IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I *tt||||IM \\\\\2A IIIIM IIIII22 illlM '""^ 18 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" - ► V] <5> /}. •c^: o.* r pi .-^^ # " w ^\5^ f CIHM/ICMH CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Collection de Series. microfiches. [^ Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la methods normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. D D D n n n n n Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul6e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other. than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight bindtiig may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int6rieure Blank leaves added during restorntion may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6X6 film^es. I I Coloured pages/ D D D D D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag6es Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pell.Ria3B lO OEN'XS- HALTFAX, N. S.: 1884. -.4' :."' '.■>S 1^^ Sketches in Nova Scotia. No. 2. HI + HOLIDM.fr- The 218^ June, 1882, was one of the longest days in the year. No deep-seated melancholy with suicidal tendencies will result if a front seat among Christian scientists be not accorded for this an- nouncement. The statement is reasonable, and can be proved true — beyond ihat I must admit it has no greater recommendation ; and if people are not found on every door-step with finger excitedly tracing the words, I will endeavor to bear up, satisfied of a better reception when 1 publish my work entitled : — " Will the comet to be discovered by the powerful telescope now in contemplated construction, strike the earth in the vicinity of Hal- ifax i if so, at what time, and what are the probable dimensions of the largest splinter that will be left of the city 1" Still, in the face of what might be considered a discouraging want of appreciation of the first statement, I shall venture another remark res)>ucting that day — it was superbly fine. Moreover, it was what a great many -if not very great people would give me loud and pro- longed applause for saying every fine day should be — it was a holiday, and I went " a fishing." Pos-sibly no people in the world so greatly enjoy a fine day in the country as those who live in Halifax do. This is not to be attributed 80 iiiuuh to any inherent love of the beautiful and good as to the sattie cause that a tramp enjoys an occasional dinner of beefsteak and onions. Introduction in a future edition. ir> p^*^ im ■MPIPiWP *wp From peculiarity of situation or from wickedness of the inhabit* •nts the place has a remarkable ulimato. The punishment, though not so severe as that of the Cities of the Plain, makes up the difference in being more prolonged. Overcoats and mittens may be required •ny day through summer, while straw hats and dusters are neaTT enough for comfort at tim»s in wluter. After weeks of east wind, drizzle, fog and mud, we pray for a little sunshine, and when the aunshine comes and is with us -m a day, every zephyr wafts quantities of filth into eyes and mouth, aud orisons go up again for a little more rain. The exemption from tho tornado that afflicts other places, transplanting and inverting trees and houses, should not be orer- kN^ed however. At night we ascend to our garrets, put up our hands, and say our " Now I lay tne" with a reasonable assurance thai if we wake at all it will be somewhere in the same spot and not in a. basement of either of tho neigbouiiug cities, Dartmouth or Afrioville,. The peraistent efforts of our newspapers to keep a knowledge of cUmatic conditions prevailing, from outsiders, has not met with a full measure of success. It is known abroad ; although, perhaps a consi- deration of sensitiveness on the subject prevents them harping on it as it is done here on tho real or imaginary disadvantages of other plfices. St. John fogs are a novor ending theme in Halifax, while the simple truth is, the dismal fo^ horns are heard here often, when Sfc. John, canopied with cerulean blue, is bathed in undiluted sunshine. It has been a custom from time immemorial with foreignera, when Kcoiamending a suitable place for bad people, to suggest indifferently Halifax, or the shorter word with the same initial. In essentials, the terms are considered synonymous. The cause of this has not hereto- fore been considered a burning question ; not, it is said by western towns, through indifference to outside opinion so much as to the som- nambulistic effects of the atmosphoro of the place. But Halifax says to her more precocious sisters : — " You think I am asleep because my back is towards you, but I am looking seaward, and when the emer- gency arises you will find me awake, and some people will find ta their cost prolnbly that there is more truth than poetry in the com- parison with the name." Meanwhile the subject is of interest and the time has come for a scientific investigation and explanation. Though a surprising and by no means pleasing feature of the religious sentiments of the majority of people, it is nevertheless true^ that future punishment occupies their attention to a very much greater extent than future happiness. The minds of these people appear to be engaged in one lung, thoughtful worry to devise the method of torture to meet their notions of the fitness of things ; re- sulting in minute descriptions, laugliable often, only for their earnest **^Wild Obi" savageneas. Tliough this is yet the leading orthodox religious tenet, its fierce* sees is gradually being modified, and, except in spots, hell is not the> 10 place it formerly was. It ia cooling clown. Eventually the fires will only be kept up here and there by the peraevering efforts of the more pious, in gathering the brands together and industriously blow- ing them. Not only in religion, but in the arts, sciences, literature, politics, etc, this dismal inheritance from man's long tail and pointed ear con- dition (it is only a modification of the disposition savage animals have to tear one another) is ever exhibited. In architecture and works of decoration, in the earlier days of Christianity and extending almost if not quite to the present time, this prevailing sentiment is oppres- sively manifest. In a description of church architecture of the Middle Ages, from an undoubted orthodox source, the writer is obliged to forego a de- scription of much that would illustrate with striking effect the°morbid influence of this feature of religion. It is the same with painting, and its effect is not less marked in the productions of some of the best Christian writers. Only for " Paradise Lost," " Paradise Kegained" would have con- signed Milton to literary perdition. Satan and his abode was, to a deeply religious Christian like Milton, a congenial theme. Pande- monium is fitted up, regardless of expense, capacious enough to meet the expanded views of almost any magnate, ancient or modern. As the devil has been the means of conferring immortal lustre on Milton, so " Inferno" has raised Dante to the skies. But Dante's devils are a more beastly lot than Milton's, and their apartments even less tenantable, consequently the Italian ranges ahead in repu- tation. Modern civilization prohibits a repetition of some of Dante's methods of -punishment, and all are absurdly horrible. He relates meeting one old acquaintance wandering about with his head off, which he carried in his hand by the hair. The eyes in the head rolled up at Dante, and in a sorrowful way it said " woe's ine." Others had their heads turned completely around, so that when crying the tears ran down their backs ; and all these things are told so earnestly that it requires deliberation to determine whether to cry or laugh over them. Now, after all, Dante was no favorite with the Church. Was there a suspicion that he had intentionally overdone the matter 1 Why is it that we never find interesting details of fMtivre happi- ness dwelt on as these other descriptions are 1 It is curious to note the difference between the Christian and the Maliometan in this mat- ter. The latter do certainly at limes exhibit pictures of what is in store below for the unfaithful, which, if generally believed, would cause a lively stampede for the tents of Islam. Hell, according to them, is a seven story establishment. I^ the upper, or mildest flat, the wayward ones on entering are shod With shoes so hot that they make the contents of the skull babble and boil like a caldron, and, as the trouble increases with the descent, the condition of things in the basement is, for the best o{ < ... 11 reasons left undescribed, but with admirable good judgment this apartment is reserved exclusively for people who smilingly speak soft pleasant words to yonr face and immediately after wisper lies and scanda? — in short for hypocrites. But the Mahometan does not appear to dwell on the subject with the gusto of the Christian, On the contrary, most of his descriptioiu of future life are of rewards and enjoyments, and these, let it ba remembered, are no flimsy generalities, but solid comfort, meat and drink, good clothes, fruit and flowers, nothing to do, and the most charming and odoriferous company. There is something worth striving for ! Now for this the christian mocks the mussulmau, saying his ideas are low aud carnal ; but it would appear that the carnal idea suits the christian ' elegantly ' when engaged in his favorite topic, the torture of those who differ from him in his religious notions, and the mahoraetan may well say, carnal is our nature, and apart from it no con- ception of happiness or misery can be formed ; if it suit so well for hell why object to its use for heaven. This grim belief has thrown a shadow over the lives of many very good men, as Cowper, whose beautiful life was poisoned by it. In Doddridge's " Religion in the Soul " I find that naturally kindhearted old gentleman discoursing on the subject in a way to make ones head assume the appearance of an inverted paint brush; terminating his view of the matter this way. " Hell shall shut its mouth upon thee forever and the sad echo of thy groans and outcries shall be lost amidst the halelujas of heaven to all that lind mercy of the Lord in that day. I firmly believe that every one who himself obtains salvation and glory will bear so much of his Saviour's image in wisdom and goodness in zeal for God and a steady regard to the happiness of the whole creation, that he will behold this sad scene with calm approbation, and without any painful commotion of mind." ISovT these dreadful admonitions, the solemnity and truthfulness of which to many are unconsciously heightened by the antique phraseology, are, it must be noted, not directed to people of evil lives, as murderers and the like. They, if whipt off suddenly, will share the same fate perhaps, but they are generally firm believers and their chance of escape is infinitely better, because, in most cases, they have warning of the approach of death, and, at the termination of their depraved lives, a little legerdemain is performed, when presto! they scoot to glory, where, consistently enough it must bo admitted, they fihd their enjoyment to consist in watching the suffering of their respectable neighbours. No, these warnings are especially directed to people who exercise.^ their intelligence by questioning the truth of such doctrine, Doddridge was naturally a kind and|good man, and he unwittingly in many places reveals his dislike of this perversion of justice, through his earnest pleading with people to endeavour to escape from in, and by admitting that it is only after he gets to heaven and is 12 filled up with a peculiar kind of goodness that beam a most suspicious resemblance to what we here recognize as the worst kind o» badneei, t^at he will enjoy a spectacle that on earth he would abhor. That which above all things distinguishes the human from the lower animals, is reasoning intelligence. Advancement of civilization depends entirely on it. He who surrenders this faculty m any case voluntarily marks himself nearer the lower orders. There are people who do so. They say, especially in religious matters : ' I sink my reasoning faculty in this case and accept without question what othfrs dictate." ^ .^ x i. j • j Whatever may be thought of such a course, it cannot be denied that he who adopts it shows a consistency in accepting unreasonable things altogether wanting in him who rejects and protests against one doctrine for its absurdity, and immediately turns and angrily protests against questioning another equally at variance with established ideas of right. It is not half so hard or repugnant, for example, to accept the Roman Catholic view ot any of the joints of difference between it and Protestantism, as to believe that in an improved state we can contemplate with indifference, not to say with pleasure, the torturmg of conscious beings. Since Doddridge's time, though a short space in history, the world has improved. There is a great deal of evil and there are many bad people yet— so many indeed and so bad that those who take a gloomy view of things deny that there is any real improvement, forgetting always that the lighter the groundwork the plainer the black marks show. There is v>v=.deutly something the matter with the man who denies that the world is better now than at any past time. This improved condition has been brought about by the exercise of human intelli- gence, and largely by men such as Doddric^ge and others hope one day to see wriggling in the fire. An evenly-balanced mind is the desideratum. This benefitting intelligence cannot be restricted in its exercise in any direction with- out impairing its health or throwing it out of balance. Doddridge's teaching 'w the orthodox belief to-day and all who agree with him are very culpably derelict in duty who fail to impress its importance on others as he did ; but Protestant clergymen, at all events, do not linger on it as formerly, in the more intelligent communities especi- ally, because they know that empty pews or pulpit would be the result. Some people whose faith in fire and brimstone is not very strongs have yet a lingering belief that it should be maintained as a check to the more ignorant. This is only a modification of the doctrine that the end justifies the means. It is doubtful if bad people are deterred much from wmmitting crimes by fear of future punishment Such people aw hrm believers in a faith teaching that however bad thfly may be, they can, at the last moment, get the ' inside track' on the lifelong upri^t man who don't believe, and, instead of being a deterent, this » m '^'^ J... J- ^' t., '*.•■■' -4. \ 13 ttctuAlly an incentive to crime. If there are any kept in check by the fear of hell, they are a poor lot at most, and not worth hampering the progress of human intelligence for ; besides, there is less fear than apprehended, the belief is of their nature, and they will not readily relinquish it. The last traces of a faith that has for a leading charac- teristic a gloating over diabolism will be found at the underside of the lowest stratum of society. In the meanwhile, its baneful influ- ence can be seen when a naturally good man, like Doddridge, can anticipate the time when he will " lay off" in his jasper arm-chair end take pleasure in looking on at the pitiful suffering of people. The position that points to the most advanced civilization as the result of this belief, is altogether untenable. About the reverse of this is the correct view. Christianity was fortunate in being adopted by people who would improve any religion. It can be illustrated in a way that will be convincing to some reade. ^ of this sketch, that people mould the religion more than religion moulds the people. The writer's Christian friends, apart from other considerations, will regret to see his opinions expressed here lest it prejudice people to his disadvantage. The writer's Christian enemies would be glad to see strong expres- Bijns against Christianity in order to incite popular prejudice against him. It is not necessary to give instances whore Christianity has failed to civilize people, nor of civilized people of other religions. Just as erroneous is the notion of crediting Christianity so-called as the sole proprietor of the common property of many religions. The Egypt- ians, long before Christianity originated, believed in the resurrection ■of the body and gave practic«.l effect to that belief by carefully pre- serving it to await the return of the spirit. The Greeks believed in the immortality of the soul, and Confutius taught the golden rule. If we reduce the prevailing religion to what is distinctive in it, we vould find it possible in a limited area only. One thing especially inculcated by it is utter disregard of property iOr provision for a " rainy day," and this is the very thing that Chris- |-tians neither preach nor practice. It is surely very evident that it lis not possible nor desirable to do so ; what is the use of pretending I the effect would be to reduce all to the condition of tramps, with 'le marked disadvantage that that interesting class of people do not llahor under — there would be no one to beg from, and nothing to steal. In respect to moral teaching, the reformed religion of the Hindoos smpares well with all the best features of Christianity, as may be learned by all who profit by the labors of such men as the author of ^The Light of Asia," than which is no more beautiful Scripture, and 10 one with a mind not naturally depraved, or too much wai-ped by judice, can read it and not reverently love the dear lord Buddha. There are Buddhists, of course, who put their narrow quibbling Distructions on the master's teachings as Christians do, but it is as ijust to charge the religion with their vagaries as to charge Ghristi- 14 anity with the dreadful things that have been committed in its name. All forms of religion have elements of good in them from the earliest to the latest, and there are excrescences the growth of which, if fostered, will, in time, destroy it. P.ut as these defects' htscome visible, if they are carefully removed, the plant may become a heau- tiful tree. Mormonism is too recent to admit of much doubt concern- ing its origin or founders. Its divinely-commissioned prophet found sacred writings that had been buried for ages, and, by aid of the miraculous Urim and Thummin, was enabled to make it i'jtelligible to men for whom it was intended for guidance and salvation. This man and his followers were derided and scoffed at, and for peace removed far into the wilderness and founded a city. They were hunted from this by Christians, who murder'jd their prophet, and they were obliged, Avith untold hardships ami persecutions, to seek the protection of more remote and desert phces, until they grew so numerous that they were able to make it '.incomfortable for their assailants, and retaliated by killing any stray foen of the Lord's cho- sen people that refused to fall into line. ^'ow there are people who IcJieve the story of the finding of the book, and that it was a divine book : they are Mormons. There are people who do not believe it : they are now-Moxmons. " Which is light V says the man in the moon. That inquiring individual is informed that the Mormons have tiie direct testimony of their prophet and his immediate followers who assisted in the translation of the golden-leaved book. Their opponents have no direct evidence to the contrary, only circumstances and pro- bability. If we crtu rely on the latest statoments of their industry, temper- ance and honesty— on the principle of judging a tree by its fruits- Mormonism IS not such a dusty religion Insinuations, generated by feelin'gs not the most comfortable per- haps, induce the declaration, that, while respect cannot be paid to many things called after it, there is no desire that Christianity be'sup- planted. Why should there be 1 Its founder expelled with indig- nation those who made a trading mart of their hi,ly places, but ex- tended a friendly hand to the suliering and oppressed. He rebuked the shallow seeker after miracles, but stood apart and wept for the troubles of a city. He was maligned, persecuted, forsaken by friendi 1.1 "tl ?'"?''' ^'^'''^y*^^ ""f^ murdered by those he labored to had dnn« .''!'i ""f '"^'' '^^"•^ ^^o^U^s a word for him, saying he would^atkfv 1 '"^ Vr'^ ''''^' l''^'-^^ treatment. But blood alone ■wouw satisty his wolfish foes. the life'nf li?"^ '/v ' '^ ^"'°«^' that finds a subject of ridicule in Thev walcS h. I'T'^' '^^'''' ^""^ ^"«h humorists in thattim., Sre^xt noM P r; ' '* ^""'' •''^^l jeered him. Has the breed a^y kin,u u l/^", ^^'''' ''' '^'''' "1'' 1<^«« trouble with humorisUof m m 15 '■t 1 ■■ i The effects of such are well illustrated in the interminable conflicts ih the trtiihs revealed by the advancement of knowledge. These ijiiflicts sooner or later have the same termination. Beginning always |th vehement and angry denunciations, they end by claiming the facts as evidence of the truth of the doctrine they were at first jid, as the work of the powers of darkness, to undermine. The latest exhibition of this peculiarity is claiming the theory led after Darwiu as being in strict accord with the prevailing the- jical view. The term radical is often applied or misapplied to men and their lions ; but, as indicating the difference between the Mosaic and rinian stories, it is most appropriate and its full import is required. The man who wrote the first chaptur of Genesis was above his )undings and is entitled to and receives respect from intelligent jple of any or no belief. Did he live at the present day, with sir advantages, there would probably be none to more ably demon- ite the folly of those who would make him infallible ; but At is there written was intended to be taken as it reads, and contorted to meet conditions then impossible to bo known to those ipm it was intended to instruct. The earth was the great central ^ture of creation, and the sun, moon and stars were appendages to The days of creation were ordinary days and so on. As such, it has been, and continues to be, a satisfactory description j|many people: but the attempts to make it conform to more advanced iowledge is always disastrous to the reputation for intelligence of se who engage in it. The very word " beginning" is dependent on a conception of time I^Awviously for a meaning, and no idea of time can bo formed apart suns and planets and their motions. Again, wlieu the earth is described as being without form, what we to understand if we depart from the ordinary signification and t^jnto the subject scientifically and critically ] Form is an essential onceptiou of any material thing, and this is as true of the air (Jbreathe as of a block of granite. Some things are indeed termed ^rphous, but this is by no means a solitary instance where, through sity of words or for brevity sake, the literal expression is the re- of the meaning intended to be conveyed. jTames can only be given to groups of shapes as square, round, etc, ^a that cannot be classed are too numerous to mention, and in Br desperation we call tliom formless ; but, as a matter of fact, to |that a tiling is formless is equivalent to saying there is no such Void means empty So that if Moses' aunounc.emeut, over fh 80 much profound eloquence has been expended, be examined illy and scientifically, the utmost that can be made of it is this : There was a time when there was no time, and God made some- which wasn't jvnythiug, and it w.is empty." / k<)MMMi>»>k<'>»''<''**»* 16 It was not intended to model this sketch after the Tassaud estab- lishment or any other showy concern, but one may profit by a sug- gestion sometimes, no matter what motives or feelings prompt it; and so by the " eclectic" process the following chromo is presented to the readers, having been obtained from'a recent rather clumsy though not uninteresting publication, where it was given as an extract from a book written by a reverend Christian teacher for the instiuction of the young, and stamped with the approval of the church : — " The roof is red liot, the walls are rod hot, the floor is like a thick sheet of red hot iron. See, on the middle of that red hot iron floor stands a girl. She looks about sixteen years old She has neither shoes nor stockings on her li'et. The door of this room has never been opened before since she first set her foot on this red Lot floor. Now she sees the door opoii. She rushes forward. She has gone down on her knees on the red liot floor. Listen ! She speaks. She says, " I have been standing with my feet on this red hot floor for years. Day and night my only standing-place for years has been this red hot floor. Sleep never caiiKj to me for a moment that I mighi; forget this horrible burning floor. Look ut my burnt and bleeding feet. Let me go off this burning floor for one moment — only for one single moment. Oh! that in this iuidless eternity of years I might forget the pain only for one single moment." The Devil answers her question. " Do you ask," he says, " for a moment, for one moment to forget your pain ? No, not for one single moment during the never-ending eternity of years shall you ever leav*; this red hot floor." " Is it so?" says the girl, with a sigh that seems to break her heart. There now is a picture for you to delight in gazing at, saintly Christian, when you get fitted up with your fancy flying apparatus. Carnal enough, surely, and contaiuing " sweetness and light " suffi- cient to run a sugar-mill without g;is or West India produce. Bad as it is, however, there is something in store worse yet. Oh ! I hear even some of the orthodox believers say, " Give us a rest." But there is no rest for the wicked, and any one more wicked than an orthodox Christian would be a curiosity worth going a long distance to see ; and this on his own acknowledgment you must understand. He is hoping for a time and condition when he will look on with " approbation " at the M'ay the devil is using that sixteen-year-old girl. It is said to be a characteristic of devils to delight in the torture of the condemned, and if you do the siiine, will you figure out, Chris- tian, the difference between your saintly self and old bugaboo. Terrible as these descriptions of the fate awaiting SDine of us are, they are yet not sufficiently effective to meet the requirements of the more far-seeing and truly pious. t^m vapHHniaipm ^^mmm 17 They know that people will become nccuf^touiod to most anything. IfVe learn to take pleasure in the use of tobacco, and to relish lager •beor It is known even that by beginniujj; with minute doses, people, after a time, can take considerable quantities of arsenic and Limburger cheese and live. It is related that a prisoner condemned for years to sleep on spike points, after being liberated and making trial of an ordinary bed, was found driving tenpenny nails through boards to make hiui a mattrass on which he could sleep in some kind of com- fort. It has therefore been concluded that the ideas of future pun- ishment heretofore Pertained are defective inasmuch as people would get used to it. A bath of white hot brimstone would make them squirm well enough at first, but before eternity was half spent, anything cooler would be uncomfortable. A door left ajar reducing the temperature to that of molten iron would give then* a cold in the head. It was left to the scientific christian philosopher Whiston to dis- cover a way out of this difficulty and find a use for comets at the same time. These celestial wanderers are known to circle the sun in very elliptical orbits. At perihelion they are warmed up sufficiently to make brick and granite fluid, while at aphelion, alcohol becomes solid. Here then are, at last, the desired conditions 1 1 torture from ex- tremes in temperature with variation to prevent acclimatization. Formulating the hellish idea was, no doubt, gradual — the wish, in this as in many cases being father to the thought. Savages care- fully avoid striking a vital part of their captive victim in order to prolong the pleasure ol watching their suffering, and when exhausted nature ends the religious ceremony before their cup of joy is half full, the lively imagination steps in to continue the good work in an unseen world. Orpheus was the first to gather the scattered ideas on this subject to a nucleus, and propound the doctrine of the entity of hades among the people from whom the prevailing belief was derived, and he did a very singular thing. He went there in search ot his wife and so charmed all hell with his music, that the government, at a cabinet council, with only one dissenting voice, agreed to allow him to take her providing he would mJjt look back from starting until he got be- yond the infernal boundaries. Before reaching the outer gate how- ever, Eurydice induced him to look behind, and the goat had to go up ito the world alone. Here he went about lonesome places singing sweet melancholy songs. Some ladies took a fancy to him and because he would have I nothing to say to them they tore hiiu in pieces. They threw his Plead into the river, which, drifting down the tide, articulated, Eury- lice! Eurydice! From all that has been said on the subject, will it not be clear to other foreiijners have iscernmg readers why New Brunswick anrl 18 acquired the habit of iiicutiouiug the name of this City in momeiit» of bad temper. How pleasant is a rid© in tlio railway cars. But this too is- subject to qualification. The train hands would likely reverse the assertion and passengers too when the journeys are long or frequent. But it is pleasant enough when one only goes a short distance once a year or so ; and one may live within daily sound of the trains and not go in them much oftener than one's friend in a more isolated situation. The handsome and comfortably furnished carriages, speediing along so lapidly with little jolt or jar, must compel even the croakers to admit that we are moving ahead. The contrast between the old way and this wonderful machine drawing so swiftly a long train of splendid and commodious vehicles, on steel rails, over a road along which the hills have been cut down to fill the hollows for an inter- minable distance, is enough to make one believe that the fairy tales will all be realized yet. Among the passengers are Christian clergymen returning from the city where they have met iu deliberation on the best means of carry- ing into effect a system tliat would oblige them to make this journey on foot over stones and brushwood. Their clothing, it can be observed, is of fine material and fashion- ed in the correct mode. Their apptarauce indicates that their diet does not consist exclusively of locust and wild honey. Fancy them looking from their easy seats and seeing John the- ^aptist in his peculiar costume making his way over the rough places. Would they care to be seen speaking with him? Yet Mammon Has made the difierence between his condition and theirs .a^'i'';!.'" l''"!?''' '''''' ""^ ^PP^^'^^*' views-the evolutionist-to say on the subject? ....^^L^^^ doctrine of descent from baboons is a beautiful theory, tTZTf '""'l^^ '''"''^' "?^ ^"''^^""y satisfactory, when applied to people for whom, one can have no abiding affection. .^r.Z'tl'^'tl r'""* 1° ^^"' ^"Slily differentiated method of -etting ^Sriheitltt^r"? beeiiai iroad to travel ; I ik him tS ^ZiTtolL^t °'\r'P^^^^^ *^^^^«« ^°d professions ne- Slvervwhl •'r \^^' H' P^'^^^1^' Poi^ti^g ont the utile 19 Here is the self-conscious young man in his faultless attire ; there a merchant busy with his mental calculations of gains »nd losses^ Here is the politician with his uneasy look but warm and friendly-r like greeting for all who approach, whether the underlying sentiments be indiference, contempt or dislike. There again is the finely- dressed lady and beautiful child with cheeks like the delicate coloring of the shell. I point these things to him and say : — " Think now of your beastly ape, slimy fish, and wriggling polyp." He droops his head and says: — "0 Simian ancestor, how far away you seem !" And now withia an hour an old time day's journey has been made at little expense and without fatigue, and, leaving the passen- jrers to go their ways, I have this beautiful June day before me in the country. Towards noon I came to a place where a brook entered the lake,, and near which a man was fishing. The poor old fellow was as far out as he could get, one foot perch- ed in advance on a projecting rock, his whole soul and energy for the time directed to so nianoeuvering the bait as to induce the fish to believe that it would be to their advantage to take it in, and to con- vince them that this would be the last chance, which, if they missed, they would lose a good thing that they might not have offered them again. And yet the offer of this great kindness was constantly repeafed. Political excitement was all laid aside; the prospective rise or fall in the prices of articles in which he traded troubled him nothing at all ; though a devout christian, the desire to save sinners was, for the time, dormant. But if one should say to him : — "You are a miserable old swindler, your time is spent in the effort to deceive others, so that you may profit by their misfortune, even to the extent of depriving those that never harmed you of liberty and life. Your moral preception is so low that this practice affords you pleasure, and is pursued for that purpose against those that enjoy life as well as you, but are too help- less to defend themselves."' Then he would get indignant and resort I t.gi a legal process against you for defamation of character, He saw le approach, but there was no friendly greeting in his look, which lid, *' I claim the exclusive right to this place for the presentj if not ■■ \ ■ 20 vfrom first discovery at least by priority of occuputiou, fromiiare to a considerable distance south, thence north and back to the place of beginning, and I shall consider any intrusion a c&use of war. But he had no occasion for anxiety, I sat down amoL^ some old -friends, watching his operations awhile. I had been fishing and got through. Before starting I provided myself with hook, lino and bam- boo rod ; the latter appeared a marvel of cheapness and suitability as much for its telescopic proclivities as anything. The result, from a fishing point of view, could not be considered a success. I had a great many bites but they were at the wrong end There ! the old fellow has caught a trout, which has fallen from the hook near the edge of the water What frantic plunges over rocks and through mire in his eagerness to prevent its escape ! Little speckled beauty ! As much care has been taken with iihe coloring of the spots on your sidt^s as with the eyes of a king, and now your joyous life is terminatiii;:; in agony on the dry sand, lured to ruin with tinsel and fine feath-Ms ; never more to play bo-' peep with the frogs among the lily roots, your happy life is sacrificed to the low pleasure of a larger animal w i\ h more cunning. The old fellow looks up to me as much as to say : — " Don't you wish you could yank them in like that.' But I answer him nothing, he is too selfish and not like some fishermen I know of. I soon left the 'lone fisherman in iiiidisturbed possession of his territory and loitered along with no pailicular object in view, and no wish to have. Following a bye road some distance I came to a farm, and seeing the propiietor near the house, went up after the manner of the newspaper person to interview him, taking a reserved seat on the wood-pile. The farmer was above the average size, florid complexion, blue eyes, red whiskers and yellow hair badly in need of clipping. He wore a pair of large coarse boots, which had a great accumulation of mud on them. It m^us so warm that 1 wanted very much to ask him to take them off and go awhile in liis socks, but concluded that we were not long cnougli acquainted, and that the advice might not be taken in the same spirit that it would be gives. I made some general enquiries about uio crops and farming, being careful to repress the inclination to give such directions about the management as occurred to me, because nothing so moves a farmer to commit deeds of violence as to have un. mployed people come about givmg agricultural advice. I had run too many narrow escapes not to be cautious. In turn he questioned me about tli(; elections of the day before. Looking at his boots, I told him that the successful party was •elected, and that the other was all defeated up with an oveiwhelm- •ingly small majority, and then, looking fair in his face, I was sorry lor my flippant answer, and gave him what information I could aV^t the affair. He did nt throw his hat in ilie air and shout hurra ! nor .pitch It on the ground and jump on it. Hard enough it would be t« 'lii.^^J-^-'" 21 jideted ng end b. 5n from fres over O \ ierx 'svitli { a ting* j^ty sand, play ^0;' sacriftced ae to a farm, he inanner ol ^dseatonthe i COTUP^eXWD^, I of cUpP^?8; V mucH to asK included tba vice migW not Vtn ail U jjy vatvon 1 cu d shout /t«r^a. ,ough it ^von^* '^ 1 tell which side he was in favour of from any indication of satisfaction or the contrary shown. But it was soon evident that he was nob indifferent to such things, and that he was the kind of man to sup- prise a troublesome canvasser who would endeavour to cajole him with' fine promises or make overtures for buying his vote for a dollar or two. When the country has a majority of such voters the canvassers calling will be gone and public business will be conducted on com mercial principles with the eH'octs of increased efficiency and decrease ed cost. " I noticed," he remarked, " that the elevator operations com- menced a short time ago. It would appear that that bait did not have- the desired effect." I told him that the elevator was for shipping grain. That it was to be ten stories high and built into compartments by laying deals in mortar on the flat and would l>e slated on the outside and completely xat-proof. There would be a shoot extending the entire length of the wharf, on the north side, so as not to interfere with steamers loading on the south side, but by the expenditure of a few thousands extra another, shoot could be run out on the south side to be used in casos^ of pressure. " Yes, I know it can be used to ship grain," he said ; " but I think it could be made rat-proof at a great deal less cost to the people." " That may be, but if the people want to have it that way it ie^ their business." " But do they," he queried. " Well, the politicians and the newspapers say so." It was this way : The politicians, out of a^ situation, told the people that the place was suffering for want of an elevator. When they got situations they would probably, in the press of business, have overlooked the matter, but the politicians on the other side said : " See here, we iirant that elevator right away,— why don't you build iti" And the ^newspapers, on their side, echoed the demand, so there was no getting |out of it and the elevator is becoming a crystalized thought. " Can it be used to elevate the leading Nova Scotia productions 1" " Can't say, there has been nothing in the newspapers to show that, can." ,«- L '•■ Do you know what the newspapers are useful for V .v^f^jyrj^*?;^ 22 '« They do," I said, " to wrap a IVesh fish in to carry home when you can't find anything better." "Yes, and they answer another purpose, one of their chief sources of profit to advertise quackery." , , v , "From early times," he continued, "there has been almost a superstitious reverence for printed matter, which newspaper people are endeavouring and successfully to cure people of. The art of printin'' was looked on at first as a sort of mystery, and the mere possessfon of a printed book entitled the owner to be considered learned. Only things held in greatest estimation were printed, as on religion, necromancy, and the laws of gaining. For anything to be printed was equivalent to being unquestioned. Such expressions as : " Don't 1 believe my own eyes ; I tell you I saw it in print," and others like it, are yet heard occasionally ; but parallel with them now are running also such remarks as : " 0, who would believe any- thing in the newspapers." These opposing sentiments afford a world of material for consider- ation, which, in the end, point to the same conclusion — the habit people have of accepting 'ready made' opinions rather than the inability to exercise their own judgment. In early days, through causes intimated, undue authority was accorded to anything printed. This has been taken advantage of to such an extent that reaction has set in, and now opinion is running to the opposite extreme. The newspaper occupies, par excellence,^ the position of instructor and civilizer, and when we see how that position in many cases is abused and degraded it is astonishing to find the deference paid to it by many people yet. It shows simply what a hold the old reverence for anything printed had. There is nothing much more amusing than to sec an individual with elevated or frowning brows reading with the same sonoroas monotone the flimsy inanities of some bumptious scribbler, that he would read the Bible. You will often hear people read passages from books in a burial service tone and manner, which, if related to them as being the production of Mr. AVard, they would laugh boisterously, and say : " Well, no mistake, he was a comical cues." There is no obscurity about the cause of the political newspaper becoming a nuisance. Boys, who cannot read, learn to set type sometimes, and so men learn in the same way to string words together to praise one party and abuse another. It don't matter which factory they engage in, party news- paper making is their business, and wherever the prospect is best they pitch in. The same old words and phrases, with a little mechanical shift- ing of names, answer either side, and the work of these word com- positors passes with many people, when clothed with all the majesty of plural pronouns, as something very profound. But the average newspaper article is not only a nuisance but an impertinence as well. 23 " I have ^ot met auy one for years whose ideas ou the subject so exactly coincide with my own," I said, " and when in addition to th« peculiarities you have noted, we find the newspapers used as a vehicle of spite and hatred, not to speak of incitement to mean and cowardly murder by accident or otherwise, they reach a degradation beyond which they cannot go ; and even without reaching this extreme, to continue using it as a ladle for personal venom against those who have no such means of defense is a most unmanly perversion of its use. There is no prize fighter in all the land that would continuis striking a man with his hands tied ; and as might bo expected tliese are the very parties that wince most when they feel the whip they have so justly merited. Yes, the newspapers have worked perseveringly to establish a character for unreliability, and they have been successful. You rarely hear a word of censure for the misdeeds of the parties they are in favor of, you never hear a word of commendation for the goods of the other. "Were a colony of nude cannibals to settle in the suburbs, making game of any stray citizen found wandering intent on the contempla- tion of rural sights and sounds ; then if there should be the remotest prospect of turning them to account for party purposes at elections, as by persuading them to feed on the opposition, we would immedi- ately find editorials in this strain : — '* Persistent attempts have been made of lato by our esteemed contemporary, th« opposition rag, to insult and vilify our South Sea friends ; but such low blackguardism will be estimated by the people thus wantonly assailed at its true value. We may not entirely agree with them in the trifling matters of costume and material for alimentary sustenance, but is this any justi- fication for the low insinuations thrown at them by a hireling press ? If scientific research has established anything on an unshaken basis, it is the fact that intelligence and a fleshly succulent condition of body is never found in the same individual. There is no gleam of intelli- gence in any member of the opposition ranks." And then an ironclad reporter would be sent among them to ex- plain at greater length where the juicyist cutlets could be found. The same course, on the other side, would soon give the savages a high estimate of their importance, resulting eventually in a return to barbarism or a fight for dear life. Now and then a man of intelligence and other natural good qual- ities will drift into the position of editor of a political newspaper, and there is no more mournful sight than his spasmodic and usually un- successful attempts to keep in or to regain the path of rectitude. " Yes," he said, " the newspapers and the political parties in their "bid for support act and re-act on each other for evil. The nature of jlitics is such as to bring to the front men of energy and ambition, lese are not bad or undesirable qualities, but if not kept in check by a strong internal sense of right, or by external supervision, they 24 are apt to run riot. Public opinion is a strong curb but does not Ml quick enough and is often misled ; were this defect supplied by th« newspapers^promptly exposing wron- doing, regardless of consequence to persons or parties, what ii wholesome effect would result. The newspaper nuicts its couscience for covering up rottenness, by the sophist^ ot expediency. It says. " Well this is a wrong thing I know but it will never do to wreck a party that on the whole is doing' better than their opponents would do, for a trifling matter. This is the canker that is eating into the vitals of morality in the management of public business. When it is cast out we will have better times. . . .. - Of course this is not a sweeping denunciation ot newspapers, for one can only see a few, and no doubt there are good ones if only you knew where to find them. But if we had newspapers that would always stand firm for justice no public man would dare do wrong on any plea. We would then have public affairs managed on business principles and less of the mesmeric method." " What kind of statesmanship may that be ?'* " It is the kind that consists in the ability, after rising in tBe morning with a headache induced by physical derangement, and a mind so oppressed with care that existence seems an almost intoler* able burden, and on being informed that some Judas, eager to sell his friends, his country, himself, or anything saleable, for ^' a little sordid gain," is waiting in an anteroom for an interview, — the mesmeric way consists in the ability, after a gulp and a shiver, to go out and meet him with a face wreathed in smiles and eyes sparkling with a delight like that of seeing a long absent and dear friend. T)ien if the politi- cal influence is considered equivalent, the bad bargain is made. It consists further in the ability to place one ringleader on the right and another on the left, and when the puppets so arranged exhibit the qualities of a governor of a Busaian piison and an officer of the In- quisition, by acquiescence use the machine, as occasion requires, to cross the chasm of conjured up disaster. This is the performance that sapient spectators, who dismiss an honest and capable man because he has no mesmerism, pay for ga^ at with open mouth and admiring eyes at the rate of — 50 cents « ticket!" The undoubted desire, seen through it all, to do well in the end, • is not sufficient to lighten up the shadiness of the picture of ability m ^ directed." |^; " Your emphatically expressed view of the mesmeric way," I said, " enables me to make an observation with composure that otherwise I would reserve or prefer to have the interval between us consideriblj extended first." Ii by tbe tQuencfr t Tbe .\)y ^^« thing I T mftttet. ty in the ^i\^ have ,apeT9, iot £ oix\y :i«^ ^ouU theft UBB oi the 26 It is easy for one in an out of-tho-way place, on a small farm which does not iu any remarkable degree exhibit superior capability of management on the part of the owner, to act the Scion. The horse bears his burden without complaint, the cow patiently yields her milk and industriously grazes without bidding, to renew the supply ; a commotion among the pigs is quieted with a pail of swill, and chickens of their own accord come home to roost. So with the vegetation. The cabbage with little care goes on expanding, and the potatoes, despite too many weeds, blossom like the rose. It is one thing to manage or mis-manage a small farm iu the woods ; it is another to guide the destinies of a nation." At the mention of the weeds among the potatoes a suppressed cough convinced me that I was making very good time, and I let up a little, when he came again wit^h a voice and manner slightly changed but very significant. ^ i nsxft, VfJ .Q celi^ » late ox—- > ". 't. 1* f gUOtj " There are more weeds them,'- he said, " but the wet among spell the has potatoes than is good for prevented as much work among them as would otherwise have been done ; and the premises, I admit, offer a field for the exercise of greater energy ; still health, contentment and competence are better than a greater display without either, one let alone all of them. A greater extent under cultivation, with showy buildings and fine carriage, would, to a passer by, have a much better appearance ; but, if in consequence, the owner lived in daily dread of a visit from the Sheriff, or had his managing ability constantly exorcised with the problem how or where to negotiate a loan to meet the next pressing demand, his advantage in point of show over his quieter neighbour would be dearly bought, and, when at last turned out and found hanging around a rum shop, his former display only serves to show hi9 degradation to greater advantage. It is an illusion to suppose thjEit less intelligence is necessary to manage a farm properly than for any business, statesmanship not excepted. In the latter there are X)ften great and difficult problems to deal with, but in many cases it will be found that the difficulties are owing to the methods employed — are born of them. In one very important feature it differs from farming business it is a position of trust and not ownership and trQuble is constantly occurring because this fact, while it is mouthed out at election times, is, in practice, completely ignored. . . Questions involving the utmost consequence will sometimes arise l^m trifling causes ; then narrowness displays itself by fixing eyes om the trifling cause. But if instead of this, or when extraneous ob- itecles as raison cfeglise interpose, the difficulty, instead of being M]|00thed over by mesmerism, was fairly laid before the people for .lil^^leiuent, these wonderful feats of statesmanship would not be re- ed nor would such difficulties so often recur. Jf I hire a man to work on the farm it is clearly his duty to dO work according to my wish whether right or wrong in his view. : lit 26 When he is sent to regular routine as hoeing potatoes he wants no advice while at it, but he should not undertake any extraordinary work without asking the boss." " I see you continue to make what is considered impossible com- parisons. Don't you know that public opinion is a blind giant, in- capable of guiding itself in a rational way " Public opinion is not a blind giant, it is rather a giant with im- mature eyesight that distinguishes light from darkness but nothing quickly or very distinctly at first. This giant is surrounded by pig- my leaders whose eyes are very sharp for small near things. They all clamour to guide him, and in their narrow selfishness lead him over windfalls and through miry places. But it is rough on the urchins when he detects their tricks as he sometimes does, and puts his foot on them." '* What remedy is there for this state of things ]" " Improvement of the giant's eyesight. flounder along some way." In the meantime he must " ! I perceive now. You are looking forward to a time when every man will, of his own accord, sit down and calculate his just proportion of the expense of anything of common necessity, and carry nd deposit the contribution in a receptacle left open day and night at the street corner for that purpose." " You are giving me credit for a great range of vision ; but now that you mention it, when Ave compare a state of society of which that is the key with what actually exists, it should be a wholesome check to undue vaunting over the progress we are making." " I am afraid you have been reading something and imbibing com- munistic ideas." " I have been reading something ; your reference to giants reminds me that I read " Jack the Giant-killer" the other day, and I find, like smaller people, there are bad giants as well as good. I also imbibe all the ideas I can on any subject ; but, objections to Bourbonism don't imply love for the pretty pranks of the sans culoite." " Well, in the present rather defective condition of the visual organs of our esteemed friend, the machine must be run some way." »* Yes, and how to do it and how not to do it make considerable of a stir at times. On one side are the anarchists-the offspring of hereditary depravity and misrule. They would have every man mov- 27 it» no iinaty e coTtt" ixA, in- ritli itn- by pig; They all bitn ov« 9 utcWm I bis foot ne be must time "wbeix ate bis just Y, and carry J' and nigbt It m but now ^f Uicb tbat esoine cbecK nxbibing com- «iant9 reminds 1 also inibibe to Bottibonisttt I, of tbe visual un some "waj* .tbe offi»pting 0^^ every man mov ing stealthily about again with a knife or club. On the other side- is the aniiour-plate(* despot whose fiat is law. Extremes meet, and these are consequently near related — they produce one another. Be- tween these are all degrees of liberty and oppression, sense and nonsense. " If we look to nature, she evidently teaches that all social animals- require a head around which to rally for defence or obtain counsel ibr guidance. A single bee could not prepare a place to store th» winter's supply or for shelter, and must have a recognized head or perish. So the anarchists must go. The word " government " in its- present use must ovontually also go. It is growing into disfavor as tyn\nt and some other once respectable teims fell into disgrace. As a ccmp/mentary word to government would convey the idea of evil* doin^^ by intention or from inability to distinguish right from wrong,, its use in time will be limited to prisons and lunatic asylums. It would be easy to show that it has not to begin its transition period. Decenv people are resenting being officially classed with lunatics and criminals." " Well, I must say that to stamp out anarchy and abolish govern- ment, both in the same day, looks like considerable of a feat. Only that everything around wears its customary undisturbed appearance,. I should irfer that we were in the midst of the final cataclysm." I laughed a little while making this remark, which, from his reply,, appeared to l^ave the effect of a counter-irritant, for he said :— " The treatment accorded to people from town who come out into the country for a holiday differs from that which the countryman- often meets with in the city. When they do grotesque tilings or make superficial remarks and laugh at them themselves, we don't immediately put them down for imbeciles. We make allowance for the reaction from narrow sidewalks and bricks walls where at every tnrn is met the commercial smile that would not give you a biscuit if starving ; where the windows display bags of sawdust labelled in glowing colors, " Extra superfine flour," " Choice tea," " Pure Mocha coffee," or shoddy clothing marked " All-wool West of England," *< Selling below cost ;'* where in the fine church the preacher is raising with eloquent harangie money for foreign missions, while within sound of his voice are people suffering with hunger or a widow's son sickens and dies without their clergy once crossing the threshold be- fcuse of their poverty ; where people are led to heaven through expen- ; sive churches built by lotteries and fraud." " Well," I said, " I lived in the country once myself, but J have aformed. I'm a citizen new, and one must always try and keep one's id up, you know. The methods of advertising are not so much with • intent to deceive as to attract attention, which becomes a necessity long many competitor ; but while we are on this subject, if it won -i-- i': 11 k I 28 Dut vou to too much inconvenience, may I ask if you can throw any licht on the reason that the strawberries offered for sale by country DWPle invariably have the small, defective and mashed-up ones on top while the fine large fresh berries are hidden away below. Or when in town we sit down to breakfast on new-laid eggs, these some- times happen to be the identical ova that the farmer's old hen aban- doned in disgust after trying for six weeks, with maternal assiduity, to convert into chickens. Or why the legend on the head of apple- barrels is so often in figurative language V " I am afi-aid," he said, " that our conversation is degenerating into . frivolity. I found the direct line more interesting." "Very well, suppose we return to where my remark diverted it to where government was rejected to be replaced by something thing better, let us say ; but before that you intimated that we might "lean from nature some useful hints to guide us in the management of affairs of state, pointing out that lower social animals were instruct- ed by our common mother to select a head or rallying point for the community. Now the greatest trouble with many of us wiser animals is to settle this very point of headship." " Of course this is just what might be expected. Children and fools always Tsegin at the wrong end of a job. Let us consider two communities— a hive of bees, and the United States. The former obtain their president by natural selection — the latter by unnatural selection. In one all is peace and harmony , in the other tumult aud confusion. It is customary to say that in the United States the people chose the President. This is not true nor under their system can it be possible. Neither do a majority decide the matter. It is done by an oligarchy, Even if the people were all satisfied with the cardidate placed before them by the self-interested oligarchy, of three States of nearly equal population if two decide by a small majority for one, while the third goes by a large majority lor the other, then the min- ority rules the coast. When in addition to this farce of preteDding to do a thing that cannot be done, we see the expense, the corruption, extending cancer like to ©very corner of the land, the illwill, strife and murder enacted evexy four years for— what]— to obtain a man of ordinary ability to discharge what should be well defined and mainly routine duties, it looks like the freak of lunatics. Good and sensible people in the United States say as much, and see in its continuation anarchy and disruption. They admit that it would be infinitely better for them to ask some civilized community to select and send them a man of established re- putation for character and ability to preside for a stated period with dignity and impartiality over their deliberations. What matters it to a native of California whether the four years presiding officer at the >f' ..*i!^«W«£rf*«>., 29 Capital be from Maine or Australia. But whether or not he be fit for the position, not the least of which is to set an example of what manly conduct should be, and is free from all intangling influences of party or relationship, matters much. In turn, should Australia ask .he United States to do them a similar favour, the reactive beneficial influences would soon be evident Every objection to such a method can be reasonably met except the objection that arises from that lowest kind of patriotism that don't differ at all from bigotry ; and the United States is in the very posi- tion to break down that narrow-minded barrier. The method of making tht election is a matter of detail. It might be given as the prerogativo of the president who would have the strongest motives to make a wise and careful appointment or the representatives might be permitted to choose one from among them- selves. I have in my minds eye a deliberative assembly where even a blind man could fasten on a subject with the vivacity of youth, pristine vigour, and wisdom of age a llarrayed in the same individual." " Well the United States is sometimes called a hive of industry,, but it must be admitted that their method of getting a queen bee is a little troublesome to say the least." " Yes, and with that exainple before our eyes, which the best people there see the evil of and lament their inability to remedy, there are yet people among us who clamour for political connection or an exchange of almost the only advantage we have over them for their system." , " Then you do tliink we are ahead of them in some things ]" " Yes I do. The corrupt spoils system in the civil service doea not exist here. The appointment of judges is more likely to ensure able, impartial and fearless men for that very important position; and there are other things in our laws and regulations that I much prefer to theirs." " I agree with you in the main, yet things are not always what they seem, and, without advocating the spoils system, I feel called on to observe that there is an element of corruption in the management of ours not exceeded by anything found there, and more dangeroua because not so open to public notice." " I am surprised to hear you siy so ; I thouglit everything in that branch of the public service worked quite smoothly." 30 It No doubt of it, and so do the majority of people, and that's whero the danger is. As a matter of fact there is as much need of reform here as in the United States. A young man of average ability and intelligence obtains through political or other influence, a place in the public service. His friends are pleased and he is elated. He attends carefully to his duties with the natural and commendable aspirations for advancement. After Awhile the political party that appointed him is succeeded by the other, then years go by without any improvement in his pay or posi- tion. While others, without regard to fitness or justice are placed over his head. Now the average young man is very likely under such circumstances to confound things. He is apt to look on his work not as the business of the public who pay him and do not wish him to b« unjustly treated, but don't know about it — he is apt to consider it the work of the government — the half dozen or so of men who for the time have managed some way to get in the position of the peoples* agents. The average young man is not always able to keep before him the fact that the signal " England expects that every man will do his duty " was " not for a day but for all time and in every station." Overlooking the true position of things he becomes negligent and if opportunity occurs, more out of revenge than an inclination to steal, helps himself to a portion of what he considers he has been de- frauded of. Then sometimes follow detection and disgrace for himself and friends, and, in any case, it would be better for him and for the service to have been dismissed at the change of administration than to be so -dealt by." " Does this prevail to any considerable extent f "Yes." " I have heard that the civil servants were a grumbling lot and very hard to satisfy." " I expect that there is too much truth in it, but a table of names and dates, facts and figures, neither whines noi cringes." " Don't you think a great deal of this results from oversight rather than from intention?" " Not at all ; repeated representations of injustice from proper official quarters have only brought forth tyrannical abuse. There are other and darker features still that I will give you par- ticulars of some other time." 31 " I am sorry to hear of wrong doing in any branch of public busi ness, and, as you say, there is less to dread from open irregularities than from secret wrong doing ; but the system must not be confound* ed with men who betray their trust. On the whole I see no reason to modify the opinion I expressed that many of our laws and regula- tions are better than those of the United States." " Yet there are many people here who favor annexation." " I don't think there are many." " yes there are." " Not a majority." " No not by any means, still quite a number." " It would be interesting to know how they compare in respect to intelligence, character, &c , with the rest of the population." " Well statistics on the subject are not available, and I can only form a general opinion and that is not unfavouralsle to those who oppose such a change. There is one feature about it that is worth noting. The annex- ationists express their opinions very freely often in a way too that is I offensive to loyal subjects, without molestation, while to speak in praise or defense of the flag that protects all alike, that ones fathers have died to make it tLe proud banner it is, or forsook their homes to follow it subjects him to sly persecution often." " Surely you exaggerate ; the people would tolerate nothing of the kind." " If the people only knew of some things that are done on the quiet there would be a greater hum throughout the country than ever the N. P. will make." " There is no recognized leader to any annexation or so-called independent movement that I have heard of." *•■ They are nearly all leaders, individuals who pine to be noticed. Some of them have the gift of talking incessantly without saying anything, as Mr. O'Toole would observe, and clothe worn things in such a cloud of words thut people who are caught with show imagine they have something ; like a package of " fine cut," it looks well, but a great part of the weight is in the wrapper. " They frequently assume a lofty tone in exclaiming against th» orruption of government by political parties. Most of us are awaro II I 32 of this ; what we want is a feasible remedy. Of this we hear little that is of value from them; but instead, we hear them advocating the adoption of a system that would increase this corrupting influence a himdred-fold with no compensating advantage. Their inconsistency is greater than that of people who vote to establish monopolies and then turn and make a god of any scoundrel who, for selfish motives, will tell them that they have a right to take forcible possession of other people's property. " A pretentious exterior often covers a small soul. It don't look well in individuals who " lay back their ears" taking in at a glance a scope of 375 degrees of the horizon of human life, and commenting thereon like one standing aside and above it all, to exhibit the jealous petulance of an overgrown sulky booby. *' We are raw and green in Canada, of course — a little too much of the freshness of the backwoods about us to be pulled by the nose into a fancy political scheme by any disappointed would-be aristocrat, " We are already very closely connected with the United Stated- essential )y one people with them. It is not necessary to spend a great part of life at a college to understand one another. Many from amongst us go there to live, some of them no credit to either country. Not so many, yet some United States people come voluntarily to abide with us, and it would be hard to find one such that would not be a credit to any country. This fact should be studied carefully by those who express anxiety to build up a great nation, because there is such a thing as getting ahead too fast; and this brings us to the ma- thematical part of the subject, which is : How many feather-headed Bluenoses, in a mad chase, with lolling tongues, for dollars and noise, are equal to one level headed decent Yankee 1 This may serve as a standing question for civil service examination, not for candidates only, but for those already iu of all grades." " What is your opinion of competitive examinations V " Good and useful if we could have any guarantee of their honesty; but just imagine one going forward to answer a series of catch ques- tions ma hunted time with his hopes and anxieties, and competing with a fellow that has had them prepared at his leisure." . " J \^'^^^ f °ie;iner thing could be done and no good could come of it, but surely nothing of the kind takes place." hJi^""' "•^^'^ t^-ee don't yield good fruit, but it appears to me I ml IJtT °" 'om,\hm. of the kind in Nova Scotia once. ZaV ZZ!r''^F]t\'^^^^'' '''^''^''^^^S ^^^^ci^ wears a sinister look the parties at the bottom of it are worth watching. writin" .f 11 'P'^^-''«; '^^P' "'« °°* uncommon even when the venting IS caiefully revised. I could, for example, show very high 33 authority for spelling academy with double c, and can show far more seirious faults in very pretentious productions. Some rainy day I will write you a letter on these matters and on competitive examinations ; it is too fine to-day to deal with such dull things." ** Don't you think the features of a country have something to do in moulding people's minds, especially leading people V " Can there be any question about it 1 Where everything is on a grand scale — rolling rivers, inland seas, and boundless prairies — who can doubt that it has an effect in raising men above littleness." )od could come I resumed the conversation which had lulled while filling our pipes, by asking about the adjoining farm, the house on which ap- peared to be unoccupied, and was not a little interested in the account of his neighbour who was also a relative. " He has been engaged in different occupations," he said, " but is of the rolling stone order of people, and a year ago went to the North-west. I have had a letter from him but it is not quite clear by it what he thinks of the place. He has a fashion of mixing things in the most promiscuous job-lot- way imaginable. The step between the sublime and the ridiculous is carried away, and these parties are found at times occupying the same rustic settee ; the stately lady, gracefully acknowledging the respectful, if awkward, attentions of her neighbour. If his reports had been very favourable I thought of going out myself. " Did lie live long on this farm V No. He began life as a school-master, next tried preaching, then after a time farming, but the extraordinary favorable accounts of the North-west which he read in a published description induced him to go and see this promised land for himself. " Not remarkably successful in his first occupations likelyl" " Well perhaps not. He sometimes got into trouble with people about one thing or another. He was accused at times as most teachers are, of showing partiality. Once he punished a boy for misconduct, and the lad went home making such a doleful complaint that his raothpr shortly after presented herself at the place he was staying with a horsewhip and broke the nature of her business with him partly in words and disjointed sentences and partly in pantomime. He saw her coming, however, and concluding that her mission wa» m 34 sot one likely to cause her husband any uneasiness on the score of undue friendship, deployed to a position where the table formed a sort of breastwork. As soon as an opportunity occurred he told her that once in a while for insubordination or other improper conduct, he had found it necessary to inflict punishment ; and, if it could be fairly shown that he himself had merited chastisement, he could not consistently object ; but first he would like to ask her a question or two and make a few remarks. His visitor. Mi's. Smith, charged him with frequent and inhuman -whippings of her poor little boy, while he never so much as laid & finger on the Brown's young ones, and Brown was a drunken, good- for-nothing, worthless person that could'ut pay his debts, and his wife thought of nothing else but dressing herself, and she would let him see that she would not stand quietly by and have her poor little •child pounded to deatli and other people's brats made favorites of. , " Mrs. Smith," he said, " I believe you have six cliildrou." "Yes, I have six lawful children and what have you to say about itr On the legal side of the question nothing whatever. But I would ask you as an intelligent woman, do you never find any diffi- , -culty in managing them ? Are they invariably obedient and respect- ful, and do you never see any necessity with a mother's care for their . wellfare to reprimand or chastise them 1 " Why I have my own troubles and enough of tliem dear only knows, and the burden falls altogether on me; as for Smith he woiild'nt say a word if the children spit in my face." "Just so; I can understand your troubles and know how to sympathize with you ; and now, suppose that in addition vou had all the neighbours' children to care for V "What's the use of talking nonsense. I would'iit have all the neighbours' children." " That confirms the opinion I formed of your good sense, but just suppose you had them to care for, don't you think your difficulties would be greatly increased ?" iiotha\^\hr^'" ^"^^°*^ anything of the kind, for I tell you I would " +nrir3,fi^j^^^^ *^®"' ^°^ ^^^y yo"i's, which with a parent's solid- bou J^^JL? "''''«"y to chastise occasionally, but all your neigh- bours children as well to look after " 35 le score of ) formed a e told hex ir conduct, it could \)e e could not question or id inhuman cli as laid i inken, good- bts, and his lie would let or poor little 'orites of. drou." 1 to say about tever. But I find any difii- it and respect- s care for their liem dear only th he would'nt kuow how to ion you had all at have all tlw sense, hut juet Luv difficulties tell you I would a parent's solici- all your neigli- it Well, it is your busineHs and you are paid for it. " As usual you are quite right. It is my business and I am paid for it. But I am very much mistaken in my estimate of your judg- ment if you don't agree with me that that fact does not lea«en the difficulty of managing tliem. Teachers, as a natter of course, like some children better than others, but it is part of their business to consider this and prevent it interfering with the honest and honorable discharge of the duties they are paid for. But it often happens that in the honest discharge of duty they will incur censure for showing favor or severity, for which at first sight, there will be apparent foundation. Two boys, for example, require the teacher's attention for neglect of work or other fault. The teacher knows from their dispositions that the method of dealing with one would entirely fail to accomplish the object in the case of the other. One. under per- suasive encouragement, will do work that would be impossible to him under reprimand or severity, while gentle treatment would only induce the other to transgress the more. So that to honestly do the work he is paid for in a way that by experience he knows to be right and effective, he must often incur the charge of gratifying childish spite. " Take the case of your boy, the second one I mean — that fine robust, healthy, good-looking lad that resembles yourself so much ; a proper check on too great exuberance of spirits during school-hours not only prevents general demoralization among others, but diverts from ways that lead to ruin. Undue severity in any case is to be condemned, but among the boys of to-day are the politicians of the future ; and you are always safe in discounting largely the tales of their own exploits and others' misdeeds. " No one understands and can instruct children so well as a teacher, for the same simple reason that no one can make an article of use so well as he whose trade it is. '* I am about througli now, and, would you prefer dusting the coat, or shall I take that garment offf " nonsense ! Drat the young ones. I don't know what they were sent into the world for. They are more bother than their necks are worth. " I brought this whip out to drive the cow from ihe garden. She got in yesterday and eat half the caljbago up. Smith will never fix that gate until everything is destroyed. Saying which, she went home whip in hand, and Mr. Smith waj seen coming suddenly out bare- headed, looking as if business of the utmost importance required his presence somewhere, but wasn't quite sure where. " On the whole, his reputation as a successful teacher was not too had, hut a few years after ho left the businsss on account of unjust treatment by the school law managers, and essayed preaching. 36 " Much was expected from him at first, for reasons not easy to explain, except on the principle that a new broom sweeps clean. He was even accused of being addicted to poetry, and it was supposed that some kind of Round-table Idylls might appear any time, with some of the politicians figuring arf stainless knights that would make the leaves wither and fall off the Laureate's crown, leaving only the jewelled circlet. " The people who were troubled a little about this were those who would like to figure in history as discerning and magnanimous patrons of struggling genius ; but if it was to be a matter only of staying a punishing hand from a mere ordinary friendless mortal, why that was a horse of a diflerent color. They maintained an observant attitude of armed neutrality, so to speak." " What led them to expect that there might be a latent Homer around somewhere?" " 0, a pious fraud of a good-natured newspaper person, who found straightforward appeals for a little relaxation of the thumbscrews ineffectual." '* And was there no show of poetry to give a coloring of truth to those pious frauds, as you call them 1" "Not much." . '■ - " And about the quality V '' ' " Well, of that, I aw able to put you in a position to judge for yourself. For my part, I do not take as much interest in poetry as some people, and my opinion on the subject generally is, I expect, at variance with that of many. For example, I consider ' Mary's Little Lamb' better than ' Paradise Lo.^mm 45 I asked and obtained permission to copy his friend's letter for the newspapers, bat they all found it deficient in the saponaceous ingre- dient. It, with a subsequent one, will be found appended to thi« sketch. \ I It was wearing towards evening now of this long June day, and I caught sound of as sweet music as one wants to hear at times — the cows were coming home, and I heard the cow bell. A cowbell, considered as music, would not be a success in a street procession. Whether even it could with advantage take the place of much indoor music is a question involving too many and complex features to be hastily decided ; but there are times and places when cowbell music, as executed by the old cow herself, is sweeter far than many of these, and whore a brass band would be more discordant than a cowbell in a ballroom." The holiday is nearly over, and I must go to meet the train. Now we are " all aboard," another bell sounds, and we are off. The people gather in at every station on their return. Their man- ner is different. They are less precise and affected than in the morn- ing. Their holiday in the country has made them better. If people who contribute money to couvert the Hiodoos to a be- lief in the red hot iron floor arrangement would use it for hiring Sun- day trains to carry poor people away for a little while from dirt, sin and misery and have one happy day in the week, their charity would be mere wisely directed The young people and especially the beautiful young ladies talk incessantly with a delightful absence of any glimmer of common sense in anything they say. This shows their wisdom, because, for young people to talk sense on a holiday would be sheer nonsense and very tiresome. Now we are back to town. Here is the crowd and clamour, the carriages and trucks, workers and loafers. Here we are on the street again with the foul smells and clouds of dust. There is a distressed looking fellow who has spent his holiday about a rumshop, reoliug along uttering incoherent curses and a desire to damage some oue, the blood from a fall or a blow giving a worse than savage louk to his features. Here are two bargaining, each keenly intent on doceivmg the other. There again is one brute whipping another half starved one with his heavy load up the hill, and the evolutionist says : ^' Simian Ancestor, you seem nearer now." 46 APPENDIX. LETTER No. ]. N. W., I N. My deau Friend, — To respond to your request for my opinion of the advantages offered here to intending immigrants, affords me a double pleasure, inasmuch as the satisfaction I feel in being able to contribute, even to a very small extent, to the information respecting this vast region, is only exceeded by my desire to oblige you. It is true, showers of pamphlets and circulars descriptive of the " great lone land" have, of late, fallen like snow-flakes on the people of both hemispheres ; but the information contained in such is partial and not always wholly reliable. When selfish hope of gain prompts an opinion, due caution and enquiry are advisable before accepting it, whether the recommenda- tion be for a patent cure all pill or an easy way of climbing the golden stair. Governments, Land, Steamship and Eailway Co.'s and other spe- culators have direct and indirect interest in immigration. It is there- fore in the usual course of things that information emanating from such sources would have the advantages dwelt on, while drawbacks would not be made a tax on the powers of eloquence. For obvious reasons wo rarely see adverse accounts. Some, it is true, who have not had their expectations realized, and have returned or remained because they were unable to return, make efforts to cau- tion others; but it must be admitted that in painting their picture, the brush is apt to be dipped too often in the darker pigments. I particularly wish that if in this letter you should find anything that you might consider an especial attraction, you will give the subject the fullest consideration before deciding, because, next to shuffling off this mortal coil, I think the saddest thing in life is to see people cutting connection with home and friends and old associations to begin existence anew in a distant country under different condi- tions ; and, taking a turn as I have done occasionally through the sheds where a shipload of emigrants from the old countries awaited the trains, the prevailing feeling was always one of melancholy. Old people and children, young men and women, in groups around their i)ossessions, strong boxes, trunks and chests, containing, -IXJJUJU^^BPH^ ?^ 47 among other portable property, many of the smaller household gods which will be pointed at by old people not yet born as brought in the long ago by grandparents from their far-away home over the sea. How like a people by themselves these groups of wanderers feel ! Surrounded by crowds moving to and fro, some on one kind of busi- ness, some on another, and yet some with no business at all ; but all to them are the same — strangers. A rough word of notice or a jeer is not resented, neither will a kindly spoken M'ord elicit any expression of friendly cheerfulness. They are on guard, and know that the guise of friendship is often assumed to more successfully accomplish treachery and fraud. But under all the hurry and turmoil can be detected often a look of wist- fulness or regret. The unseen home to be is far ahead : the old familiar home is far behindj Many friends and acquaintances, and perhaps near relatives, have been parted Avith it may be forever ; and if, as sometimes hap- pens, a member of the family has sickened and died on the voyage, how inexpressibly sad to have him given to the great sea. A grassy mound in the churchyard may be visited, but the ever changing billows obliterate all trace of the lost one. Even the solemn burial-service is not observed. The pressing demands of commerce refuse to permit the great engines to cease for a moment their panting activity. What signifies a human life, and that of a steerage passenger, where the making or losing uf money is concerned 1 But to the little group of friends to have him thrown into the boundless ocean, how utterly lost ho is. " Lik(^ Lli(! tlcw on the mounlain. Liko llio loam ou the river, Like lilt! bubble on Iho founlain, IJo is soHL', and forever." Other troubles are before these people, many of whom were fairly contented and happy, but have been lured to go in search of what they will never find. There are always adventurous people to whom the monotony of quiet home-life is intolerably irksome. They require uo persuasion and promises to emigrate. The very hardships and dangers that others seek to avoid me to them an inducement to wander. These voluutary emigrants are the natuial pioneers for new settlements' But it is a sin to hire agents to persuade people who are more happy at home than tliey will be elsewhere to become exiles. When philanthropic individuals who have personal knowledge of distress from overcrowding or oppressive laws, will, at their own ex- pense or superintendence, endeavor to better the condition of others by immigration or any means, who can speak enough in praise ot such benefactors of humanitv J But tlie case is quite ditlereut wlien avarice or ambition is the guiding principle, notwithstanding the fine things said abuut building up a great nation and working for posterity. 48 The way to care for the future is to do what is jusjt and of most "benefit at present In the matter of immigration, as in others, it is positive fraud when money is forcibly taken from some people to make others more unhappy, or import among them paupers and crim- inals to be a further source of expense and danger. The business of legislators is to conduct affairs according to the wish of their employers — the people. Like others, they are entitled to form their own opinions and give expression to them without being punished therefor. Should these opinions meet the approval of-the majority, well and good ; but until that time they should not arro- gantly enforce them. Among other ways of classifying people, they are divided into the hopeful fellows and the Jeremiahs. Outside of bandits, there is pro- bably no instance of people deciding intentionally to do wrong in their collective capacity. The converse of this will bear hardly in some directions, but it can't be helped. Unless these views can be proved incorrect, the pessimists must fall in the rear, because, as the voice of the people, as a whole, is always for the right, great things may be expected as understanding improves and knowledge increases There may be instances of extraordinary individual wisdom ; but the legislator will do better not to act on the presumption that he is a living illustration of such, but to legislate according to the wish of the people ; and if it is not always necessary to buy, cajole or intimi- date them into voting for one out of two individuals placed before them, to determine what their wish in any case may be. Let an average voter be asked if he is willing to pay a man whose object in the matter is to obtain a situation combining easy times and high salary, to persuade people three or more thoupand miles east of him, about whom he knows nothing, to emigrate as far west, where he will never know more of them, and can there be any doubt of the answer ? The limits of a letter will not admit of other and serious objections to speculating with human lives to accomplish the selfish aims of individuals. Of course, many unfortunate people are so miserably situated that any change must be for the better ; but this is not appli- cable to cases like yours, where, with a climate not subject to very great extremes of temperature, you enjoy good health, and, if your wealth is not so great as you might reasonably desire, you at least have no fear of great privation. Your surplus products can always find a ready market at remunerative prices, and you can obtain in exchange many things which, though not absolutely necessary to ex- istence, you would, from long custom, find it hard to bo deprived of. If not exactly in the vanguard of civilization, you are yet not far enough removed from it to be in danger of relapsing into a primitive state of existence. With these cautionary remarks I will proceed ; but for the present •confine my attention to a point or two, which, remarkable as it maj m^ 49 appear have been overlooked by those who have been employed to write the country up. The feature most dwelt on, and the centre of all other attractions, IB the unlimited extent of land. Here the rack-rent payers of other countries may, under easy conditions, become proprietors of real estate— land owners. And if with the land they also acquire habits of thrift and industry, they will, in time, become here, as in other places, rack-landlords themselves. It must be admitted that there has been no exaggeration in respect to the extent of land here. Indeed it 18 nearly all land except the lakes, but the number and other fea- tures of the latter have been astonishingly overlooked ; for, besides the more southern "magnificent water stretches," nature, with a prodigal hand, has sprinkled this region with innumerable lakes, varying in size from small ponda to millions of acres in superficial area. Now the bottoms of these lakes consist of a great depth df alluvium brought down in the course of ages by the numberless streams that enter them. It has also been placed beyond doabt by scientific research thar the water ot these is steadily growing shallower and must eventually entirely disappear. " The practically inexhaust- ible fertility" of these lake bottoms opens out to the evei-wakeful eye of speculation a vista of wealth perfectly startling from its unbounded dimensions. Miles of uninterrupted fields of waving golden grain of prodigious yield will reward the fortunate pioneers in this northern Eldorado with riches that can already be a subject of mathematical calculation by the simple rule of supposition. The most unaccountable thing about this matter is the fact, that, neither in descriptive pamphlets, nor in parliamentary oratory, has this great source of wealth been alluded to. No information is at hand to show that a syndicate has even been thought of to have this heritage surveyed into lots for sale to actual settlers with alternate reservations. That this great subject has not been expatiated on in the Council Chambers of the nation seems like a lost oppoitunity. What an opening here for a patriot seeking the position of representative, not as a mounting block, but solely through an overma:»tering Howard- like hanker, to improve the miserable condition of a suffering people. What an opportunity for an elaborate machine made speech redo- lent of school davs and defiance of Bohemian criticism and reading equally well, beginniDg at either end. The space and time at my disposal warn me not to linger, but this lake bottom matter is of such an attractive nature that when one gets well into it it is difficult getting away. I believe it is generally admitted that winter up here has its draw- backs. At present, however, I am not dealing with this side of th« subject ; the brighter aspect must have attention first. All people of cultivated taste look on unsullied snow as the emblem of beauty and purity, and our finer sentiments recoil in disgust from the expression 50 of newspaper people who speak of the accumulations about the street» in the spring when mixed with mud and filth as * the beautiful.' These poor people work so much among material of the opposite color and quality that if properly dissected, the stain would be found to have penetrated to the very wellspring of their existence. Here the sensibilities are never ofiended by snow mixed and trampeled into grey slush. On the contrary, for the greater part of the year, the immense tract for miles and hundreds of miles is covered with beauty undef^led of such dazzling whiteness that the unprotected eye cannot gaze upon it long with safety. The rivers, too, now converted into solid material to which plate- glass for polish and hardness is a poor comparison, serve as roadways more level than engineering skill of man has ever constructed railway. The lowering temperature, always accompanied with an increase of ozone in the atmosphere, has a remarkably exhilirating effect on> the system. Think, now, of the puny skating rinks of more southern towns ! Here, with a pair of bright steel runners firmly bound on the feet, you can speed oa like the wind towards the far north, ever sur- rounded by the same unblemished expanse of beautiful snow; the fatigue of exercise counteracted by the increasing exhilirating effect of ozone, and, as an additional incentive to action, the howling bark of the grey pursuers, spurred on by that strongest inducement to exeition — the need of refreshments — breaks the stillness profound. And on you speed until the land is reached where the sun pursues the moon around the horizon, and the stars never rise nor set. There, under the scintillating glory of Ursa Majoris, you enter a region where the temperature would enable cutting implements to be made of butter rivalling in keenness of edge and elasticity the famed blades of Toledo and Damascus. Here, breathing ozone only, unvexed by sandflies, unannoyed by the foul odors begot of filth, heat and moist- ure, you glide in and under the ever-changing and resplendently- variegated canopy of the boreal aurora — azure, crimson, purple, gold — joining the spirits of Franklin and other adventurous heroes in undu- lating unison with the music of the spheres, waltz round the pole in a. never-ending whirl of intoxicating delight, 51 ^ly DEAR Friend,- " ' •Id a former letfnr baron'3 vassals centuries a^o T^ '° ^"'^ "^^^^^^ from^?hose al^' »mn nses in these „atlL to he d^„r%'l'"\^°' "^f"™ thlaTeS As the individual mefflberl offi ^? ''" ^"'■htigU. "" directions, where thei,. pX"s % 1 Wm "'"T' '='"»« ftom dilTerent herence to a party through .omf?„T ■'"'""'j' "f* fectiou iit!^ have n:t';:t°?b:t7oL^vthrffi""™n'''' p--"- •>»-- *«, opm;oas.of any value oT^f ^SC^S *'""'"'''' '» ">«'"' S • 'odetaiki:;V;4cS''o«trf'° '■""^T"'"' «>-• Attention - »d often tUhSa,°:,lr;'alttf ',','S^^ "^ ^^^ »d The methods of observing distin!-,?™ P"™'P»' ">"igs. genuine orthodox bitternSs" *"""='"" e™momesaro debated with but Ve^hJdtllnd y,!«:f^^^^^^ »™ represented here wrth clergymen. ' ^ *^°"" "" ""•'''"'y "» C hour, „,■ holding service. The' BaAirttS^oSlXtif 52 modating disposition ; but their strong desire to avoid unpleasautuesA "was not met in the same spirit by the Methodists, ^vho, being greatly in the aaajority, were overbearing ; and, if their treatment of the Bap- tists could not be called persecution, it probably went nearly as far in that direction as the times will admit of. A compromise Avas at last effected, allowing alternate choice, which worked well enough until the enthusiasm of one preacher caused him to intrude on the time of the other. A little retaliation fanned the flame, which might have resulted in a serious conflagration but for the suggestion of outside parties, who proposed running a partition through the building ; thus making ample accommodation lor both at the same time. This however would necessitate a rear entrance which neither would consent to take, and the result has been that service has been held at private houses pending the erection of new edifices. The Baptist minister is a genuine old time specimen of the first water, and his views of the absolute necessity of baptism by immer- sion are forcibly impressed, so much so, indeed, that last January one of the congregation being a little unwell and feeling hie groat danger determined to be baptized. The man heretofore had not been noted for good neighborship or scrupulous uprightness of character. He always appeared to enjoy good health, but was of an irritable temper. At this time having taken a cold be considered himself dangerously unwell, and, under the stirring preaching of his spiritual adviser, felt that any delay in the saving rijjfhIiAvas a risk that could not be entertained, and prepar- ations were accordingly made for the emergency. When the time and conditions are taken into consideration, the difficulty of performing a ceremony of this kind will be apparent. For household purposes, as well as for cattle, all water must be ob- tained by melting snow ; and, as this church had not been provided with a suitable or any receptacle for water enough for baptism by immersion, the obstacle at first appeared almost insurmountable. But ardor in any cause, it is well known, will overcome extraordinary difficulties. With considerable trouble, enough boards were found to construct a fount, if that is the proper designation, which, by corking, was made water-tight or nearly so. On the day appointed for solemnizing the ceremony, snow Avas melted at the nearest house and carried in buckets to the church, but here another trouble intervened. With the thermometer registering 40 below zero, the water, by the time other preparations weie made, would again assume the solid form. To provide against this, pots and kettles full were placed on^the «hurch stove to keep enough hot water to regulate the temperature of that in the fount until used. This accomplished the purpose, though not quite successfully, because the church stove was not adapted to the purpose. J ^ 58 No one can well understand how necessary to the impressiveuess of any ceremony, the correct observance of even small details is who- has not witnessed its performance under distidvantages similar to those described here. In the summer time, in southern latitudes, by the picturesque river side, with the officiating minister leading the convert in suitable garments out into the placid and tepid water under the inspiring' influence of the melodious voices of sympathizing church members ;, the solemn descriptions of scenes in old times are brought to memory^ and even those who eome to look on out of more curiosity are im- pressed with feelings very different from ridicule. Surrounding conditions and a careful attention to details of cere- mony are the life of a religion of ceremonies. On this occasion, th« penitent wore a very matter-of-fact garment of unbleached cotton, rather short. The onlookers were electrified to see him, on the attempt at submergence, make a violent start, during which an improper ex- pression escaped him, and one of the boards was displaced, allowing the entire contents of the tank to run over the church floor. This trouble was afterwards found to be caused by a nail, which, by over- sight, was left protruding, and against which, on being loweied into the water, he struck and injured himself. Now these people were devout believers and piously did the best they could under the circumstances; but the scene presented then, of the rough and wrecked tank, flooded church floor, overturned black pots and kettles, and general disorder and confusion, forced the ques- tion on one, whether baptism by immersion was intended for a saving ordinance in high latitudes in winter time. It was mentioned before that among the settlers here was to be found the usual variety of religious opinions; but even in a few years a perceptible diminution of the relative strength of Roman Catholics- is noticeable. The percentage of deaths among them for the last two years was more than double that of Protestants. This an investigation would show to be the result of abstinence from meat during Lent and at other times. In cold countries and seasons, the daily use of a sufficient quantity of animal food is necessary to enable the system to withstand the rigours of climate. That nature requires it is further indicated by the fact that people who could not bear fat pork before coming here, soon acquire a great relish for it, and abstinence from food of that kind invariably results in impaired heaUh and early death ; so that by the inexorable law of the survival of/ the fittest, expounded in this case , by one of nature's untiring missionaries, Kev. J. Frost, the B. C.'s will become extinct above the isothermal line of — • 35*^ much sooner than elsewhere. There are Nova Scotians here as there are in other parts of the world — many of them. This, with other considerations, inclinet one to think that for the land of the Bluenose, Nova Scotia is a misnomei^i. lu mechanical, inauufacturing and commercial, not to speak of agricultural and other industries, Scotland has made for herself a name that will last ; while for intelligence and uprightness her people will compare favorably with any in ancient or modern times. To speak in praise of their patriotism and bravery would be gilding fine gold. They write their own record, not in words, but in deeds, and the story is always the same from Bannockburn to Tamai. May some one in the future,, speaking truthfully, say as much for New Scotland. At present Now Ireland would be a more appropriate name for the little foggy peninsula. Like Ireland, it contribute he population of other countries out of all proportion to its size, . , at the present rate, they will eventually have all the world to themselves, and other nationalities will be obliged to find accommodation in Cape Breton. There is further resemblance in the fact that both have been taken into political matrimony without being wooed and won in the way coy maidens prefer; and the results should be a lesson to matchmakers an future. While her sister, New Brunswick, after having had her own say in the matter, has settled down like a trusting and contented matron, accepting without murmur and as a matter of course the showers with the sunshine. Nova Scotia acts the slattern, scolds or sulks when not asleep, and shows decided inclination to jilt the old man. Nova Scotia, too, has her dynamite scum and jackal abettors of crime prowling around to batten on social carnage. Newspapers detail repeated ruffianly attacks on a farmer, with attempt o burn his house at night over the sleeping family, and those outra ersisted in until ho is obliged to leave his crops to destruction, c... ,cek safety in a by-street of the city ; this, too, almost within call of the police and patent detectives, and no adequate eiforts made to jn'otect him or to hunt the savages down. It 's.but simple justice to the Bluenose abroad, liowever, to say, that, as a rule, he is considered a valuable addition to the population by the people among whom he has decided to pitch his tent ; and, as exceptions are said to confirm the rule, there will be no shadow of •doubt about this being established on a firm basis, because, in a com- petition among countries for the champion mean man abroad. Nova Scotia would range right ahead. When a Bluenose abroad will, through well- understood motives, glean and publish the scandal of slai^iering gossips about the domestic affaini of those at home and of individuals that never knew or had anything to do with him, it would not be right to deprive such u character of the pleasure of an acknowledgment of its effect, oven though it be not so great as hoped for. There is no home throughout the country that would care to have every little domestic affair published in the newspapers. The des- perate efforts of the party who would do such a thing, ought to be successful to make a mark in the world, though a dirty one. How 55 •delectable a composit disquisition on the want of appreciation of men of elevated thought, by a great nation, reads at times. The indignation of decent people, published or other, against such a character and his prompters is as misapplied as if used in shaming a pole-cat for using the means that nature has provided it with for attack or defence, and by a well known axiom its effect must be the same. But while making allowance for nature's niggardliness it may be useful to enquire what kind of moral teaching such Bluenoses get. It must bo such as that of a " constant hearer" whose best point in a controversy on a religious subject is in derision of the physical in- firroity of the person attacked. Such are the hounds that the church has used to hunt heretics with in all time. Many people do not understand why some lectures on the authenticity of miracles and the like have such an effect in silencing cavil. Now another question occurs, what can such constant hearers constantly hear 1 Broad prin- ciples of uprightness of conduct shown to be above petty distinctions and formalities of sect, or that the eastern attitude correct cut of toggaiy and gimcrack ornaments are all in all. Does their religious training consist in such as this and in hearing people who will not stand silently by and see the liberty of the people that has cost so much, slyly undermined without raising a warn- ing voice, called sneak thieves. Can we see an explanation here of the fact, that while people have more knowledge and the world is better than at any past time, religion is falling into discredit. It ought lu be, and no doubt is, a serious question with sensible church people, whether their institution is in more danger from the tierce attacks ot infidels o itside or from narrow heads within. Be- tween them the spires are reeling like a drunken man ; prevented from falling with a crash only by the unyielding solidity of the base. The oldest inhabitant known about here is a blue-nose — one Peter ♦Stone. He is far advanced in years now and has a remarkable ap- pearance ; never shaving or clipping his hair, and clothing himself in Arctic bear skins only. Of late years he is rarely seen — about once a year or so, when he comes to the settlement to dispose of furs, after which he goes away north and even the Indians are baffled on his trail. He is reputed to have a great deal of money hidden away in a cave near his hunting ground. The history of his life though simple aud briefly told is not with- out interest. All these long years he has worked perseveringly and endured untold hardships to accomplish a single purpose, never once faltering or dreading failure. He has been heard to say that no matter Avhat position in life a man occupies he can accomplish great things by singleness of purpose and persistent effort, and two historical personages he considers his prototypes. One, the tramp Peter, who made Europe tremble with the march of armies led by kings and princes to drive infidel invaders rr 56 ■'f ./•I from holy land ; the other the Imperial Peter, who raised his countrj and himself to greatness hj stooping to learn the use of the hroad-axe and rule. In like manner Peter Stone has directed his energies to accom; plish a purpose. It appears that in early life he made a visit to Halifax and put up at a house on Barrington Street, A tall, attenuated excursionist from Boston was staying at the same hotel. One day the American after moving reetlessly about the ^-oom awhile sat down in a chair the reverse way looking out of the open window, asking no questions for aome time. After calculating the distance to an object on the opposite side- vralk and hitting the mark he said : *' Stranger, in my country when people are dead in a room they turn the picters face* to the wall or kiver them over ; now don't you think that air picter out there ought to be turned tother side up." Peter, who was too full for reply, there and then formed a reso- lution to wipe out the reproach in a way to Kill impeitinent forisigners Mrith envy and wonder. Believing that his chance of doing so by remaining in Kova Scotia was not good, while a settled aversion against the American n^ade even a temporary stay in the United States impossible, he went to Canada and thence [Northwest. His aim has been to accumulate enough money to place on thie Grand Parade, and as large as the ground will admit of, a rectangular pyramid of solid granite. /I Note. — Sketch No. S^will be of Lunenburg.. » ii^