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10
SIX HAPPY WEEKS
AMONG THE
AMEEICANS.
'I
MES. M. E. PAEKEE, P.G.W.V.T.,
THE CLIFF, DUNDEE,
Z:^ent4Uive of Grand Lodge of Scotland to the Riffht Worthy Grand Lodye
Session, Bloomington, Illinois, May 2.5th, 1875; Representative of IHght
Worthy Grand Lodge to National Temperance Convention, Chicago, June
Ist, 1875 ; President of the Women's British Temperance Associafiou
President of the Women's Interiiational Christinn Temperance Unio)).
WITH AN
INTKODUCTION BY THE REV. PEOFESSOR KIKK.
Jn paper, One Shillhuj; in cloth. One Shillin'j and Hlxpenc
',•^^t:•■^
4^_^.
TO BE HAD OF THE AUTHOR.
!»■"—*«•
3
n"
■■^i •
t '■
EMMA^'Ua
1 63048
firifai«&
TO ALIi
TEMPERANCE WORKERS,
AKL> ESPECIALLY TO THE 1 :
GOOD TEMPLAE BRETHREN AND SISTERS^
OF SCOTLAND,
WHOSE BEPBESSNTATIVE TO AMERICA I WAS, ANI> WHOSE
EARNESTi;^ EXPRESSED WISHES HAVE CALLED FOR
THE PUBLICATION OF THESE PAPERS.
..^ :a
PEEFACE.
It is with no little pleasure that I write a few lines
of introduction to the following pages. I have read
them with delight and great profit myself, and so would
trust that many thousands of others may do the same.
Tliey carry one thoroughly along with the writer in a
most interesting journey, so as actually to make him
feel as if he formed one of the company at the scenes
and among the people whom she visited ; then these
scenes are of the most intensely interesting character.
Before we leave the green shores of old Ireland w^e
are introduced to charming scenery, and those eighty-
four children going with this good ship from Bir-
mingham, where they were waifs and strays, to
Canada, where they will be prized and their way
opened in the world. Those children as described
fill one's heart with sympathy, and do it real and
lasting good. All the voyage and journey with all
the people, great and smril, who are met with or seen
in assemblies or otherwise, come before lis in their
PREFACE.
reality. Then the book gives us an idea of the tem-
perance movement, which we confess we had not
before. It is easy to heap up ilgures and speak of as-
many thousands, and it is not difficult to describe in
general terms the greatness of men and women who^
take part in a powerful reformation. It is a different
thing to take us from one company to another till we
are surrounded in spirit with the living masses, and
to introduce us to men and women of the most admii-
able power and character, so as to make us feel as ii*
we had been personally in converse with them. But
we have said enough. Our post is only to introduce
the little volume by giving a very little notion of how
the reading of it has impressed our own minds. He
who reads it through in the right spirit will not be
disappointed.
JOHN KIRK.
or
ir
V
Edinburgh, 6th December, 1876, ' ^^^\ . A
-''•*: J
I^
CONTENTS.
-— ♦ ~
*■ -1 ' " ...
Chapter I. '
Liverpool to MoviUe — Mr. Middlemore's Children — Ice-
bergs — Landing at Quebec — The Scandinavian, 9
Chapter II.
First impression of Quebec — Our First Meeting — Montreal
— Canadian Villages — Ottawa — Address of Welcome
— Temperance and Christianity — Match and Wooden
Paii Factory — Falls of Chandiere — Houses of Parlia-
ment,, 14
Chapter III.
Napanee — Address by Dr Lees — Toronto — London —
Banquet to the Delegates — Detroit, 23
^ ' Chapter IV. • ;
Chicago — Reminiscences of the Great Fire — Lake Michigan
Fresh Water Tunnel — Visit to the Pork-Curing Estab-
lishment — The Churches and Sunday Schools, 32
";V ;;::/:v.. .t.:.^.- --- Chapter V. ■,-.-...: .^
The Washingtonian Home for Inebriates — Banquet in the
Palmer House — Second Visit to Chicago— The Lead-
ing Chicago Journals, 39
* Chapter VI. v
American Chivalry — Scarcity of Female Servants and
its Results — Intemperance — Comfortable Railway
Travelling — Liquor Traffic in Bad Repute, 44
Chapter VIL
National Temperance Convention — The Hutchinson Family
— Prominent Temperance Advocates — The Women's i
Crusade — A Minister's Wife — The Crusade Dog, 51
Chapter VIII. ^^-"^^^^' "^ r
I From Chicago to Buffalo — Railway Travelling in America
— A Quiet Sabbath in the Wyoming Valley — Niagara, 58
d";
8 CONTENTS.
Chapter IX. i'aqft
Back to Canada — Corduroy RoadL — A Canadian's Chief
Bind — A Canadian Farm — Arcadian Life — Another
Glimpse of American Home-Life — Woman in the
Pulpit — Syracuse, •. 64
Chapter X.
Hon. S. B. Chase — The Dwight House— Visit to the In-
ebriates' Home, Binghampton — Temperance Meeting
at Great Bend, 73^
'^ Chapter XL
Philadelphia, the Quaker City — Visit to Chelton Hills — 7o
Sketch of Lucretia Mott — ** The Quaker of the Olden
Timte" — Description of Philadelphia — Mrs. Wytten-
myer — A Women's Newspaper Office, 77
Chapter XIL
American Steamers — Fall River — Boston — Wendell
Phillips — Female Librarians — **The Cradle of
Liberty " — William Lloyd Garrison, 85
.; . Chapter XIIL
Dr. Dio Lewis — The Whisky War — Mother Stewart —
Literary Women — Mrs. Lucy Stone — American
Hospitality— Mrs. Lydia M. Child, 92
Chapter XIV.
Portland — The new Post Office — Visit to General Neal
Dow — Spirits below — Good Templar Banquet, 107
Chapter XV.
Casco Bay and Peak's Island — An Island Pic-nic — The
Liberality of American Life, llf)'
Chapter XVI.
Visit to a Cemetery — A Burial — Decoration Day, 1 21 j
Chapter XVIL
Leaving Portland — A True Husband and Father — The
Polynesian — Leaving A merica — Home, 1241
A TEMPEEANGE TOUR
-^ THROUGH
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
CHAPTER I.
Liverpool to Moville — Mr. Middlemore's Children — Icebergs
— Landing at Quebec — The Scandinavian.
We embarked on board the s.s. Scandinavian, April
29th, a party of eight — Brpthei^s Gladstone, Malins,
Pollard, Capper, and Dr. Lees, Sister Lees and myself.
The Liverpool Good Templars, having entertained us
to a public breakfast, came in a body to see us off*,
and bid us goodrbye. As they left us to go back in
the tender, we began to realise that we were leaving '
friends and home behind us. We had a pleasant sail
to Moville, on the coast of Ireland, where we waited
to take passengers from Londonderry. During the
interval we had examined the vesael, and became
acquainted with some of our fellow-voyagers. We
were much interested in a group of 84 children, col-
lected from the streets of Birmingham by Mr.
Middlemore, a worthy Christian gentleman, who is
10 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
doing his Master's work in caring for these little ones.
On going down to the steerage we were greeted by
their sweet, childish voices singing " Sweet Hour of
Prayer." They were all in their berths, and, as we
passed the little rows of heads, they commenced sing-
ing, " Safe in the Arms of Jesus." We felt it was a
sweet word to pillow our heads on, as we each sought
our own berths, to be " rocked in the cradle of the
deep."
At eleven next morning we anchored in Eough
Foyle, off the coast of Ireland, and took a boat to
II Moville, a lovely green spot of the Emerald Isle.
We were all glad to feel terra f/rma under our feet,
and stand as long as we could on this green spot,
some of us wishing that we had not to go back to
that unwieldy ship, which was to be our home for so
many days, and with which, as yet, we were not
specially enamoured. We lingered till three p.m.,
and regretfully took the boat, which conveyed us to
the vessel. We had gathered a quantity of primroses
and flowers, which we distributed among Mr. Middle-
more's children. They were all arranged on the deck.
It was a very pretty sight ; the little girls all lia^dng
scarlet hoods, comfortable waterproof cloaks, and
wincey frocks, all alike; the boys equally comfortable
and uniformly dressed. They were in excellent
spirits, anticipating good homes in Canada. The
boats now began to arrive from Londonderry.
Among the passengers was Sister Partington, who
i^ r
L
i CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 11
was returning home after her two years* sojourn
among the Good Templars of Great Britain. I need
not recount our daily experience, nor how soon we
all succumbed to the miseries of sea-sickness. A
heavy ground swell caused a more unpleasant motion
than good, honest breakers would have done. We had
about three days of this miserable state, but only one
of our party gave vent to his feelings by saying,
" What a fool I was to come here ; I wish I was at
home " — a very natural wish, but impossible to
accomplish just then. We had a number of religious
services on board, and various temperance meetings.
I think during the twelve days' passage we held at
least thirteen meetings of one kind or another. On
approaching the shores of IS ewfoundland we encoun-
tered vast blocks of ice floating for miles around us,
which came with great force against our iron vessel,
making us shut off steam, and sometimes stop the
engine altogether. It was a beautiful sight to see the
icebergs glittering with the loveliest colours — ^yellow,
deep-blue, and green — where the sea washed over
them. They were, however, dangerous enough neigh-
bours to cause the captain to go up into the mainmast
and remain there, anxiously directing our course,
during the whole night. We felt a sense of security
in knowing that our Good Templar brother. Captain
Button, had none of his senses clouded by alcohol.
Still the sense of fear caused some of us to remain in
our state-rooms all night without undressing, watch-
12 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
ing the large fields of ice, piling one mass on another
as far as the eye could reach, some thirty or forty feet
in thickness, knocking against the poor iron ship, and
making us fear that the plates would be torn off. It
was calculated that we came through three hundred
miles of ice. I remembered gratefully my little boy
saying to me, " Mamma, don't be frightened when you
are in the big ship. IVe asked God to take care of
you, and not let any storms come while you are there,
or big whales : and," he added, with a look of con-
fidence, " I know he won't, for he always hears chil-
dren's prayers." I told the captain, and he said,
" God bless the boy. I'd rather have his prayers for
my ship than half the churches."
On Sunday, the 9th of May, we came into clear
atmosphere, with lovely blue Canadian skies above us.
The sun had shone on the ice so much that it was now
soft and glittering, and, being covered with the whitest
of snow, reflected the colours of the rainbow. It was
a day of keen enjoyment to us all. We saw a whale
spouting in the distance, and also some seals, and
observed many traces of them also on the snow-covered
blocks of ice as we passed. The sun remained bright
all day, lighting up the snow caverns with gorgeous
colours; stalactites and stalagmites of ice glittering
and looking fairy-like as we bounded past them. We
all agreed that a few hours like this was compensation
for all the sickness and other discomforts we had
endured. Sister Partington addressed Mr. Middle-
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 13
morels children in the morning; Bro. Pollard and
myself in the afternoon. Bro. Gladstone preached
in the dining saloon — which was crowded — ^in the
evening.
On Tuesday, 11th May, we landed at Quebec ; and
here let me say, before leaving the vessel, that the
arrangements on board the Scandinavian were excel-
lent. The steward and stewardess and all the servants
attentive ; and the food for aU classes of passengers as
good as it could be. We saw the food cooked for the
emigrants, and it was in all respects as good as that
provided for the cabin passengers. Indeed, every-
thing connected with the Allan Line of steamers is
all that can be desired. The chief steward conducted
us through his vast store-rooms, and showed us the
quality of all the various kinds of provisions ; and no
expense seemed to be spared to have everything of
the very best description. I should always choose to
go on this line of steamers if I had to cross the
Atlantic again. We now found ourselves standing
on the wharf at Quebec, surrounded by our luggage,
wliich had to pass the custom-house officers. Presently
we were greeted by our good Canadian brethren,
headed by Bro. Rev. John Cattanach, and on receiv-
ing the warm Templar grip and words of welcome we
realised that we were not strangers or foreigners, but
fellow-citizens of one beautiful, "fraternal home."
Here we received an address, and the friends in every
way loaded us with kindness.
liilli
14 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
CHAPTER 11. V
First impression of Quebec — Our First Meeting — Montreal
— Canadian Villages — Ottawa — Address of Welcome —
Temperance and Christianity — Match and Wooden Pail
Factory — Falls of Chandiere — Houses of Parliament.
The first impression a stranger receives of Quebec is
not at all prepossessing. An amusing exemplification
of this came under my notice. A gentleman and his
wife left a comfortable farm in IN^orfolk with the inten-
tion of purchasing one in Minnesota, but on landing
they disliked the appearance of Quebec and the insub-
ordination of the servants so much that they came
back home a few days afterwards without penetrating
farther into the country. We were located by the
kindness of our friends in a comfortable hotel in the
best part of this old-fashioned French town.
We saw ourselves advertised to address a public
meeting the evening we arrived. They had only two
hours* notice of our arrival ; but we found we had got
into a land of quick despatch. The meeting was a
good one, and an address of welcome was presented,
to which we all responded. A number of ministers
were there ; and further experience through the
country showed them to be universally true, both in
precept and example, on the great temperance ques-
tion, and that the church there feels it her duty to
throw the shadow of her wing over the cause. After
the meeting a number of Scotch people gathered round
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 15
to shake hands, and one brother presented me with a
poem of his own composition.
We left next day for Montreal in one of the Palace
steamers which ply on the St. Lawrence. These
steamers were a novelty to us, and very magnificent ;
they generally have three decks, each having elegantly -^
furnished saloons, with luxurious carpets, sofas, chairs,
&c. There is also a piano for amusement, varied litera-
ture, and photographic views for sale. All the inside
painting is pure white, relieved with gilt, which has a
very pleasing effect. Each passenger is provided with
a key to a state-room containing a sleeping berth, which
is very convenient, as the journeys are often very long.
It took fifteen hours to reach Montreal, where we were
again welcomed by our Good Templar Brethren, and
driven to a beautiful hotel. Here we had our first
experience of a real American breakfast ; the number
of dishes amazed us ; all sorts of meat and fish, eggs
differently cooked, potatoes boiled and fried, hot bread,
hot buckwheat cakes, and maple syrup ; it reminded
us of reading of these in Mrs. Stowe's and other works.
We were served by coloured waiters ; these I prefer
to all others, as they seem to be able to anticipate your
wants, which relieves you from the trouble of asking
for things. At ten a.m., our Good Templar friends
provided us with three handsome carriages, with each
a pair of horses, to take us through the city. One of
the brethren accompanied each party to point out the
chief places of interest. We went first to Notre Dame,
16 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
a fine Cathedral, but not much to those who have seen
the one from which it derives its name in Paris. Then
to the church of Bon Secours, which they told us, with
great pride, was one hundred years old. This is con-
sidered old in this new country. Here we saw a
number of devout Catholics kneeling and counting
their beads before the various altars erected to the
Virgin Mary and other saints. We drove through
handsome streets to the office of the Fire Brigade ; a
most wonderful place. When a fire occurs (which it
does almost every day), it is telegraphed to the head
office from batteries placed in almost every street.
The same electric power which sends the message to
where the engines are, strikes an alarm-bell, stops the
clock to show when the message arrived, lights the
gas, unlooses the horses (they being trained to place
themselves to the engine), and throws open the gates.
The official in charge said that the average time from
the striking of the bell to the engines being on their
way was only seven seconds. They kindly let us see
the process gone through, so we had an opportunity of
ourselves judging of its rapidity. We recorded our
names in a book kept for that purpose, and left, filled
with wonder.
Montreal contains 160,000 inhabitants, and is charm-
ingly situated on the St. Lawrence. The beautiful
Victoria Bridge, built by the Grand Trunk Railway
Company, connects the city with the opposite shore.
This bridge will only be rivalled in length by the one
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 17
now in course of erection over the river Tay. It is
9196 feet, wMe the Tay Bridge will be 10,321 feet.
We then drove to the two principal cemeteries, which
are very beautiful. Here the surroundings of death
are less gloomy than in our own country ; shrubs and
flowers are much cultivated, and everything about it
tends to make one more hopeful and less sad. It is
right to remember that they are "not here" — they
** are risen." We saw Mount Koyal, and had a lovely
view from it, and returned to our hotel at 3 p.m.,
highly gratified by what we had seen.
There was a public reception at four. We all re-
sponded to the hearty welcome extended to us by the
temperance friends of various sections. The same
evening there was a large public meeting in the hand-
some hall of the Young Men's Christian Association.
A large and appreciative audience assembled to hear
the delegates of England and Scotland, who all spoke.
Brother Gladstone left for Texas that same night, and
we did not meet him again till we reached Bloom-
ington. . .^ - . .
We left the beautiful city of Montreal with regret,
having been treated by our Good Templar friends with
the greatest hospitality and kindness. Proceeding by
steamer, on the Ottawa river, to the new capital of the
Dominion, we passed a number of quaint Canadian
villages. We called at most of them to land and em-
bark passengers, and our advent seemed to create the
greatest interest in these quiet places. At one of them
18
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
we landed the furniture for a house; and as the diff-
erent suites for each room were put on the landing
stage, the people gathered round to admire and help
to remove it. No one seemdd above lending a hand.
This element of helpfulness and absence of convention-
ality was to me a pleasing feature all through America.
We passed St. Ann's, rendered famous in the Canadian
boat song in the line, "We'll smg at St. Ann's our
parting hymn." The scenery was wild and interesting.
A number of rafts, with men and boys on them, floated
past us. In this way the timber is carried, in great
quantities, as far as Quebec. Some of these rafts are
so large as to look like floating villages (as indeed they
are), as the people in charge build huts on them, in
which they live all the way down the rivers. These
rafts are broken up, and the timber sold, on arrival at
Montreal or Quebec. The quantity of timber here was
amazing to us, and forms a great part of the wealth of
the country. A large number of saw-mills stud the
banks of the rivers ; these are driven by water power,
and go day and night, and employ large numbers of
men cutting and arranging hundreds and thousands of
logs of wood. We passed through the rapids ; but, as
they were not swollen, we did not perceive any altera-
tion in the speed of our vessel. Ottawa is beautifully
situated, being on the edge of rocks, over which the
river rushes, giving a fine effect. Hundreds of rafts
studded the river, which gave it an animated appearance.
Our Good Templar friends, as usual, welcomed us.
CANADA AXD THE UNITED STATES. 19
and took us all to different private homes. We had
travelled twelve hours, b it there was no rest for us.
We had barely lime to get tea before we went to the
mass meeting in a large Presbyterian Church — the
Hon. Malcolm Cameron in the chair. A number of
ministers were present, one cf whom presented the
following address:— > ,
**To Joseph Mahns, G.W.C.T., England; Dr F. E. Lees,
G.W.V.T., England; Joshua Pollard, D.D.Master, Eng-
land, and Mrs. M. E. Parker, G.W.M., Scotland.
"Dearly Beloved and Honoured Brethren and Sisters, —
We welcome you to our city, our hearts, and our homes. We
hail with dehght your visit to this country and continent.
As champions of the temperance movement in the Old World,
your names are as familiar to us as household words.
**In you we recognise the leaders of our Israel. Slowly,
it may be, but not the less certainly and steadily are you con-
ducting them beneath the guiding piUar of cloud and fire to
the promised land.
**We are not insensible to the colossal power of strong
drink in the Mother Country, but we measrjpe not the arm of
God by the finger of man. There may be difficulties to over-
come, but they are not insurmountable ; there may be strong-
holds to storm, but they are not impregnable ; there may be
giants to combat, but they cannot stand before the Lord of Hosts.
* For right is right, since God is God,
^ nd right the day must win ;
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be sin.*
** We trace with the eagnemess of desire the progress of
the conflict in which you are engaged, rejoicing in each new
success, and ever praying that the God of battles imiy nerve
you for the strife, until the banner of temperance, floating in
20
A TEMPERAKCE TOUR THROUGH
every, breeze shall proclaim in the palace of Royalty, in the
mansion of wealth, and in the cottage of the common people, that
your motto is love, purity, and fidelity, faith, hope, and charity.
** In this young Dominion we are seeking to lay the founda-
tions of Empire upon a basis firm as the Rock of Ages.
"Throughout the length and breadth of this land there
exists in the hearts of our people an undying attachment and
loyalty to the British Queen and British institutions. Palsied
be the hand that would sever this tie of afifection and loyalty.
** With an extent of country, healthful in climate and fertile
in soil, capable of accommodating many millions of inhabitants
— with free institutions, pure laws, and a common school
system second to none in the world, we enter upon our national
career with cheerfulness and hope.
** The one blot on our escutcheon is the foul stain of intem-
perance, and this, under God, we are determined to remove.
** Already, through the voice of the people, the attention of
Parliament has been called to the subject of prohibition in
such a manner as to manifest the fact that no Government or
party can ignore the question without imperilling its own
existence. Here, in the capital of the Dominion, the cause of
temperance is perhaps stronger than at any other point, while
in every part of the country Christian Churches and ministers
of religion unite vnth the various temperance societies in
praying for the suppression of the liquor traffic.
** Under these circiunstances your visit is to us doubly gra-
tifying.
** We pray that you may be protected in all your journey-
ings, blessed in all your labours, and live to see the glorious
word victory perched upon all your banners and ours.
** In the name of the temperance people of Ottawa we give
you * a hundred thousand welcomes. '
** Signed in behalf of the Committee,
'* Ottawa, May 14th, 1875." **W. J. Hunter.
CANADA AND xHE UNITED STATES.
21
All the delegates responded to this addi^ess. The
tone of the meeting very pleasingly demonstrated to
us that here the cause of temperance is closely identi-
fied with the Christianity of the country, and recog-
nised to be of vital importance as an agency to remove
the stumbling-blocks out of the way of the gospel.
And thus temperance work is made a part of Christian
work — a forerunner preparing the way in the wilder-
ness for the coming of the Holy One — a, stepping-stone
to something higher and better. As the bodies of
men become weaned from intoxicating drinks their
souls are often led to seek the pure fountains of living
water. It was a significant fact that through all our
joumeyings it was the Church and the ministers who
welcomed us quite as much as our Good Templar
friends. Would that in our own country we could
give a similar testimony regarding all the Churches.
Next day we went to see the match and wooden
pail factory. The matches are made by machinery.
A square block of wood is put into a machine, and it
comes out cut into beautiful square spills, double the
length of the match. They are carried on by
machinery, and gathered up into a large wheel, and
then dipped at each end with sulphur. The machine
then cuts them in two, and girls gather them up and
put them in paper boxes ready prepared. The velocity
with which the girls put exactly the Tight quantity
into the box is marvellous. These paper boxes are
made outside the factory, and employ about 900
£)()
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
>
:
people. We then went into tlie department where
the wooden pails are made by machinery. It seemed
like magic. They are sold wholesale at 6s. per doz.
Eighteen hundred are made daily by the firm of
Messrs. Eddy & Co., who are Good Templars.
Close by are the Falls of Chandiere, and, although
smaller, were more interesting to me than Niagara.
These boiling waters were covered with logs of timber,
and, as they rolled and bolted over, carried with tre-
mendous velocity, the scene was quite animating.
We noticed that all the logs were marked, so that
they could be claimed by their owners on arrival at
their destination.
The new Hoiises of Parliament at Ottawa are nearly
completed, and very fine structures they are, rivalling
those at Westminster. They are built on an eminence,
which gives them an imposing appearance, and the
extensive grounds around are b .ing laid out with great
taste. This comparatively new city has every pros-
pect of being one day of some importance. We left
at 11.15 p.m. for ISTapanee, where we arrived at 6 a.m.
next morning. This place I reserve for another
chapter.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
23
CHAPTER III.
Napanee — Address by Dr. Lees — Toronto — London — Banquet
to the Delegates — Detroit.
On our arrival at Napanee we were received by W. S.
Williams, Esq., Mayor of the town, and E..W.G.S.
Here Colonel Hickman, R.W.G.T., and his lady joined
us, also Hon. Mrs. M. B. 0. Donnel, E-.W.G.S. J., and
a number of other delegates, on their way like our-
selves to Bloomington. Next day being Sunday, all
the churches were placed at our disposal. In the
morning Bro. Pollard, D.D., of Bradford, preached in
the C. M. Church, which was crowded ; at the same
time Bro. the Rev. M. Burgoyne, of Nova Scotia,
preached in the Methodist Episcopal Church ; in the
afternoon, Sister Partington addressed the large Sun-
day School in the Wesleyan Church j and in the
evening the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches
omitted their regular services to attend the Episcopal
Church, which, though very large, was packed in every
part to hear Bro. Dr. F. R. Lees, F.S. A., and G.W. V.T.
of England, preach on " Bible Temperance." As all
the utterances of Dr. Lees are good, I give the fol-
lowing report from the Canadian Casket : —
** BIBLE TEMPERANCE.
"The learned lecturer opened by saying that a principle
of prime importance commonly ignored was that of the com-
mand to rightly divide the word of truth, so as [properly to
apply its lessons to the circumstances and needs of man.
24
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
Neglecting this, men twisted the most monstrous things from
the Bible, and among them that poisonous drink is a good
creature of God, citing everything in the Bible as being
expressive of the divine mind, and therefore not dividing it
rightly. Give him the premisses, and he could prove any con-
clusion upon unwarrantable reasoning. The doctor wished
them all to distinctly comprehend and note every word of the
statement that he was about to make — namely, that nowhere
in Scripture is the element of divine truth, by way of sanction
or approval, associated with the dietetic use of intoxicating
wine. He then proceeded to prove that those passages in
which wine was mentioned as bringing a blessing, un-intoxi-
cating, as the context proves, is meant. No doubt God, who
permits evils, permitted the use of intoxicating wine, but
nowhere does he sanction its use. He took three propositions
for showing that the Bible comprehends completely all the
principles of the temperance societies of the present day —
* That the seers and prophets of the Bible, in their character
as such, teach that intoxicating wine is bad. ' This first pro-
position was most lucidly argued, and wonderfully brought
out a remarkable mine of study and information, as the lec-
turer told of the allegorical method of teaching, as suited to
the early world, by symbolism founded on nature, and how
from first to last in Scripture intoxicating wine is the selected
symbol of evil. The second proposition affirmed that the
Bible represents that intoxicatmg drink is evil by direct,
descriptive, or ethic teaching, in which it was shown by citing
the writings of men of other nations than the Jewish, but con-
temporaneous with them, that without contradiction in every
age of the world there has been a total abstinence movement.
Solomon characterised wine as a mocker, strong drink as full
of violence, and warns us against being deceived by them, and
in his day accurately described the fermenting process of wine
as now stated by Liebig. Our readers, at least all Good
Templars, are familiar with the passage, * Look not thou upon
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
25
the wine when it is red,' &c. — the whole passage harmonising
with Liebig's analysis of grape juice. The third proposition
was that the Bible as a book of history, which is * philosophy
teaching by example, ' represents the use of strong drink as
being seductive in its nature and corrupting in its conse-
quences. It does this by its biographic notices and by its
national annals. He instanced its curse to Noah, to the
previous pure and just Lot, to Nadab and Abihu, and to priest,
prophet, and patriarch, and, on the other hand, its blessing to-
the self-denying Nazarite. In the beginning God establisheil
the most perfect of diets in Eden. In the case of Samson, the
angel of Jehovah twice appeared to his mother, commanding her
to abstain from strong drink. The mother of Samuel had pledged
her son as a N azarite, a total abstainer. The doctor next dwelt
upon the origin and present numerical standing of the Recha-
bites, of whom Jehovah said, * There shall not fail in the line
of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, men to stand before me for
ever, ' and who, proselytes to the Jewish religion, an Arabian
and nomadic tribe, now flourish in increasing numbers, the
noblest chivalry of the East. He then stated that the Bible
implies that teetotalism is a physiological law. In this con-
nection he illustrated the case of Daniel nourished on pulse
and pure water, so that, as our readers will remember the
incident, he was, after ten days, fairer and fatter in flesh
than all the youths that ate the King's food. The Bible, he
said, represents abstinence as a divinely appointed physical
preparation for the highest spiritual life, and that Christ did
not come in the fidness, or fitness, of time, until the people
Avere prepared by abstinence to receive him. We must give
but one more illustration, one taken from records entirely
extraneous to the Bible and proving the abstinence vein that
ran through other nations than the Jewish. In the Hieratic
Papyria, taken from tombs as old a^a 2000 years B.C., there
was a letter found from the priest Amen-eman to his pupil
'2G
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
im
Penta-om in which this passage occurs : — *It has been told
me that thou hast forsaken books, and devoted thyself to
pleasure ; that thou goest from tavern to tavern smelling of
beer at eventide. If beer gets into thee, it overcomes thy
head. If thou wieldest the rod of office, men shun thee.
Thou knowest that wine is an abomination ; thou hast taken
a pledge concerning strong drink, that thou wouldst not put
such hquor into thee — hast thou forgotten thy promise?'
We have endeavoured to place the facts of the lecture in the
same order in which they were given, but thoughts we have
skipped and principles we have overlooked keep continually
entering our mind as we now close, which, of course, would
not here be in their proper place. Already sufficient is given
to show the * texture and style' of the learned address, but
not enough for a fair conception to those absent of the real
force, profound learning, and astute reasoning of the truly
great man. Dr. Lees has impregnated the mass with leaven-
ing principles that shall work in the fermenting process until
the pure and unmixed conviction of the truth of Bible Tem-
perance shall result in the complete establishment of its
principles. He has scattered the seeds of the Bible granary
with a lavish hand, and for years to come the fruit will crop
out here and there ready for use when needed. "
Next day (Monday) two meetings were held, one in
the afternoon and the other in the evening, which
latter was of such an enthusiastic and demonstrative
character as to call for special notice. Long before
the time of meeting the spacious church in which it
was held was crammed to the door, and hundreds had
to go away, being unable to gain admission. The
church was decorated with flags of the I.O.G.T., inter-
twined with the Union Jack of Britain and the Stars
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 27
and Stripes of America. The large carpeted platform
was filled with velvet-covered chairs, which were occu-
pied by the various delegates, who now numbered
about fifty. Various addresses of welcome were pre-
sented from the Good Templars, the working men, and
tlie sisters of Picton, which latter was presented by
Mrs. Youmans, and claimed by myself for the sistei^s
of Scotland. I was much interested in hearing that
these noble women, learning that strong drink was
sold in the steamer that plied between Picton and
ISTapanee, chartered one for themselves, that they
might be freed from the companionship of alcohol.
Tii3 account of this spirited conduct, on being men-
tioned in the meeting by the chairman, was greeted
with a storm of applause. Such was the enthusiasm
of the people that the meeting was not broken up till
after eleven.
We next proceeded to Toronto, where a similar pro-
gramme was gone through, with the addition of a
banquet held in honour of our visit. The city is
beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The streets are wide and handsome, the houses sub-
stantial and elegant, and altogether the town bears the
appearance of a well-to-do, rising place. It happened
that the funeral of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario,
Mr. Crawford, took place the day we arrived. The
whole city seemed to have turned out to attend it.
The shops were closed, and public business was for the
day suspended.
28 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH ^
The temperance friends in Toronto seemed to vie
with each other to do us honour. We were entertained
in elegant private rooms, and handsome carriages were
provided to take us through the city. Toronto is the
capital of Ontario, and the most flourishing city in the
province. It has a population of 80,000, and is
situated on a beautiful circular bay, on the north shore
of Lake Ontario. During navigation vessels ply to all
the ports on this extensive lake. A number of manu-
factures are carried on here — iron foundries, pai)er
mills, candle, soap, starch, and oil cloth. Toronto has
live daily, six semi-weekly, twelve weekly, and eight
monthly papers. The editor of the Toronto Globe is
the Hon. George Brown, a Scotchman, and native of
Frfe. The cause of temperance is here, as elsewhere
in Canada, a popular one, and a recognised power for
good. Our presence was hailed everywhere by the
Christian public and the friends of temperance (and it
seemed to me that the two were identical) with enthu-
siasm.
I had a brother-in-law within 70 miles of this city,
and I wished much to break off from the party here
and visit his family, but Bro. Malins protested against
it strongly, saying that I was the only Scotch delegate,
and I must stay to represent Scotland. I yielded, but
it took me several hundreds of miles extra travelh ig
to reach it from the States in coming home. The
distances are so great that it takes a European a long
time to realise the vastness of the country. I have
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 29
been amused since my return in thinking how imio-
ceiitlj I imagined that I could easily slip across to
California from Illinois. I found that slipping across
involved five days and five nights continuous railway
travelling, and £60 railway fare. I naturally gave it
up. \ .
We left Toronto with reluctance, and proceeded
to London, where we were welcomed by Marcus
Knowlton, Esq., G.W.C.T. for Ontario, and other
friends, and taken to the Tecumseh Hotel. Here a
magnificent banquet was provided by the G.W.TT., a
wealthy and generous brother. I suppose the guests
numbered about sixty ; and the variety of dishes, rare
and costly creams, ices, fruits of many kinds, showed
that the beauty, elegance, and enjoyments of the table
-are not dependent on the presence of wines, (fee, for
here they had no existence. Indeed, in all our travels
we never saw intoxicants, and were never insulted by
having them offered. After the banquet we proceeded
to the meeting. I was much pleased to see that the
juvenile Templars, all dressed in white, were ranged
at the back of the spacious platform, and their sweet
childish voices greeted us on entering. It must have
been pleasing to Sister the Hon. Mrs. O'Donnell,
R.W.G.S. of juveniles — her heart is so thoroughly
engaged in the juvenile work. One cannot help seeing
the fitness of having mothers for the little ones — to
gather them into, as well as keep them in, the fold.
Our Good Templar Order is destined to develop and
30 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
bring into use a vast amount of buried talent among
the sisters in our lodges. The Almighty Lawgiver has
committed the keeping of the young mostly into the
hands of women, and he makes no mistakes. Her
patience, tact, and intuitive perceptions make her the
fittest ruling officer and president in the juvenile
lodges. The meeting was crowded and enthusiastic.
Colonel Hickman, R..W.G.T., gave a brilliant address.
He is a noble champion of the temperance cause, being
justly proud of having never taken intoxicating liquors,
tobacco, or snuff. A noble and commanding figure ^
along with a gentlemanly and courtly bearing, fit him
to be a leader in our order.
We started next day for Detroit, arriving about 7
p.m. Here our luggage was again subjected to the
custom-house officers, who, on learning that we were
temperance delegates, " guessed " that temperance
people were mostly good, and the search was only
nominal. Our good brother, the Rev. John Russel,
P.R.W.G.T., met us at the station, and took us to a
comfortable hotel. I had seen him as a delegate in
London (England), and we met as old friends. We
had barely time to swallow a hasty tea, when we were
taken to a meeting in the largest church we had yet
seen. It was filled with a respectable a\idience, among
whom were a number of coloured people. The even-
ing was warm, and I noticed that all the men and
women had fans and used them. American churches^
ai*e much more comfortable and ornamental than ours*
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 31
Cushioned seats, stained-glass windows, flowers, and,
in winter, evergreens, add much to the attractiveness
of the churches. There is almost always a large plat
form instead of the pulpit. This church was called the
Tabernacle of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Brother
Hussel presented a beautifully worded address, wel-
coming us not only to Detroit, but to the State and
country, as representatives of sacred, philosophical,
social, and moral principles, upon the practical appli-
cation of which the future welfare of the human race
very largely depends. He remarked that " strong
drink is the most destructive and implacable foe of
mankind. Science asserts alcohol to be poison to the #
healthy human system, and that total abstinence from
it is the only safe and consistent rule of personal duty.
Social science and political economy correctly taught,
show us that the entire alcoholic drink trade is an
illegitimate branch of commerce, an unmitigated public
nuisance, that consequently all moral, social, and poli-
tical agencies should combine for the complete extir- '
pation of the business." Brother Russel is a keen and
accurate logician, and the whole address, though de-/
livered extemporaneously, bore evidence of this. Our
delegates suitably replied. The meeting was almost
like a leligious service — singing and prayer inter-
spersing the speeches. The hymns were prepared for
the occasion.
Detroit is situated on the river of the same name ;
it is seven miles below Lake St. Clare, and 18 miles
32
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
above Lake Erie, and the most important town of the
Stat« of Michigan. It has 100,000 inhabitants, and
one of the best harbours in the United States, with
all the requisite facilities for an extensive commerce.
This town formed the terminus to our Canadian tour,
and our entrance into the States, a twelve hours'
journey from here, brought us to the wonderful city of
Chicago, the description of which I reserve for another
chapter. ^
CHAPTER lY.
Chicago — Reminiscences of the Great Fire — Lake Michigan
Fresh Water Tunnel — Visit to the Pork-Curing Estab-
hshment — The Churches and Sunday Schools.
Twelve hours' travelling brought us to Chicago. By
some mistake, we did not anticipate a meeting that
night ; but, on arrival, we found that a large meeting
was assembled and impatiently waiting our coming ;
so we were hurried off without food or rest, except
what we had got in the train, and found an immense
hall filled with people whom the friends had had hard
work to retain until our arrival. It was well that the
number of delegates was so large, and only thres-
minute speeches were expected of us. We found on
the platform our Good Templar brother, the Hon.
William Fox, M.A., ex-Premier of New Zealand. A
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 33
local committee gathered round us after the meeting,
and appointed all to comfortable homes or hotels, pro-
viding an escort.
It was my good fortune to be the guest of C. N.
Holden, Esq. ; and in going there I realised something
of the size of the city — my escort telling me that the
street we were going on was sixteen miles long, and
the horse cars, or tramways (as we call them), run all
the way. We, Sister Partington and myself, were
kindly welcomed by our host and two brothers (Cana-
dians). It w^as very late, and w^e did not see our
hostess till next morning. She enquired particularly
concerning the success of Mr. Moody in Great Britain,
and told us that her son was married to Mrs. Moody's
sister. I had much pleasure in telling her that the
half had not been told. The American papers had
copied from our own, and she asked if the wonderful
accounts were true. I was able to confirm them in
full. Mr. Holden's house was built of white marble
up to the roof— the first of the kind I had seen. The
pure white marble had a very imposing efiect.
Chicago is the most wonderful city of the West.
Less than half a century ago it was merely a station
for trading with the Indians ; now it has a population
of 450,000, and is rapidly increasing. One interesting
fiict is that the grade of the first city was several feet
below what it is now. The new buildings being more
elevated, the streets were filled up to accord with
them ; and w hat is strange to us in this country,
34 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
•
whole streets of tlie old houses were raised by
hydraulic power to the same level. It is very com -
mon to move the most solid buildings from one part of
the city to another. This is mostly done during the
night, in order not to interrupt the traffic. Nothing
seems too hard for the enterprise of the people. If
only they see that a thing is deplrable, they seem to
laugh at impossibilities, and straightway go and do it.
It is at once the most philanthropic and the most
extravagant city. Its private homes are perfect
2)alaces ; its charitable institutions are on a magnificent
scale ; its hotels are not excelled by any in the world.
It has streets sixteen miles long, being the length of
the city, while its breadth is eight miles. Our Goi^d
Templar friends brought eleven handsome carriages to
show us some of its wonders. We drove from ten in
the morning till foirr in the afternoon, going twenty-
five miles, and did not see one-third. Among the
princely residences we saw that of George Pulman,
Esq., the inventor of the palace railway cars, and
royalty itself need not disdain such a home. The
traffic in the streets is so great that, to relieve it some-
what, a tunnel has been constructed luider the Chicasfo
river. It is so built that there are three carriage roads
in it, separated by arches. It is lighted brilliantly,
day and night, with gas. Mr. Holden told me that
during the great fire many people ran into this tunnel
for safety; but so intense and furious was the fire that
the flames seemed to be sucked by the wind right
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 3^/
througli this long tunnel, and they perished. I listened
with deep interest to his descriptions as an eye-witness
of that terrible disaster. Solid stone churches were
quite consumed by the intensity of the heat. Thou-
sands of families were rendered homeless, and bereft o?
everything; but the magnanimous character of the
people rose to the emergency, and for a long time it
was as in the days of the early disciples, " they had all
things in common." Those who escaped opened their
doors day and night, and kept a free table for the
houseless ones. They made beds in every available
corner, which the wanderer was more than welcome to
occupy. It glorifies our poor human nature that at
such a time a God-like charity found such beautiful
expression. Mr. Holden said that nothing was more
common than for one business man to say to another
who had lost his all, " Here, my friend, take this
cheque" (it might be for a thousand or more dollars) ^
" and if it is not enough, come to me for more," and
they never looked for repayment. All honour to such
practical Christianity. Would it were more common.
It is true that it was bom under a pressing need, but
it has a divine afflatus, which makes one exult in the
recital.
Another great engineering enterprise is the tunnel
introduced into the centre of Lake Michigan for sup-
plying Chicago with pure water. It is about two miles
from the shore, and the water is pumped by four
engines of twelve hundred horse-power each to the top
36 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
of a high tower, from which it supplies the city plenti-
We visited the famous pork-curing establishment,
where the animals literally walk in alive at one end,
and come out at the other as cured pork. This place
occupies one thousand acres, and is like a large horrible
estate. The hundreds of men who are employed live
on it witii their families. If any one wishes to turn
vegetarian, let him come here; he will obey the Jewish
hiw with regard to pork ever after. Every man has
his o^vn department. The poor animals are caught up
by the hind legs by a hook worked by machinery and
swung up. These hooks are fastened to iron wheels,
which run along a kind of elevated railway, and, as
they pass, each man stands ready to perform his share
of the horrible work ; and they said that, during the
season, one man (who stands with knife in hand) kills
three thousand a-day; but the details are too brutal
and revolting. Most of us recorded a vow never to
touch pork again. If I had known where they were
taking us, nothing would have induced me to go.
Even to this day the sight of pork in the shop windows
brings up visions I would gladly forego.
It was a great relief to turn into the magnificent
parks, which remind one of the Champs Elysees of
Paris. Miles of artificial beauty ; lakes with islands,
cind pleasure-boats on them, and foreign birds ; and
carriage drives which seem endless. Chicago has the
largest timber trade in the world, the largest wheat
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 37
and grain export, and also the largest cattle ex])orty
both alive and as beef. The churches are numerous
and elegant. Tlieir great size impresses the stranger,
and their internal beauty and comfort is very pleasing.
Mrs. Partington and myself went to one of the
Methodist Episcopal Churches (Dr. Peck's) which
seats 2500. Festoons of evergreens w^re hung right
across the church from the pillars and stained-glass
windows. They had been there since Christmas, and
still looked fresh and pleasing. There was a platform
instead of a pulpit. It happened to be the mis-
sionary services, and Bishop Foster preached — Dr.
Peck being on the platform with him. After the
sermon a collection was made in a novel way to us.
Dr. Peck said they hoped to raise 2000 dollars that
morning, and asked who. would give 200 of it. He
then stationed tellers in all parts of the church, and
asked a brother to come up and act as secretary, and
as the tellers called out the names and sums sub-
scribed, they were noted down, and soon the 2000
dollars were given or promised ; then, to crown all,
plates were handed round for those who did not wish
to announce their amounts — a novel but certainly
effectual way of taking up a collection. Another
novelty was a remark made by Bishop Foster during
his sermon. In speaking of the value of the labours
of Christian women in the churches, he said, " Two^
thirds of all the faith, hope, and charity in the world,
dwell in the hearts of women.*' I coidd not hijlp
38 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
wishing that all our Good Templar brethren could
have heard him, because these are the watchwords of
our Order, and the principles by which we profess to
be governed.
In the afternoon we went to the Sunday School
connected with the church — a most pleasing sight.
Eleven hundred attend it ; the adults meeting in the
body of the church, and the children in an elegant
schoolroom below. The floors are richly carpeted,
the seats cushioned ; everything looked the essence of
<;omfort ; and the walls were bright with pictures and
texts. Ko wonder Mr. Moody grumbled at our dull-
looking schools after being accustomed to the attrac-
tiveness of American ones. The infants have a room
shut ofi" by folding doors. It was the prettiest sight
imaginable to see the little things, some of them not
more than two years old, sitting on seats made
purposely for them with cushions, and a rail to rest
their little feet on. Truly the lambs are cared for
here. They are taught by women, motherly-looking
and refined, mostly ladies from luxurious homes,
where their own children had developed motherly
a-nd Christ-like patience. The same lesson is uniform
through all the classes and in all the churches
throughout the land, and the tact of the teachers
simplified it to the little ones ; and every two or
three minutes they sang lively tunes. I noticed that
classes of young men were mostly taught by women,
And vice versa. Dr. Peck asked Mrs. Partington
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 39
to address them, which she did. He invited me to
address the adults in the church, but I had not
courage ; but I rejoiced to find a minister liberal
enough to ask women to take part in his services.
He said he believed the church was shorn of more
than half her power by ignoring her fittest workers.
The religion of Jesus Christ is essentially feminine in
principle ; its doctrines can be best preached, as they
are best exemplified, in the lives of women.
CHAPTER Y.
The Washingtonian Home for Inebriates — Banquet in the
Palmer House — Second Visit to Chicago — The Leading
Chicago Journals.
One of the many benevolent institutions of Chicago
is the Washingtonian Home for reclaiming inebriates,
which owes its origin to a few earnest, zealous, and
benevolent Good Templars. These noble few who
consecrated their influence, time, energies, and money,
twelve years ago, to this end, have good reason to be
proud of the noble institution of which they were the
real founders. They are reaping the golden fruits of
their labours and sacrifices. Up to the present time
the institution has become more and more important,
and its influence more widely spread. It has been a
40 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
blessing in many a home desolated by strong drink,
not only in this garden city of the West, but through-
out the State and nation. Upwards of 1500 have
passed through its walls from all parts. Of these
about 20 per cent, are considered hopeless. It is under
very efficient management, having a president, three
vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, consulting phy-
sician, resident physician, a large board of directors, an
executive committee, a superintendent and matron, a
committee on admissions and discharges; and last, but
not least, a ladies' committee, to whom it owes a large
share of its success. These indefatigable workers not
only contribute and collect funds to sustain the institu-
tion (for two-thirds of the inmates are received and
cared for free of charge), but they seek out the most
apparently hopeless cases with a zeal and devotion
which never wearies. They have established experi-
ence meetings for Sunday evenings. We had the delight
of attending one of these, and the touching recitals of
real experiences in the lives of these poor fellows, told
in their own language, often with accents showing them
to be from far distant lands, is thrilling, and the tone
of earnest gratitude for the benefits of the Home most
pleasing. Only three minutes are allowed for each
speaker, and the chairman strikes a bell if any exceed
that time. The conviction was forced upon me that
" prevention is better than cure," when I heard these
poor fellows describe the struggles they had with the
terrible appetite for drink. Blessed be all the agencies
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 41
which place a barrier between the intoxicating cup and
the unpolluted lip ! Our band of hope and juvenile
lodges are like stars in the dark. When will our
country cease to license a traffic which underlies so
much of the misery, desolation, and crime she suffers
from? The present Home being inadequate, a ne\.
building is in course of erection, which will contain on
the first storey 90 rooms, besides reading room,
gymnasium, service room, <fec. The main building is
104 feet long in front; a rear building, connected with
this by corridors, contains the dining-room, kitchen,
laundry, chapel, and hospital.
I must now speak of the banquet held in our
honour by the ladies' committee of the Washingtonian
Home. It was held in the Palmer House, the largest
hotel in the world. We were received by the ladies
in one of the magnificent drawing-rooms of the hotel,
and cordially welcomed as fellow-workers for one
common object. After about an hour of converse,
we were conducted to a banqueting hall, built of
solid white marble. The guests numbered about 300.
An elegant repast was set before us, composed of
numberless dishes of the most recherclie description.
We were attended by coloured waiters, about fifty in
number. These had all white waistcoats and gloves,
and did their duty perfectly, anticipating every want.
Our hc^t, Mr. Holden, occupied the chair, and after
the banquet a number of toasts or sentiments were
proposed. I must here explain that in America
D
42 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
these are not accompanied by wine drinking ; indeed,
I never saw wine or strong drink on any table all
the six weeks I was there. A number- of excellent
speeches were made, and then came the toast of the
evening — " Our guests, the Good Templars." Bro.
Malins responded, but this did not content them, and
my name was called out, and I had to respond im-
promptu to a toast for the first time in my life. It
was some consolation that the Chicago Times next
day said it was done '' very happily."
Few of us will forget the banquet in the Palmer
House. It was like an Eastern scene. The marble
hall, the ebony waiters, the brilliant surroundinsfs,
made us think of the scenes in the "Arabian Nights'
Entertainments ; " and it was so new and fairy-like
that I shut my eyes two or three times to see if they
would open again on the same scene ; but it was real
enough. Another banquet awaited us on our second
visit to Chicago, after being at Bloomington, but I
must not enlarge on this here.
Cliicago is the commercial metropolis of the North-
West, and the largest city of the State of Illinois.
It is situated on the south-west shore of Lake Michi-
gan, at the north of the Chicago river, which,
with its north and south branches, divides the city
into three nearly equal parts. The leading journals
are the Chicago Timss, daily, tri-weekly, weekly, and
Sunday — W. T. Storey, editor and proprietor. The
Chicago Tribune, by the Tribune Company. Chicago
giaa
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 4||
Evening Joitnud, daily, tri-weekly, and weekly —
Andrew Sherman, editor-in-chief. The Chicayo
Evening Post and Mail, by the Post mid Mail
Printing Company. The Chicago Journal of Com-
merce, (fee. The chartered banks number 24, and.
represent a capital of 10,000,000 dollars. There
are also some thirty private banking firms and
brokers' offices. The hotels are magnificent and too
numerous to mention. They represent the most
liberal investment in land, building, finish, and fur-
nishing, that can be imagined. Most of them have
cost millions of dollars. The charges per day vary
from eight shillings to one pound, and the higher up
your room is, the lower the charge, generally; but
the drawing-room hoist, into which you can step on
the first floor, will land you at your room without
any fatigue. This is elegantly fitted up with velvet-
covered seats, and biilliant with glass and electro-
plate. A coloured man is continually employed in
working this up and down. The number of guests
make it in constant requisition. It holds from
twenty to thirty people at a time.
Chicago was active during the late war. An
immense bazaar was held to provide hospital accom-
modation for the soldiers. It was called the sanitary
bazaar, and owed its origin and success mostly to the
efforts of two ladies, Mrs. Livermore and Mrs. Hoge,
assisted by the ladies of Chicago. Vast sums were
realised, and this gave an impetus to similar efforts
44 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
in other towns. After this Chicago was one vast
storehouse, where all that was needed in the military
hospital was to be found. There was a prison at
Camp Douglas (a place now within the limits of the
city) for the Southern soldiers taken in battle. These
were as much cared for by the citizens, and had
as much attention and kindness shown them, as
their own soldiers. Everything seems to be done in
princely style.
CHAPTER VI.
American Chivalry — Scarcity of Female Servants and its
Results — Intemperance — Comfortable Railway Travelling
— Liquor Traffic in Bad Repute.
Almost the first thing that strikes a stranger in
America is the absence of conventionality and the air
of free independence among all classes. If you hire a
cab, or " hack,'^ as they call^them, your driver seems
to think he is doing you as much a favour as you do
him in hiring his machine. If a porter takes youi-
l^ag, he does it as a favour, and it is quite natural to
i^iank him as you would a gentleman here. A lady
may travel through the length and breadth of the land
with the greatest ease, and her path^will be smoothed
for her all the way. The chivalry of Americans is
beyond all praise. The best seat in the train, or in
the steamboat, and especially at table, is always given
to a lady, and in the mos+ unobtrusive manner. Ever\'
.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 45
man seems to think he should help any lady who is alone.
I remember when I was landing at Lewiston, after
crossing Lake Ontario from Toronto, and Was stepping
on to the landing stage with a travelling bag in my
hand, a gentleman book it, saying, "Allow me, madam,
to carry this ; we don't allow our ladies to carry heavy
weights. I think you must be from the old country."
This was done in the most respectful, easy manner, as
a matter of course ; and again and again I found my
way smoothed in a manner I could not have anticipated
as a stranger. This is the case all through — that no
American will allow a woman to carry any bui^den
that he can carry for her, or do any rough work. A
working man would think himself disgi-aced for life if
he allowed his wife to clean his shoes or cut wood.
They would scarcely believe it possible that our work-
ing men's wives often cleaned their husbands' shoes.
One man said, "Well, I should think that rather thin "
— ^meaning that the husband who expected it was too
selfish for any thing. If you see a family out, the
father always carries the youngest. I n^ver saw a
woman carry a baby all the time I was there ; bat I
often saw fathers, with the greatest pride, doing it;
and it is no uncommon thing to see gentlemen of great
wealth giving the children an airing before breakfast ;
perhaps while the wife gets it ready.
The scarcity of female servants is one of the serious
problems of American life ; but the ladies have nobly
risen to the emergency, and in many cases rendered
46
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
themselves independent of servants, or helps as they
are called. Three dollars a- week is the average wage,
and the class who condescend to come and help in a
household are the most independent, mireliable people
one can imagine. They think themselves at liberty
to go at any moment they think proper. It is no
uncommon thing to see elegant, refined houses, the
abode of taste and wealth, with no domestic — the lady
and her daughters quietly doing all with the greatest
ease, seeming, by good management, to be always at
liberty. For one thing, the houses are planned differ-
ently from ours, and, being mostly owned by the
tenants, everything that can make work easy is studied.
The dining or eating room is always next the kitchen,
and the table is always kept ready set, and large
enough to allow a number of guests to join the cii'cle
without making any difierence in the aiTangements.
As soon as the breakfast dishes are washed, they are
replaced on the table, and all put ready for dinner,
which meal is very like breakfast, as they always take
tea at dinner, and so, with the aid of the beautiful
cooking-stove in the adjoining kitchen, dinner is not
such a formidable trouble, and educated labour is
greatly superior to uneducated. The kitchens are
perfect delights to see — no disorder or dust ; the store-
rooms close at hand, with the shelves all covered with
white paper with ornamental edgings ; and the pretty
porcelain sinks. A lady has everything at hand, and
house-work is elevated into a fine art. The rooms are
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 47
swept with a brush running on wheels. This brush
revolves in a light tin box, just the size of the brush,
which keeps in all the dust, instead of it flying about
the room, as it does after switching in our fashion ;
and it is no labour for the most delicate lady to use .
this brush, as it almost runs by itself, and it certainly
does its work effectively. Another thing which saves
labour is that one fire will warm a whole house, hot-air
pipes being conveyed through all the rooms; and when
the hard coal is used, a fii^e is lighted in the beginning
of winter, and does not go out till the end, by merely
feeding it once a-day. This is considered the work of
the male members of the household. Tt will easily be
seen that this does away with the dust and the endless
black-leading caused by the ordinary fire. Indeed, in
a hundred ways, household labour is lightened; and
any sensible woman, who is not afraid of soiling her
fingers, may render herself independent of Bridget,
and be a gainer every way. I visited in houses of
three and four public rooms, with seven and eight bed
rooms, where everything spoke of luxury and refine-
ment, and where the inmates seemed to have plenty of
leisure and reading time, and yet no servant. I found
they were all early risers, and that every one made
her own bed. If the young ladies of this country were
brought up with similar domestic habits, we should
find them less helpless when they have homes of their
own. Then, again, most American women are good
cooks. The variety of dishes on the table, all theii-
t8
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
own making, testifies this. It is true they have every
facility in labour-saving appliances, but knowledge
alone can make these available. Domestic economy is
thought sufficiently important to make it one of the
branches of study at school and college (for the
colleges are open to women in America, and are
largely attended by them, to the advantage of both
sexes). And it seems the highest wisdom that the
parent into whose keeping the future generation was
intrusted should be, at least, as highly educated as the
father, whose care over them must of necessity be
very limited. When that gi^and philosopher, Plato,
was asked. Shall women have a share |in the govern-
ment? he replied, "If you depreciate women you
injure the whole nation ;" and this seems to be under-
stood better in America than elsewhere. It is the
paradise of women.
And now with regard to intemperance. I was six
weeks in the country, and only saw one drunken man,
and, I am sorry to say, he was an Englishman. It
was on the Delaware Railway. He was sitting quite
quietly, but talking a little fast. The guard quickly
took him out of the carriage. On his return, I asked,
" What have you done with that poor man?" He said,
"I put him in the horse-box, the fittest place for him."
I thought our railway officials might profit by the hint.
In this country, passengers are often put to great an-
noyance and serious peril by drunken fellow-travellers,
and an empty horse-box is generally to be had.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
49
American railway carriages are about seventy feet
long, each holding about tifty people. They sit on
short, velvet-covered couches it each side. This leaves
a clear passage up the middle. Anyone may go up or
down even when the train is in motion. The con-
ductor passes through and examines the tickets with-
out any wearisome stopping of the train. There is
only one class; but most trains have attached to them
a Pullman palace car. These are fitted up with the
utmost elegance, and have double plate-glass windows,
which deaden the noise and increase the comfort of
travelling. Here you have easy chairs, couches, tables,
and every drawing-room requisite, during the day, and
at night, by a wonderful contrivance, a bed is let down
at each side and curtains put up, and you have all the
privacy and comfort of a bed-room, and may sleep all
night and find yourself still accomplishing your journey
when you awake. Then at each end of the car is a
toilet-room, provided with washing apparatus, brushes,
combs, looking-glasses, &c., and you are quite fresh
to begin another journey, if needful. All this is pro-
vided for two dollars extra (about eight shillings), less
than an hotel would cost, and without loss of time.
It is to be noted that even on railways there is no
temptation to drink. In every carriage, iced water is
freely provided, and every ten minutes or so, fi ait of
some kind is offered for sale while the train is in
motion. It seems a regularly organised trade.
Parties contract with the company, and have liberty
50 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
to travel on the line to sell their wares. It is
generally a civil boy who comes with oranges, fol-
lowed by nuts,- figs, bananas, apples, liickory nuts,
walnuts (out of the shells), sweets, candy, dough nuts,
parched or popped corn, strawberries, new milk; in-
deed there is no end to the number of tempting things
ofiered. It will easily be seen that there is no tempta-
tion to take intoxicants, and I never saw them in any
railway station.
I have said before that the chui^ch is uniformly on
the side of temperance, and no Christian minister who
cared to retain his position would dare to have even a
glass of ale on his table as a beverage. He would
soon be told in unmistakable language that his ser-
vices were no longer needed. The whole traffic is
considered disreputable, and American people cannot
understand how we can tolerate wine-bibing ministers
and elders. Another wonder to them is that we can
be so lost to all sense of right as to offer at the shrine of
Bacchus some of Britain's faii'est daughters by placing
them behind drinking-bars, and thus using them as a
means of decoying young men to their ruin. I heard
some Americans speaking of this in the steamer as one
of the things they had seen in our country, and the
loathing and scorn with which it was discussed, v ith
eyes flashing indignation, made me feel that we might
well bow our heads in the dust that such a thing was
possible in a professedly Christian country, where
from every church the Saviour's prayer is uttered.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 61
'' Lead us not into temptation;" and yet we both lead
and leave them there, and make slippery and treach
erous paths for the feet of the young. Surely the
Judge of all the earth will require these things at our
hands. . /
** We are called with a holy calling,
The hght of the world to be,
To lift up the lamp of the Gospel
That others the path may see.
** But if we bear it onward,
Leading the feeble astray, •
Till they sink in hidden pitfalls.
What will the Master say ? ^
** Up, Christians, up and be doing, '
Rise from your base repose ; \ - i
If you take not the part of your Saviour, %
You take the part of His foes.
*' Fling the bondage of evil customs ■;
And the fetters of self aside.
Nor destroy, with your strength and knowledge.
The souls for whom Jesus died." ^
CHAPTER VIL
National Temperance Convention — The Hutcheson Family —
Prominent Temperance Advocates — The Women's Crusade
— A Minister's Wife — The Crusade Dog.
It was my good fortune to be appointed by the
Right Worthy Grand Lodge as their delegate to the
52 ; A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH .
National Temperance Convention meeting in Chicago
and thus I had the long-coveted happiness of meeting
some of the glorious women of the crusade, who have
done more to banish intemperance than any other
agency since the warfare began. It is a matter of
history that the}" have closed in one State alone
(Ohio) 2500 drinking saloons. We in this country
had read with bated breath how delicately nurtured
ladies had gone into the worst dens " where Satan
was," and by the power of Christ and their own
womanly purity shamed the liquor dealer into forsak-
ing his traffic ; and v/hen I looked into the faces of
some of the women I realised how these things could
be. There was Mother Stewart, looking like a con-
secrated general, with her eagle eye, and whitening
hair, shading a face indicating enough determination
to accomplish anything she set her heart on. I
remembered reading of her convicting a rum-seller of
defying the law by selling rum on the Sabbath. She
exhibited in the court the rum that had been bought
in his saloon. On several occasions she has appeared
before juries, and, without previous training, pleaded
for the women who had sued liquor dealers for selling
whisky to their husbands, and she generally won
Iier case.
The Convention w;as held in " Farwell Hall," the
Bcene of Mr. Moody's zealous labours. It has been
twice burned to the ground, and twice rebuilt, mostly
by the liberality of Mr. Farwell, a wealthy citizen,
♦ CANADA AND THE UNITED STATERS. 53
whom Mr. Moody, with characteristic tact, laid hands
upon and ushered into active work, and, almost
without his knowing it, made him President of the
Young Men's Christian Association, and tlucn chris-
tened the hall after him. Here were assembled
delegates from every State and almost every county —
men and women who had borne the burden and heat
of the day, but whose zeal was unquenched and un-
quenchable while their country's foe remained. Here
also were the Hutcheson family, the sweet singers,
who, for thirty years, have been singing for tem-
perance and the right — a large family singularly
gifted in every member. They visited this country
twenty-five years ago, and sung of " the good tin:ie
coming," when " the might with the right and the
truth " should be, and " Excelsior," and a number of
more songs now known in every hoi^sehiold. They^
added much to the enjoyment of the meetings by theii-
timely music set to soul-stirring words. They come
from Minnesota, where they welcome all temperance
workers. They gave me a pressing invitation to visit
them, and promised me the largest churches and
audiences xf I would go and speak on temperance. It
is impossible to enumerate half the prominent names
of the delegates. There was Dr. Theodore CuyLer,
who moved and spoke to the resolutijon — " That
Almighty God has wadded the cress of Jesus Christ
and the cause of temperance together;" and he
demanded that the diurch had ^ right to come to the
54
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
front in this work, and that eveiy church should have
a temperance organisation under the control of its
officers, holding its regular meetings, circulating
pledge books and tracts, and in every prayer meeting
making it a duty to make special supplication for
the suppression of intemperance. He declared that
the Bible and the decanter could not dwell consist-
ently together. Then followed Bishop Harris, of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, equally powerful on
Christian duty ; Mr.- Francis Murphy, of Maine, the
State where prohibition reigns ; Mrs. J. Willing,
professor of rhetoric in a large training college ; Mrs.
Wittenmyer, the efficient president of the Women's
Temperance Union, whose matronly dignity and
parliamentary manner of presiding over and con-
ducting a meeting is beyond all praise ; Miss Frances
E. Willard, of Chicago, the energetic corresponding
secretary of the Women's Temperance Union, a
powerful speaker and voluminous writer; Mrs. J. E.
Foster, attomey-at-law, a refined, highly educated
lady, whose husband (also an attorney, and a devoted
Christian and temperance worker), seeing the great
need there was for women to plead the cause of
women in court, influenced her to study for the
bar, and he now hands over all these cases to her, and
so far she has won every case, and no one who sees
her can wonder. The time would fail me to tell of
the hundreds of others, equally prominent workers;
for every State and town has its leading spirits. All
■/
**
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 5S
seemed imbued with deep religious earnestness and a
sense of solemn responsibility.
The afternoon of the third day of the session was set
apart for the women of the crusade, and it was an-
nounced that men would be admitted, but it was
understood that it was a women's meeting. The hall
was well filled with both men and women, and Mrs.
Wittenmyer presided and maintained the most perfect
order — a marked contrast, in this respect, to the pre-
ceding meetings. One after another rose and gave the
most thrilling details of the work in different places.
One lady, a minister's wife, said when she heard of the
crusade she thought it was so dreadful for women to
sing and pray in the saloons that she earnestly prayed
that it might not spread to her State; but when a
meeting was called in the church, she felt so stirred that
she was ready to go forth, and was the actual leader,
and one of the forty who chose to go to prison when
the magistrate wished to impose a fine on them for ob-
structing the pide-walk. They gloried in suffering in
the cause. On one occasion a liquor dealer, expecting;
the ladies, had hired a number of rowdies and armed
them with revolvers, and he and they stood ready
when the ladies appeared. On came the noble band,
weak in themselves, but strong in the might of God,
and knelt down on the pavement. " ^ow," said the
saloon keeper (a coarse, powerful man), " I want
no praying here ; and I give you notice that the
first woman who opens her lips in prayer will be shot
■MM
56 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
down." The minister's wife who had so dreaded the
crusade was the leader— a fragile-looking, delicate
lady, but with more moral courage than it takes to
face an army in the heat of battle. In relating it she
said, " I never felt safer in my own drawing-room
than I did when those revolvers were pointed at my
head. It seemed as if a voice came from the ex-
cellent glory, saying, * He shall cover thee with his
feathers, and under his wing shalt thou trust;' and
* The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them
that fear him, and delivereth them.' " She felt that
God as surely sent his angel as he did when Daniel
was in the lion's den. She commenced to pray w^ith
closed eyes, and when she had done the rowdies had
dropped their revolvers, and the saloon-keeper, with
the tears running down his cheeks, said he never
thought his trade such a bad one before, and they were
at liberty to come and do what they liked with the
liquor ; and he helped them to pour it into the street,
which they did amid songs of rejoicing. Another
saloon-keeper set a fierce dog at the ladies, but the
animal walked up the line of kneeling women, and
came and planted itself before the one who was plead-
ing for its master, and quietly looked in her face,
and ever after that the ardnxal accompanied the
crusadei's and guarded them from harm. Thus again
the lion's mouth was closed. An amusing incident
occurred in connection with this dog. It followed the
ladies everywhere, even to their meetings in tjie
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 47
churches; and at one place the president, seeing it,
said, " Will the church officer kindly put out that dog %
it is out of its place." A lady immediately rose up
and said it was a "crusade dog," and explained why
she thought it ought to remain, which it did, amid
cheers.
The crusade still goes on, but not in its original
form. Efficient organisations of women are formed in
every town and city, and practical work is effected.
Each State has its convention, to which delegates are
sent, and these conventions again send delegates to the
National Convention. The next will be held in
Philadelphia at the time of the Exhibition, and the
corresponding secretary asks for delegates from Great
Britain. Mother Stewart writes that she would like
to come to this country. She thinks the Lord has a
message to send by her to the women of Great Britain.
I hope the way will be opened for her to come, for I
believe there is a slumbering power which might be
awakened, that would shake the kingdom to its centre
on this important question, and the country is in
perishing need of it.
On the evening of the last day, another banquet
was held in the Palmer House, similar to the one
already described, but more numerously attended.
Here the plan of giving toasts and sentiments (with-
out the drink) was followed, and five-minute speeches
in response. " The Bonnets of Bonnie Dundee " was
delicately assigned to me. I felt real sadness in
I
58
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
bidding farewell to those noble comrades in the fight,
but it was sweet to know that
"Though sundered far, by faith we meet
Around one common mercy seat. "
CHAPTER YIIL
From Chicago to Buffalo — Railway Travelling in America — A
Quiet Sabbath in the Wyoming Valley — Niagr«ra.
I LEFT Cliicago and our hospitable entertainers with
great regret. Varied and delightful experiences had
been crowded into a few days. It is one of the things
to be thankful for that memory gives us the power to
gild the joys of the present by living over the pleasant
scenes of the past ; and in my quiet home I see again
those earnest faces of noble men and women engaged
in the righteous warfare for the truth, which made the
Farwell Hall a glorious scene. I linger over the
memories gathered there, and I long to transj)lant
some of the elements of that Convention to our own
hind; the earnest faith that God would give the
victory, because the cause of temperance was his own ;
the conviction on the part of ministers and Christian
people that to help forward this work was a part of
their duty, because they were Christians. Then 1
should like to transplant about half-a-dozen of these
noble women who have not only fought, but gained
such signal victories over alcohol in their own land.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
59
** Though woman's hands are weak to fight,
Her heart is strong to pray ;
And with fingers of Faith she will open the gate,
To a brighter and better day."
In travelling from Chicago to Buffalo we passed
miles and miles of rich prairie land. Sister Partington
and myself were now left alone — the other delegates
(intending to return through Canada) had gone before.
I was much interested in watching, during our long
journey of twenty-five hours, the various kinds of
people in the train ; and an American railway carriage
gives one a splendid opportunity of studying human
nature. Among about fifty occupants there are sure
to be some noticeable phases of human life. If I had
been suddenly transplanted from the stiff proprieties
of Scottish life into that railway carriage, I should
have thought that everybody knew everybody else, for
conversation flowed freely, and all were at home with
each other. I saw one man, apparently a well-to-do
farmer, sitting down at first alone ; but his social
nature soon made him rise and come to another seat
adjoining ours, on which sat a similar looking indi
vidual, who soon made room for liim. " Well," said
the former, sitting down, with the greatest nonchalance,
" if it's a fair question, stranger, what may your name
be]" He was answered. ** And where do you hail
froml" Again came the reply. "And what may
your trade be?" " I'm in the com line." "Well, I
guess you and I might do some business;" and long
60
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
before the journey was concluded we were amused to
see these two perfect strangei'S had concluded a business
transaction, and were apparently capital friends. " I
think, madam, you come from the old country," was
again and again said to me, as a sort of beginning to a
conversation in a train, and I found, on the whole,
that it greatly relieved the tedium of a long journey to
find your fellow-passengers disposed to be sociable,
instead of sitting bolt upright for hours in a small box
of a railway carriage and maintaining a grim silence,
or, at the most, remarking that the day is fine — a fact
of which you are already aware.
We had arranged for sleeping berths for the night,
and found them a great luxury. One can imagine
that a journey by rail which extends over weeks can
be accomplished without any very great fatigue, when
you can rest so comfortably at night, and find that,
while sleeping, you have gone over some hundreds of
miles. We soon arrived at Buffalo, the station for
Niagara. Here Sister Partington expected to meet
her son, but he had not received the telegram sent the
day before from Chicago ; and here I may say that
neither the telegraphing nor the posting arrangements
in America are equal to our own, and the former is
much more expensive.
We decided to go and stay over Sunday with Elder
Jackson and his wife, who live eight miles from Attica.
Hiring a carriage, we drove there through the beauti-
ful valley of Wyoming, and were received by the good
CANADA. AND THE UNITED STATES.
61
old elder and his wife almost with open arms, though
they knew nothing of our coming. Never shall I forget
the quiet rest of that lovely Sabbath spent with these
good, warm-hearted Christians, I was made so truly
welcome to their board. I must explain that Elder
Jackson is really the Rev. David Jackson, the pastor
of an Independent congregation, and regularly ordained,
but it is the custom to call the minister " elder " in
these parts. On the Sunday morning he preached,
and then announced that " Mrs. Partington, of Port-
land, recently returned from Europe, would preach in
the evening," and a good congregation came to hear her.
I rather think the minister and she had laid their
heads together to get me also to say something, for her
sermon came to a close suddenly, and she announced
that '' Sister Parker, from Scotland, would now ad-
dress them ;" and as they had taken me on to the
platform with them, and the people all looking expec-
tant, I felt something like poor Jonah when the lot
fell upon him. However, a few earnest words were
given me, according to the promise, and then the
minister rose, and kindly said how his heart had been
warmed and refreshed, and he was sure, also, the con-
gregation would long remember our visit; and then
he said, " The Scotch lady who has just spoken to you
has to return to Attica in the morning, and there is
no public conveyance ; I want you to cast about among
yourselves and see if you can get her conveyed there."
He then pronounced the benediction. A number
62
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
waited in the church, and said they "guessed they
would hitch up a team for the sister," and be there at
eight oVlock next morning. Accordingly, before the
hour, a brother came with his team, and a comfortable
buffalo hide to sit on, and, with the greatest goodwill,
drove me the eight miles to Attica.
I shall long remember that ride in the early summer
morning. The scenery was grand. The Wyoming
Valley is noted for beauty, verdure, and rich cultiva-
tion. Large farms dotted the slopes of the hills ; and
in the fruit season, my driver told me, it was so
abundant along the roadsides, and everyone had so
much of their own, that no one thought of gathering
it. I remarked that with us boys would steal it. I
said, " Suppose, now, a farmer saw boys gathering his
fruit, what would he do]" " Oh," was the reply, "he
would just tell him to fetch a sack and fill it, and if
that would not do, to come again with it." This gives
one some idea of its great abundance.
I was soon en route for Niagara, with no small ex-
pectations. The railroad runs along in view of the
gorgeous rapids below the falls. Deep, swift, and
resistless, they hurry on till lost in the vast Lake of
Ontario. I think I enjoyed seeing these rapids even
more than the falls, and they took great hold on me
both at the time and in recalling the scene. I should
like to have stayed at least a week on the spot, to try
and take in some of the «ublimity of this wonder of
the world, in whose presence I could only stand dumb ;
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
63
and I regret I have no power to describe it now.
This peerless waterfall, yrith its never-ceasing song of
praise to the Great Architect ; the suspension bridge,
appearing like the work of fairy fingers ; the roar
heard for miles ; the wonderful " Goat'* island, a
quarter of a mile wide and half a mile long, extending
to the very brow of the precipice, dividing the falLs
into two portions — are all paii:s of the scene ; and yet
any description of mine seems to* me so faint and
imperfect that I must leave it with a few brief out-
lines for the imagination of the reader to fill up.
About a mile above the falls the rapids commance*
The great body of water has a perpendicular fall of
165 feet, the island dividing it into two parts; the
higher of which is on the American side, but the
greater body of water on the Canadian side. Belovv^
the falls the river runs between perpendicular cliffs for
three or four miles, in a channel of 300 to 400 feet
wide, with tremendous force and impetuosity, till it is
released from its narrow and rocky bed below Queens-
town heights, from whence it flows tranquilly into
Lake Ontario. Large and comfortable hotels are
erected for the accommodation of visitors. The suspen-
sion bridge across the Niagara river is a single span of
800 feet, 230 feet above the water, and supported by
four wire cables, with an ultimate capacity of sustain-
ing 10,000 tons. There are two floors, the upper for
the railroad track, and the under for waggons. The
east end of the bridge commands a fine view of the
64 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
falls and the lupids below ; and under the bridge the
water of these rapids runs at th ) rate of 25 miles an
hour, with breakers dashing from 20 to 30 feet high.
I must not forget to say that all up and down the
vicinity of this queen of cataracts Indians are busy
trying to induce visitors to buy their wares — bead
baskets, watch pockets, feather fans, made from the
brightest of coloured feathers ; and as most people like
to take something for the loved ones at home from this
famous spot, their trade must be a good one.
CHAPTER IX.
Back to Canada — Corduroy Koads — A Canadian's Chief End
— A Canadian Farm-- Arcadian Life — Another Glimpse of
American Home-Life — Woman in the Pulpit — Syracuse.
From the charm and beauty of Niagara, I turned
to go back by Lake Ontario to Canada, to visit a
brother-in-law and his family. I had been within a
hundred miles when at Toronto, with our delegation,
but they were unwilling to let me go then. I was now
alone, having left Sister Partington with the good
elder Jackson and his wife in Wyoming Valley. My
time was now becoming very short, and I was half
tempted to forego this visit, but our friends had been
in Canada seven years, and not seen a face from home
all that time. They wrote saying, " We cannot bear
A ■■
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 65
the disappoiiitmeut of not seeing you," so I crossed
the Lake, and landed once more in Toronto. Here I
again recoa^nised the value of the love of brotherhood
in our Order. As I stepped on to the landing stage
a brother, making the Good Templar signal, said he
bad attended our meeting, and asked if he (;ould help
me in any way. He got a " hack," and kindly saw me
safely to the hospitable home of Mr. M*Cord, the city
treasurer, where I had stayed before. They are a warm-
hearted Irish family, who had been forty years in
Canada. Here I stayed all night, and next morning
left at 6 A. M. for Cremore, which I did not reach till
ten at night.
The station being eight miles from my brother's
they met me with what is called a " democrat." It is
like a long open omnibus with two horses. We sat on
buffalo hides, and rode the eight miles through the
bush, over what they call " corduroy roads." What
kind of riding it was may be gathered from the fact
that these roads are formed by the trunks of trees
being laid across, and then sawdust being put in to fill
up the cavities — and so we went up hill and down hill,
with bush fires all around, for it seems the one end of
a Canadian's life to get rid of timber, and clear the
ground for settlers. To me it seemed the most reck-
less waste of a valuable commodity, this endles? burn-
ing of fine timber; but I was told that it was the only
thing they could do in these thinly-populated places, it
would not pay to carry it away.
66 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
Mosquitoes abound here, and I got many st salute
before reaching my destination. Canadians say the}^
know foreigners, and never let them escape. How
welcome was the sound of the watch-dog and the lights
in the window telling us we were near home. Father
and mother and fourteen children were there to greet
me. There had been seventeen, but three had passed
to the home above. Still, they were a sight worth
seeing — all in glowing health. If any man is in a
good position to sympathise with the sentiment of the
Psalmist, when he says, " Happy is the man that hath
his quiver full of them," I think it is the Canadian
farmer; for labour of all kinds is at a ransom, and
often not to be had, and boys and girls are mines of
wealth, and grow up into self-reliant men and women,
realising the value and dignity of labour to the full.
A life of arcadian simplicity may be realised here,
having no near neighbours, eight miles from a post
office or a shop, or, as Sydney Smith says, "eight miles
from a lemon." They make their own soap from the
ashes of the wood they bum, and their candles from
the fat of their sheep, and spin yam from the wool. I
wonder if the old patriarchs had just such a life. I
found that though they had longings to see " the old
country " none of them thought they could settle here
again after the freedom of American life. They had
planned to take me to see some neighbouring places,
the clergyman. <fec., but as this involved miles of those
dreary corduroy roads (of which I had a wholesome
i
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 67
dread), I craved leave to rest instead, especially as I
must go after one whole day and two nights there. I
bade a reluctant good-bye, and my brother, his son,
and daughter took me in that "democrat" to the
station again. By some means, in speaking with the
wife of the stationmaster, who was from England, he
let the train go by, and I had to wait four hours. I
suggested we should seek out some Good Templars.
This amused them very much. Accordingly, we four
started, inquiring if their were any Good Templars in
I the place. We soon found a family, and I explained
our dilemma ; and when they knew I was G.W. Y.T.
for Scotland they made us at home. After resting
awhile the good wife asked us to come into the next
room, and there was the nicest dinner set out, and
we were made so heartily welcome. Messengers were
sent to some neighbours, and, after dinner, some Scotch
people came in. One of them had a sister in Dundee,
and it was new life to her to see anybody from there.
I was not sorry I had missed the train. I got another
glimpse of Canadian home life, with its ready hospi-
tality, and I was glad my friends saw that no Good
Templar need feel a stranger in any land where
brethren and sisters are to be found. All honour to
the warm-hearted Canadian Templars. I recall a
quaint remark of my good friend, Dr. Munro, of
Forres, "This world is a place for making friends,
but we must go up bye to enjoy them." I hope to
meet again the many friends I made across the ocean
68 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH j
V-
in "the land that is fairer than day, beyond the
shining river."
Taking the train again, T found myself once more
at Toi'onto, and crossing the lake. I had another
view of that ever- varying wonder, Niagara Falls, and
those glorious rapids. Every change of weather
seems to change the character of the whole scene, and
I could almost have thought it was another Niagara,
it looked so different that evening to what I had seen
it a few mornings before. It was still lovely — the
queen of all waterfalls, majestic at all times, the work
of a beneficent Creator, giving joy to all beholders.
A long, weary, railway ride brought me to Canasto,
New York State, and the home of my good friends.
Dr. and Mrs. Jarvis. A warm welcome awaited me.
I think I never was quite so weary ; but they were
kind enough to know that bed was a welcome place,
and dear Mrs. Jarvis took me to the room prepared
for me, and told me it had been the resting-place of
a number of worthies. Gerritt Smith, the friend of
the slave and equal rights, who had lately passed on
to the higher life ; Samuel J. May, the saintly man,
whose face to look upon was in itself a benediction ;
and a host of men and women of whom I was to hear
more next day. What a rest that next day was to
me, as I lay on that sofa, my friend talking and read-
ing to me. Her richly-cultivated mind and high-
toned thoughts, with a liberality and large heartedness
which embraced all progressive thought and action,
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 69
made it a halcyon time. And then I got another
glimpse of American home life. Four fine sons and
a daughter made up the family. Two of the sons
were newly home from Cornell University, where
young men and women are educated together, and
pass examinations equally rigorous. They talked of
their sister going also ; and the good doctor, who had
been in this country, "guessed they were a little
a-head of us in some things — the education and
appreciation of women among them."
The next day was Sunday; and in the afternoon
the minister of the Methodist Church came along,
and, to my great astonishment, ofiered me his i^ulpit
for the evening. Evidently he believed the prophecy
of Joel about sons and daughters prophesying. I told
him I was ashamed to say that I did not feel com-
petent, as in our countiy women were discouraged
from occupying pulpits, and taught that only men had
business there (not that I believed the doctrine).
Accordingly he consented to occupy half the time,
and I was to take the rest. It was a beautiful
church, with the usual floral decorations, which I
got to like very much. A large congregation was
assembled. I sat with the minister on the platform,
and as the service proceeded I could not help wonder-
ing what some old country friends would think to see
me there, and I got nervous ; but then I remembered
that the first words of the Saviour after his resuiTec-
tion were to women, sending them with a message of
70 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
glad tidings to men. I also remembered gratefully
that everything that was human in Christ Jesus was
womanly. With only one human parent, and she a
woman, it was little wondir that much of the tender
heart of the woman should dwell in the heart of the
Saviour ; and I felt how well she might interpret that
great heart of love, if permitted and encouraged to do
so. All my nervousness vanished, and I rejoiced
that the Master had a message for me to deliver, and
I thanked him and took courage. I was afterwards
to meet and be the guest of regularly ordained women
ministers, but as yet all this was new to me.
My next visit was to the delightful home of Brother
and Sister Chase. My friend, Mrs. Jarvis, accom-
panied me as far as Syracuse. We landed there at six
o'clock in the moaning. I had passed this station on
coming, but I intended to see the sister of a friend in
Tayport. I knew it would be a great matter for them
to hear of her welfare. We found her in the garden,
breakfast over, even at that early hour; but she soon
had another breakfast in trim for us, and I told her
all I could of friends and home. She showed us all
through her beautiful new house and garden, all paid
for through their industry since coming there four years
ago. Everybody in America seems to have a house of
their own. They think a man should no more rent
his house than rent his clothes. They should both be
his own, and they act upon it, and never rest till house
and ground are their own. This worthy couple expect
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 71
soon to realise enough to retire on their means. They
will go out West, where money brings ten per cent.,
even when lent on real estate. They were very happy
if only they could see home friends now and then.
Oar visit was a refreshment, and we left to see a little
of the city of Syi'iicuse, a beautiful place with 60,000
inhabitants. One street called James Street deserves
special mention — it is composed entirely of mansions.
Surrounded by lovely ^prounds, the street seemed about
X 100 feet wide — and at each side, which sloped up like
an evenly-cut lawn, were princely mansions — with no
hedges or railings of any kind. Everything was open
to the beholder, and a more beautiful effect I never
saw. It is situated on a gradually-rising ground, about
a mile long, and when you reach the top the view is
grand. A fertile valley lies on one side, and for miles
the canal which runs through the city winds its silvery
way through a lovely country. There are large salt
works in Syracuse; and I must not forget to say that
as we went along one of the streets we met a house
coming along like a living thing. It was a beautiful
house of two storeys, with verandahs all round, and
contained twelve rooms. I had heard of houses being
moved, but now I had met one and had seen it for
myself, and, as Tennyson says, "Things seen are greater
than thinofs heard." The blinds were all down. I don't
know if the people were in it. I believe it is quite
common for them to remain in a moving house, and
the work is done so steadily that there is no reason
72
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
why they should not; and I can fancy that the changing
view from the windows might be quite interesting. A
moving windlass is put in the middle of the street^
worked by two horses; ropes attached to the house^
gradually bound round the windlass; while the house
moves on rollers prepared for it. The only preliminary
needed when a man wishes to remove, is to get per-
mission from a magistrate to take his house through
certain streets. In this case an extra tramway car had
to be put on, as they could not pass the hoiise. The
passengers got out, walked round it, and got into
another car in front of it. I was amused to see the
branches of the trees at each side of the street give way
as the house passed majestically along. Trees are
planted along all streets, even before houses are built,
and their shade is very refreshing.
Mrs. Jarvis took me to call on the E-ev. Celia
Burleigh, who was slowly dying of cancer. Her con-
gi-egation had got her into a che rful health establish-
ment. She was nursed and car^d for most tenderly.
They hoped that she might again minister to them ;
but she knew the call had come from the Master
to "go up higher," and she was peacefully waiting
for the pleasant message, the order for sweet release,
and leave to go, where she knew she would be so
happy and welcome. A beautifully refined and
chastened face was hers, as I saw it on the pillow
near the open window, where the vine leaves clus-
tered round. The face is glorified now, for a few
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. i 6
weeks sufficed to close the earth-life. It seemed as if
none but glad and cheerful words could be said re-
garding the change she so longed for. " My heart is
in sweet accord with God's will now," she said. " I
once regretted I could not work for Him longer on
earth, but He knows best. And oh ! the life beyond
— He has given me glimpses of it." And her face
srew radiant. We left her room with no real sad-
ness, for was it not the vestibule of Heaven, where
the inhabitants never say, I am sick, and the golden
sands of the celestial city know no wearied feet ]
CHAPTER X.
Hon. S. B. Chase — The Dwight House — Visit to the In-
ebriates' Home, Binghampton — Temperance Meeting ao
Great Bend.
Leaving Syracuse, I took the train for Great Bend,
where I found Bro. the Hon. S. B. Chase, author of
our " Good Templar Digest," and his amiable wife,
waiting me with their carriage. We were soon at
their sweet home, which is beautifully situated in the
Susquehanna Valley, by the side of the river of that
name. We found a sumptuous American tea awaiting
us, and I was introduced to their only daughter, and
fell in love with her at once. She is the joy of the
household and the apple of her father's eye. We
renewed old friendships formed in London and Paris;
74
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
and I was glad to see the Lome-life of these noble
workers in the cause of temperance.
Next day Bro. Chase proposed to take us to Bing-
hampton to see the Home for Inebriates, which is
considered the most successfully conducted one in the
country. Taking the train from Great Bend, we soon
aiTived at the Dwight House, a ^beautiful hotel kept
by Colonel Dwight* It is unique of its kind, being
like a terrace of private houses, each with its own
entrance and beautiful private grounds. On going
. ound the building we found the back as tastefully laid
out as the front, with fountains playing, &c. All
arrivals are at this side, so that luggage and dust-
stained travellers are never seen at the front entrances.
The beauty and purity of the inside arrangements were
faultless, while the furnishings were all in perfect taste,
elegant and rich, yet nothing superfluous. All the
wood-work was pure white, the floors covered with
rich Axminster carpets, the furniture (walnut) was
upholstered in crimson satin, and faced with velvet of
a deeper shade of crimson. We hear a great deal of
the magical powers and taste of French upholsterers,
but I saw nothing in Paris equal to this; and the bed-
rooms were equally recJierche, .
Having ordered dinner and a carriage to drive us to
tire Home, we found ourselves in an elegant equipage,
quite in keeping with Dwight House. After a pleasant
drive through a lovely country, we found the Home
standing on rising ground, commanding an extensive
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
75
view of the suiTounding country. We were received
by Dr. Coynder, under whose special management the
establishment is., — a courtly, handsome man — who
looked well fitted for the difficult post he had under-
taken. He took us all round the building, which has
everything to make it an attractive temporary home.
There were seventy-five inmates. Each has his own
room, comfortably furnished, and the Doctor encourages
them all to do something useful. Here, as eveiywhere
in America, labour stands on golden feet, and is hon-
curable. The inmates employ themselves variously —
as carpenters, bookbinders, gardeners, carvers in wood,
&c. One gentleman's room was filled with various
beautiful articles carved in the whitest uf white wood ;
indeed, the room was hung round with all kinds of
these works of art. Mr. Chase purchased a hand-
mirror for my daughter, which I brought away as a
memento of the place. It was very interesting to hear
the Doctor tell of the various kinds of cases. All are
treated as gentlemen, and allowed all freedom in going
to the village, (fee, and are put upon their honour not
to touch drink, and there is a high moral tone imparted
which makes every man zealous to sustain the honour
of the place; and when one does transgress, he is
shunned by the other inmates until he can redeem his
position by strict sobriety and gentlemanly conduct.
Turkish baths and many other means are used to sub-
due the craving of the poor victims for the bottle, and
even after being what is thought a suft*v?ient time in
u
>,,
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
the Home, twenty per cent, break through again, and
come begging to be taken into the shelter of the Home.
There are some also the Doctor is obliged to send away,
because they have not moral power to keep from tempta-
tion. These form seven per cent, of the whole. Is it
any wonder that Christians and philanthropists refuse
to tamper with an agency which brings about such
fearful results 1 These men are many of them fathers of
families, with innocent children and sorrowing wives;
and while it is fitting that the State should provide
these Homes as a refuge, it would be wiser to banish
the traffic which makes them needful. The Doctor
took us to see the reading and lecture rooms and chapel.
We saw the dinner table all in readiness, and it looked
very tempting. The Doctor politely invited us to sit
down and dine with them, but our carriage was waiting,
and our dinner ordered at the Dwight House. We
found it in keeping with all the rest of the place; the
variety of the dishes and the manner of serving all
that could be desired, and no wine. *
I had intended going on to Philadelphia next ctay,
for my time was growing distressingly short, but Mrs.
Chase was anxious to get up a meeting, and went
round announcing it for the evening. Accordingly,
in the evening, Mr. Chase drove us to the church
(Presbyterian) of which he is an elder. We found a
large attendance, and Mrs. Chase took the chair, as
president of the temperance union of the place. The
minister of the church and an Episcopal clergyman
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
77
were also on the platform, with Mr. Chase and one or
two others. The meeting had been called a few hours
before, and I marvelled it was so large; but temper-
ance is a popular subject in connection with any
church in America, and a most interesting and inter-
ested congregation listened with the deepest attention.
After Bro. Chase and the ministers had said a few
words, a Scotchman rose and proposed a vote of thanks
to me, with an enthusiasm which would have done
honour to an Irishman, and the meeting responded by
a rising vote. I shall long remember that impromtu
meeting, and the kindness of the people.
Next morning I bade a reluctant farewell to the
dear family at Great Bend, and set my face to go to
Philadelphia. I was obliged to forego the pleasure of
visiting our good brother, Hon. James Black. Both
he and brother Colonel M'Farland were expecting me,
but I was obliged to hurry on through this vast country,
in order to be in time for the steamer sailing for home
on the 6th of July.
CHAPTER XL
Philadelphia, the Quaker City — Visit co Chelton Hills —
Sketch of Lucretia Mott— **The Quv^ker of the Olden
Time" — Description of Philadelphia — Mrs. Wyttenmyer
— A Women's Newspaper Office. .-.___._
Philadelphia is the second city of the United States
in importance and number of population. It contains
78 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
800,000 inhabitants, and is the commercial metropolis
of the State of Peimsylvania. It has been called the
Quaker City, not only on account of its being founded
by that justly honoured friend, William Penn, but
also because here that peaceable community abound in
numbers and influence. Surely they are the " meek"
that " inherit the earth." What lovely sunny spots
their homes are ! Pictures of what all homes might
be if there were less sin; and how is it that their
faces have an expression of peace and rest such as one
rarely sees on other faces, as if the Angel of Patience
had, with cooling palm, been permitted to smooth o.t
lifers wrinkles, and for ever still the storms of dis-
quietude and unrest 1 and yet no people under heaven
have more uncompromisingly withstood the wrong in
all its forms. They were always ready to peril their
lives and property for the poor down-trodden slave,
and were never slow to perceive and redress their
wrongs when possible. Their testimony against war
and bloodshed has been equally firm and unmistake-
able. They hold the right of private judgment, and
their women are exactly on an equal platform with the
men. " Human rights are equal," say they, " irre-
spective of race, colour, or sex" — a sentiment which
finds its just expression nowhere else, unless it be in
Good Templarism; but its practice, as yet, falls far
behind. /
It was my good fortune to visit, by invitation,
Lucretia Mott at her lovely home (Chelton Hills),
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. id
four miles out of Philadelphia. My cousin Mary,
with whom I was staying, and myself took the train,
and were met at the station by a great-grand-daughter
of the old lady with her carriage. She drove us
herself very spiritedly, like an i^aJ^rioan girl, to the
beautiful family residence. After taking off our
things, we were ushered into the drawing-room, and
there sat in a rocking chair one of the most remarkable
women I ever saw. Straight as an arrow, with a
clear, intellectual face, full of force of character, ami
yet sweet and womanly ; hair as white as snow, parted
over a prominent, transparent forehead. Indeed, the
whole face was light/ed with an inward beauty that age
could not dim. She is 82 yeai-s old. She received us
most cordially, and was deeply interested to hear all I
could tell her of progress in this country. I need
scarcely say that she is a Friend of the old school, and
the Primitive dress seemed like a part of herself. I
was reminded of Charles Lamb saying — "The gar-
ments of a Quaker seem incapable of receiving soil —
every Quakeress is a lily;" and he further adds —
" When they come up in bands to their yearly meet-
ings, whitening the streets of the metropolis, they look
like troops of the shining ones;" and I could almost
have imagined that I saw one of the shining ones
before me, so ethereal and spiritiielle was the face of
Lucretia Mott. She is reverenced beyond the lot of
most by her children and their children. Her daugh-
ter and daughter's husband, Mr. Davis, live with her
80
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
in their spacious home, and every want is anticipated
by them in the most loving iaanner, but the old lady
is perfectly self-reliant. She called a little girl to her,
and said, "Tell this lady thy name;" and the little
one answered, " Lucretia Mott." I trust the old lady^s
mantle mav rest on her children. She showed no
signs of weariness, though she talked nearly two hours
of the incidents of her life ; and with great vivacity
she related hov^ fort^ years ago she was sent as an
anti-slavery delegate to this country, along with Mr.
Lloyd Garrison and some others. When they ap-
peared at the grand meeting in London, the ladies
were not permitted a seat on the platform, after
crossing the ocean to bear their testimony. They felt
tliis singularly uncourteous, but the gentlemen of their
company felt it still more. No true American will
see a woman slighted; and, with dignity, they took
their place in the gallery beside the women delegates,
and no entreaties from the prominent Englishmen
could move them. " No," said the noble Garrison ;
" these are equally delegates from America with our-
Belves; they have their credentials; and we will
accept no courtesies that are not equally extended to
tliem ;" and so they sat on, to the dismay of the de-
servedly humiliated committee. I told the dear old
lady that I thought Englishmen had learned to behave
V little better in these days. We were presently
invited to the dining-room, where the most sumptuous
of all American teas I ever saw awaited us. We sat
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 81
down — t(mr generations — the old lady in the seat of
of honour. The room had windows to the ground,
opening out on a verandah which ran round the house.
Such a delicious tea — rich cream and strawberries and
ripe cherries ; butter, newly churned ; salad, fruits,
home-made cakes, and bread in endless variety ; a dish
of newly gathered green peas ; and, to crown all, in
compliment to Scotland, a china dish witli oatmeal
porridge in it, and a jug of cream beside it. I know I
have not mentioned half the things on that table ; it is
impossible ; and I must not forget to say that the peas
had been gathered by the old lady, who regards it as
part of her prerogative to do this always in the season.
She told me that she believed she owed much of her
strength to being so much in the garden, imbibing life
from the soil. " I gather a thousand pods," said she.
^' I have a basket which holds a hundred, and I fill it
t3n times." After we had partaken of tea, we went
into the grounds with Mr. and Mrs. Davis, who are
quite as progressive as their noble mother. After
quite a long ramble, we came onee more into the
drawing-room, and were shown various albums filled
with portraits of noble people on both sides of the
Atlantic. They seemed as familiar with our men and
women who were foremost in good works as we are.
I was presented with a beautiful portrait of this most
I'cmarkable woman of her day. It is executed by
Gutekunst, a German, by a process for which he has
received the prize of the world. I need scai'cely add
■laaassKii
82 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
that Lucretia Mott is minister in the Society of
jl^riends, r d still attends the meetings, and not un-
frequently speaks. Her clear, logical mind, and pure
distinct utterance, with the womanly sweetness which
attends all she says, make her words very precious.
She was one of the first women who spoke on the anti-
slavery platform fifty years ago, and at the funeral of
Isaac T. Hopper, of Boston (the friend of the slave),
she addressed the thousands who attended in a manner
which can never be forgotten.
I cannot conclude this brief sketch in a more befit-
ting manner than by addii»g Whittier's beautiful
poem, entitled —
THE QUAKER OF THE OLDEN TIME.
The Quaker of the olden time,
How calm and firm and true ;
Unspotted by its wrong and crime.
He walked the dark earth througli.
The lust of power, the love of gain.
The thousand lures of sin
Around him, had no power to stain
The purity within.
With that deep insight which detects
All great things in the small,
And knows how each man's life affects
The Spiritual fife of aU.
He walked by faith, and not by sight,
By love, and not by law ;
The presence of the wrong or right,
He rather felt than saw.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 83
He felt that wrong with wrong partakes,
That nothing stands alone ;
That whoso gives the motive, makes
His brother's sin his own.
And pausing, not for doubtful choice
Of evils great or small ;
He hstened to the inward voice,
WTiich called away from all.
! Spirit of that early day.
So pure and strong and true —
Be with us in the narrow way,
Our faithful fathers knew.
Give strength, the evil to forsake,
The cross of truth to bear —
And love and reverent fear to make
Our daily lives a prayer.
I was much pleased with Philadelphia. Its build-
ings are mostly of brick and white marble. Nearly
all the steps of the houses are marble, which gives
them a bright, clean appearance. We visited Fair-
mount Park, which stands on an eminence and is
beautifully laid out. Here are large reservoirs
drawn from the Schuylkill river, and the river itself
runs through the grounds, and small steamers ply
on it. Here also the Centennial Exhibition build-
ing is being erected ; it appeared almost ready for the
roof. I was interested to learn that an acre of
ground had been set apart for the work of women ;
and the Americans were anxious that the women of
Great Britain should send work to exhibit. Mrs.
84 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
Hallowell, De Lancy Place, is the honorary secretary.
I visited also Independence Hall, where the Con-
stitutional Congress sat in 1776 and voted for and
signed the Declaration of Independence. The original
document is framed and hung in this hall. It has
the autographs of all the members of that remarkable
congress. There are many curiosities here ; the old
Liberty Bell hangs in the hall, supported by large
wooden rafters, which are the original timbers which
supported it when it was used to proclaim liberty
throughout all the land. Americans regard this bell
with great pride, since it rang to proclaim the
most important event of their history, the birth of
a nation upon the basis that " all men are born free
and equal." Various manufactures are carried on
here — cotton and woollen goods made. A friend told
me that two Yorkshire men had a manufactory for
carpets and woollen goods a few miles up the Schuyl-
kill river. They came out five years ago with hardly
a dollar, and are now very wealthy. Everyone, how-
ever, spoke of the depression in all branches of tirade.
I rode out to Frankfort, a suburb of Philadelphia,
where my cousin lived, in a new kind of tramway car
called a "dummie." It is driven by steam. A man
sits at one end, which is partitioned ofi", and manages
the steam apparatus. He can stop at any moment
almost instantly to take on or let off passengers.
But these "dummies" are only allowed to inin in the
outsldrts of the city, as they fri;^hten the horses.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 85
I visited Mrs. Wyttenmyer, the president of the
Women's National Temperance Union, in her pleasant
office. She is the editor and proprietor of, I think,
three papers. She keeps a large staff of clerks and
compositors, all women. I was charmed with the
neatness and beauty of the surroundings, and also
with the efficient business dispatch of all departments
Notwithstanding all Mrs. Wyttenmyer accomplishes,
she finds time to address meetings almost daily on
Christian and temperance work, and travels great
distances to preside at State Conventions, where her
business tact is greatly appreciated.
CHAPTER XII.
American Steamers — Fall River— Boston — Wendell Phillips —
Female Librarians — ** The Cradle of Liberty" — William
Lloyd Garrison.
Taking the Fall River steamer, I left New York at
five in the afternoon, and found ail the arrangements
on board first-class. An elegant tea was served in a
large saloon, a sort of table d^ Mtey kept up until late
in the evening — ^the charge being only 50 cents,
about two shillings. Coloured waiters attended to the
guests; the stewardesses were also coloured women.
And here I must testify to their efficiency. They are
remarkably intuitive, and seem to know at a glance
what you want. I have before described these
86 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
steamers, but it seemed to me this Boston steamer
exceeded any I had been in for magnificence. Two
large saloons were set apart for ladies. They were
richly carpeted, and luxuriously furnished with velvet
covered couches and easy chairs of all kinds, marble
tables, with iced water and glasses in abundance^ but
nothing intoxicating. All the inside painting is pure
white, richly gilded, which has a graceful efiect. Each
passenger is furnished with a key to a separate state-
room — the prettiest little chamber one can imagine,
with a bed and chair, washing apparatus, and above it
M shelf, with the iced water (which Americans consider
one of the necessaries of life). Against the wall hangs
a life preserver, and on every side are printed instruc-
tions how to use it. Since the number of appalling
accidents on the Hudson and elsewhere, the govern-
ment oblige steamboat companies to provide a life
preserver ready for use for every passenger.
At six next morning we arrived at Fall River, a
• ort of entry, and important manufacturing city of
Bristol county. The city has a fine elevated situation,
its streets ornamented and shaded by handsome trees ;
it enjoys superior advantages for manufacturing pur-
poses, streams forming never failing water-power.
This is the location of extensive manufactories, the
principal articles produced are calico prints, and other
cotton fabrics, and woollen goods. There are also iron
works, rolling mills, nail mills, foundries and machine
shops; thread, oil cloth, and carpets are largely pro-
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 87
diiced. The harbour is large and easy of access, and
of sufficient depth to admit the largest vessels. From
Fall River I took the train to Boston, the capital of
Massachusetts — " The Old Bay State," remarkable for
the independence of its people, and the stronghold of
anti-slavery principles. Boston is a fine old English
looking city, containing 352,800 inhabitants. In
commercial importance it ranks among the first cities
of the country, it has attained a national reputation
for its excellent schools, and for its intelligent and
polite society. No other city in the United States has
such a number of literary, scientific, and educational
establishments. Said a lady to me, " If you have
learning, you may obtain access into the best society
in Boston, but in New York it is wealth which opens
the portals."
My first visit was to Wendell Phillips, to whom I
had a letter of introduction. I was courteously re-
ceived by this celebrated orator in his library. I think
he is, without exception, the handsomest man I saw in
America. A finely chiseled face, indicating vigour and
determination with refinement, a noble head, and a
fine, graceful form. I did not wonder at his power
over an audience. He is called the silver-tongued
orator ; not that he says only smooth things, but he
says powerful things in an easy, graceful, commanding
manner, with distinct and clear utterance. He is an
old Abolitionist, and boldly advocated nti-slavery
principles when it was unpopular to do so. He is also
88 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
a powerful temj)erance advocate. After conversing
for some time on matters of interest to both countries,
he proposed to take me to see something of the city.
We went to the large public library, an imposing
building, which took some time to go through. A city
with such a librar3' ought to be celebrated for its
learning. I was amazed at its extent, and the air of
elegance and refinement it presented. All the passages
and staircases are carpeted, and I was charmed to find
that seventy young ladies attend to the various depart-
ments; and Mr. Phillips told me that they earned
handsome salaries — some hundreds of dollars a-year.
They are all provided with comfortable chairs, and I
can imagine that, on the whole, they have a pleasant,
easy life, giving out books and keeping a register of
those lent. I saw many of them (when not employed)
reading in easy chairs. A few men are there — I sup-
pose to lift heavy b joks on those high shelves. The
young ladies were well dressed and superior looking,
and I should think, of themselves, they are an attrac-
tion to the library — whatever may be said of the books.
Mr. Phillips asked if we employed young ladies in this
manner in the old country. I said I thought not, but
it seemed a very fitting kind of employment Tor women.
Leaving the library, we proceeded through the prin-
cipal streets. Faneuil Hall is an interesting place
from its associations. It was here where all the noted
anti-slavery meetings were held, and political meetings
also. It has been christened the Cradle of Liberty ;
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 89
and during the War of Independence, when word
came that a quantity of tea liable to duty was lying
ready to land, the citizens came to the conclusion
that " taxation without representation is tyranny,"
and with one consent thev rose and, in defiance of
King George and the army Le had sent, chrew all the
chests of tea into the Boston harbour ; and ere long
three millions of Americans threw ofi* the British yoke,
and became a free and independent nation. The
Declaration of Independence was signed and issued
July 4th, 1776, when America began her great career
as a free country.
It was from Faneuil Hall that William Lloyd
Garrison (attending a meeting of Abolitionists) was
dragged forth by the mob through the streets of
Boston with a halter round his neck, to be tarred and
feathered. His clothes were torn from his back, and
eggs and stones thrown at him. He was only rescued
by the friendly police, and lodged all night in jail for
protection. On the walls of his cell the undaunted
friend of the slave wrote — " William Lloyd Garrison
was dragged through this city with a halter round his
neck, and finally lodged in this cell, for proclaiming
the truth that ^all men are born free and equal.'"
Then follows the date. No man in Boston is now
more highly honoured. I had the pleasure of visiting
him in his own home, which was a rare treat. He is
a fine benevolent-looking old gentleman, retaining still
the fire and energy which have carried him through an
90 A TEMPERAXCE TOUR THROUGH
eventful life. Four sons (I think) and a daughter
constitute his family; the daughter is married. It
was refreshing to hear him say, ** I wish you had seen
my daughter Fannie ; I know you would have liked
her ; '^ adding quaintly, " I fell in love with her as
soon as I saw her, and I have loved her ever since."
Wo s,poke of the commencement of the anti-slavery
struggle: how, in 1831, Mr Garrison edited and pub-
lished a paper called the Emancipator, He was not
rich in those days. He wi^ote the articles with a soul
on fire with the wrongs of the slave, and, with the
help of a friend, set the type himself. With rare self-
denial, he lived on bread and water that the paper
might be kept up. It was a humble beginning, but it
had the germs of a noble victory in the distant future.
This was, perhaps, the earliest record in the history of
emancipation. The Mayor of Boston was asked to
suppress the paper by a Southern magistrate, but he
replied, " He thought it was not worth the trouble.
The office of the editor was an obscure hole, and his
supporters a few insignificant persons of all colours.'*
But in one year after the paper was commenced, the
first American Anti-Slavery Society was formed. It
was composed of only twelve members, but they were
in earnest. Busy hands and tongues were employed
in scattering the good seed, and it quickly brought
forth fruit. Every word uttered against slavery
began to find willing listeners. Within three years
two hundred Anti-Slavery Societies had sprung up in
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 91
America. In seven years more these had increased to
two thousand. The powerful aid of woman was
evoked, and the war against slavery began in right
earnest. It was at a meeting called by the anti-
slavery women that Mr. Garrison was seized, as before
stated, by the mob. It was a rare treat to hear him
tell, with the fire and vivacity of youth, the stimng
incidents of those days, and of his visit to Great
Britain with a number more anti-slavery delegates,
Lucretia Mott and five others, and how the English-
men refused a seat on the platform to the women
delegates when they appeared in London. I have
relaUed this incident before in my description of a visit
to Lucretia Mott at Philadelphia ; but I enjoyed hear-
ing it again from Mr. Garrison. " The idea," he said,
" of treating our noblest workers so, and for such a
reason, too — because they were women ! We Ameri-
can men could not stand that, and, in our turn, we
refused to take the platform to the great chagrin of
powerful gentlemen who were the most prominent
workers on your side of the water." Mr. Garrison is
a warm advocate of the right of sufirage for tax-paying
women, and holds that one-half of a nation have no
right to make laws for the other half without their
consent. I told him it was quite refreshing to hear a
man so earnest for equal justice ; that in our country
the men (if they did not ridicule it) said — " When
women generally show a desire for suff*rage they will
obtain it." With infinite indignation of tone, he said
92
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
— " As well might the highway robber say, When the
person I have robbed shows a desire to have back his
goods I will give them back. The principle of injus-
tice exists irrespective of the wishes of the wronged.
Human rights are equal, irrespective of race, colour, or
sex." After spending a few pleasant hours in the
hospitable home of this remarkable man, I came away
impressed with his energy and force of character, com-
bined with a rare benevolence. He inquired particu-
larly after his friend, George Thompson, and after
hearing of his frail state of health, he said — " Tell him
I send him as much love as ever he can stagger under."
These are fair specimens of Mr. Garrison's emphatic
utterances. I can imagine how powerful an advocate
the poor slave had in him.
CHAPTER XIII.
i>r. Dio Lewis — The Whisky War — Mother Stewart — Literary
Women — Mrs. Lucy Stone — American Hospitahty — Mrs.
Lydia M. Child.
It is perhaps rather unfortunate for the interest of
these papers that 'people were always more to me than
places or things. Thus, in thinking of Boston, it is
the people I met there that rise up in my memory,
rather than the city and its places of interest, and I
paid three most refreshing visits to Dr. Dio Lewis and
his amiable wife. I knew that he had been one of
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
93
the great instrumentalities in stirring up the Christian
women in the churches of America to commence the
principal crusade against the dram-shop, which has
had such a mighty influence in all the Western States,
and indeed throughout America — a vast tidal wave,
which has been felt also in this country and elsewhere.
The first meeting of which there is record was held at
Washington, Ohio. Its population is about 3000. Dr.
Dio Lewis held a temperance meeting in one of the
churches, and the women of the audience were so
deeply affected by his vivid portrayal of the misery
and wretchedness caused by the liquor traffic, that on
the next afternoon they met and resolved to have the
Doctor speak again. The next morning the street
walls were covered with posters calling for a temper-
ance mass meeting in one of the churches. Nearly the
entire population turned out, and after an enthusiastic
meeting about one hundred of the leading ladies in
the town formed themselves into a long procession,
and, while singing a pathetic chant, they marched to
ohe nearest grog-shop, leaving the gentlemen to stay
in the church to pray for their success. In less than
a week, all the saloons in the town were closed but
one, and their liquor emptied into the gutters. Tliree
months before this, a drunkard's wife came to "Mother
Stewart," in Springfield, Ohio, and, with great anguish
depicted in her face, described the miseries of her
home. The lady listened to her sorrowful story, and
prayed fervently with her. She then advised her to
i
94 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH ♦
prosecute the liquor-seller who supplied her husband,
under the Adair law; and she promised to conduct
the case for her, which she did, and judgment was
awarded in her favr ir. From this time, says the
record, Mother Stewart devoted herself to the temper-
ance cause; but she declared the law alone was of
little value — real power must come from God, through
prayer, but not without accompanying work. A meet-
ing was called by the Ladies' Benevolent Society, of
which she was a member, and after a night spent in
prayer and lamentation, radical resolutions were passed,
and each member pledged herself to stand by them to
the end. The pastors of the various churches were
consulted, and their co-operation secured. Mass meet-
ings followed ; and the Springfield Woman's League
was formed, with Mother Stewart as president. She
soon organised a band of ladies to visit the saloons,
and one after another was closed. For days and
nights these heroic women prayed on the cold side-
walks, entreating drunkards not to enter the saloons.
No dangers or difficulties daunted them, and, like the
walls of Jericho before the devout Israelites, one after
another of the saloons fell before them and the power
they had evoked. With a leader of such unusual
force of character and intent as Mother Stewart, with
a determination which knows no check, and overcomes
all obstacles, in what she thinks the path of duty, it
was little wonder that such results followed. When
I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful lady in
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 95
the temperance convention in Chicago, I said, " Mother
Stewart, will you come to Scotland, and set us ou fire
there?" At once she replied, in her own emphatic
manner, " The Lord bless you, sister ; if he sends me,
I will." And now she has landed on our shores,
bringing with her numerous and important testimonials
from influential ministers and laymen regarding her
position and work, and bespeaking for her a cordial
reception by the Christian and temperance people of
this country. It was thought best that she should
commence her labours in London. Already a number
of churches have been tendered her. May the Master
set his seal on her work.
But to return to Dr. Dio Lewis. He is at present
'S the proprietor of a Hygienic Establishment in Boston,
and editor of a weekly paper called To-Bay, He is
also a voluminous writer. I found him a most genial
man, of original ideas, and faith in his convictions,
even where they run counter to those of most other
people. He has firm faith in the power of good
women, and says they can accomplish anything they
set their hearts on. His account of his own mother is
very touching. He said — " There was trouble at our
house when I was a little boy. My father had foi*-
gotten everything but drink. There were ^ve of us
small children, and my mother, with her own hands,
provided for us all. She was nurse, cook, housekeeper,
provider, father, mother, everything ; and, in addition
to all this, she was often the victim of abuse and
96 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
violence. Often she would weep in the presence of
us children, and when she could bear it no longer she
would drag her weary limbs up into the garret. We
know what she went the re for. We would hear her
say — ' Lord, help me, help me. Oh, Lord, how long,
how long]' and then she would be silent for a little
while. And when she came down her cheeks were
wet, but her face shone like that of an angel. We grew
up with a very large estimate of the power of prayer.
The day was never so dark that my mother could not
go up to the garret and open the clouds. And to-day,"
ho added, " more than forty years after these darkest
times, I believe in my heart that women's prayer is the
most powerful agency upon earth." His convictions
are so strong that only moral means can overcome the
immoral legislation, that he goes so far as to say that
prohibition alone would be a failure. In this he dif~
fers from most temperance reformers. But he is much
respected in spite of his unique views. He spoke of
visiting Great Britain for the benefit of his health.
He kindly presented me with a number of his works.
Another interesting visit was to the home of H. B.
Blackwell, Esq., the brother of Dr. Elizabeth Black-
well, of London, and his still more celebrated wife,
Lucy Stone, at their beautiful home, a few miles out
of Boston. They invited me to spend the day. Mr.
Blackwell met me with his carriage, and we arrived at
eight o'clock in the morning. I was welcomed by
Lucy Stone, who still likes to retain the name, a
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 97
bright, phimp, comfortable-looking, sweet voiced little
lady. She took me upstairs, and I told her I had read
of her, years ago, protesting against paying taxes on
her property since it brought her no privilege of
voting. She smiled and said she did it once, and
allowed them to sell her goods, as the Friends do when
Church rates are levied. She and her husband and a
few more edit a paper called Tim WomerHs Journal.
It is devoted to the interests of v/omen, and has a
large circulation. We came down, as I thought, to
breakfast, but I found here again how early Americans
breakfast. Theirs was over, but Mrs. Stone quickly
set about preparing mine with hei own hands, and a
delightful one it was. I did wish that some people
who say that literary women neglect their homes
could have seen her — and it. The house throughout
was in the most perfect order, indicating that the lady
there looked well to the ways of her household ; this
was unmistakeable in every detail. Mrs. Stone is an
authority on the best kind of machinery for household
purposes; from a washing machine to an apple parer,
and I believe she would be ashamed if she. could noi
do any thing that needs to be done in a house — n
thoroughly practical, sensible woman, dearly beloved
by her husband and only daughter. -AH. morning we
talked of the various reforms going on m both coun-
tries, and the people engaged in them ; our literary
and public characters, &c. They told me that Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe had waited more than an hour in
98 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
Boston the day before to see me, with Mr. Garrison
and Mrs. Livermore, and I had missed them. Mrs.
Howe is the author of the famous battle hymn that
was used during the war. I am sorry I did not see
her. One of my greateat aspirations in America was
to see Mrs. Lydia Maria Child, who writes that charm-
ing book, called " Letters from New York," and many
others; but this book I had read again and again,
every time with renewed interest. Its chapters are
full of the exquisite word painting, which would charm
Mr. E/Uskin, interwoven with an enlightened philoso-
phy and unworldly wisdom, which elevates the reader
into unwonted altitudes of thought. Such books
should never be allowed to go out of print. "Well, I
was telling Mr. Blackwell that my only regret in
leaving Boston was that I had not seen Mrs. Child, as
I nearly worshipped her through her works. Immedi-
ately he said to his wife, " Lucy, could we not manage
to take Mrs. Parker there, by driving to Boston, and
taking the train to Wayland, where she lives ? " No
sooner said, than this kind couple made preparations.
Mrs. Stone got a delightful limch ready, while her
husband went to see after the carriage, and we were
soon en route for Wayland.
After a pleasant ride from Mr. Blackwell's residence
to Boston, we there took train on the Titchburg line,
which landed us within a few miles of the village of J
Wayland, where Mrs. Lydia M, Child resides. The
day was exceedingly warm, so much so that walking
If
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 9&
was out of the question. We inquired for a convey-
ance at the station, but none was to be had. We,
however, were not the kind of people to be daunted by-
small difficulties. We were bent on accomplishing the
mission we had set out on. We walked a little way
along the road until we came to a pleasant embank-
ment shaded by trees. Here we sat down, and Mrs.
Stone spread a white cloth on the grass, and laid out
the tempting luncheon she had prepared with such
timely forethought — cold lamb, bread and butter, milk,
pine apple, and oranges. We had scarcely begun to
eat it when a young lady came from a large house at
the top of the hill and invited us to go into the house,
as the heat was so great. Here again I admired the
absence of conventionality among Americans. If the
young lady had been our sister she could not have
shown us more hearty goodwill. We explained our
errand and Mr. Blackwell said that I was a lady from
Scotland who was most anxious to go to Wayland to
see Mrs. Child. She went back to the house, and
presently a gentleman (I think it was her father) ^,
came out, and, with the greatest goodwill, said he
would gladly go and " hitch up " his horse. He very :
soon came with a horse and w^hat they call a buggy,
and lent them to us for the journey (if I remember
rightly it was six miles) ; and when we tried to thank
him, he said quietly, " My first wife was a Scotch
woman." And so here were o\ir difficulties overcome
— a perfect stranger had given us his horse and car-
f f
100 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
riage; the only inj.uiction given to Mr. Black well
being to " keep a, tight rein." I love to recall these
refreshing experiences and touches of human nature in
its best aspects. A boundless generosity and hospi-
tality to strangers is universal in America. Then they
have xihe faith that removes mountains. If a thing is
desii'able, nothing is thought impossible to accomplish
it. They can literally hurl mountains out of the way,
bore tunnels through them, and indeed, as in the New
York harbour, they can throw mountains into the sea,
and make them a foundation for roads, where it is
desirable to pass over them.
After a sultry ride over dusty roads, we arrived at
the village of Wayland, and soon found the home of
Mrs. Child, a sweet, retired spot. After fastening our
horse to a ring in the ground with a bridle, which I
noticed was a part of every harness, we walked up the
flowery path to the house. Mrs. Child opened the
door, and received us like a queen and a saint. She is
seventy-three years of age — a lovely spirit looking
"toward sunset," with the light of heaven on her brow.
She busied herself in getting refreshments for our
horse, and then for ourselves. A friend shares her
home, and together they keep it in beautiful order.
Mrs. Child believes in the dignity of labour, and hopes
that the day will never come when American women
will be ashamed of doing anything that needs to he
done in their households. I liked to hear this from a
lady of such rare culture, learning, and refinement.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STxVTES. 101
Mrs. Stone and myself heartily re-echoed the senti-
ment. We stayed quite an hour, sitting as charmed
listeners to a conversation as elevating as her wiitings.
There are some souls to whom it is given to develop
the glorious possibilities of the human spirit in them-
selves and in others ; their thoughts seem aspirations,
and by means of their expression one is lifted up to a
divine life ; their words, written or ..^)oken leave a
deep trace in the soul; and for the time we "walk
paradise unconsciously." Mrs. Stone asked as a great
favour that she would write something for the journal.
" Well," she said, smiling, " if it comes to me I will
write, but I can never set myself to do it mechani
cally ; I must wait for the mood." We were shown a
number of drawings and photographs. The old lady
seemed to divine that I coveted one of herself, and she
kindly wrote a sentiment and her autograph on the
back of one, and gave it me; it is among my treasures.
A portrait of Mr. Child hangs in the room, and under
it a floral card with this inscription, as far as my
memory serves, " David Lee Child, a learned, just,
and loving soul, went hence , 1873 (I forget the
month). * Not lost, but gone before.* " We reluc-
tantly took our leave, and in coming through the
garden Mrs. Child plucked a bunch of white roses, and
gave them to me. I have them yet. She herself
looked lovelier than her flowers. Her parting words
were a benediction. I shall see her again where "there
shall be no more sea."
M
102 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
In returning to the station we met a carriage, whicli
was suddenly pulled up, and a lady alighted and came
up to ours. Mrs. Stone said, "Why, it is Mrs.
Tilton," and cordially shook hands with her and
kissed her. She was going to Mrs. Child's, doubtless^
to strengthen and sun herself in the atmosphere of
that strong and earnest soul. We wonder sometimes
that saint-like people who are left alone are kept in
this world through years of feebleness ; but from the
mountain ranges to which they have climbed, it is
given them to lift up storm-beaten, wearied souls,
who come to them for riches not of earth. As I
loolied on this outraged wife, separated from her chil-
dren, her home, and her husband, the apostle of easy
divorce, I felt glad there was an hereafter, where
wrongs will be righted. She is a quiet-looking little
lady, with a world of feeling in her face. She spoke
of the possibility of having her youngest child in her
keeping, and all the mother was aroused in her. We
wished her God-speed and passed on. Having given
up the horse and carriage to our good friend, I told
him I should never forget him.
We again took the train to Boston, feeling that we
had accomplished much. I shall long remember this
as a red-letter day. I bade good-bye to Mr. and Mrs.
Blackwell, they returning to their home, I to my
room, where I found a handsome volume by Dr. Dio
Lewis, with his regards, so I went along to thank
him, and spend another hour with him and Mrs.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 103
Lewis. They spoke of visiting Great Britain. I
hope they will come while Mother Stewart is here.
Mrs. Lewis is an earnest reformer, and greatly in-
terested in opening up fresh avenues of work for
women. She told me also of some improved gar-
ments that have been invented for women on hygienic
principles, whereby the weight of tLe £kirt is lifted
from the waist and placed on the shoulders. Offices
and regular business establishments have been opened,
and the demand for these inventions is greater than
the supply. I was glad to avail myself of the oppor-
tunity of getting fitted up with these appliances, and
I hope that we shall have branch establishments
here. One lady told me that so great had been the
relief to her that she wished she could be bom over
again that she might know what it was to go through
life without the weary backaches brought on by
heavy clothing. I hope nobody reading this will
think that I advocate the Bloomer costume. These
appliances make no difference in the outside dress.
Our clothing, like our food, forms a very essential
part of our daily life, and both have very intimate
relation to the health of the body. It is the duty of
every Christian to maintain that body in the most
perfect health as the temple of the Holy Ghost,
I was unwilling to leave Boston without having
seen Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, one of the most
finished and eloquent of American speakers. She
resides at Melrose, near Boston. I had gone out
104 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
on the Saturday afternoon, but found she was at
Hingham with her husband, who is pastor of a
church there. He has to preach in the morning,
and Mrs. Livermore in the evening. I found the
family at home with a sister of hers. They kindly
insisted on telegraphing to her to return early on
Monday morning to see me. I accordingly went out
again by train on Monday, and arrived at Melrose
before Mrs. Livermore. I learned that her family
were deeply concerned about her health, and longed
so much that I might be able to persuade her to re-
turn to Europe with me. She had been studying
and lecturing during the winter and overtasked her
strength. This is a temptation into which, I should
think, many Americans fall, and especially the ardent
souls, upon whom is laid the burden of working oul
earnest reforms. They are the pioneers who tread
with bleeding feet the thorny paths of this world,
that others coming after them may walk with ease.
All honour to them; their memory shall be held
sacred by those who reap the fruit of their labours
after they have passed to their reward. Dr. Lees
told me that he considered Mrs. Livermore the most
eloquent speaker and orator of the day. Comparing
her to W. E. Gladstone, ex-Premier, he said, " She
has all his finished purity of diction and elegant con-
scruction of sentences ; but she has, in addition to
these, the element of humour, which gives her addi-
tional power over her audience." The lecture Bureau
CANADA AXD THE UNITED STATES. 105
of any State think themselves fortunate when they
can secure Mrs. Livermore for a course of lectures,
and she never receives less than £50 a-night. I was
naturally anxious to see this remarkable lady, and
she soon arrived, having only got the telegram of
Saturday on her anival in Boston on Monday. I
don't think, if I lived in America, I sliould ever
think of telegraphing. I never heard of telegrams
being delivered even as quickly as our letters are at
home. I felt, in seeing Mrs. Livermore, that 1 was
meeting an old friend. We fell into kindred topics
of conversation at once. She is a queenly, womanly
woman ; than which I know not what more I can say
to express my admiration of her. Formed in nature's
'finest mould, she looked as fit to rule an empire as a
liome. She has, I believe, largely built up that home.
They were once not rich, the husband a pastor with a
small salary, the children's wants not easily met.
The mother rocked the cradle while she penned
articles for newspapers or magazines ; and, by hard
experience, found that women's labour was not, as a
rule, well paid. This experience ^vrought in her soul
the conviction that bv woman's hand must her own
salvation in this respect be accomplished ; and now
she stands without a fear, as a speaker, and a winter's
campaign of forty lectures brings her in two thousand
pounds. Her home is a model of neatness and refine-
ment. I was conducted through every part of it. A
comfortable family mansion — all iier own ; for it is
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106 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
f-
the custom of American husbands to settle the home-
stead on the wife, so that she and her children may
not be disturbed in case of his death. The law of the
land also provides that no man can sell any of his
landed property without his wife's consent, and no
title deeds are valid without her signature. The men
who frame such considerate laws may be pardoned if
they think they can represent women politically, but
the women of America still think they have much to
complain of, and need the ballot to work many social
reforms. The will of a reprobate father may deprive
the mother of the custody of her own children even
in America, where the best men like to acknowledge
that woman is the queen of the home, and love to in-
stal her there, supplying her, with lavish hand, with
all that can build up that magic structure. He looks
to her for inspiration through her more spiritual
nature ; her intuitions are revelations ; and she inter-
prets all nature to him. I found the daughters of
this interesting family were being trained to be self-
supporting as well as thoroughly domesticated. The
eldest, a young lady of eighteen, has 500 dollars
(j£100) a-year as teacher in a normal school. Hours
from 10 A.M. to 3 p.m., with an interval for dinner. I
could not persuade Mrs. Livermore to go home with
me. She could not spare time, but hoped to come
the following summer. I have since heard that her
health is much improved. We can ill aflPord to spare
such workei'S from the field of useful labour. I was
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 107
obliged to leave about one o'clock to return to Boston,
to be ready for the steamer which was to take me to
Portland. I bade a reluctant good-bye to this worthy
family, bringing with me a number of photographs
and a cabinet picture of Mrs. Livermore, which I
prize much. She also put into my hand an illumi-
nated motto, which I had admired in the dining-room.
It was, " Do Right and Fear Not " — an excellent
watchword. It hangs before me now, and always
brings to mind the earnest Christian woman who
gave it me, Mrs, Mary A. Livermore. I left Boston
feeling that I should like to return. There lingers
much of the old Puritan element there. The people
are real and downright, and seem to live as if the
renovation of the world depended on them. Even
their dress seemed to bear its testimony of unworldly
and uncompromising rectitude. Bunker's Hill and
Fanueil Hall throw their shadows over Bostonians.
They do not forget the principles for which they
fought there.
CHAPTER XIV.
Portland — The new Post Office — Visit to General Neal Dow —
Spirits below — Good Templar Banquet.
Mrs. Partington accompanied me to Portland. It
is a fourteen hours' sail from Boston. We arrived at
seven in the morning in the Portland harbour, and I
108
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
was glad to set my foot on that State where prohibi-
tion reigns. It was a bright, clear morning, and the
white marble chief buildings of Portland looked
beautiful. We were ready for breakfast, and Mrs.
Partington's black cook (Ben) soon made us one of the
most delicious breakfasts imaginable — -hot rolls and
biscuits, fried oysters — and such oysters, not like ours,
that cost three or four shillings a hundred, but plump,
large, rich ones ; quite a mouthful. I watched him
cook them ; I dare not say how many. They were
fresh from the shore that morning, and were opened by
magic, put on a clean drainer, then rolled in egg and
bread crumbs ; all this while the lard, quite two pounds,
was in the frying-pan ready boiling to receive them.
They were soon fried a lovely bro^vn, and put on a hot
dish — our coffee was ready — and I don't remember
ever enjoying a l>reakfast so ; much to Ben's delight,
who chuckled and smiled, and, to show his satisfaction,
he brought in omelets and fried potatoes, without
which no American seems to think he has breakfasted.
I can't help pitying Americans when they land in this
country for the first time. I can imagine their dismay
at what must seem to them our meagi-e breakfast
tables ; coffee or tea, with only bread, and perhaps I
meat and eggs. I recall, with a degi-ee of appreciation
I did not realise at the time, how the American dele-
gates in London thought the committee there had
doomed them to slow starvation, when they expected
them to dine off cold meat and bread. In theiii
I
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 109
country, where vegetables abound, and the means of
cooking them easy, and the good cooks also, they think
nothing of six varieties of hot vegetables, with tomatoes
and fruits, and no end of other dishes.
Portland is a clean, thriving looking city of 32,960
inhabitants. It has many handsome buildings. The new
post-office, with white marble front, looks very impos-
ing. I went inside, and found most of the departments
in the hands of women — the money order, registered
letter, and general delivery department. This is the
case in Boston also. When General Wm. L. Burt,
the postmaster of Boston, established the custom, he
found that the general delivery boxes being in the
hands of men, were the resort of persons of disreput-
able character, and that ladies and gentlemen could
not go to them. For this the clerks were, in part, to
blame. Mr. Burt dismissed these and employed
women in their places, and the scandal at once ceased,
and has never occurred since. At first only three or
four women were introduced into the office, but their
services were so acceptable that their number has
gradually increased until now more than thirty female
clerks are employed in the main and branch offices of
Boston. A Boston journal says: — "The women have
proved far superior to the men in looking up and
sending misdirected letters, and in making returns to
the dead letter office. There is not a single instance
in nine years where the accounts of women have
shown a deficiency of a dollar. They have proved
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110 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
(
entirely reliable. Moreover, their presence, to use the
language of one of the most trusted officials, has served
to civilise the post-office, and banished profanity and
rudeness — none are even attempted. They are all
engaged in day service, the night clerks being all men.
They are not segregated, but work side by side with
the men, yet in no instance has any scandal or im-
propriety of behaviour resulted. It is fair, however,
to say that the Tinimpaired health and admirable
punctuality of the women clerks are due to the watch-
fulness and consideration on the part of the postmaster.
They are always employed a shorter number of hours
than the men. Five to six hours is the time allowed to
women, eight to ten that of men. Of course the pay
of the women is reduced in proportion, but they have
always received equal pay with the men, proportionably
to the time and quality of their work. The female
applicants for the post-office are, as a rule, better
trained and educated than the male applicants, because
men of enterprise and capacity can earn better salaries
elsewhere, while educated women have more difficulty
in finding employment." Both the Boston and Port-
land post-offices impressed me less with their outside
beauty (which is great) than the quiet elegance and
order of their internal arrangements. This is largely
due to the presence of refined and educated women.
Their dexterity and fineness of touch also render them
quicker letter-sorters, and it is a treat to watch them
at this work.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. Ill
One of my first visits was to the home of General
Neal Dow, the originator of the Maine Liquor Law.
He had only just returned from Great Britain. He
received me very kindly, and we had a long talk on
temperance topics and the leading workers of both
countries. He asked if I would like to see " the
spirits in prison," and we took the horse cars into the
city, and stopped at the town buildings. We were
conducted by the sheriff (a Good Templar) into the
vaults below the town house, and he showed us a
number of barrels of beer' that had been seized
at five o'clock that morning. He and the under
sheriff had been out, and observing a team loaded
with barrels, they at once "got on board," and
ordered the man to turn the horses' heads towards the
town house. He refused, well knowing that it would
be forfeited ; but they told him that they would pay
him for carting it the same as they would have to pay
anybody else, and he might as well earn something
towards the loss. He shrewdly guessed he mighl^,
and went and took the beer into "limbo," where %
saw it, along with a great quantity of other kinds ox
liquor — wine, champagne, brandy, &c. — all waiting
the decision of the court. The sheriff then took us
to the end of the vault, and there was a large iron
grating, about two feet square, down which all the
condemned liquor was poured. " Better there," said
the sheriff, "than in human sewers." An amusing
incident occurred some years ago in connection with
112 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
■■■♦■
tills very sewer. A Method st Church being opened
for service on Sunday mor Aug was found to smell
very strongly of spirits. As the service proceeded, it
became almost unbearable ; the windows were opened,
but with no marked effect. The minister, at length,
was obliged to adjourn the service till the afternoon,
and the church-officer received instructions to have
the church well aired. The congi-egation assembled
again, but soon the fumes of liquor became worse
than ever. Every crevice and vestry was examined
with no result. At last some one' suggested to lift a
board in the floor ; and there, several feet deep, were
the accumulations of the sewers from the town house
just above, all kinds of spiiits mixed together in such
quantities as to choke the sewers. It was proposed
to adjourn the service once more ; but the minister,
something of a wag, said, " No, my friends ; we, as
Methodists, have been praying all our lives that we
smight get the devil under our feet, and this is the
^rst time we have been able to accomplish it. Let us
liold a prayer meeting," — which they did. The
/General then took me in every direction througli the
city, and showed me the houses of men who had once
been, what he called, rum-sellers, but had taken to
honest business since prohibition days. He said,
** They once looked askance at me, but now we are
very good friends." All the way along I noticed how
much the General is respected, and everyone evinced
pleasure at seeing him home again. We took the
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CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 113
cars in all directions, and travei*sed the city, which
seemed veiy extensive. I asked the General if wine
was allowed to be sold in bottles, as I had seen a
shop opened in one street in Portland, and bottles in
the windows. At once he said, "No; where 1 Will
you take me to the place and be spokeswoman?
Ask him where he comes from," (fee. We accordingly
went with this understanding, but the zeal of my
friend would not allow him to be silent, and he went
into the charge like himself. He said to the shop-
keeper, *' My friend, don't you know it is against the
law of this State to sell any intoxicating drink ]" The
man explained that he thought it might be sold in
bottles. " No," said the General ; " I would advise
you to pack all up, as the sheriff-officer will be here
and seize it." The man looked crestfallen, but evi-
dently was convinced ; and as we passed in return
every bottle was taken out of the window, and I
judge that both he and they would decamp at once.
General Neal Dow has been twice mayor of Portland,
und, no doubt, very efficient regulations would be
enforced against the drink traffic during his term of
office. I said good-bye to my genial host, as I had to
go to a banquet to which the Good Templars of Port-
land had invited me. I was surprised to find a hall
quite filled, and beautifully decorated with mottoes,
flags, and evergreens. A deputation from the Grand
Lodge of Maine conducted me to a seat prepared for
me, above which were suspended the Union Jack and
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114 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
the American flag intertwined ; in front of this was a
table with an elegant vase of flowers. A lengthened
address of welcome was presented by the Grand
Worthy Secretary, Bro. W. F. Morrill, in the name
of the Grand Lodge. I append a copy that the Good
Templars of Scotland may see with what kindnesj^
their delegate was received. I felt myself quite
unworthy of the honour, but I received it for the sake
of those at home, and thanked them in their name.
A service of ices and fruits was handed round, and
some refreshing speeches and temperance songs were
given. More than three thousand miles from home,
I felt that there were bonds which time and space did
not affect. The Fatherhood of God and the Brother-
hood of Man were as fresh and real there as here, and
my brethren and sisters were as cordial and warm-
hearted as those at home. The following is the
address : —
Sister Parker, and G. W. V. T. of Scotland, — At a late
hour this afternoon, the G. W. C. T. of Maine informed me
he could not be present upon this occasion, and desired me,
as his representative, to convey to you his sincere regret, and
extend to you, in his name, a welcome to our State and Order.
Therefore, in behalf of the Order in Maine, we welcome you
to the Pine Tree State — a State that claims to be the mother
of the Maine or Prohibitory Law — a State that, for many
years, has never hesitated to pronounce for temperance — a
State that, for five consecutive years, has elected as its
governor a member of the Order of Good Templars, by ma-
jorities ranging from nine to fifteen thousand.
We welcome you to the beautiful city of Portland, and to
MlMMMriMMiiyililB
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. Ile5
all our cities and villages ; and we ask you, as you pass
through them, to note how very few places are seen where
intoxicating liquors are kept for sale.
We ask you, as you travel on our railway and pass among
our people, to Ipok into their faces and see the marks of
temperance which they bear about them, and countenances
which tell louder than words of their sobriety and correct
habits of living. Contrast what you niay see here with what
you have seen in other countries, and even in the Western
States, through which you so recently passed, and we know
it will impress you in our favour as a temperate people.
While we number at this time but about 17,000 Good
Templars, there have been admitted into our Order in Maine,
since 1864, more than 85,000 members. Many lodges have
ceased to work, and many thousands have ceased to be
members, because in their respective localities there was no
opposition — no one who drank, no one who sold. But you
may rest assured, should the enemies of temperance ever
make a forward movement in Maine, we shall rise as one grand
army, with our snow-white banner at the head of our columns,
and utterly annihilate our foes.
We are acquainted with the rapid advance of our Order in
your own country. Started in 1869 there by an American, we
have seen it increase till we now behold 800 lodges and 60,000
members. We also have heard how much you, aided by your
noble G.W.C.T., Rev. George Gladstone, have done, and how
much the Order is indebted to your noble devotion to our
cause. We bid you God speed.
We also welcome you to Mystic Lodge, No. 2. The second
oldest lodge in Maine, and one of the first in numbers. And | ;
we are glad you have, as your companion across the waters,
and through many of our States, a worthy member of this
lodge, Sister Partington, one whom yourG.W.C.T. did us the
honour to mention in his last report as being ** very popular
among the lodges in Scotland, and as doing a great and
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116 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
effective work." Finally, we welcome you to all oar lodges
and our homes, and when you decide to leave us, you will
have the unanimous wish of our Order that you may safely
reach your husband and family at your own home, and be
spared many years to labour in this great work, and while you
may not on earth receive your just reward, you will, when
you pass the pearly gates, enter the new Jerusalem, there to
be crowned with a garland wreath which shall never fade,
but be fragrant with perpetual bloom.
CHAPTER XY.
Casco Bay and Peak's Island — An Island Pic-nic — The
Liberality of American Life.
The next day Mrs. Partington took me in the steamer
Gazelle to visit one of the three hundred and
sixty-five islands which beautifully stud Casco Bay.
It was a lovely day, and the scenery all along was
charming. The Bay of Naples does not rival Casco
Bay in beauty ; and our pretty pleasure steamer,
with its white awning as a protection from the sun,
flitted about as the gondolas do there. We passed
one island after another, all studded with villas and
country seats ; others, like the islands on Loch
Lomond, with only trees on them. After a delight-
ful sail we landed at Peak's Island, a bright green
spot, a summer resort. An hotel is at the landing
stage, where almost anything can be had, but no
intoxicants. We wandered along the beautiful
iiiiiiliMiMMiMiiAitfMUii^^^H^MtaMiiaiMiiilMliw^^
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 117
slopes, and I was amused to see a number of tents
erected. Some of them had a part of the canvas
open, and there we saw all that was requisite for
living, and very cosy they looked. Of course this
tent life was one of Arcadian simplicity, and yet there
was a spice of romance about it that was charming ;
no need of locked doors ; and the air was so invigor-
ating that one seemed to draw life with every breath.
We were told that rheumatic people come there in
the summer, and, pulling branches of hemlock make
them into a bed, and sleeping on them are cured.
We saw many of these beds in the tents. Peak's
Island is 720 acres in extent, and is inhabited by
many wealthy people, who have built there handsome
villas. There is also a neat school-house and church.
A number of guests throng the island in summer
from New York, Boston, Canada, &c., many of those
purchasing or hiring tents which they bring with
them, and pitching them at pleasure, live in them for
weeks together, spending their time in fishing, boat-
ing, cricket, &c. They can at any time take one of
the many steamers which are constantly plying be-
tween the islands and Portland, if they wish a
change, and return to their tents at night. I cannot
imagine a more delightful summer lodging; and it
certainly has the merit of cheapness, and the still
greater merit of freedom from care to the overtasked
housewife and the business man. I can imagine
what a boon these breaks will be to a j)eople like
1
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!
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118
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
the Americans, who live so much at high pressure.
I found my friends had prepared a surprise here. I
had said to Mrs. Partington, " What is a clam bake 1
I have read of them so often in Miss Wethereirs and
Mrs. Stowe's works, I should like to see one." With
kind forethought our friends had brought some fresh
clams, and all the requisites for a clam bake, at the
sea-shore. Choosing a hollow between a jutting rock,
a fire of sticks and dried branches was made and kept
up until the rock was red hot ; then a quantity of sea-
weed was put on the fire, causing a great steam ; then
the clams were laid on the hot sea-weed ; then a couple
of the largest lobsters I ever saw (that would cost 6s.
each at home) ; then a quantity of eggs ; and on the
top of all another lot of sea-weed. While the cooking
was going on, we sat down on the beach and prepared
bread and butter, and other eatables; and soon the
savoury smell of the cooked fish was wafted to us, the
steaming sea-weed cover removed, and I learned what
a delightful thing a clam bake by the sea-shore was.
Oiu* ramble on the island had given us an appetite,
and no hmigry people wer-B ever better feasted. The
clam is a sort of shell-fish between an oyster and a
mussel. The shell is almost round and the flavour very
delicate. This must be a favourite place for pic-nics ;
for we saw many fire-places built with stones, and a
grating at the top, or part of an old stove, which Yankee
ingenuity had utilised, and then left for the benefit of
others. It was with regret that we saw our steamer
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
119
approaching to take us to Portland again. We felt
our surroundings were so delightful, sitting on the
moss-covered rocks, in this pleasant and romantic spot ;
the birds and the clear blue sky above us ; the sea-
waves murmuring their sweet, wild melody, it seemed
for the moment as if care was banished, and we were
unwilling to return to the turmoil of life again. It is
ever so. We crave the smooth and easy paths ; but
He who is wiser than we sends the storms, and winds,
and waves of trial to develop our strength and endur-
ance, and to lead us " to the rock which is higher than
we." Having gathered a number of lichens and mosses
for friends at home, we re-embarked on the steamer,
which conveyed us to Portland, feeling thankful for
the keen enjoyment of the time. In coming from
the landing-stage, we passed a sort of open warehouse,
where I saw as many lobsters as would have made
the fortune of a fish merchant in London. Here
they can be bought for a few cents (or halfpennies)
each, and they are very large and fine. There is
certainly no lack of good things in this commercial
metropolis of the old Pine Tree State. Portland
is the south-western terminus of the Grand Trunk
Railway. It is a port of entry and seat of justice.
Coast trade and fisheries are an important branch
of industry. The city stands beautifully on a pen-
insula projecting on the west shore of Casco Bay.
It has very handsome hotels and public buildings, and
has a lively and thriving appearance.
120 A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
I had now spent my last day but one on American
soil. I had only been able, from the vastness of th('
country, to spend one or two days in each place, and
I feel that I have been a very imperfect gleaner of facts,
and these mostly from memory. I can never be thank-
ful enough for the varied and delightful experiences of
these six weeks ; they were a refreshment to mind
and body, and they wrought in me a love for the
country and the people of America that can never die
out. It seemed to me that they live a larger and a
grander life ; the people are influenced by their magni-
ficent surroundings. Their broad prairies, appearing
endless in extent ; their grand and mighty rivers
flowing in such resistless volume to their destined
waters ; their lakes larger than some of our oceans ;
and the endless variety of the scenery and climate, all
have their eflfect on the character of the people.
Promptitude and energy seem to be imparted with a
sense of the mag^tude of the work to be accomplished,
and they welcome all comers to their hospitable shores
with a goodwill that is refreshing. They see in them
an element of power to go up and possess the good
lands which lie on every hand. In the Western States
new towns and villages spring up with amazing
rapidity. We drove out near Bloomington, and for
miles and miles streets were laid out and lots por-
tioned off*, ready for any one to purchase and build
a homestead. These streets form the most delightfii}
drives, as they are nil shaded by trees, and are very
''^'"^^"■'— '****""^ . --^^^— --
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 121
wide. They look more like parks than streets.
Planting trees is the first thing done after laying
out a road. In many parts of Illinois Indian corn is
so plentiful that it is used for fuel. I was not further
west than this State, but I was amused always to hear
people talk of " going west ; " and even in California,
I was told, they still speak of " going west " until they
reach the shores of the ocean.
CHAPTER XYI.
Visit to a Cemetery — A Burial — Decoration Day.
Having to leave Portland at one o'clock p.m., my
friends were anxious first to take me to see a beautiful
cemetery a few miles out of the city, and I gladly
accompanied them. Taking the horse cars, which are
open, with an awning over the top as a protection
from the sun, we drove through some miles of lovely
country. It was eight o'clock in the morning, and
the pleasantest part of the day. Here, as else-
where in America, I noticed that the private man-
.sions were not enclosed by liigli walls., and were quite
open to the road, and tho passer-by could enjoy and
see the snug residences and the beautifully laid out
grounds just as much as the possessor. I conceived
a very high opinion of the honesty of American boys.
Is it our high walls and hedges which make fruit
I
122
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
more desirable to our boys at home, I wonder, or is
it that fruit is so much more scarce with us? I kept
saying. " But don't your boys steal the fruit ? "
" Never," said they, " we never heard of them doing
it." We were presently landed at the entrance of
the beautiful cemetery. I am sorry I cannot recall
the name. Nature and art both unite in making it
a lovely spot. An avenue of trees of some length
forms the entrance, and from this we emerged into
an open space of large extent, where landscape
gardening finds ample exemplification ; hill and dale,
artificial lakes and bridges, and shaded enclosures,
where the beloved ones of many families rest, vary
the scene. It is a frequent custom for the head of a
family to buy a lot, or enclosure, in the cemetery,
and place a monument, with the family name at
the head, even before there has been a death. How
sacredly are these graves respected! Almost all
of them had vases of flowers — some put there
that morning ; wreaths of immortelles adorned others ;
and, most touching of all, on a few children's graves
were the little toys with which they had played in
life. It brought the tears to our eyes as we thought of
the mothers who had placed them there. They were
too sacred in their eyes to be put anywhere else. In
one enclosure I saw a white marble headstone with
only the words "Our Willie," and fresh flowers adorned
the little grave. On another, the word "Freddie" was
all that recorded the fact that this wjis the earthly
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CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
123
sting-place of a little child whom Jesus had called,
s we wandered among these shady places, we saw in
le distance a funeral approaching — not a ghastly
►ectacle like ours, with those horrid black plumes
irmounting a long black coach, drawn by black horses,
ivered with black cloth, but to my mind a much
ore fitting accompaniment to a Christian burial : the
•ffin, which was of white wood and covered with
)wers, was placed on a light carriage ; and as the cor-
/e came to a rising ground, the friends dismounted
Qm their carriages and calmly followed until they
ached the grave prepared. The coffin was then
■ted on to the side of the grave which was highest,
id the friends gathered round. Being on an embank-
ent a little distance ofi* I saw that the upper half of
e coffin lid was glass. This was turned back, and all
e relatives approached to take a last look and imprint
last kiss on the face of the dear remains." The body,
at of a young woman, was dressed as if in life — a
■ver-grey French merino dress, white collar and cuffs
-and with the face resting on the hands as if in sleep,
le attitude was one of rest. The coffin was lined
Lth white, and flowers were plentifully scattered,
''hen all had gazed a little while, what appeared to
e an elder brother approached, and turning up the
Eiss half of the lid, q\iietly locked the coffin, putting
e key into his waistcoat pocket. This was the signal
r the men in attendance to come and lift the coffin
to an outer one, and then it was lowered into the
124
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
grave, which was lined with branches of evergreen.
I was deeply interested in the scene, and gratified that
I had witnessed an American funeral. It was very-
pleasing to me to find that a people who rush through
life at such a rate should yet find time to bury their
dead so beautifully ; and, certainly, the appearance of
the graves bears testimony that they are tenderly
remembered. I must not forget to say, that on many
graves there was an American flag : this marked the
graves of soldiers. And I was told that there was a
day set apart, called Decoration Day, when every
soldier's grave had a new flag put on; and what is
very beautiful, no distinction is made between the
grave of a northern or southern soldier — all are alike
remembered. I turned somewhat unwillingly from
this pleasant spot; all its influences were hopeful.
"They are not here, they are risen," seemed to be
whispered all around. Butterflies were flitting among
the flowers, and they suggested the idea of the spirit
emancipated from the chrysalis — the body.
CHAPTER XYII.
Leaving Portland — A True Husband and Father
Polynesian — Leaving America — Home.
The
I LEFT the city of Portland and all my American
friends with regret. It is never a pleasant thing to
say good-bye; and when a meeting again, in this
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
125
life, is an improbability, a shade of sadness will come
over the spirit. And then I had the prospect of being
now entirely alone for the rest of the journey. It
takes eighteen hours by rail from Portland to Quebec ;
but the weariness and tedium of so long a journey is
much relieved by travelling in those luxurious Pull-
man cars, which I have already described, and I never
valued them more than in going to Quebec. The
double windows excluding the dust and deadening
the noise; the soft, comfortable couches and chairs,
and the prospect of sleeping in a bed at night without
having to stop one's progress in a journey, are all
things to rejoice in. About two o'clock in the morn-
ing, however, we had to stop at Island Pond, a station
on the frontier, where our luggage had to be exam-
ined by custom-house officers, and we were delayed
two hours. I must say that my luggage, or baggage
as the Americans call it, never went through anything
more than a cursory examination — the lid of my trunks
only being lifted. When it was known I was on a
temperance mission, the officer "guessed" that temper-
ance people were among the best of folks, and court-
eously returned my keys with thanks. During this
weary waiting of two hours, I was delighted by seeing
what appeared a working man and his wife, with a
baby of six months old. The father strutted about
with it in his arms up and down the long carriages
and the waiting-rooms, and he was not content until
everybody in the train had admired his treasure; and
126
A TEMPERANCE TOUR THROUGH
during all the long subsequent ride, lie nursed that
baby with the patience and tenderness of a woman,
and, certainly, with a great deal more obvious pride.
Only twice, for a very short time, did the mother get
a chance to hold the child, and then he stood by impa-
tient until he might have the baby again; and yet he
was a thorough manly fellow, with a face it did one
good to look on. I thought of the many weary, toil-
ing women of our own land-7-working men's wives
perhaps — going to market with a heavy child in her
arms, and another dragging at her skirts, a basket to
carry, and a great strong man called her husband
going on before, with his hands in his pockets — and
perhaps a pipe in his mouth — never dreaming that
he, being the stronger, ought to carry the burdens.
I have seen this again and again, and never with-
out thinking of and blessing that brave American
working man; and I believe this is no uncommon
case. 'No American father is ashamed of carrying his
child in the most public place ; he would be ashamed
of allowing his wife to do it. About eight o'clock next
morning we arrived at Point Levi, opposite Quebec,
and took the steamer to cross. Having made a few
purchases, I proceeded to go on board the Polynesian
— the same steamer which had been embedded in ice
for eleven days on a former voyage. Proceeding to
my state room, which corresponded to the number of
my ticket (No. 21), I found it, like all state-rooms on
board ship, a poor apology for a room of state ; still it
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
127
was, on the whole, cosy, and I was to share it with an
English lady, who, living in Canada, had a son at
school in London. She w^as coming to spend the holi-
days with her boy at the house of a friend. I was glad
ihe companionship proved congenial to me, for it
might have been far otherwise ; and we were mutually
helpful to each other when the inevitable day of sea-
sickness came. I wonder why one sJiould be sick
with the motion of a vessel, and if there is no cure!
One day sufficed for me, but my poor friend was less
fortunate. She lay utterly powerless, as pale as death,
for three days; but soon we began to enter into
life on shipboard. It differed materially from my
outward voyage. It seemed an entirely different
kind of company; and wine drinking was more
general. The influence of our party in going out
was certainly on the side of temperance ; and the
scientific lectures of Dr. Lees convinced many that
alcohol was a destroyer, and not a conserver, of
life. I could only lift my silent testimony in favour
of water drinking, and even this was resented.
Surely on no other subject is there so much intoler-
iince and ill-breeding as this of temperance. Because
we choose to avoid taking a certain beverage, that
of itself is taken as a sufficient ground for rude com-
ment. Is it that the wine-drinker feels his to be
questionable drink, and his neighbour silently avoid-
ing it causes him to see this ? I don't know. We
passed plenty of icebergs in coming home, and very
128 A TEMPERANCE TOUR.
terrible they looked. We had one day and night of
dense fog, and we were obliged to stand still for fear
of coming in contact with them. The cold was in-
tense, and although it was the month of July we were
glad of our winter clothing. One night at ten o'clock
the man on the look-out cried, " Iceberg ahead," and
the captain ordered the position of the vessel to be
altered, and soon we passed, rather closer tlian was
agreeable, a huge iceberg. We could see its gigantic
proportions in the dim light, and thankfully left it in
the distance.
On the tenth day we sighted land, and passing the
Giant's Causeway, and the Isle of Man, and other
points of interest, soon came into the thick atmos-
phere which surrounds the Mersey, near Liverpool.
It takes one some time to get accustomed to this
after the clear skies of Canada and the States ; and
everybody began coughing and clearing their throats.
But thoughts of home and friends and re-unions are
always delightful ; and although the separation had
been a comparatively short one, considering the dis-
tance of travel, we were eager for the landing. Soon
the tender came alongside with friends to welcome,
and home, home, home, with all its joys, was ours.
PRINTfiii BY UAY NISBET, 219 GEORGE STREET, GLASGOW.
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