was the only daughter of a Canadian lumher merchant. Her father was now dead some years. She lived with her mother in a pretty village on the Lower Ottawa. She had an only brother, Edmond, who was a land surveyor, and who was absent from home on duty, and would not return before the holidays. Lucy's mother was Irish, and her father French Canadian. Lucy had received a liberal education, and had embraced the faith of her mother, who was a Protestant. Her brother Edmond was a Roman Catholic. She had spent two or three seasons in Europe with her father, where she enjoye(^. the hospitality of some old English families, and joined one winter in the gaieties of Paris. She returned to Canada uns])oiled, — the same dutiful and loving daughter as wnen leaving home; and after the loss of her father, which brought loss of property as well, she was even more dutiful than before. No murmur was heard from the lips of any of the little family, when forced to abandon the old home in Quebec, and journey up the Ottawa to take possession of a cottage and grounds which remained to them after settling up the estate. They had early learned the lesson of contentment, and under such circumstances there are few situations in life in which we may not enjoy a degree of happiness. It is the old secret of the Apostle to the Qentiles, " Having food and raiment let us be therewith content." There was much to interest Lucy in her new home. The cottage was comfortable and finely situated, with an outlook on the river, and a beautiful garden well stocked with fruits and flowers. Here were exercise, health and pleasure combined. During the summer months the garden afforded plenty of occupa- tion and keen enjoyment to both mother and daughter. Edmond found a pleasure boat upon the premises and Lucy soon learned to manage it. Her flowers however were an unfailing source of THEY TWO. joy. They seemed to her gems with which old earth decked herself, or rather, the smiles she returned to the sun for his warm kisses : " The sun's a bridegroom, earth a bride, They kiss from morn till eventide ; The earth shall pasr* but love abide." • •) ;f .1 The Great Teacher points us to the flowers, that we may feel snfe in the futherhood of God. A modern poet exclaims :-— ** Were I, God, in churchlees lands remaining, , ^ Far from all voice of teachers and divines, '\f > • u 'V My soul would find in flowers of thy ordainingi !' *. ',r r Priests, sermons, shrines I " ;. I > The adjacent woods, too, proved new sources of pleasure. What delightful rambles in the sweet September weather ; and when the early October frosts flushed the forest with gold and crimson, how glorious to drink in the splendor, and to gather rich harvests of autumnal leuves and bright berries for winter decora- tions. Then grand old winter with its sports driving, snow-shoe tramping, sliding, and F^kating ; while for indoors, there were books, composition, fancy work, drawing, and music. Altogether life on the beautiful banks of the Ottawa did not entail much self-denial or furnish food for bitter regrets. Huntly Marston was a native of Quebec as well as Lucy, and few were prouder than he of the Fortress City. Her "grand battery " to the East, her northern Esplanade, and the Citadel, which crowns her western heights, had been to his boyish fancy the most glorious places on which the sun had shone, and maturer views had but little altered his opinion; while from Durham Terrace, from the Cape, or from the Ramparts, the eye takes in a scene of beauty and magnificence difficult to surpass. History, too, had embalmed her name. Men, in imagination, still hear the echo of her guns, the trumpet blast, the clash of urms, and the cheers of victory. The names of Wolfe and of Montcalm stir men's blood till this very hour. No wonder Huntly felt proud of dear old Stadacona. He was an only son, and had a good w THET TWO. l! mi deal of his own way, except when pressed into the service of his sisters, of whom he had three, and all charming girls. His father had been a general merchant who made advances to lumber men, and had grown wealthy. When he had made what he thought a competency for his family he prudently retired, and after a time removed to Montreal. His wife and Mrs. Delisle were second cousins, and during Mr. Dclisle's lifetime he often received advances from Mr. Marston, to whom he consigned most of his timber rafts. Towards the close of Mr. Dclisle's life, however, there came a depression in the timber trade, and requiring heavier advances than uuual he transferred the licenses of his timber limits to Mr. Marston as security. Mr. Dclisle's death was sudden, and occurred before any final settlement had been made with Mr. Marston. The widow was not on intimate terms with her husband's relatives, and left the winding up of his affairs to the creditor. The latter, though fond of money, was strictly honorable, and dealt fairly by the widow, who, after all claims were settled, would still own the limits and the cottage and grounds on the Ottawa. So Huntly was anxious to commence business, his father proposed making him the necessary advances if he could arrange with the widow about the limits. Huntly, with all the generosity of youth, proposed working them jointly, as welt for the benefit of the Delisles as for his own, especiully as Lucy's brother Edmond could be taken in as a partner. Mr. Marston thought it best that Huntly should buy the limits ; and the Delisles agreeing to sell, he invested the money for them, and charged the amount to Huntly. He had already lumbered on these limits for three years at the time our story opens, and had removed to the village where the Delisles resided, in order to be near his winter operations, and probably for some unconfesscd reason. These detail and explanations will enable the reader to understand the relations existing between the two families. if ■-V 'L - I .' * CHAPTEE III. The Legislature at (Quebec had just adjourned for the holidays. There had been the usual number of crude measures introduced, most of which would be hurried through near the close of the session. It has been too much the custom in Canada to allow undigested measures to appear on the Statute books, and then go on year after year timending or repealing them. The consequence is we have volume after volume of enactments one half the penal* ties of which are never inflicted upon offenders. Better far never to have enacted such statutes, because men lose re.«pect for law. . when its provisions are not enforced, and to offend with impunity is always demoralizing. This year before the members left the House on the night of adjournment, there had been the usual noise and disorder. Firing of paper pellets, inkstanda, and ponderous tomes, heavy enough to floor our grave and worthy Legislators. These demonstrations were accompanied with cat calls, and other classic noises, so elevating in their tendencies. But then we must unbend sometimes, or the severe mental strain would hurt our worthy representatives. •' > " /! During the recess the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who loved a quiet smoke and a little gossip, used to stroll down of an evening to spend an hour or two in his private office at the Department. There was always a confldential clerk or two in attendance on such occasions, and it was a well understood thing with those behind the scenes that these were fitting opportunities for transacting a little busines?*. It was Christmas eve when Mr. Gkrvais, the great contractor, came sauntering into the office of the Commia-'ioner. After the usual greetings, and some chat on things in general and nothing in particular, he a-sked the Commissioner if he would allow him to s je the last list of appli- cations frr grants of timber limits. "Certainly," replied the Commissioner, for the contractor was a liberal subscriber to the election fund, and boasted of holding at least half a dozen con- V /.. u THET TWO. siituencies in his vest pocket. After glancing over the list vhich had heen handed in hy a clerk from an outer office, Mr. Gervais ticked off some five or six of the applications, and turning with his blandest smile to th3 Commissioner, informed him that he desired the apportionment of these. The Commissioner did not even trouble himself to examine the checked off numbers, and without any show of interest informed the man with the large vest pocket "that it would be all right." Mr. Gervais said "good-bye," and expressed his gratitude. He had no sooner left the office than the Commissioner seized the list, and to his dismay found that most of the marked applications had been made by friends of the (Government. One of them had been made by our friend Huntly Marston. It was for this purpose ihat he had visited Quebec some time before. His reasons for doing so were these : he found on working the limits bought from Mr. Delisle, that they had been pretty well cut over, and the timber in a few years would be exhausted, and he thought himself a lucky fellow when Edmond Delisle gave him a hint of a well timbered vacant limit neighboring his own. Edmond had found out the valuable nature of this limit when running some lines in that vicinity, and lost no time in telling Huntly; for Edmond expected one day to be a partner, and follow the business of his late father. Huntly was quite sure of getting this limit. He had agreed with the Commissioner as to the amount of bonus per mile, had lodged the money in the bank to the credit of the Department, and was daily expecting to receive his license. What was his surprise, however, on receiving instead the following letter from the Commissioner : Quebec, 26th Dec., 18 H. Marston, Esq. .--■.rj^-'i-i.: /; ^ s v v.h Dear Sir, — I am sorry that a misunderstanding has arisen respect- ing the timber limit for which you applied some time since. It has been promised to another party ; but you are at liberty to choose a limit elsewhere, and I will see that in this instance you shall not be disappointed. Yours, etc., etc., Commissioner Crowk Lands. THET TWO. tr '. This was bad news for Huntly. He had (^pent some money in getting the limit explored, and being well wooded and close to his other works, was to him really valuable. What was he to do ? Take the suggestion of the Commissioner, or fight it out with him ? He did not know who the ♦' other party " was to whom the limit was promised. Was it not promised to him, was not his upplication first on the list, and was not his money deposited ? Yes, he would fight it out with the Commissioner. The same mail brought a letter from his father, hoping that he would spend the New Year with them in Montreal, now that provisions and teams must all have been despatched to the woods. They had felt lonely for him at Christmas, and as he was to b^ absent in the woods all winter, the least he could do was to pay them a New Year's visit. Though he had intended starting for his shanties the day nfter New Year he now decided to accept his father's invitation, which j,ust came in the nick of time, and after obtaining his advice he would proceed to Quebec and beard the Commissioner. He would get ready at once, but before doing so he must see Lucy and her mother, and explain to them the rea:^on why he could not spend New Years's Day with them, as had been arranged. He flattered himself that Lucy would feel disappointed, yet felt sorry that she would be deprived of the sleiiih drives he had intended giving her. When he reached the cottage he found her and her mother discussing a point he had not anticipated. Lucy had received a letter from his sist- r Mary, asking her to come down with Huntly and spend some time in Montreal. She urged many reasons why she should come. Some pleasant sleighing parties had been planned ; various entertainments were in a state of progress, and above all the skating rink was to be opened with a grand carnival shortly after the New Year. This was Mary's crowning inducement, for she knew Lucy to be passionately fond of skating. Still there was a fly in the pot of ointment. Mary regretted that Mrc Delisle should be left alone, for such n journey in winter was out of the question for her. Lucy had decided to remain at home with hor mother, nor did she intend accepting Mary's invitation II 18 THEY TWO. until after seeing the cloud on Huntly's brow when he first heard lier decii-ion. So it was arranged tliat they two young peojle should start on the morrow. Mrs. Delisle hoped that Kdmond might be home for New Year, and that in any case she hnd the old servant man and the maid Sally, and that they would get along cliarminuly for a week or two. Huntly was smarting under the bad nuws about the limit, but he said nothing of it to the Delisles. He dearly loved sympathy, but would say nothing to excite it. He felt grateful to Mary, his favorite sister, for thinking about Lucy; and in the anticipation of such pleasant companionsliip on his journey home, he nearly forgot the annoy- ance caused by the letter of the Commissioner. The home he wiis about visiting was a very plensant one. The house and grounds were near the head of Bleury Street, and every arrangemunt had been made with a view to comfort tmd convinience. Mr. Marston was a cureful and wise man, his wife a model housekeeper and kind mother, but when occasion required, the black eyes would snap, owing probably to the fire of her Milesian blood. Mary was the eldest daught«, and bright complexion. She was like Huntly, too, in docisivenci'S of character, thoughtfulness for others, tender and unchanging in her friendships. In her, the elements seemed " kindlier mixed" than in her sisters Florence and Edith. Flo- rence was a pretty blonde with blue eyes, a little vain, and somewhat sentimental. Edith was a saucy brunette, and what the French call jAquante. Mary loved her brother, Florence iielt proud of him, and Edith, while she admired still felt like ruling him. They had been carefully educated and were not only amiable but clever girls. Mrs. Marston did not consider hcriself too old to be the cumpanion of her daughters, the youngest of whom was now sixteen. She made it a rule to go out with them when household duties permitted. Mr. Marston was generally busy with real estate speculations and local politics, and when meetings for charitable or religious purposes did not interfere, he always spent his evenings at home. ^r ,. y i. , THEY TWO. 19 There was a very cordial welcome for Lucy and Huntly on their arrival in Montreal. After tea, .jt Mr. Marston would never alter his one o'clock dinner hour, Huntly retired to the libniry with his father, and the girls formed themselves into committee in Lucy's bedroom. There was less danger of beitig distuibed there that: in the drawing room, and any way tliey were not to be " at home " to visitors that evening. Thoy all thought their guest much improved since they had last seen her. " After all," said Mary, " there is nothing like country air «nd regular hours for health, and health is the great beautifier." Lucy, who was tired and did not feel called upon to be enter- taining, remained silent. Florence thought her just bewitching, with her rich Franco-Irish blond tingling in her cheeks, masses of dark hair shading her white forehead, »nd the clear blue eyes, sometimes found with " raven tresses," lighting up a face peculiarly winning and expressive. Florence was in the gushing mood and could only talk of rural scenery, summer evenings on the Ottawa, musings by lone waterfalls, and walks by moonlight, spiced a little with romance and lovemaking ; but if it was her intention to draw out Lucy and learn her secrets^ she failed utterly. Lucy had the faculty of being a good listener, and shewed sufficient interest in all that Florence said to clear herself of any charge of inattention or impoliteness. Edith was waiting her chance for a little good-natured raillery, but was too much charmed with Lucy to be in any way sarcastic. Such a girl, she thought, wiis just fit to set young men crazy ; and she suspected that Huntly, poor moth, had singed his wings. Turning her saucy eyes upon Iter visitor she said : " Did you not feel as if Huntly were running away with you, while driving down the Ottawa ? " Such an unusual question asked so abruptly took Lucy by surprise, but she was imme- diately on her guard, and answered quite naturally : " Oh, not at all, I frequently drive with your brother and he knows so well how to manage horses that I always feel ])erfectly safe with hira." Edith bit her rosy lip, but returned to the charge saying : i: 20 THEY TWO. " I am 80 glad for Maud Maxwell, she loves driving, nndPapa intends that Iluntly must call upon her." Mary's quiet eyes had not been idle, and catching a shade of distress passing over the face of their visitor, she rebuked Edith for her gossip, and proposed that Lucy should retire early to rest, as she must be tired after her long journey. Lucy, when alone, did not retire to bed. She e&t a long time thinking. She felt sorry that she had accepted the invitation of the Marstons. Of course it was kind of them to ask her, and they had been num- bered among her oldest friends. Home was tlie safest place; yet after all it was not best to drop out of society, people grew somewhat stupid always immured at home. They grew angular ■ or moss-grown. The social mill was the place for getting rounded off and polished. If, is the French tell us, we must suffer to become beautiful, so must we also suffer to grow strong mentally. Lucy decided that she would not shrink within her shell, even for rude touches, but that she would be very guarded, as she always had been, in her intercourse with Huntly Marston. She desired to live in peace and charity, and kneeling, as was her wont, before undressing, she committed herself to the care of her Heavenly Father, and invoked blessings on her widowed niothsr in her lone home up the Ottawa, on her brother Edmond in the far off woods among rough companions, on the friends at whose house she was stopping, and on ^ ,^ " A nearer one still, and a dearer one. Yet, than all other." , / :■ .), .' CHAPTER IV. The library to which Mr. Marston and his son retired on the night of the tatter's arrival was not a largo room, but the shelves were well filled with useful books in solid bindings. Many new volumes had been added since Huntly had last visited it: among which were the recently issued Statutes of Canada, the Code Civil, and other law books; for Mr. Marston had been appointed a Justice of the Peace within the year, and prided himself upon his judicial capability. He was first to open the conversation, and as usual was full of himself and his doings. He told Huntly that he had netted large sums in his recent real estute transactions, and that since his arrival in Montreal, or in a period of ten years, he had rolled up about one hundred thou> sand pounds. " This," said he to Huntly, " is better than lumbering." Huntly confessed it was, and at once introduced the matter of the limit he feared losing. It might seem odd that an only son with so rich a f;ither should be anxious about the possession of a timber limit ; but he had commenced business for himself, was a little proud, and very desirous to be independent. He did not love money for itself, but he prized many things which in this world are not easily procured without money. In order to increase our wealth, some say we must hold tightly to what we have, grasp firmly that withia our reach, either by our own efforts or favoring oircumstances. If your foot is upon the first rung of the ladder, and the next step attainable, let there be no halting, take the step quietly but surely. Always " tuke care of the fragments," for, as the French say, " it is what you save enriches you." And yet, ''a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth." It every day 22 TIIEY TWO. becomes more evident that \&r^e fortunes arc not nlways blessings to those who acquire them, much less so to their inlieritors. Mr. Marston, on looming the action of the Crown Lands Commissioner, decided with Huntly that he should go to Quebec and fight it out with him ; but befitre doing so ho thought it best to consult Mr. Allen, his legiil adviser. They decided to call oa the lawyer next morning, as no business could bo transacted on the following day. After Pome casual chat they separated for the night, Mr. Murston making no allu^^ion to the matrimonial speculation he had in view for Huntly. To tell the truth he would like to see some of tho girls settled before he broached the subject of matrimony to Huntly, but time, time which waits for none of us, was slipping past. Here was another New Year's day, and this would be the fourth season of Huntly's lumbering operations. He would be twenty-five on his next birthday, and Mary twenty-three on hers. Aud himself? Well, it was no matter about himself. It was just as well to forget his birthduy. The golden decade between forty and fifty had long been past. But what of that, his latter years had all been golden. Had ho been laying up treasure where it would not rust ? Well, he would try and do so ; but he must not defer any longer in broaching his pet scheme to Huntly. Mr. Marston was very regubir in his habits, and expected every member of his family to be in the breakfast room by eight in the morning in winter, and an hour earlier than that ia summer. Lucy was a few minutes late next morning, whioii of course was overlooked. She had enjoyed a good ni;:ht's rest, for, " with a clear conscience we sleep soundly," and she looked refreshed, and quite as engaging as on the previous evening. She wore a soft, warm-tinted brown French merino ; a corn-color zypher crape tie round her throat, with the least bit of crimson in her dark hair. Mary and her sisters were plainly but tastefully attired. Breakfast over, the family adjourned to the sitting room for family worship, Mr. Marston remiirkinir, as ho had often done before, that " prayers and provender hindered no man." He who begrudges ten or fifteen minutes service, evening and mom- THEY TWO. - ing to his Creator and Bonefuotnr, is, to say the least, ungrateful. The be8t, the ablest, and the most sucoessful men of all times are those who have been most frequent at a throne of grace. " Prayer is a breath that floats beyond this iron world, , And reaches Him who made it." • After prayer Mr. Marston Intimated to Huntly that he was going into the city on a little business, and wished him to bear him company ; and as for the ladies, if they desired an outing, Hogor would harness the horses and attend on them ; as for him- self his motto was " use limbs and have them." Unfortunately in Canada our roads, as a rule, do not invite walking, especially for ladies, who in this country indulge too little in this health- giving exercise. The freshness so long retained by English ladies is doubtless owing to their Idvc of walking, ratlier than to the moist English climate. Before the girls separated for a while to attend to personal matters, Edith decided on drawing another bow at a venture, and proceeded to enlighten Lucy by saying : " She was sure Papa intended Huntly to pass by Sherbrooke street, and see the beautiful hous>e and grounds of Miss Maxwell." I fear prayer had not its legitimate influence on Edith that morning. In the meantime Huntly and his father were on their way to Little St. James street, to see the lawyer, who was an early man and generally down to his office by nine in the morn< ing. His law firm had the best practise in the city. Mr. Allen, the head of the firm, was a keen, active man, and probably the best informed lawyer in the Province. He Wiis a politician, as are most of our legal men, and enjoyed the right of placing "Honorable" before his name. He was very affable with his clients and never forgot any one who had rendered him a service. Mr. Marston had sometimes become his banker in conn' ction with election expenses when Mr. Allen was a younger man, and as he refused to accept any interest the lawyer always felt a pleasure in giving him the soundest advice, and had also put several good * Those who sneer at the reasonableness of prayer should read Sir William Dawson's observations on that subject. 24 THEY TWO, I 1 I; t /v bargains in Mr. Mar.-ton'« way. After Mr. Allen had lieard Huntly's account of the Conimi.'^sioner's conduct, he gave them some news. He had just learned that a new writ had been issued for the return of a member for the town of Three Eivers, nnd that the brother of the Commissioner had just decided to be the candidate on the Ministerial or Conservative side. The Government had been pushed pretty close lately. The local candidate was a Liberal, but with GJovernraent patronage, and above all the "sinews of war," success might be considered certain. He knew that the Conservative candidate had but little money to spare, the election fund vas low, and if Mr. Marston was anxious to save his limit he must give his cheque for a thousand pounds towards securing Three Rivers for the I , Government. He, Mr. Allen, was going down after the new year to ascertain the position of parties. In the meantime young Mr. Marston shouJd go to Quebec, bring wliat pr»litical interest ho possessed to bear on the Commissioner, and call at Three Eivers on his way up, and let him know the result. If he succeeded, the money would be saved, if not, they would have to make the best bargain they could with the Government candidate. ^ "But," said the elder Mr. Marston, "this is a large sum to give away." " I know it is," replied the lawyer, and turning to the younger man he inquired of him, " if he would rather lose the money than the limit ? " When he replied : " Certainly, I would not lose the limit for five times the amount," this settled the matter. It was agreed that Huntly should start for Quebec on the second proximo, drive his own horses, and take Mr. Allen as far as Three Rivers. Just as they were about leaving the oflSce, Mr. Marston, as if on the spur of tlie moment, inquired of the lawyer if he could give him an idea of the value of Miss Maxwi'U's property? Mr. AUeu knew all about it, aa he h id been oM Mr. Maxwell's legal adviser and p'-oceeded to give as far as professional usage would allow a statement of the enormous wealth reverting to the daughter at the death of her old mother, with whom she was now living, Thank- r' THEY TWO. 25 in;; Mr. Allen for his advice and kindness, the father and son paid good bye. The man of law had a twinkle in his grey eye aa he closed the door, thinking to himself that there was new specula- tion on foot, and that this explained the attention paid by the Marston family to Miss Maxwell. He would, however, keep his svispicions to himself, possibly Miss Maxwell would never get a better husband than this young Huntly Marston. Mr. Marston thought to himself Huntly will not fail to take a mental note of my question and the lawyer's answer, and saying that he wished to call at the pest office, Huntly continued his way into Notre Dume street, where he wished to purchase a few gifts against the morrow. He selected a pretty silver fruit-basket for his mother, a delicately worked gold bracelet for his sister Mary, a lovely edition of Tennyson, just for the first time offered in Canada, for Florence, a chain and charms for Edith, and a pair of finely fin- ished skates for Lucy. He would like to make her a more valu- able present, but it was best not to excite Cuvy ; and a gift is not ^ valued at its money worth, but in proportion to the esteem in which we hold the giver. He knew Lucy would not mind, so long as she was not forgotter. Nor did she. Tbey were just wliat she wanted, a recent invention, easily adjusted, and all that could be desired by a skater. New Year's morning opened brightly. A little snow had fallen during the night, and clothed with fresh purity the soiled street", and sparkled in the morning sun on the champs of evergreens that dittted the Mjirstor property. The air "was as a breathing from a purer world." All outside and within the house of Mr. Marston spoke of "a happy new year." When the family met for breakfast, and exchanged greetings and loving wishes, a hun- ger camo on Huntly for just one kiss from one who was not his sister. He thought that prob ibly under the circumstances she would not have minded, but he judiciously denied himself. There were joyful exclamations over the production of the presents. The father, too, had not been neglectful, and each found beneath their plates a crisp bank bill, which brought four fresh kisses to the elder gentleman who found himself well repaid,and Huntly thought 26 THET TWO. he would have had the best of the barga'n had he received but one kiss from the sweet Ups of Lucy. '* Kissing," however, does not always go by favor. Huntlj must bide his time. All things come to those who know how to wait, verifying the old proverb " that there is luck in leisure, and pleasu'G in wailing." Edith, who felt pleased with her brother for the chain and charms, was disposed to banter him for being so shy with Lucy. " A queer cousin, indeed. And to think of him giving her a piiir of skates, u present for a boy, and as much as to say, ' slide away with you.' " All he could do was to join in the joke, and own them a slippery compliment, especially for one who, like himself, had just como down off the Coulonge. In order to turn the conversation and divert attention from himself and Lucy, he recounted a funny story, and the matter dropped. The chat turned by an easy transition to the custom of treating visitors on New Year's Day to intoxicating liquors. All present had the good sense to condemn the usage; !>nd it was decided that among the refreshments to be placed on the sideboard that day intoxicating drinks should have no part. ^ Lucy would have preferred seclusion, but the sisters wished her to join them in entertaining their visitors and she conscnt.'d, Florence had been looking into Tennyson, and found the lines on the death of the old year commencing. " Full three feet lies the winter snow," and read them aloud ; she had a good musical voice, and being quite an elocutionist, the poem proved a treat. They now adjourned for family worship, at which they sang the old hymn : — " Come let us anew our journey pursue. Roll round with the year." The girls separated to prepare for the day's entertainment, because in those times visitors called at all hours on New Year's Day. Mr. Marston and Huntlyvisited the stables, and afterwards agreed to make some calls in company, the elder determining.' that Maud Maxwell should not be forgotten. The girls were desirou.^ i 1 1 (1 THEY TWO. <#■ to look their best, as girls always should, and married ladies also, and to-day paid particular attentior to their toilets. Mary wore a dress, the lower skirt of which was dark violet velvet, and the upper skirt a pale violet cashmere edged by a flounce with a band of velvet ribbon, the front trimmed with bamls of velvet ribbon and gold buttons. Her hair was plain, and the only jewelry worn was the bracelet presented by Huiitly. Lucy had no new dress for the occasion, but she had a nice navy blue cash- mere, in which she felt at home. It was perfectly plain, and its soft folds shewed to advantage her perfect and graceful figure. She wore no jewelry except a small gold brooch to fasten her white collar, and a gold butterfly in her hair. Florence had on a beautiful grey green silk, trimmed with lace and ruches, and her soft, brown hair hung in heavy masses over her fair neck and shoulders. Edith wore a grey silk, trimmed with crimson velvet, Huntly's chain and charms aruund her neck, and a crimson tea rose in her hair. There was " spice" in Edith, and if you looked at her once, you were sure to look at her the second time. We must leave them to the stupid duty of receiving New Year's calls. There would come some young men with fresh hearts and gentle manners, others soiled and dulled by sin, but still claiming, as society then willed and wills to the present hour, the right of meeting and holding fellowship with pure and lovely women. Worst of all, tlie right of mating with such, and in their daily married lives dragging them down to their own soiled and sordid level. Will the time ever come when the carefully nurtured, the pure and modost maiden will rojtict with scorn tlie advances of all young men who are morally defiled ? If our young Canadian ladies would only set the example in this matter, there would be a brighter prospect of more of our young men attaining to perfect manhood than do attain, in the present generation, and we should see their declining years turn out a benison and not a curse to their nearest friends. Miss Maxwell was alone when Mr. Marston and Huntly called. It was the first time he bad been in her oouipany. \ „^ 1 f i 28 THET TWO. He had only seen her in the street occasionnlly. She was dressed with much taste, — " divinely tall, and most divinely fair ; " quiet, yet pleasant, and withal dignified. Huntly was favorably im- pressed. They remained but a short time, and after they had lefk, the elder gentleman was gratified on hearing his sea pro- nounce Maud Maxwell to be a perfect lady. He kept his own counsel for the present, and relied on the wit of Edith for bring- ing about further meetings in the course of the coming summer. On her part Miss Maxwell was interested in her young visitor. Ho was a very different sort of man from her city acquaintances. He wore a thick, black beard, while they were closely shaven. His face and hands were brown by exposure to the weather, while theirs were white and delicate. His appearance altogether gave one the impression of strength, activity, and manliness. Miss Maxwell thought of him several times during the day. The day passed, as do all other days ; only there was more liquor drank than usual, and more platitudes uttered. " A very fine day " was the stock in trade spoken and echoed from east to we'?t of the city. Well, the thing was true, and worse might have been said and doubtless was naid, only it hardly bears repeating. The day was a long one to Lucy, though but a blink at this season of the year. It would also have proved pleasant but for one cir- cumstance : Among the visitors calling on the Marstons came one Frank Meredith, a young American, whom Lucy had met in Paris some years ago, and where he had been very attentive. Ee- cognizin<; him at once, she managed to leave the room just in time to prevent an introduction. She feared he had seen her features and would make enquiries, as he did not fail doing ; and asked permission of the Misses Marston to call again and pay his respects to an old acquaintance. When Lucy heard this she grew somewhat alarmed. She had uo special liking for Frank Mere- dith, and feared complications might arise from further inter- course, especially as Edith clapped her hands with delight in prospect of a little romance, as Edith termed it, but which ac- cording to Lucy might mean a little mischief. It might natur- ally be supposed that Lucy had no cause for alarm; nor would -u THEY TWO. 29 she have felt any fear, had her heart been in her own keeping, and not earned about by one who niijiht wound it unconsciously. Her t-pirits were further depressed when Edith paid her a visit in her room that ni«j;ht, and in sweet confidence told how much Huntly admired Miss Maxwell, as reported by her father. Lucy once more regretted having accepted the invitation, and would leave for home as soon as propriety admitted, and would not wait the return of Huntly up the Ottawa, ns arranged, only she dread- ed bjing misunderstood, and shrank from hurting Huntly's feel- ings. She could only wait, act judiciously, and leave results to One, " who shapes our ends, rough hew them as we will." CHAPTEE V. I >'ii m ! HUNTLY started for Quebec on the second of January, taking Mr. Alien with him as far as Three Rivers. They travelled by easy staues, stopping the first night nt Berthier, and the second at Three Elvers, Huntly proceeding alone from thence to Que- bec. He at once had an interview with the Commissioner, who received him very grnoiously. Our French Canadian gentlemen seldom act otherwise. He took pains to explain to Huntly that it was not until after he had promised the limit to Huntly that he becnme awnre of a circumstance which forced him to act as he had done. He did not wish to do ariy injustice to M r. Marston, and he supposed him sufficiently acquainted with Canadian politics to know that late adminii^trations had mnde use of their power to grant or withliold timber limits in order to secure political support ; and other ohings being equal, Mr. Marston had as good a right to the limit as h;id the other party, to whom, by the way, the license had not yet been issued. 'Jhe " other things " were not specified by the Commissioner ; hia time Wiis precious, the House would soon resume its labors, Huntly had to be satisfied for the present and withdrew. He was determined, however, to fight it out. There were several members of the Le<:islature whom he knew, members of the Council as well, — Ottawa men, who always had weiglit with the Government. They had arrived in Quebec, he waited on them and they promised to stand by him, they would wait on tlie Commissioner and press his claim. They did so promptly, but only received the assurance that he would take the matt■ 1' i I Mli THEY TWO. 3i be required to secure the return of the Government candidate. Huntly miide no delay, and arrived in Three Rivers the niglit before the nomination. Mr. Allen informed him that on his own arrival in Three Rivers he found nothing but coldness and in- decision among the ranks of the Government party. The great local electioneering agent, Mr. Labeuf, was hanging back. Could he be secured ti gveat point would be gained. It was well known among tl>e electors tbat Mr. Labeuf ranged himself on the side of the weightiest moneybags. Like Napoleon he believed in heavy battalions. He was never known to be on the losing side. Being a notary he was acquainted with the circumstunces of a great many of the voters, and knew where a pound would do the duty of ten, in the hands of an ignorant agent. Though ho protested that he aiways lost by elections, yet it was remarked- by his neighbors that usually after such contests some new addition was made to his property. With the inducement of having a few hundred pounds additional to spend; Mr. Allen felt confident of securing the services of Mr. Labeuf. He also found that there was little or no organization among the Conservatives, while the opponents of the Government were holding nightly meetings and were in thorough working order. After le-imiug the result of Huntly's journey to Quebec, Mr. Allen waited on the Government candidate, and obtained a promise that Mr. Marston's application should hold good on certain conditions agreed between them. He had gone to work and divided the town into wards, appointing a committee for each, whose duty it was to see every voter in their assigned limits daily, and report to a central committee every night. A week would elapse from the nomination to polling day, and Mr. Allen hoped that, with the aid of Mr. Labeuf, they would succeed in returning their candidate. ' The town was all alive on the morrow. The nomination was to take place on the hay market, where the sheriff, who was the returning officer, appeared with his clerk at the hour often a.m. The Government candidate was escorted from Bernard's hotel by a goodly concourse, and arrived first on the ground; while his i il U I I : ; 32 THEY TWO. opponent with a large crowd reaphed the spot a few minutes later. The candidates having been proposed and seconded, it was mutu- ally agreed tliat they only should address the audience. In politeness to the stranger he was allowed the precedence. He began by ingratiating himself with the townspeople. " True, he was not yet a resident, but was likely to become so. From what he had seen of the place and the people, he liked both. Three Elvers had before it a bright prospect. It was removed suffi- ciently from the great cities of Montreal and Quebec to become at no distant day an important and independent centre of trade. It was finely situated at the junction of the St. Maurice and the St. Lawrence. The St. Maurice territory, as had lately been demon- strated by his brother, possessed a vast wealth of pine forests ; and the day was coming, when under the judicious control of the Government, part of that wealth would be emptied into their coffers. It was the intention of the Department, of which his brother was the head, to open up that hitherto neglected terri- tory. Large saw mills would soon be erected at the mouths of the St. Maurice. Profitable employment would be within the reach of all. Foreign ships would load at their docks; fine dwellings would be built up in their midst, people would flock in from the neighboring parishes to settle, and money would be as plentiful as blueberries in August. Baptiste would exchange his capote of ^toffe for broadcloth, and Josette would doff her mante- let of drugiiet for a silk gown. Ho would not recommend the change, but only pointed out the ability there would exist to do so. He was one of their own nation and religion, but he be- , longed to a party, and he did not blush to own it, who helped to save Canada for England. In doing so they saved Canada for Canadians. He was a true blue, and no annexationist. Their clergy had stood by the union jack, and he would stand by the cler