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Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 film6es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a ^ti possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages danr..\ PRICE • •• Z Z T*. • a • • • •• • • ••• .•• :.. : :.. ."; ;..: .; • :.: ; •. .• ;; -" T\A/.^N.XY,F1VE 'cfe'KlTS. '•* •'" Ji , MONIUKAI.: l^AWSON BROTHERS I5y TO 165 ST. J.WtJpS STKKET. V 4 m :'. T /^ I v~j #■ 4 ••! . .. • ••• : • ;•:: : ••• .•' '5 •• : : : ••• • • • ••• ••• • . • ••• ••• . •• •. : ••• •• • • •:• : \ ,1? n •f § TUQUE BLEUBpTf A Christmas Snowshoe Sketch BY JOHN LESPERANCE. ^^Jf" PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. Xt: MONTREAL : DAWSON BROTHERS, 159 TO 165 ST. JAMES STREET. 1882. -< t ^•f k # Entered according to Act of Parliament by John Lksperanck in the office of the Minister of Agriculture in the year 1882. ■'^M'^-j:.. ^^.^At. ■I ^^BK^ So tlxje ma W^onixzut ^Xn% AND ALL THE OTHER SNOWSHOE CLUBS OF THE CITY, WORTHY RIVALS OF THEIR & ■J'<*; THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. I ^pp^ ^. .rS:!^:^-.. TUQUE BLEUE. A CHRISTMAS SNOWSHOE SKETCH. T. AT TUB COLLEGE GATES. The winter of 1872-3. There was no Vennor at that time, thank Heavens, and the weather had its own sweet way. Navigation closed punctually on the 25tfai November, St. Catherine's day, and the city wrapped itself up for six months' traditional isolation. Snow fell early, at the beginning of December, and by the middle of the month the landscape was clothed in all the glory of its bridal dress, and the roads were mag- nificent. The snowshoers were in high feather. They had a long season before them, and there were social causes at work which promised that it would pi*ove one of exceptional enjoyment. Lord Dafferin, who liad arrived in the country dorp^ the summer, had de8ig|if4^to spend the days oiTthe carnival in the It was three o'clock of a fine Saturday afternoon, and the Montreal Club had gathered in full force at the w 1 I i \ %■ 6 College Gates. Up they came from every quarter of the West End— the stalwart fellows, in their white flannel blouses, striped sashes, and cerulean bonnets, forming as handsome a body of young men as could be mustered together in America. " I say, Eollo." "Yes." " We mustn't stop too long at Prendergast's to- night." '* Why not ?" " I have an engagement." " Oh, you are always having engagements." " But this is something special, something teetotally nice." *• Well and what of it ? "I want you to come with me." " No, sir I I decidedly object. This is our first tramp over the Mountain. The boys have all turned out There is a grand supper awaiting us at the old hostelry. We are to have no end of speeches, songs and dances. I want to have my full share of the fun. Thank you, I can't go." " But such girls, Rpllo." "Girls? What girls?" " At the Blaines, on University street. Miss Mabel is as pretty as a picture, you know, and there is that Quebec beauty, Louisa Tardif— she's perfectly snip- tious." ~- " Laclede, you don't mean to say you know tll0|^ ladies?" ^ " I do, sir. Introduced last Thursday. Promised to call agai;. to-day, and bring a friond. You must •I come, man. " Well, circumHtances alter caseH, and I'll see about it." Ah ho said this, Rollo Thorndyke, who, during the preceding colloquy, had been busily engaged, with one knee in the snow, lacing on his webbed sandals, ehook himsolf like a young polar bear and looked inquisitively at his companion. The two then laughed and clasped hands. Hollo Thorndyke was a glorious specimen of budd- ing manhood — six feet one in his stockings, straight as a dart, with deep blue eyes, cheeks like roses, chestnut hair closely curled, the shoulders of an Atlas, legs like pillars, clean shaven withal, and not an ounce of super- fluous flesh about him. He stood there, the model of the Isthmian athlete. No exaggeration, reader. The same EoUo walks the streets of Montreal to " and they toesed him up to the ceiling tlpree several times recei/ing him tenderly in their Mrmsas he came down. BoUo was foremost in all this amusement, and about l^f^||i|g jii^^i^ jnm^goB, when Laclede, who had stood watfflttg tl of evening as they gathered over the hills, pH sleeve and muttered : " Won't you come now ? " 15 Bollo collected bis senses for a moment, looked intently at his friend and i*eplied in decided tones : " Well yes, let us go." And they went IV. IN THE DRAWINO-ROOM. It was after tea, and the two girls were alone in the cosy little parlor. A soft light fell fi*om the central gasalier, a bright fire glowed in the grate, and the warm tints of the hangings infused an air of comfort into the whole apai*tment. Louise Tardif was seated befoi'e the piano, her fingers wandering aimlessly over the keys, while her mind was evidently far away. DeZouche and Shaw would like to have me tell whe- ther this beautiful instrument was a Weber or a Becker, but they can't come it, as my story breathes peace, not war. Mabel Blaine lay half buried in the plush recesses of an arm-chair, listlessly turning the leaves of an albuih of engravings. The portraits given of them, by Laclede, in a preceding chapter, were not a bit flattered. They were both very pretty and the marked contrast between the types brought the dis- tinctive eharms of e^ioii into higher relief !CiiieJb(Mrof^a^^^kled from the ormolu French <»l0M^ilrthe mantel. Louise wheeled half round on the stool, and Mabel looked up. It was clear that both had the same thought. ^' It is getting late, " said one. I^i ji! i 16 " I am tired waiting," said the other. Just then, the wire of the door-bell vibrated, there was a shnffliDg of feet in the hall, and the drawing- room was opened. The ceremony of introduction was soon performed. After a few conventional woixls were interchanged, it was not long before the four young people were engaged in lively and pleasant conversation. They were a curious group, forming quite a study for an artist. The stalwart Bollo seated by the stately Mabel, with her full lines of face and form, seemed to have just that complement required to bring out all his manly beauty, but the effect was still more striking when he approached the dark and petite Louise. She was so sprightly too in all her words and actions, that she brought the whole man's being into play. It must not be infen'ed, however, that Bollo so absorbed the attention of the girls as to throw his friend into the background. Laclede was able to take care of himself always, and while lacking the physical advantages of his rival, was a very brilliant, jolly fellow, quite at home in a drawing-room. In this instance, he had a slight advantage over Bollo in that he could speak French like a native, thus catching charming glimpses of Louise's character, wheu she ohose to express herself for a few moments, in Her own language. Yet he distributed his fiivora with commendable impartially. To MmM, as the hostess to whom he had been fin^»^1 who had allowed him to be accompanied by he was very attentive indeed, and it required no par- ticular shrewdness to detect that the latter cordially reciprocated his politeness. It , there •awing- on was words le four ileasant brming ) seated ice and required ect was ark and all her le man's lowever, rls as to ede was lacking a very ig-room. ir BoUo e, thus jaracter, imentSy fiiYors •0 the I no par- )rdially The evening passed pleasantly and profitably, being taken up with quite other topics than the oixlinary commonplaces of social prattle. These four young people were able to understand and appreciate each other, and the mutual attraction led to an interchange of ideas calculated to enhance their respect and esteem. It was, therefore, with univei-sal regret that the warning voice of the French clock was heard striking eleven, " It cannot be," exclaimed the two girls. The two men looked at their watches and replied, " Alas ! it is too true." All four stood in the middle of the room, repeating a number of compliments and recommendations before painting. The gentlemen must be sui'C to call again and often. Of course they would — only too happy. The winter was going to be a brilliant one and they would enjoy it together. And snowshoeing I Did the ladies like that ? Oh, they both adored it. " Louise here is a terror on raquettes" said Mabel with a hearty laugh. Very well then. They would go out together. They would attend the games and races. And if either Bollo or Laclede should happen to be winner, "Such things might occur, you know," said the giant, with a modest bow, l^the ladies to crown them. Yes, 80 nice. Well, good-night, good- soir I Au revoir ! When the door closed upon them, and they found themselves in the dark night, the two friends buttoned up their great coats, and walked along for a while in 2 i I 0- ! 18 silence, which Laclede was the first to break with the monosyllable : — « Well ? " Eollo was equally curt in his reply. "Veiywell!" And without further comment, the twain went straight to their rooms. Happy dogs ! The girls were more effusive. They settled them- selves on low stools before the fire, and discussed the situation for a whole hour, talking both together and intei*spersing their discourse with a succession of ex- clamations and little shrieks. They went over the whole thing again after retiring to their i*oom. What did the girls say ? Now reader, that won't do ; you will find it all out soon enough. Suffice it to add that they lay down to pleasant dreams, and that Louise, in especial, had beautiful visions of a tuque bleue. V. f TUQUE BLEUE. It is no use trying to stop young people when they get started on the flowery path of love. They will put on innocent airs and try to make you believe that there is nothing the matter. They will even attempt the hopeless task of persuading themselves that they are " all right," and bound to remain fancy free. But it is of no use. The law is inezoraUo»; help it. They must submit and there*i* ftn 6i should Laclede and Eollo be exceptions ? AnI it be fair to have such beauties as Mabel and Louise escape the yoke of roses ? Certainly not, and this sim- 19 plifies our task immensely. We have only to state the plain fact that, from the first, this precious qaartet were all in love. How that love was distributed is another question which the sequel alone will reveal. It was still early December and the snow kept fall- ing. The consequence was that the Club was out nearly every day, making short courses around the Mountain, or long tramps across the country, as time and opportunity permitted. It was this winter, too, that several young Clubs sprang from the parent stock, forming the nucleus of many associations which have since won rare laurels on the snowy field and almost eclipsed the glory of the old Montreal. Kollo and Laclede belonged to that privileged class of mortals, who have little to do and do it well — with office hours from ten till three, after which time they were at liberty to do as they liked. Almost every other day, they would call upon Mabel and Louise, who, putting on their miniature snowshoes, would follow their chap- erones with grace and endurance. Mabel was a novice who had to learn the art of walking, but she soon be- came an adept therein. Louisa had traversed the whole of the Quebec country on snowshoes fi*om her earliest years, and was both fleet and steady, up hill and down dale. She used to trick herself out in a costume borrowed from the young squaws of Little Lorette — beaded ippccasins, chamois leggings, striped petticoat, ^i«rnes8 were » hand, and il of sacred net before. 11, there is urn, many Rollo and may the al benison 85 they occupied last year, knelt a big man and a little woman. Next day, I called on a little man and a large fine woman. The next day again, 1 was invited to a family tea, and spent a quiet evening with Mr. and Mrs. Thorndyke, and Mr. and Mra. Austen, at the house of the latter. In the smoking-room, my two friends went over the whole history which I have recited above, laughing, chaffing and very happy. In token of which they both wore their blue silk bonnets. >^^ Vive la Tuque Blbub I ts breezes t odors of a glorious 1 at dawn my rural Iding trip e we had w which