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aNADA 
 
 NATIONAL LIBRARY 
 BIBLIOTHEQ.UE NATIONALE 
 
 
 ■ji 
 
 ■ 
 
 M 
 
OLD MEMORIES = 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 i 
 
 r * 
 
 i 
 
m 
 
OLD MEMORIES 
 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO 
 
 If 
 
 REMINISCENCES OF OLD QUEBEC* 
 
 BY 
 
 MRS. DANIEL MACPHERSON, 
 
 AN OLD QUEBECER. 
 
 Montreal : 
 PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 
 
 ( 
 
 ^0 
 
 X 
 
mmmm 
 
 F5-M9 
 
 Qe 
 
 140222 
 
 Entered according to Act of Parliament of Canada, in the 
 year one thousand eight hundred and ninety, by Mrs. 
 Daniel Macpherson, in the office of the Minister of 
 Agriculture and Statistics at Ottawa. 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
X5BIDIC-A.TIOIsr. 
 
 TO 
 
 JAMES MACPHERSON LEMOINE, Esq., 
 
 Author of 
 Quebec Past and Present, Maple Leaves, 
 
 ETC., 
 MY DEAR HUSBAND'S COUSIN AND TRIED FRIEND, 
 
 I DEDICATE JHIS VOLUME AS A SLIGHT MARK OF ESTEEM. 
 
 CHARLOTTE HOLT GETHINGS MACPHERSON. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 To my Subscribers and the Public 9 
 
 Sequel to Old Congregational Convent i4 
 
 St. Louis Hotel 18 
 
 The Quebec Bank 21 
 
 Horse Boats and Ice Boats ^o 
 
 Beaumont, St. Thomas 37 
 
 St. Michel 40 
 
 A Chronicle of St. Michel 41 
 
 Second Visit to Roberval, Lake St. John 45 
 
 St. Leon Springs ct 
 
 My Second Visit to St. Leon Springs 56 
 
 St. Raymond eg 
 
 St. Augustin 54 
 
 St. Andr6 66 
 
 Les Eboulements ^o 
 
 Society in Quebec Fifty Years Ago 73 
 
 Spencer Grange gg 
 
 Society in 1854 oq 
 
 New Year's Day, 1840 gg 
 
 A Point of Honor 100 
 
 Country Post Offices Forty and Fifty Years Ago 103 
 
 The Subterranean Passages of the Citadel of Quebec 107 
 
 The First St. Patrick's Society in Quebec 109 
 
 Sillery Church 1 14 
 
 St . Matthew's Chapel , ug 
 
 Bishop Hamilton no 
 
 St. Patrick's Cemetery , 120 
 
 Mount Hermon Cemetery 122 
 
 In Memoriam 124 
 
 November ,,^ 125 
 
 To the Oyster 128 
 
TO MY SUBSCRIBERS AND THE 
 
 PUBLIC. 
 
 My Fripinds, 
 
 You have been so grood to me, in purchasing, 
 within a few weeks, five lumdred copies of a 
 feuilleton, only intended for private circulation, 
 I should like to show my appreciation, by cater- 
 ing to your desire for information rcirardincr our 
 dear old city, Quebec; but what can I do? 
 My learned friend, James Macpherson LeMoine, 
 Esq., with his wonderful knowledcre of facts, 
 so exhausted the subject in his excellent 
 and beautifully got up book, " Picturesque 
 Quebec." I am utterly overwhelmed. Un- 
 til I began to study the matter I was quite 
 ignorant that he had written so fully on 
 these matters, so I can only play Boswell to 
 his Johnson, and as without Boswell many of 
 the sayings of the immortal Johnson would 
 have been lost. I too may have my use in 
 recording crumbs of information, interesting 
 and instructive, though lacking the dignity of 
 history. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 Cfiakiotte Holt Gkthixgs Macpiiersox. 
 
r 
 
OLD MEMORIES: 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 SKQUEL TO " REMINISCENCES OF OLD QUKJlIX,' 
 KV MRS. DANIEL MACPHKRSON. 
 
 My first recollection is that of being drawn in 
 a child's carriage by old Germain, messenger of 
 the Quebec Bank (where I was born), to the old 
 convent, formerly occupying the sif e of McCall, 
 Shehyn & Co.'s store at the foot of Mountain Hi'! 
 in St. Peter Street, Quebec. This convent has 
 been non-existant for forty-seven years. Its 
 community now reside in St. Joseph Street, St. 
 Roch's. When this convent was there, there 
 was no St. Peter Street, there were no wharves. 
 
OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 and an old sister told me the batteau men 
 often struck their sails against their convent. I 
 remember my father often called at the con- 
 vent to take me out boating or the St. Law- 
 rence River that lapped its shores, for the lower 
 town of Quebec was then a delightful residence 
 for Quebec people, only the military then resid- 
 ing in the Upper Town. Applying for informa- 
 tion about this old convent to Ville Marie, the 
 Mother House of this order, I received the fol- 
 lowing letter from one of the ladies: 
 
 CONGREGATION DE NOTRE DAME, 
 
 Montreal, October lo, 1890. 
 Madam, 
 
 As I am obliged to absent myself, I have 
 only time to give the year of the present foun- 
 dation at Quebec. The first house was in the 
 Upper Town, established in 1688 under the 
 direction of the venerable Mother Bourgeois. 
 This house was transferred to the Lower Town 
 in 1692, under Mons. de St. Valliere, and in 
 1844 the convent of the Lower Town not 
 being any more convenient, the sisters went 
 and fixed themselves in St. Roch's under 
 Monseigneur Signai and the Rev. Cure Mr. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 13 
 
 Charest. Rev. Mere St. Madeleine was Supe- 
 rioress of the Congregation of Notre Dame. 
 
 I am sorry not to be able to give you further 
 details. 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 Sr. St. Alexis de St. Joseph. 
 
H 
 
 H 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 SEQUEL TO OLD CONGREGATIONAL 
 
 CONVENT. 
 
 Friday, October lo, 1890. 
 
 I have just returned from a very pleasant 
 visit (my first) to Villa Maria, the Maison Mere 
 of the old Convent of the Congregation, forty- 
 seven years ago at the foot of Mountain Hill, 
 Quebec. 
 
 Taking the St. Catherine street cars as far as 
 the Post-Office, at the toll-gate you enter an 
 omnibus (at certain hours) which takes you, for 
 the moderate sum of five cents, to the gate 
 leading into the grounds of Villa Maria, the 
 first educational establishment of the Con- 
 gregation de Notre Dame, formerly Monck- 
 lands. 
 
 The approach on the Cote St. Antoine Road 
 is beautiful, especially at this season, when the 
 trees surrounding the various pretty homes o - 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 '5 
 
 some of our Montreal gentry are just taking on 
 their autumn tints. At one residence especially 
 I noticed the leaves of every color, from varied 
 green and red, pale pink, and deep crimson. 
 One small house especially attracted my atten- 
 tion, that of Maxime St. Germain — a real old- 
 fashioned humble country stone cottage, with 
 the cross standing, a rendezvous in old time for 
 prayer when churches were few and far between. 
 
 It was told me that this Maxime St. Germain, 
 from a humble habitant, by the rise of the value 
 of his property, has risen to great wealth, though 
 still living in his humble way, and with his wife 
 and brother still occupy the old homestead. 
 
 To make one understand the beauty of 
 Moncklands, you must pay it a personal visit, 
 and, in default of that, I cannot do better than 
 copy a page of its prospectus. I can only say 
 that I was utterly charmed even during my 
 hurried visit. 
 
 The view is so lovely from the front. The 
 parlors so tastefully, even elegantly, furnished, 
 with a fine library in one of them, every token 
 of refinement, and the spirit of o der prevails 
 with a carefulness of detail which must conduce 
 to the comfort of its inmates. 
 
I 
 
 ' .) 
 
 'f 
 
 i6 
 
 OLD MEM OAVES. 
 
 " In this Institution for Young Ladies will be 
 found all the advantages, comfort, etc., in har- 
 mony with its pre-eminence among the various 
 houses of this Order. 
 
 In point of situation, salubrity, and pic- 
 turesque scenery, Villa Maria is unrivalled ; the 
 grounds are extensive, and comprise a delight- 
 ful grove and a lovely little lake, with gondolas, 
 for the healthful amusement of the pupils. 
 
 The house, which was formerly the residence 
 of the Governor-General of Canada, is fitted up 
 in a style of comfort and in a degree of elegance 
 not surpassed by any establishment of the kind. 
 French being the language of the Institution, 
 the pupils possess rare facilities for acquiring a 
 thorough and practical knowledge of this lan- 
 guage. French conversation is compulsory, 
 and enters into the competition for the highest 
 honors. The course in the English language is 
 thorough and complete. 
 
 The Governor-General of the Dominion of 
 Canada has graciously given this institution a 
 magnificent medal, to be awarded for general 
 proficiency. 
 
 Hon. Ed. Murphy, Montreal, a valuable 
 
AML'SIXG AXn HISTORICAL. 
 
 ^ 
 
 microscope, to the young lady who excels in 
 natural history. 
 
 Mrs. Ed. Murphy, a niagnifi( ?nt gold medal, 
 for excellence in the art of house-keeping. 
 
 The Countess de Beaujeu, a rich gold medal, 
 to the voung ladv who excels in French con- 
 versation. 
 
 The Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of 
 Quebec, a medal for universal history. 
 
 The Rev. L. Collin, Sup. S. S. S., a gold 
 medal for literature. 
 
 The Rev. J. Marechal, a gold medal for re- 
 hgious instruction. 
 
 The Hon. P. J. O. Chauveau, ex-minister of 
 Education, a gold medal for composition. 
 
 The Rev. Mother Sup. General, a gold medal 
 for excellence in deportment. 
 
 J. J. McElhone, Esq., of Washington, a gold 
 medal for phonography and type-writing. 
 
 J. M. McGirr, Esq., Ont., a gold medal for 
 mathematics. 
 
 Awarded by an artist, a gold lyre, for pro- 
 ficiency in music." 
 
i8 
 
 OLD xMEMORIES: 
 
 ll 
 
 t 
 if 
 
 i 
 
 ST. LOUIS HOTEL. 
 
 I have just returned from Quebec, and must 
 record one of the most pleasurable incidents of 
 that visit, namely, my meeting accidentally an 
 old acquaintance, the handsome Miss Bouchette, 
 now Lady Shea, and her gifted husband, Sir Am- 
 brose Shea. The pleasure of a prolonged inter- 
 view with the latter, and I must say an hour's 
 conversation with hiiii, is an education. He has 
 the happ\ gift of conveying so much information 
 in such easy flowing language, words seem to 
 come specially to express his meaning ; you learn 
 so much while apparently only chatting. Truly 
 may the Bahamas bless the day when he went 
 there, and evolved from the noxious weed they 
 complained of (Sisal Fibre) an industry which 
 will be its grand prosperity. Already the im- 
 portance of this great branch of commerce has 
 been so great that he has, in view of Canadian 
 interests, come on a visit to Ottawa, to effect, if 
 
AMISJNG AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 «9 
 
 possible, a divergence of the trade to Canada 
 instead of permitting our American Cousins to 
 reap all the profits. He showed me a plait of 
 fibre about two feet long or more, so delicate 
 yet so strong. There is no doubt it will pro- 
 duce a rival to the famous manilla rope, and so 
 facile of handling, it may yet be used for 
 the manufacture of linen and other articles, for 
 it needs very little preparation for use, and that 
 of the simplest kind. 
 
 This wonderful plant suddenly sprung into 
 prominent notice. It is a weed particu- 
 larly fertile in the Bahamas. It arrows 
 about two feet high, and the fibre is the 
 length of the plant, and when extracted 
 by the simple process of pressing out, 
 and then wet and dried in the sun, looks 
 exactly like horse hair, and so strong one could 
 not break even four threads twined together. 
 This Sisal Fibre is creating such a sensation 
 now. I need say nothing further on the sub- 
 ject, only wish Sir Ambrose and his wife 
 a pleasant trip, and thank Mr. Russell for 
 the particular courtesy I received from him. 
 But when will you fail to receive attention at 
 the St. Louis! From mine host down to the 
 

 i 1^ 
 
 30 
 
 OLD MEMORIES; 
 
 humblest bell boy. all arc so watchful for 
 your comfort, so civil in their demeanor, it is a 
 ^pleasure to put up there. 
 
AML'SJNG AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 21 
 
 THE QUEBEC BANK, QUEBEC. 
 
 On a recent visit to Quebec I was shown by 
 the present courteous and able manager, James 
 Stevenson, Esq., a notice he had written in the 
 Shareholder, February 22, 1884, and there is so 
 much of interest in it for the public, I transmit 
 the valuable information it contains to you, my 
 friends. Mr. Stevenson had directed my atten- 
 tion to this article, as he had therein so kindly 
 noticed my dear father, the late Charles 
 Gethings : — 
 
 The Quebec Bank, with the exception of the 
 Bank of Montreal, is the oldest bank in the 
 Dominion. On the 9th July, 18 18, merchants, 
 and others interested in the establishment of a 
 bank in the city of Quebec, held a meeting at 
 the Exchange, and drafted articles of associa- 
 tion. The document is headed, " Articles of 
 Association of the Quebec Bank," and consists 
 of twenty-five sections. No. 3 provides that, 
 for the good management of the bank, there 
 
r ' 
 
 22 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 ill 
 
 ^'i 
 
 !t fl' 
 
 shall be thirteen directors; No. 6, that there 
 shall be no recourse upon the separate property 
 of any shareholder. Other sections severally 
 provide for the issue of notes; the calling-up of 
 the capital, which is to be ;^75,ooo; the term of 
 the bank's existence ; and its dissolution. The 
 bank is now in its sixty-seventh year. Dis- 
 tinguished men, legislators, lawyers and mer- 
 chants have served on the directorate. Durinrf 
 the term of its existence it has been exposed to 
 severe financial storms ; it has weathered them 
 all, preserved its capital intact, and has paid 
 several millions in the shape of dividends. 
 
 At the first meeting of the shareholders, which 
 was held on the 7th September, 18 18, the fol- 
 lowing gentlemen were elected to serve on the 
 board of directors, namely, John W. VVoolsey, 
 Thomas White, J. McCallum, John Jones, 
 Charles Smith, Louis Massue, Jean Langevin, 
 Henry Black, Ph. Aubert de Gaspe, W. G. 
 Sheppard, John Goudie, Etienne Lagreux, 
 and Benjamin Tremain. Mr. Woolsey was 
 elected president, and Mr. White, vice-presi- 
 dent ; and the Board engaged the services of 
 Noah Freer, as cashier. Mr. Freer held a com- 
 mission as captain in the army ; he had seen 
 
AML'SIAG AND lllSTORlCAl., 
 
 23 
 
 service, and had been military secretary to Sir 
 
 Georee Prevost, d 
 
 uring the \v 
 
 ar of 18 12. 
 
 Steady-going merchants may have shrugged 
 their shoulders and questioned the wisdom and 
 propriety of api)ointin^ a soldier to such a posi- 
 tion ; but Captain Freer took kindly to the 
 business of civil life. He was accurate, precise, 
 and methodical in all he did ; and a courteous 
 gentleman in his intercourse with the public. 
 The customers of the bank were men of high 
 standing — including the leading officials of the 
 capital, namely, the Governor-General, the 
 Bishop, the Commander-in-Chief, legislators and 
 lawyers, in addition to the regular commercial 
 clientele. Holograph cheques of all its principal 
 customers since 18 18 have been carefully pre- 
 served in the bank, a review of which is almost 
 as interesting as a cursory perusal of the annals 
 of the city. 
 
 That able jurist, the late Honorable Andrew 
 Stuart, was appointed legal adviser ; and he 
 appears on several occasions to have steadied 
 the directors, and guided them into a course of 
 safety. 
 
 In the absence of an " Act of Incorporation," 
 the shareholders no doubt incurred unlimited 
 
 , I 
 
 i'^ 
 
II 
 
 24 
 
 O/.n MEMORIES 
 
 \ \ 
 
 liability to the depositors aiu. 'e-holders ; but 
 application was made to Parliament for a charter, 
 and an "Act of Incorporation," extending the 
 existence of the bank to 1831, was passed in 
 18 19. This Act received the Royal assent of 
 George IV. on the 16th September, 1822. At 
 the expiration of the term, the charter was 
 renewed, and extended to the ist August, 1836; 
 and, by a subsequent Act, to the same date in 
 1837. That year constitutional government 
 was suspended in consequence of the disturbed 
 state of the Province; and all the powers and 
 privileges of the bank expired by the effluxion 
 of the time limited by the Act of Incorporation. 
 The directors were at a loss what course to 
 pursue under the circumstances. They thought 
 seriously of winding up the bank. In 1838 the 
 government of the country was vested in Sir 
 John Colborne, as Administrator, and a special 
 council held in the city of Montreal. The same 
 year, the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, 
 and an ordinance was passed authorizing the 
 incorporated, chartered, and other banks in the 
 Province to suspend the redemption of their 
 notes in specie till the 1st of June, 1839 — limit- 
 ing the circulation of each bank to the amount 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 as 
 
 of its capital stock actually paid up. It was 
 further enacted that all specie then held by the 
 bank should be retained, and should not be 
 sold, excepting to Her Majesty's Government. 
 
 Political disturbances having been quelled, 
 trade revived, and all thought of winding up 
 the bank was abandoned. To supply the 
 absence of silver, the bank, in addition to its- 
 ordinary issue, issued notes of I5d., or 30 sous, 
 and 2s, 6d., or 3 francs; and the several banks 
 struck off a copper currency for the convenience 
 of the public. The suspension of specie pay- 
 ments lasted three years. 
 
 In the absence of Parliamentary authority 
 for the existence of the bank, the directors were 
 advised to apply for a royal charter, and Captain 
 Freer, the cashier, was deputed to proceed to 
 England, for the purpose of communicating 
 with the Home Government on the subject. 
 Captain Freer was well received by the authori- 
 ties, and every assistance was rendered to him 
 in furtherance of the object of his mission. A 
 royal charter was granted with authority to 
 apply to Parliament for a renewal as soon as 
 
 constitutional government slKuild be restored ; 
 
 2 
 
96 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 W 
 
 \ \- 
 
 % 
 
 I .!' 
 
 at the same time the authorized capital of the 
 bank was increased to ;^ 100,000. 
 
 Several changes had taken place in the per- 
 sonnel o{ the Direction since 18 18. In 1823, Mr. 
 W. Sheppard was elected president; in 1832, 
 Mr. Charles Smith; in 1838, Mr. John Fraser; 
 and in 1842, Mr. James Gibb. In 1852 Captain 
 Freer retired from the service of the bank upon 
 a pension, having held office for thirty-four 
 years. In 1848 Sir N. F. Bellcau was elected 
 a director. He has since been a constant mem- 
 ber of the Board, and punctual in his attend- 
 ance, even while he held the office of Lieutenant- 
 Governor of the Province of Quebec. On the 
 death of the Honorable Andrew Stuart, the 
 Honorable Henry Black was appointed legal 
 adviser; and on his assuming the duties of 
 Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court, he was 
 succeeded by the Honorable George O. Stuart^ 
 the present Judge of the same Court. J. C. 
 Vannovous, Q.C., held the office till his death, 
 and was succeeded by the present legal ad- 
 visers of the bank, Messrs. Andrews, Caron & 
 Andrews. 
 
 Mr. Charles Gethings, a man of inflexible 
 integrity of character, was appointed to fill t!.^ 
 
a 
 
 AMUSING ^\ND "ISTORICAL. 
 
 a? 
 
 office of cashier, vacated by the retirement of 
 Captain Freer, and under his management, and 
 the careful supervision of the president, Mr. 
 Gibb, who was rarely absent from the office, the 
 bank continued to pay its dividends, namely, 
 in 1S53 at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum: 
 in 1854. 7 per cent. ; 1855, 7 per cent. ; 1856, 
 7 per cent.; 1857, 6^^ per cent.; 1858, 6 per 
 cent.; 1859, 6^^ per cent.-, 1860,7^. 
 
 In i860 the president, one of the oldest and 
 most esteemed merchants in the city, died, 
 deeply regretted by the whole community, and 
 Mr. W. H. Anderson, the vice-president, was 
 elected president in his place. The following 
 year Mr. Gethings, the cashier, retired upon a 
 pension ; and Mr. William Dunn, a gentleman 
 well qualified to fill an important place in any 
 bank, was appointed his successor. The bank, 
 under his management, continued to pay divi- 
 dends, namely, in 1861, 8 percent. ; 1862, 8 per 
 cent. ; 1863, 7)^ per cent.; 1864, 7 per cent. 
 
 In 1864 Mr. David Douglas Young, a leading 
 and highly esteemed merchant, who had served 
 several years on the directorate, was elected 
 president. Mr. Dunn, the cashier, retired soon 
 after his appointment, and was succeeded by 
 
 I. 
 
 :i^ 
 
a8 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 >: #1 
 
 Ml] 
 
 1 ! 
 
 ''.\ 
 
 the present general manager, Mr. James Steven- 
 son, in December, 1864. 
 
 Since the death of Mr. Young, which hap- 
 pened in 1869, the Honorable James G. Ross 
 has been president of the bank, and Mr. Wil- 
 liam Withall, vice-president. 
 
 Such, in brief, is the history of this old insti- 
 tution, the doors of which were opened for 
 business in 18 18, in a small house in Sault-au- 
 Matelot Street. Some years afterwards, a 
 portion of a commodious building erected by 
 the Quebec Fire Insurance Company, in Peter 
 Street, was occupied by the bank. But in 1863 
 the directors resolved to have a building of 
 their own. and they purchased from Mr. H. 
 Atkinson the site upon which the present hand- 
 some banking house is built. A certain his- 
 torical interest attaches to almost ever)- spot 
 and locality in Quebec ; and to none more so 
 than to that very site. There, on a cold stormy 
 December morning, in 1775, when the simul- 
 taneous assault on Quebec was made by Mont- 
 gomery and Arnold, stood a small body of 
 resolute men, ready to sacrifice their lives in 
 defence of the city. While the life of Mont- 
 gomery was ebbing away with the flow of his 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 29 
 
 blood at Cape Diamond, Arnold was advancing, 
 with a comparatively formidable force, from St. 
 Roch's, upon Sault-au-Matelot, a little lane not 
 over twelve feet wide, opposite the site of the 
 bank. It is not too much to say that the fate 
 of Canada, as a dependency of Great Britain, 
 hung upon the issue of the impending contest 
 in the lane. The struggle was a desperate one. 
 It lasted several hours; but the repulse was 
 complete; and Arnold, carried off wounded, 
 retired with the remnant of his force upon the 
 General Hospital, the head-quarters of the 
 Americans, which they held till the siege of 
 Quebec was abandoned in the following month 
 of May; 1776. 
 
 lit 
 
 I 
 
30 
 
 OLD MEMORIES. 
 
 !» 
 
 ii 
 
 h 
 
 I 
 
 
 \ \ 
 
 HORSE BOATS AND ICE BOATS. 
 
 Near the site of the old convent just de- 
 scribed, we used to embark on a horse boat to 
 cross to Levis in summer, and in winter a canoe, 
 managed by expert boatmen, who paddled 
 their way through shoal ice, and, on reaching 
 any large piece, with wonderful strength and 
 skill raised the canoe and pulled it on the ice as 
 we do a sleigli. These boatmen \\oreso inured 
 to their work that an accident rarely happened. 
 But there are records of a whole canoe full of 
 people being swamped. Fortunately a regular 
 service of ice boats exists in winter now, and 
 with rare intervals (some extraordinary storm) 
 with as much regularity as the summer ferry 
 boats. 
 
 Some of my young readers may never have 
 seen a horse boat, so I will tell them they 
 lockeci like some of the very small steamboats, 
 but the machinery was put in movement and 
 
AML'SIXG AXD HISTORICAL. 
 
 t^ 
 
 carried on by horses attached to a pole in the 
 centre and walking round ana round. 
 
 Previous to the year 1857 there were no 
 other means of crossinsj to Levis but bv the 
 canoes, when Capt. Semple chartered a boat, 
 which ran up to December, as it could only 
 go through floating ice. But an enterprising 
 gentleman, the recently deceased Mr. Tibbits, 
 talkincr over the matter with a voung relative 
 of mechanical genius, made out plans for 
 machinery, had them sent to Montreal, made 
 here and sent on to Quebec, were fitted up 
 and at once proved successful, and thus in 
 the year 1862 started his passenger boat, "The 
 Arctic,"' which would cut through the heaviest 
 ice and became a perfect success. I copy from 
 a newspaper the following notice of Mr. Tibbits, 
 who died March 26, 1889: 
 
 " On Friday last the mortal remains of the 
 late James Tibbits were committed to their last 
 resting place in Mount Hermon Cemetery. 
 For many years the deceased was a prominent 
 figure in the mercantile community. He was a 
 man of great physical and mental energy, and 
 of unbounded enterprise, always willing to risk 
 in public enterprises the money with which 
 
 I 
 
 [■ 
 
'tT 
 
 .11 
 liii 
 
 3a 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 in 
 
 1: 
 
 many of his ventures were crowned. One last- 
 ing monument of his enterprise and abih'ty 
 remains to us in the excellent ferry service we 
 enjoy with the South Shore. He was the first 
 to demonstrate the possibility of a steamer cut- 
 ting its way through the nidsses of ice which 
 obstructed the navigation opposite the city 
 during the winter. Like many others of our 
 enterprising merchants, Mr. Tibbits died poor. 
 Quebec owes his memory a debt of gratitude, 
 which might well have been slightly repaid by a 
 public funeral. It is, however, such a long time 
 since Mr. Tibbits resided in the city, the gene- 
 ration that succeeded are hardly aware of the 
 services rendered by the deceased. It is not 
 fitting, however, that they should be lost sight 
 of." 
 
 The ferry boats, summer and winter, land you 
 in close proximity to the railroad, and carriages 
 take you west towards St. David or east to St. 
 Joseph. After driving up a very steep hill you 
 come to a road branching ofif to the west beside 
 which is the little old English Church and Ceme- 
 tery, the former being now renewed under the 
 supervision of its popular pastor, Rev. Mr. Ni- 
 cholls, grandson of the much-esteemed Bishop 
 
 
AAtUSIXG AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 33 
 
 Mountain, Higher up and last is the Roman 
 Catholic parish church, a monument to the zeal 
 and perseverance of the late Rev. Mr. Dalzeil. 
 Almost a riot was in the parish when he asked 
 for it to be built of its present size, but with far- 
 seeing wisdom he insisted, and now it is crowded 
 to overflowing though two other churches have 
 been built in the space of the last few years. 
 Levis also possesses a fine college in this locality. 
 On the summit of the hill called rue dcs Mar- 
 chands is a very handsome and spacious store 
 and residence belonging to Mr. Couture, and 
 opposite to it is a tiny little building kept in good 
 repair, though unused, which Mr. Couture tells 
 you with pride is the shop where he first earned 
 the shillings which were to end by making him a 
 millionaire. Mr. Edouard Couture carries on the 
 business in the same place now, but the Hon. 
 Geo. Couture, Senator, sleeps under a handsome 
 obelisk in Levis Cemetery. The noblest monu- 
 ment that exists to his memory, however, is the 
 beautiful church, built by money left for that 
 purpose in his will, adjoining the splendid 
 hospital, built within about ten years, to which 
 he contributed so largely during his lifetime. 
 One of the head ladies of the institution (a 
 
 \ 
 
34 
 
 OLD MEMORlfiS 
 
 if! 
 
 l! 
 
 very old friend, sister-in-law of our well-known 
 citizen, Hon. P. Casgrain) took me through 
 this building about a week ago, and I was as- 
 tonished to find it almost filled already. The 
 poor, the crippled, old women, young chil- 
 dren, have here a comfortable home, with de- 
 lightful surroundings, and on a height and with 
 a view of the Citadel, Quebec. 
 
 When Mere St. Monique asked me to go and 
 visit the Catacombs under the church, T de- 
 cidedly objected, but Josephtc, as I called her in 
 our youth, always would have her way, and I 
 am glad she did so here, for I do not know 
 whether similar places for burial are existent 
 elsewhere in this country or only a new creation 
 in Canada, but I am glad I went into them. 
 This seems to be the perfection of burying. 
 Leading me through a long light passage under 
 the church, we came to a very heavy iron door ; 
 then on its being opened a second appeared 
 with its blank emblems and death's head and 
 cross bones, sufficiently indicative of where we 
 were going Entering this door Mere St. Mon- 
 ique struck a light, and we found ourselves in a 
 fire-proof brick chamber and passages. On every 
 side shelves to hold one coffin. There is only 
 
 llrjnilfc IHHHIWJilW w 
 
AMI SING AND HISTORIC A I.. 
 
 35 
 
 one occupant so far — Mr. Gini^ras — but there 
 are places for ninety. The coflfin is placed on 
 a shelf just large enough, then masoned up» 
 and the name put on the masonry. A great 
 improvement on old-fashioned vaults, as all 
 possibility of disturbance is precluded and no 
 danger from foul air. This building is under 
 the High Altar, so to a devout Roman Catholic 
 much of the feeling of gloom is taken away. A few 
 miles west is St. David's Church, a pretty new 
 edifice, and further on at the village of St. 
 Romuald, St. Romuald's Church, so filled with 
 choice paintings and works of art by its late 
 Pastor, the Rev. Mr. Saxe, it has become quite 
 a worthy show place for our sight-seeing 
 American friends. The Rev. Mr. Saxe was of 
 such clever wit and genial presence, he exer- 
 cised great influence over those with whom he 
 came in contact. I remember saving how 
 proud his parishioners must be of this lovely 
 little edifice. " They well may be," he said, " it 
 has hardly cost them anything for all these works 
 of art. I made the old country, that could 
 afiford it, give them, you know. I travelled 
 in Europe for contributions, and impressed on 
 each community how necessary it was that each 
 
 i 1 
 
 !<■ 
 
 1 
 
~ II! 
 
 36 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 ^City should trivc of .>« h . 
 
 'I I i 
 
 >«' 
 
AMUSIAG AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 37 
 
 BEAUMONT— ST. THOMAS. 
 
 Previous to the year 1853, or thereabouts, there 
 was no railroad below Quebec, and vehicles were 
 the only means of transport ; but when time and 
 means permit, it is surely the most agreeable of 
 all ways of travelling. We were frequent visitors 
 at Crane Island, and our downward drive to St^ 
 Thomas, where we took sail boat to cross, were 
 in the habit of stopping at various way-side 
 houses, not inns, simply neat commodious places 
 where we were always expected and welcomed, 
 and sure of a meal and bed. One of these was 
 the Fraser House at Beaumont: it still exists, 
 but sadly deteriorated, and occupied by a 
 French farmer and family. It is a very long 
 low house in a very small quiet country village^ 
 prettily situated with a view of the St. Law- 
 rence. 
 
 On one occasion my husband and myself drove 
 up to the door. •' Welcome ! " (we were frequent 
 
 nJyIi 
 
38 
 
 OLD MEMOriES . 
 
 M 
 
 I f 
 
 f » 
 
 li 
 
 5 . 
 
 !■ 
 
 visitors) " but it is well you did not come a few 
 days sooner. Who do you think has just left ? 
 Lord and Lady Elgin," — and I forget whether 
 slie said any children. " Come, and I'll show you 
 the room as I arranged it for Lady Elgin." If you 
 have never, my readers, seen a genuine old- 
 fashioned habitant bedstead, I would almost 
 fail to impress you with its height ; you could 
 not possibly get into it without standing on a 
 chair, and two of these were placed side by 
 side, taking in one whole side of a room, with 
 the long white curtains pendant from a rod 
 attached to the ceiling. I can hardly think of 
 it now without smiling. Of course, it must 
 have been for the novelty of the thing that Lady 
 Elgin used it instead of having one brought 
 from Quebec. Perhaps one gets so tired of for- 
 mality and grandeur, a change becomes a wel- 
 come relief. We said we had but twenty 
 minutes to stay, and must have lunch at once. 
 In about ten minutes we had a most delicious 
 fricassee of chicken in white sauce. On compli- 
 menting Mrs. Eraser, she said, " I learnt how to 
 make that from Lord Elgin's cook, and was I 
 not smart } those chickens were running about 
 when you came." That spoilt all, ah — if she only 
 
 ^ % 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 39 
 
 had not told us ? There are numerous pretty vil- 
 lages all along the south shore. None prettier 
 than that of St. Michel, adjacent to Beaumont. 
 It much resembles Kamouraska, though much 
 prettier as the foliage is so lovely. 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 If. 
 
40 
 
 OLD MEMORIES, 
 
 \ \ 
 
 
 f i 
 
 I 
 
 ST. MICHEL. 
 
 St. Michel is a delightful summer residence, 
 about fifteen miles from Quebec, reached 
 directly by steamer every day, or by railroad 
 a few miles from the village. 
 
 We resided there for a couple of years, and 
 then made the acquaintance of the Rev. Mr. 
 Drolet, who with his mother and sisters 
 tendered us such kindly hospital. ty. The Par- 
 sonage became to all of us a Maison Paternelle, 
 for the family all spoke English as well as 
 French, and the genial cure, a very clever and 
 devoted priest, was in his home an admirable 
 host. I shall have occasion elsewhere to speak 
 of him. I will conclude this article witii a few 
 verses I found lately, written on the spur of the 
 moment from the circumstance of one of the 
 ladies nearly falling through a trap door into 
 the cellar of the dining-room of the old- 
 fashioned house we then occupied. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 A CHRONICLE OF ST. iMICHEL. 
 
 A REMEMBRANCE OK HAPPY DAYS. 
 
 It was a winter evening, 
 
 The moon was shining bright, 
 When from a lady's parlor 
 
 Came sounds of laughter light. 
 But, suddenly, the scene is changed, 
 
 There's heard a warning shriek, 
 And borne upon the air the words, 
 "Oh ! dear, will no one speak ? " 
 Unheeding trap, just at her feet, 
 
 Comes with majestic mien 
 A damsel of sweet presence, 
 
 And "smiling all serene. 
 Her eyes are like the glowworm, 
 Her cheeks like damask rose, 
 She holds her head so loftily, 
 She looks not at her toes ; 
 When, roused from contemplation sweet 
 
 Of bottles ale and stout, 
 A head above the trap appears — 
 " What's all this row about? 
 3 
 
 iKXfJ 
 
 
■I 
 
 ■ft 
 
 1' 
 
 I 
 i 1 
 
 si r 
 1 ' 
 
 
 
 If 
 
 1 A: 
 
 ! 
 
 II 
 
 42 0/Z? MEMORIES: 
 
 I see, I see, Miss P^lora, dear. 
 
 You'd all but tumbled down ; 
 One further step, and you'd have fall'n 
 
 On my unlucky crown. 
 Oh ! had you tumbled on my head 
 
 In yonder cellar well, 
 We now, alas, been both quite dead " — 
 
 A sad old tale to tell. 
 How youth and beauty often fall 
 
 Into some snare[unseen, 
 As so hath chanced in many a day 
 
 And yet full oft I ween, 
 While thoughtless youth with eager .step 
 
 Pursues its heedless way. 
 
 MORAL. 
 
 Then damsels all who hear my tale 
 
 Hold not your heads so high, 
 A downward glance give now and then. 
 
 Hid dangers to des'^ry. 
 
 We arrive at St. Thomas after a forty miles 
 drive, and stay over, if the tide does not serve 
 for coming, at Madame F.'s well-known hotel 
 — not far from which is the residences of the 
 late Sir Etienne Tache and Mr. Bender, I 
 father of the present well-known Boston physi- i 
 cian, Dr. Bender. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 43 
 
 '.I 
 
 A short distance from here is the house now 
 occupied by E. P. Bender, formerly owned by 
 Mr. William Patton, a splendid specimen of 
 an English gentleman. A lumber merchant, 
 doing a large business with ample means, his 
 house was the home of generous hospitality. It 
 is thirty years since I visited it or more — it then 
 gave you an idea of one of England's far-famed 
 country homes. Everything handsome, well 
 ordered grounds, its steel grates (then a novelty), 
 and handsome paperings, a host so courteous, 
 his wife a refined lady of the old school — all 
 appeared to promise long years of happiness 
 to its inmates, when in a day, alas ! all was 
 changed. Mr. Patton was most energetic in 
 his efforts to hasten the building of the rail- 
 road from Quebec to St. Thomas, and went 
 into town to see Messrs. Morton, Peto & 
 Brasscy, when he met his fate. Overheated 
 by his exertions, he lay down to rest opposite 
 an open window facing the St. Lawrence, a 
 gale sprung up, he got a chill, and in twenty- 
 four hours he was dead, of inflammation, before 
 his wife could reach him, and yet she arrived 
 almost in time, due to a mysterious warning of 
 some kind, I forget what it was — she told me o^ 
 it herself. 
 
 ! I 
 
 I. 
 ■A 
 
44 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 i 1 ji. 
 
 
 Sitting quietly in her room she heard or saw 
 something, and, convinced that her husband 
 needed her, she ordered a carriage, and, despite 
 all remonstrance, drove all night, and passed in 
 the darkness the carriage sent for her, and 
 anivc 1 the grey dawn of morning to find her 
 husband just dead. 
 
 How many such unaccountable occurrences 
 happen I could tell of at least six such exper- 
 iences in Tiy own history. My theory is this, 
 that unoor e::r:a?n conditions thought meets 
 thought, ic' so ^ "erically impresses on the 
 loved one its owi. ,vc; ?«gs and wishes. 
 
 Previous to Mr. Patton's purchasing it, this 
 house had been occupied by several families of 
 note, the De Beaujeus, Olivrs, etc. It was pur- 
 chased a few years since by E. P. Bender, Ksq., 
 who now occupies it with his family. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 45 
 
 if 
 
 SECOND VISIT TO ROBERVAL, 
 LAKE ST. JOHN. 
 
 I was unfortunately prevented from visiting 
 Roberval until late in the season — in fact, only a 
 few weeks before the hotel closed — but I saw 
 enouTfh to confirm my first impressions as to 
 its desirability as a summer resort for people 
 who really need to recuperate after the wear 
 and tear of town life. It was late in August, a 
 cold spell was on; we arrived per railroad on 
 Pullman car, which brings you to the very gate 
 of the hotel premises. A dull heavy rain came 
 down as we got off the cars, but what of that ? 
 you are ushered nto a hallway where burns a 
 generous grate fire. Courteous officials greet 
 you and inquire your wants. Shown to a com- 
 fortable bedroom, and then to a supper as good 
 in quality as meals served in most town hotels, 
 with excellent attendance, you fancy you are in 
 fairy land, as, gazing on the wild country around, 
 you remember that this locality a few years ago 
 
 : Jl 
 
 It 
 
46 
 
 OLD MEMORIES. 
 
 n 
 
 
 was not even inhabited by farmers, but all was 
 bush. Ushered into the ladies' parlor you are 
 greeted by a most winning hostess, Mrs. Scott, 
 daughter of the Honorable Mr. Shehyn, who, re- 
 siding here at present with her children, does the 
 honors, and welcomes you as if to her own pri- 
 vate parlor. The season was so nearly over 
 there were comparatively few guests, but those 
 of the most pleasant — Dr. and Mrs. Lovely, Rev, 
 
 Mr. and his wife, and several members of 
 
 the Beemer family, who by their musical talents 
 contributed largely to our enjoyment. Rober- 
 val I am sure has a grand future before it. Dr. 
 Lovely, one of the most eminent physicians of 
 the United States, assured me that he had dis- 
 covered coal-oil there, not five miles from the 
 hotel, and also some stone (1 forget what) of 
 which he was taking specimens away with him. 
 He said if it was what he thought, it would 
 indeed be a bonanza. 
 
 It appears to me that Roberval would be 
 especially beneficial for those sufifering from ner- 
 vous exhaustion or debility, or tendency to con- 
 sumption. The pure mountain air, the quiet, the 
 absence of rush and excitement, must surely be 
 most grateful to such parties, while for those 
 
AMI SING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 47 
 
 who want a livelier existence, the trips in excur- 
 sion steam-boats, the visits to various other 
 fishing grounds, the power of jumping on the 
 railroad that comes to your door and whirls you 
 off for a few hours to other lakes, is a matter 
 not to be lost sight of. Added to the perfect in- 
 side comfort of this hotel — baths on your bed- 
 room flat — the immense piazza runs the full 
 length of the building, affording in wet weather 
 an excellent promenade, with a view of the 
 lovely lake, and what I much appreciated was 
 the absence of the horrid gong calling you to 
 meals. Here you are told the time for meals, 
 and if you so desire a civil waiter calls you at the 
 hour you name, but the fearful din that else- 
 where rouses you from your pet morning sleep 
 is absent. 
 
 Entering the ladies' parlor in the evening 
 you feel almost that you are in a private 
 house. A bright fire burns in an open 
 grate. Some fair lady is employing her talents 
 at the piano in your service, and you enjoy some 
 really good music, when one of the ladies asks 
 are you to have a little dance or a small game 
 of cards — the first at once, the latter when we 
 are tired. After a short time small tables are 
 
 IM 
 
 If 
 
 !i 
 
I ' 
 
 t 
 
 ; > 
 
 \\ 
 
 48 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 brought in, the guests group into h'ttle coteries 
 each one retires when he will, after enjoying all 
 the comforts of a home with the liberty of an 
 hotel. 
 
 I must not forget to state that at the village, 
 about a mile from the hotel, is a Roman Catho- 
 lic Church and fine Ursuline Convent, a delight- 
 ful boarding school for young ladies, who enjoy 
 boating every day and pleasant little trips to an 
 island now belonging to the Nuns. There is 
 also a telegraph in the hotel, and any amount 
 of vehicles and horses and boats for visitors — 
 also cheaper boarding houses in the village for 
 those who require them. 
 
 During the few days I stayed there, one or 
 two funny incidents occurred. On one occasion 
 I had an old man to drive me, when I said, ** I 
 hope it will not rain before we get home." " I 
 hope it won't, indeed," he said, " I am not dry 
 yet since yesterday." " How is that } " I asked. 
 Said he : "I was out with that party from the 
 hotel who when out fishing were so drenched, and 
 the storm being so great I stayed by the hotel 
 kitchen fire instead of going home to change ; 
 but, madame," as a sudden thought struck him, 
 "you live at the hotel, is there a doctor living 
 
 I 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 49 
 
 there ? " Having been there only a few hours, 
 I did not know, but inquired why he asked. 
 " The fact is, I hear that when people come 
 from Louisiana or Paris ^ a party of ten always 
 brings a doctor with them" (a party re- 
 cently arrived just numbering ten), "and hear- 
 ing that I had a son ill, one gentleman said if I 
 would take him to see my son or bring my son 
 to him, he would try and cure him." "Well," 
 I asked, " have you done so?" "But no," he 
 said, " he is English." (I spoke in French and he 
 thought I was a French Canadian.) " What dif- 
 ference would that make } " Why, riadame, do 
 you think the English know anything V "Well," 
 I said, "perhaps a little; you might try the 
 doctor." At the same time I was quite pre- 
 pared to hear that he was a victim of some 
 practical joke from his statement that every ten 
 persons coming from Louisiana or Paris brought 
 a doctor with them ; I little expected the de- 
 nouement. " Oh ! my son would not see him at 
 all. He said, * father, do you wish me to die 
 at once } ' But, madame, I would not have 
 minded taking him to the doctor myself. You 
 don't think that even though English he would 
 have given him something to kill him at once }' 
 
 i\ 
 
 11 
 
 3i 
 
11 ■ 
 
 50 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 \ 
 
 ** Oh ! no," 1 answered, " I am sure he would 
 not do that." But my story does not end here. 
 On entering the parlor, where several were 
 seated, I addressed a peculiarly pleasant lady 
 near mc, and began to narrate for their benefit 
 my conversation with the old driver, when I 
 n(.»ticed my hearer give a kind of warning glance; 
 and then she went off into a merry peal of 
 laughter as the door opened and a gentleman 
 popped in his head. " Come here, my dear, learn a 
 lesson of humility. This, my dear lady, is myhus- . 
 band. Dr. Lovely " (I have learned since that he 
 is one of the most well-known of American 
 physicians) ; " he is the Englishman, who can't 
 know anything." 
 
 The doctor, who enjoyed the joke, engaged the 
 same driver next d ly to have his fun as much 
 as anything. After a good deal of skirmishing, 
 he elicited all from the old coachman, who» 
 
 however, said, though English, if Dr. L 
 
 was a Roman Catholic, he might induce his son 
 to trust him, as he believed that the little 
 bottles he showed him really contained des re- 
 medes. I know that the doctor explained to 
 him that, though not a Roman Catholic, he 
 attended nearly all the members of that denomi- 
 
 \i ^ 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 51 
 
 nation in the United States, and there was some 
 kind of negotiation going on when I left. They 
 may have come to terms, and the boy^ cured, 
 despite himself. Perhaps this poor old chap, 
 living for many years utterly isolated from 
 civilization, might have the same horror of Lcs 
 terribles Anglais that the I^nglish peasantry 
 had of Napoleon the First, who, when children 
 were refractory, were threatened to be given to 
 Bonaparte. And, now, as some of our English 
 people may be hard on this old F'rench- 
 Canadian, I must tell you that the clergyman's 
 wife, attached to some very proniinent hospital 
 in one of the large cities of the United States, 
 said they came across sometimes very odd 
 cases, and instanced that )f a patient coming 
 to the hospital, and, being ordered to take a 
 bath, said he had never taken a bath in his life, 
 and must go home and consult his wife. He 
 went and never returned ! ! ! This, in one of 
 the largest cities of America. So don't too 
 much despise the old backwoodsman's prejudice. 
 As Mrs. Lovely most kindly invited me to pay 
 her a visit, I may yet tell you more about this 
 very true tale- 
 
 
II 
 
 (I 
 
 I' 1 
 
 5a 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 ST. LEON SPRINGS. 
 
 It is fully fifty years ago since my lather 
 took me to Three Rivers en route for St. Leon 
 Springs. We were most hospitably received 
 by Mr. Lajoie (father of the present dry goods 
 merchant of Three Rivers), and his good lady, 
 and Mr. Faucher de St. Maurice, father of the 
 present gentleman of the same name. Of the 
 party were, I think, Mr. Gingras, whose son, 
 brother-in-law of Mr. Dorion, recently deceased, 
 was the first I think to establish the reputation 
 of these waters. After a sumptuous repast at 
 itir. Lajoie's, wc were driven to St. Leon Springs, 
 and this is what I remember of it then : a steep 
 sandy hill, up which was walking a pale, thin 
 young lady, whom my father pointed out to me 
 
 as Miss G ; that lady has been in bed 
 
 seven years, you see her walking now; whether 
 the cure was permanent or not I have no means 
 of ascertaining, but Mr. Campbell, late proprietor 
 
i J 
 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 m 
 
 
 of St. Leon Springs, told me only two weeks 
 
 since that he remembered Miss G perfectly. 
 
 Mr. Campbell further told me since that his 
 father had noticed the cattle drinking at this 
 spring, and finding it had a peculiar taste, had it 
 analyzed, and gave to the public this boon for 
 the afflicted, and health-preserving drink for the 
 sick. We had tea that day at the Springs on a 
 deal table, without table-cloth, seated on wooden 
 benches, while carpenters were putting the roof 
 on a large building we sat in. I presume this 
 was the first hotel, rather a contrast to that of 
 the present day, which is yearly crowded with 
 an increased number of fashionable visitors from 
 all parts of the Dominion, in search of health 
 or amusement. This hotel has been very lately 
 enlarged and fitted up with every modern con- 
 venience. Parties leaving Montreal by the 
 Canadian Pacific Railroad, and getting off at 
 Louisevillc, will find vehicles waiting to take 
 them to St. Leon Springs. 
 
 This lady just alluded to, Miss G , was 
 
 one of those peculiar patients one hears of in a 
 lifetime, and, as all her near relatives are dead 
 and few will recognize the initial, I will inform 
 my readers that Dr. A , one of my father's. 
 
54 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 physicians (now deceased), told me that she 
 was afflicted with a kind of fit — cataleptic, I 
 think, they called it — when she fell into a 
 state so closely resembling death that two of 
 Quebec's most prominent medical men were 
 about to perform a post-mortem examination 
 on her, when the slight quiver of an eyelid 
 proved her still alive, and on her recovering 
 she told them that, though unable to make the 
 slightest motion, she had heard and seen all 
 that had passed, and Dr. A was exceed- 
 ingly indignant that such a subject should have 
 been sent to him as an ordinary patient, as the 
 same tiling might have occurred again. He 
 was, if I mistake not, then residing in Halifax, 
 and he told me that all the instructions he 
 received were to provide a suitable lodging for 
 a nervous patient, who could afford to pay well 
 for a quiet private residence. Accordingly, 
 
 Dr. A persuaded a well-to-do Scotch 
 
 farmer to take her as a boarder. Vox a time 
 all went well, though she would go off into a 
 sort of trance, when she lay apparently dead 
 for perhaps three days and returned to con- 
 ciousness, often cognizant of what had occurred 
 during her semi-deathlike state. But on one 
 occasion her second sight, if you can so term 
 
AMUSIAG AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 55 
 
 it, was so great, she terrified the old people so, 
 they begged the doctor to remove her, saying 
 she was no canny. The facts ^were these: — 
 
 On one occasion Miss G fell into h -r 
 
 cataleptic state, and the doctor not expecting 
 her to revive before a certain time, said he 
 would not call till the following Thursday. But 
 on the Tuesday, receiving a summons from a 
 very old patient, twenty miles distant, he 
 decided on calling on her en route. The 
 weather being rainy, he asked for a covered 
 vehicle, and the only one procurable was a 
 shabby, very old-fashioned waggon. In the 
 
 meantime, Miss G awoke from her trance, 
 
 and said, "the doctor is coming." "No," said 
 the mistress of the house ; " he is not coming 
 till Thursday." " He is coming now," said 
 
 Miss G , " he is at the red gate " (a gate 
 
 some distance from the back of the house, and 
 too far for any sound to reach) — "what a funny 
 carriage he has." When he really drove up in 
 this queer-looking vehicle, the landlady was so 
 scared, she uttered that exclamation, "she is 
 no canny," and insisted that board should be 
 taken elsewhere. I offer no explanation — Itt 
 the savants do that — I only narrate facts I 
 vouch for. 
 
 Ml 
 
w 
 
 i .! 
 
 ti 
 
 U i 
 
 56 
 
 OLD MEMORIES • 
 
 MY 
 
 SECOND VISIT TO 
 SPRINGS. 
 
 ST. LEON 
 
 Going by the Canadian Pacific Railroad to 
 Louiseville, we took a trap awaiting at the 
 station, and, after a drive over a rather 
 pretty country road, arrived at St. Leon 
 Springs. Alas! the season was over, only Mr. 
 Thomas and his son, and Mr. Langlois, were 
 there, and a few servants. Nevertheless, we 
 saw enough to convince us what a delightful 
 health resort this must be in summer. When I 
 say health resort, I do nof mean pleasure resort, 
 though there is plenty of amusement for reason- 
 able people, who would find pleasant com- 
 panionship, dancing, music, drives, croquet, 
 lawn-tennis sufficient for summer heat ; but, 
 we speak now of St. Leon Springs as a retreat 
 for the really ill or convalescent, and as such it 
 must simply be perfection. A large hotel, nicely 
 kept, numerous bath-rooms, all fitted up with 
 an abundant supply of St. Leon water for 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 57 
 
 bathing, excellent meals, well-cooked and nicely 
 served, as we saw even during our brief and 
 unexpected stay (I have never eaten such 
 perfect home-made bread as there), with the 
 drinking of these health-giving waters, must 
 surely be of incalculable benefit. Twitting 
 Mr. Langlois on the supposition that perhaps 
 in cities the St. Leon water is in part manu- 
 factured, Mr. Langlois told us a funny incident. 
 He said, I think it was in Toronto, he over- 
 heard some one saying, as his trucks came in 
 loaded with barrels : " I wonder how much of 
 this is manufactured ? " On the impulse of the 
 
 moment, Mr. L gave a hint to the carters 
 
 to dump the casks on the pavement instead of 
 taking them through the yard. 
 
 As anticipated, a policeman came up and 
 remonstrated on impeding the sidewalk. Soon 
 
 a crowd gathered. Just what Mr. L desired. 
 
 When spoken to, he said : " Of course, it was an 
 oversight, the water should have been taken 
 into the yard ; but as it was there, he would 
 like to prove to the people assembled how 
 genuine was the water, by tapping scvcnd bar- 
 rels, and, igniting with a match the gas, said : 
 ^' My friends, can any of you manufacture gas 
 
 h 
 
mmmm 
 
 
 58 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 in water to burn like this ? " Mr. L is not 
 
 by any means a man you would credit with 
 being a religious enthusiast ; but I will never 
 forget the solemnity of the act, as, raising his 
 hand towards Heaven, he uttered these words : 
 " He who made these waters can alone make 
 the gas." 
 
 Mr. Thomas, a wealthy gentleman, with his 
 son, for health and occcupation, takes the 
 management here. The latter, quite a sport, 
 drove us with his blood horses to the station, at 
 a pace that made me tremble. There a grand 
 old-fashioned coach with four spanking horses 
 waits at the railroad station to drive you in 
 style to the hotel. Come and try them, my 
 fast American friends. I will conscientiously 
 stick to the old-fashioned one-horse buckboard 
 — not elegant and hardly comfortable, but very 
 safe. 
 
AMUSING Aa\D historical. 
 
 59 
 
 ST. RAYMOND. 
 
 H 
 
 About eight years ago my dear husband and 
 myself took rooms for the summer with a Mr. 
 Ignace Dery, a carpenter. The house, a very 
 large one of many buildings, was prettily 
 situated on the banks of the river. Facing the 
 house an immense barn indicated the prosperity 
 of the farm. In course of conversation I remarked 
 to Mr. D. how astonished I was to find such a 
 handsome church, fine shops, and a musical 
 choir, with a thriving village, in a place we had 
 only heard of a few years before. ** You will 
 be more surprised, dear lady," he said, " when 
 I inform you that I came here fifty years ago, 
 a boy of fifteen, against my people's will, with 
 another cousin, and broke the first road in 
 what was all then bush." " How did you 
 hear of this place at all } " " Well, from the 
 Indians, and I went out with the surveyors and 
 thought what a splendid place it was for a 
 settlement, and said so, but my father would 
 not hear of it. However, one day, my cousin. 
 
 ii 
 
!l 
 
 60 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 i 
 
 If 
 
 Joseph Dcry, said to me after church, ' Have 
 you decided on coming to squat or take 
 possession and make an opening on these 
 lands?' 'My family will not hear of it,' I 
 answered. 'Well, then, come without their 
 leave ; if they see you succeed, they will 
 be quite satisfied.' " So Dcry and his cousin 
 started off right after mass, the equipment of 
 the former being a loaf of bread and piece of 
 pork procured from his sister, whom he let 
 into the secret, about half a bag of potatoes 
 for seed, a hatchet, and his working clothes 
 and a little salt. The boys walked out about 
 fifteen miles : the one, my friend Dery, remained 
 at the east end, his cousin at the west. These 
 two houses now form the boundary in a certain 
 measure of the village of St. Raymond. Mr. 
 Dery told mc his first occupation was to plant 
 some potatoes, then build a small hut, and he 
 said for food he had only to dip a line into the 
 river back of the site of his house to procure 
 all the fish he needed. On this he lived, with 
 fruit and a little flour procured later. Such 
 was the commencement of this prosperous 
 village. The cousin, Joseph Dery, still kept 
 a few years ago intact his first cottage, though 
 building a comfortable house beside it. 
 
M 
 
 AMCSIXG AND IIIS'l ORICA I.. 
 
 6l 
 
 ANUTHKR I'lONEEU. 
 
 In the autumn wc moved for .i month nearer 
 the village, and occupied the house owned by 
 Mr. Beauprc. It was a commodious dwellintj, 
 neatly furnished, and on my remarkinL:^ a 
 rather nice bureau in m\' room, .iiul inquiring 
 if they had a cabinet-maker in the village, my 
 landlady answered, "Oh! my husband made 
 that himself, and, though never apprenticed to 
 any trade, built nearly the whole of this house 
 himself," and then the old gentleman, pointing 
 to the other side of the river, said, " Do you 
 notice, madame, that clump of trees; well, 
 beneath that rock is a cavern which I dis- 
 covered and made a residence of when, as a 
 boy of thirteen, I walked from St, Augustine 
 across the country to there, to see what I could 
 do for myself. I had no near relations, and 
 determined if possible, by squatting, to get a 
 home. I built a projecting porch, and lived 
 for many a month in that cavern. I earned 
 my living by doing odd jobs for the farmers, 
 who came from some distance, and helped to 
 row them over in a scow to St. Raymond 
 proper, now the village, to get their horses 
 
 I 
 
i. ' 
 
 62 
 
 OLD MEMORIES, 
 
 n 
 
 
 shod, and while waiting for their return, noticed 
 how the blacksmiths worked ; then it occurred 
 to me how well a blacksmith would do on my 
 side of the river (thus saving the crossing), and 
 I commenced to learn, and here I am, the 
 master of a comfortable home and several 
 farms" — the reward of energy and favorable 
 circumstances, which brought the railroad to 
 their very doors, and with large stores opening 
 for the supply of the railroad employees, and 
 the influx of summer visitors, has made the 
 desert blossom like a rose, and a charming 
 village (the intersecting waters spanned by a 
 pretty bridge), spring in a few yea,rs from the 
 bush. 
 
 Mr. Panet, advocate, and his charming wife 
 are residents here. Mr. P., representative 
 and nephew of Mrs. Shakspcarc, wife of General 
 Shakspeare, daughter of Bernard Panet, of old 
 Quebec memory. 
 
 October 28, 1890. 
 
 I have just returned from St. Raymond and 
 learnt some additional facts anent the Derys 
 I found interesting, and detail them for public 
 
 ■^H^- 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 ^l 
 
 benefit. The daughter-in-law of Joseph Dery 
 said her father-in-iavv was the first, except 
 sportsmen and Indians, who had ever been to 
 St. Raymond ; a little pathway throuc^h the 
 woods was their inroad. He started to find 
 the River St. Anne, which runs through St. Ray- 
 mond ; he found his walk very fatiguing from 
 Lorette, and arriving at the Cape, under which 
 runs the St. John railway now, was delighted to 
 find he was nearing his destination. He named 
 the hill Cap Joyeuse, which name it still bears. 
 On wishing to see the first cabin he had built, she 
 said, by recent surveys, it would be situated in 
 the middle of the river, as the waters of the St 
 Anne river had gradually washed the bank away. 
 The end of the first cottage built is still extant, 
 every plank used in it being sawed by hand, 
 and the portrait of Mr. Joseph Dery hangs on 
 its walls. 
 
 Iv 
 
r,4 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 ST. AUGUSTIN, 
 
 AUOUT 15 MILES WEST OF QUEBEC. 
 
 I do not know that I ever heard much of St, 
 Augustin in my earh'er days, except as the resi- 
 dence of Mr. Gale, an oldtime school master, 
 who fixed his residence there, and taught many 
 of the (after) prominent men of Quebec. His 
 wife, a prim httle lady of wax-doll complexion 
 and flaxen hair done up in frizzes, was quite a 
 character as well as her husband. A very kind- 
 hearted little lady she was, with a peculiar gift of 
 hospitality, and her cakes and home-made wine 
 were of wide renown. Mr. Gale had a taste for 
 antiquities ; a small museum, in great part con- 
 tributions of curiosities, the gifts of his admiring 
 scholars, was one of his cherished parlor orna- 
 ments. 
 
 His was a school of the ancien regime, but 
 in its best sense, though religiously a day was ap- 
 pointed for the pulling out of teeth, those for 
 
.'lA/O'S/A'U .hV/J lUSTOKlCAL. U 
 
 administering sulphur and molasses and other 
 time-honored medicines, happily or unhappily 
 exploded. 
 
 Nevertheless, Mr. Gale's was a thoroughly 
 comfortable home, and his students had a true 
 regard for himself and good wife, testified often 
 in later years by his anciens clcvcs constantly 
 sending him contributions of rare articles to add 
 to his collection. 
 
€6 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 I 
 \ 
 
 ?T. ANDRK— NEXT PARISH HELOW 
 KAMOURASKA. 
 
 " In the (hiys when we went gipseyin^j a lonj; time ago." 
 
 About seventy-five years ago or more a wealthy 
 Englishman, John S. Canipbell, came out from 
 the old country and commenced a large business 
 in lumber and ship building at the part of S\;. 
 Andre called Pointe Seche. Here he built a 
 beautiful residence with every luxury and ap- 
 pliances then known, splendid walks in the 
 shrubbery, beautiful gardens, and even a resi- 
 dence for a physician, as at that time there was 
 a great deal of ship fever, and he employed a 
 great number of workmen in his ship building 
 and other mercantile business. He brought out 
 his wife (with her lady's maid), who, accustomed 
 to society life, must have been indeed startled at 
 the contrast of her surroundings, for here she 
 was virtually in a wilderness. It is true that, 
 previous to the railroad from Quebec to the 
 
 11 ? 
 
AMUSING AND 11 IS TO RICA/.. 
 
 lower ports, these same villages had much more 
 life in a business point than to-day, for then all 
 travellers stopped at the wayside inns, and there 
 being no facilities for going or coming from 
 Quebec, the shopkeepers who brought down in 
 their schooners goods at certain seasons of the 
 year did a fine business, and reallx' large for- 
 tunes were made by many : an apt illustration 
 of the truth of the vulgar old proverb, " that 
 what is one man's meat is another man's poison," 
 for tile railroad, which is such a boon to the 
 farmers and those bordering its route, has proved 
 utterly destructive to the old-fashioned inns and 
 shops on the old route, for the tr.msfer being 
 solely by vehicles, a regular influx of travellers 
 was expected and received, thus giving life to 
 the village and current cash. 
 
 Mr. J. S. Campbell and his lady becoming 
 after some years thoroughly disgusted, aban- 
 doned the place, and st) swiftly, I many years 
 after, about forty years ago, found a book be- 
 longing to the family in the disused ilining- 
 room. 1 heard from one of the f.imily to-day 
 who own this lovely property now, and use it 
 as a summer residence (Mrs. Rankin of Dor- 
 <hester street), that a caretaker had been left 
 
 in 
 
 Ml 
 
 ..J.J 
 
» 
 
 01. n MEMORIES 
 
 \ 
 
 J 
 
 charge of the property ; if so, his conscience 
 must have been very lax, for it was the custom 
 of all those ^ivin^ picnics at Kamouraska, wha 
 wished to do so, to use the house as well as the 
 grounds, and to simply walk in at open doors and 
 take temporary possession. Well, on one occa- 
 sion my father-in-law's family had a kind of 
 picnic, but, though going up to the Campbell 
 grounds, had brought their provisions to a neat 
 little wayside inn a short tlistance from the mill 
 and wharf built by the aforesaid J. S. Campbell ; 
 and as I always preferred a quiet read to those 
 excursions (I fear I am naturally rather lazy), 
 I said I would await their return at the small 
 hotel — its quiet and cleanliness were very in- 
 viting. " But," said Mr. McP. (I think I hear 
 the words as he addressed me often in fun)^ 
 " Mistress Charlotte, if you stay behind, you 
 are responsible for the dinner." I promised in 
 good faith, and with a firm resolve of doing my 
 duty, that all should be in order on their return, 
 and, telling the landlady at what hour lunch 
 must be ready, made arrangements for an hour 
 of delightful repose, by ensconcing myself into 
 the most cosy of sofas with an interesting novel. 
 As the old grandmother's clock tolled forth the 
 
AMUSLVU A AD HISTORICAL. 
 
 69 
 
 midday hour, it struck mc I had better sec how 
 the dinner was progressing for the luingry folks 
 expected soon. Fortunately, I did not delay, 
 for, to my dismay, I found the lamb-chops put 
 to boil, and the green peas frying in the frying- 
 pan. By hastily changing their positions, I 
 manageil matters so as to disguise my careless- 
 ness, and so all was well that ends well. 
 
 A thoroughly respectable house like the 
 Campbell House, of Pointc Seche, could not 
 be without its ghost, and it's doubly guaranteed 
 by having two of them : one a lady who is heard 
 to moan and sob and say she was shut up from 
 €very one (it is presumed Mrs. C, who, 
 instead of dying of ennui and country fare, 
 took the more sensible plan of returning to 
 England); the other, the apparition of a 
 gentleman, supposed to have been murdered 
 because he disappeared — a rejected suitor put 
 on board a vessel by Mr. C. for making too 
 viol ent love to a cousin and quarrelh'ng with a 
 more favored lover. I have exorcised several 
 ghosts already, and would like to try my obser- 
 vations on those inhabitants of a higher, or, 
 more likely, our earthly sphere, to whom the 
 unoccupancy of this fine mansion miglit be a 
 convenience. 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 ■J 
 
 ,4^ !•</-■ 
 
 1 1 
 
 V.:. 
 
 « 
 
70 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 V 
 
 LES EBOULEMENTS. 
 
 So called from the trcniblinijs of constant 
 earthquakes, wliich with apparent volcanic ac- 
 tion has tiirown up liill after hill so steep. 1 can 
 compare the ascent and descent to notliinj:^ else 
 but a winter sleighing slide. In fact, the hills are 
 almost perpendicular, and almost inacces::ible to 
 a nervous party, who in descending feels as if he 
 must fall on the horse's tail, and ascending drop 
 out of the cart behind. Yet to the young 
 and active it is a wild, lovely summer resort, its 
 unusual scenery presenting a most pleasurable 
 and novel spectacle. In fact, my friends, if you 
 have a desire to visit Switzerland and cannot 
 compass it, just go to Les Eboulements, and very 
 little imagination will help you to transport 
 yourself there. Cradled in mist, i)erched on some 
 rocky elevation, with the simple people about 
 you, you can easily deem yourself in the land of 
 William Tell. But, did I .say mple .'' yes, with 
 
 a spice 
 
 of modern craft, for I well remember a 
 
 
 friend being ill asking me, as it was a non- 
 
 |) ! 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORIC A I.. 
 
 tt 
 
 licensed place, to ask the landlady for a little 
 stimulant of any kind, as she niij^ht c^^ivcit to me 
 instead of a gentleman. The answer to my de- 
 mand was the query, " What would you have ? " 
 'Well, if possible, port wine," and a bottle of 
 excellent quality was forthcominfr, and also the 
 remark, " if more is required, in fact, as much as 
 is necessary can be obtained. We have plenty 
 for our own use." As these people were j:^reat 
 fish traders with St. Pierre Miquelon, in view of 
 recent developments as to the snuii^i^lint^ busi- 
 ness I have my thou^^hts, but as I believe in 
 free tratle between all nations, and I should 
 think it no sin to smujitrle mvself, I do not con- 
 demn them. 
 
 Apropos of smui^ijlinfj, a funny incident came 
 under my observation. A youn;^ married cousin 
 some years ago lived on the border dividing 
 Canada from the United States, and while (with 
 the fresh memory of the Fenian raids) counten- 
 anced, as was said, by the Americans, expressed 
 great dislike to Brother Jonathan. He dubbed 
 her a thorough Yankee, and she proved herself 
 a very cute one. Well, these ladies had been 
 accustomed under lax custom house discipline 
 to drive over to St. Albans and purchase many 
 
p 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 effects, cotton especially, at a very much less 
 price than on Canadian soil, and were very 
 indignant when a new official was appointed, 
 who openly boasted that no tricks would be 
 played upon him. That was enough for my 
 sprightly cousin. She arranged a plan with her 
 sister, went over in a light waggon, and when 
 stopped at the frontier by the aforesaid young 
 clerk on her return, who, with many apologies, 
 requested leave to search her vehicle, answered 
 in a tone of impatience, "Well, search my wag- 
 gon as much as you please, but don't wake my 
 baby." She held in her arms a good-sized 
 baby in long clothes, a heavy veil covering the 
 face The official searched and found nothing 
 contraband. He was, however, very much dis- 
 gusted to hear later that the baby was a mass 
 of dress and cotton goods, and that Mrs. K., as 
 she walked up and down the platform soothing 
 her supposed infant, was inwardly chuckling 
 over her clever trick played on the too confident 
 custom house clerk. 
 
A M USING AND HIS 1 ORICA L . 
 
 n 
 
 SOCIETY IN QUEBEC FIFTY YP:ARS 
 
 AGO. 
 
 Fifty years ago Quebec was a prominent mili- 
 tary station, and from that circumstance, as well 
 as the fact that it counted amongst its members 
 so many of the truly good old French families 
 of the aticienne iwbUsse, there was then none 
 of that petty jealousy between PVench and 
 English. They had fought valiantly, but when 
 peace was declared they shook hands heartily 
 and became friends. The English reserve was 
 tempered by French suavity, and as Captain 
 VVarburton, in his Stadacona Feuillitott, says, 
 "There were such a number of pretty girls in 
 Quebec, and so attractive, such pleasant man- 
 ners, combining maidenly reserve with refined 
 out-spoken ness, they were irresistible, and some 
 English mammas, it was said, murmured sadly 
 when they heard their darling sons were to be 
 
 sent to Canada, fearing they would be effectually 
 
 5 
 
n 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 i. 
 
 captured, as they certainly would be, in the silk- 
 en but enduring nets of the fair demoiselles ; 
 however, they must have been satisfied eventu- 
 ally, for the ladies of whom the military gentle- 
 men deprived us of have done credit to their 
 native city." 
 
 Old Quebecers will remember Miss L., wife 
 of General Elliot ; Miss A., wife of General 
 Pipon ; Miss P., wife of General Shakspear, 
 and dozens of others ; but I have before me 
 at least twenty beautiful and accomplished 
 ladies, our society belles who accompanied the 
 red coats to England. What a different aspect 
 Quebec wore when the military were first taken 
 away ! It seemed as if the silence of death 
 reigned, and why all should have been taken 
 has ever been an unanswered question. 
 
 Of people prominent in society in my early 
 days were Mr. Lemesurier, Judge McCord, Mr. 
 Berthelot (he gave me a French grammar, I 
 remember, he had published ; he was father-in- 
 law of Sir Louis La Fontaine), Mr. Faribault, the 
 Hon. John Malcolm Eraser, Mr. Symes, whose 
 pretty and amiable daughter married the 
 son of the Empress Eugenie's trusty friend 
 the Marquis de Bassano. 
 
 ,. 
 

 ■ 
 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, |^ 
 
 Besides the house occupied by the Hon. 
 George Primrose, there was at that time but one 
 small house used by the military, and now the 
 site of the splendid residence of the Hon. Mr. 
 Thibodeau, facing the Governor's garden. At 
 the intersecting street facing the river is the 
 old Langham house, still occupied by her 
 grand-daughter, Mrs. T. ; a few doors from 
 there the residence of Chief Justice Bowen, 
 whose ladies entertained a great deal, and 
 one of whose daughters was the wife of the 
 late Rev. Mr. Houseman. 
 
 We will take a skip now to where Palace 
 gate formerly stood, and watch G. H. Parke, 
 Esq., a noted whip (father of Dr. Parke), and 
 see him guide his tandem through one of the 
 sally-ports to the houses of the members of the 
 tandem, who could in vain hope to follow him. 
 Mr. P., who delighted in guiding the club through 
 most intricate places, had taken the measure of 
 the sally-port, and knew his carioie would pass 
 through, and thus triumphantly headed the 
 others, who feared to follow him. Should he 
 read this account of his old exploit, I am sure 
 it would yet bring up a smile. 
 
 The remembrance of this feat recalls a story 
 
 
 ?♦ 
 %. 
 
i.« 
 
 -i 
 
 76 OLD MEMORIES . 
 
 I have heard of the time of the noted Cham- 
 berlain gang. There were no houses at one time 
 between the grand house here and a large one 
 opposite St. Patrick's church, at that time 
 occupied by Miss or Mrs. M., an elderly 
 lady of ample means, who occupied the 
 pre.sent residence of J. Scott, Esq., formerly the 
 home of Mr. Faucher de St. Maurice. This 
 Chamberlain was the leader of a notorious gang, 
 who for some time held Quebec in a state 
 of terror; their rapacity, cruelty and audacity 
 exceeded anything ever before seen, and they 
 continued their course with impunity till a 
 most providential circumstance caused their 
 discovery. Well, one of their exploits was to 
 get one of their gang into Mrs. M.'s as ostensi- 
 ble man servant to rob the house. Late at 
 night one of the maids discerned a light in 
 the basement, and heard voices, indicating 
 that there were robbers in the dwelling She 
 thought for a moment of trying to run and get 
 help from the guard, but fearing that unlocking 
 the back door might arouse the burglars, she 
 decided on barricading the room in which her 
 mistress slept, hoping to be able to call for 
 help to some passer-by ; but alas ! none came ; 
 
 '■ 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 77 
 
 
 •■ 
 
 the robbers came up, quickly destroyed her 
 barricade, and thouj^h she fouf^ht bravely 
 with some fire-wood, — the only weapon at her 
 hand — was overpowered, j^ap^fjed, tied up with 
 her mistress in a carpet, and so left for hours. 
 When the milkman and butcher came and 
 called ineffectually for admittance, the doors 
 were forced, and they were released after much 
 suffering; such was a sample of some of their 
 exploits. 
 
 Leaving St. Patrick's church, nearly op- 
 posite this residence, we go on to and up 
 Esplanade Hill, till we come to a pretty little 
 church, and it was the sacrilege perpetrated 
 here that was the cause of their discovery. 
 Amongst other articles they had stolen a solid 
 silver statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every 
 effort was made to trace the thieves, but in- 
 effectually, till the curiosity of an old country 
 woman found them out. Somewhere, I think, 
 back of Point Levis, there lived a Canadian 
 farmer, whose old domestic had become very 
 much disgusted at the changed aspect of the 
 home-— from a respectable, quiet domicile it had 
 become a most disorderly house ; half intox- 
 icated people coming in and out at ail hours» 
 
 i! 
 
78 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 .1 
 
 arriving with carioles loaded with things kept 
 out of her sight. She noticed that she was always 
 sent ofif while they unloaded, and they made 
 their way to a hut in the woods built for boiling 
 maple sugar, and that huge fires were built, 
 though no sugar was made. Finally, she fol- 
 lowed the gang secretly, and went close enough 
 to hear, though not to see, what was going on, 
 and overheard these words uttered : " I am very 
 sorry for you, my poor little virgin, but you 
 must boil in the pot too. Ah ! I'll keep this 
 little finger to remember you by." Horrified 
 beyond expression, the old woman returned 
 swiftly to the house and kept a terrified watch ? 
 her master came in, and most of the men 
 drove off; but the one whose voice she had 
 recognized was so intoxicated that he fell into a 
 heavy sleep, and out of his pocket fell the tiny 
 silver finger of the statue. Seizing the first 
 opportunity, she sought the parish priest and 
 told him all. He at once connected the small 
 finger with the recent church robbery, enjoined 
 the most absolute silence on the woman, and 
 advised her for her own sake as well as that of 
 others to go about her work as usual and so 
 excite no suspicion. In the meantime he com- 
 
 ■" 
 
AMiSIAG AND HlSlOKICAr. 
 
 ' 
 
 municated with the authorities, who wisely 
 determined to make no display of their know- 
 ledge, as the silver was melted and all traces 
 destroyed ; but on the occasion of the next 
 burglary, a posse of police instantly surrounded 
 the place, and eflfectually captured in time the 
 whole gang, several of whom were hanged. 
 
 They owed their long immunity to the fact 
 that several people of position were implicated. 
 Some, against their will, too terrified to break 
 from them. One man, on the scaffold, confessed 
 that a young man unwarily brought into their 
 meshes h:id begged leave to be permitted to 
 break off from them on his taking oath never to 
 betray them. A seeming acquiescence was 
 yielded, and an appointment made to take a row 
 on the river to negotiate where no one could 
 overhear their conversation. As soon as out of 
 sight and sound the man confessed he had 
 silenced him effectually by a knock on the head 
 and a pitch into the river. 
 
 Leaving the little church on the Esplanade, 
 on reaching St. Ann, and turning to the left, at 
 the top of Ursule hill, you find a double brown 
 house, with peculiar pointed turret windows. 
 
 t! 
 
oil) MEMOKIliS : 
 
 Mere I lived ulicn ahoiit ci^ht years old, but 
 most distinctly do I rcmciiibcr its surroundii.gs. 
 Come in and sit with me in the end parlor win- 
 dow and I will point out to yow Colonel 
 (afterwards General) Macdonald, in his brave 
 uniform, the pidure of dignity, cominjr down the 
 steps of the build injjf formerly occupied by Dr. 
 lioswell ; also the house wiiere Ur. Lemieux 
 now lives, some officers (Guard , I think) iiad 
 their quarters, antl pretty lively (ptarters they 
 were. i^M»st of these «^entl'jmen were rich, youni^, 
 full of fun, and quite ret; ,\rd less of consequences. 
 One of their eccentricities was to insist on a 
 favorite iiorse bein;^ brought in by the front 
 door a'ul harnessed in oiie of the lar[:;e rooms 
 off the entrance. I used to watch these pro- 
 ceedings with gr<Mt glee. No doubt they paid 
 richly for tlieir whistle wiien settling day came 
 with their landlord. Ikit tliey could well afford 
 to pay for their pranks. 
 
 Opposite this house, the door facing Ann 
 street is still the solid residence, the home 
 some years since of the mucii-lamentod Judge 
 Alleyiie; in the early days I speak of, the 
 house of Mr. Le Mesurier, a merchant then, 
 but previouj.ly an officer in , and carrying 
 
 n 
 
AMUSING AND HIST OKICAI.. 
 
 81 
 
 ; 
 
 a reminder of tlic same in an empty sleeve, a 
 noble mark of valor. 
 
 To be a p^ood carver was then an absolute 
 necessity, for all carving was done at table, anil 
 Mr. Le Mesurier picpied himself on always dis- 
 charj^in^ this duty himself, which he did most 
 skillfully by means of a peculiarly constructed 
 knife antl fork. Once seated at a side-t.ible (I 
 had been invited to tea with some of the 
 younger members of tlie f.imily), I watched him 
 do so with great admiration. I do not recall 
 precisely who else were there ; but one figure is 
 specially impressed on my memory, that of 
 Mrs. Kerr f mother of the late Judge Kerr), a 
 very stately lady in pink silk and higii white 
 plumes. 
 
 Mrs. Le Mesurier, altiiough at the head of 
 fasliionablc society, was one of the old-time 
 good housekeepers. I think I see her now 
 with her keys in hand, giving tlircctions to some 
 domestic. She iiad a large family — all j)opuiar; 
 but the two special favorites were, I think, 
 Miss Harriet, who is married to General IftrWoi, 
 and Heiuy Le Mesurier, wJiose former lovely 
 residence on the St. Lewis road still exists. 
 Me had a peculiarly winning charm of manner, 
 
 
OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 
 
 inherited, as I saw in a very short interview I 
 had with him, by his son George. 
 
 I will now take you up the Esplan.de and 
 stop at a cut-stone house on the corner of St» 
 Lewis md, once used as the residence of the 
 Lieut-Governor. It was conveniently situited, 
 and there wasgreat indignation expressed when 
 the project was mooted of buying Spencer 
 Wood, for, though in most respects suitable, 
 many said it was too far, for those whose position 
 entitled them to vice regal entertainments would 
 find horse hire a heavy tax. For, my friends, in: 
 those early days the almighty dollar was not 
 worshipped as now ; in fact, very few of those 
 moving in the highest society were rich — good 
 family, culture an J education were the tests, and 
 no amount of money would have introduced a 
 vulgar person into the charmed circle ; in fact, 
 permission to subscribe to the Quebec assemblies 
 was a matter of almost as great moment as admit- 
 tance to old London Almacks. An instance of 
 which may be found in this over-true talc told me 
 by an aged aunt who knew all the circumstances. 
 Briefly, it was this: A rich tradesman lived on 
 Mountain Hill, who had a pretty wife, who, not 
 content with every needful luxury forhcrhappi- 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORiCAL. 
 
 «3 
 
 1 
 
 ness, must needs sigh for, to her, the unattain- 
 able (that was entree to the castle). On one 
 occasion a military gentleman of high position 
 who owed this tradesman some money said he 
 regretted the circumstance, and that if he would 
 give him tii.ie he would do anything possible 
 for him in return. *' Well," said Mr. Blank, " if 
 you could do something for my wife, I should 
 not only con^.ider the bill paid, but be grateful 
 too." " What is asked .? " said the colonel. " Just 
 this : you see, sir, my wife is young, and has 
 taken it into her foolish little head she must get 
 to one of the castle balls. Could you get her in .■*" 
 " Nothing easier, my dear sir ; on my arm she 
 can come in unquestioned." So grand prepara- 
 tions were made by the lady, and at the ap- 
 pointed time she went to the castle, trium- 
 phant, on her cavalier's arm, advanced to the 
 door where the cartls of admission were re- 
 ceived, when the official in waiting .said, " Knter, 
 
 colonel, but Mrs. is not known here, where 
 
 is her invitation } " Mortified to death, it was 
 said that Mrs. Blank, unwi'.ing to face the occu- 
 pants of the ladies' dressing-room, turned and 
 fled precipitately in her slippers and without her 
 outward wraps, rushed hoiiw , and that chagrin 
 
84 
 
 OLD MEMORIES ; 
 
 I 
 
 and cold brought on a severe illness that 
 resulted in consumption. On her death-bed, 
 unable to forgive the wound to her pride, she 
 made her daughter promise that, eschewing all 
 thoughts of love, she would promise her to 
 marry only a man of such position she would 
 be able to look down on those who had snubbed 
 her ir.other. Being young, rich and pretty, this 
 young girl accepted an aged man of very high 
 rank, refusing one of the finest young men in 
 Quebec, of whom she was fond, and commenced 
 a life of unhappiness with a gentleman who in 
 his dotage made her live almost a recluse in 
 the country, and dress up and go through thr 
 drill as if he were commanding still. 
 
 His death finally rescued her from sucii a 
 life, but by that time her nervous system had 
 become so thoroughly unhinged, her mind gave 
 way, and the last I knew of her was her being 
 sent to the lunatic asylum, having no child or 
 relative to care for her. A sad comment on an 
 ill-placed mother's ambition. 
 
 At the opposite corner of said stone hoi se was 
 a pretty little residence occupied at one time 
 and owned by the late Major Temple, adjoining 
 which was his father-in-law's residence, the late 
 
 '• 
 
u 
 
 1 
 
 AMUSING AND HIS TORICAL. ^ 
 
 Hon. Chief Justice Jonathan Sewell. Both these 
 houses still stand, but in vain I look for the 
 pretty lace curtains, and the two parrots on their 
 stands, calling to you through the bright flowers 
 in the window of the late Major Temple's resi- 
 dence. As an old Quebcccr I am ashamed to 
 say that pretty house has been the one blot on 
 the whole of Quebec's loveliest street. It has 
 been turned into a pretty candy shop, a couple 
 of bottles of sweets, two or three sugar-sticks 
 and halfpenny cakes, and a notice, ** Registry 
 Office for Servants," replaces the view of the par. 
 rots and flowers. Were I rich 1 should purchase 
 the property myself, and for old times let some 
 one occupy it who would keep up somewhat its 
 former appearance. Such a thing would not have 
 occurred in Montreal. The Montrealers have 
 too much ambition for their city to let it dete- 
 riorate, and consequently property becomes more 
 valuable every day. Why, to think Americans 
 should have been permitted to carry off bodily 
 the house where Montgomery's body was laiil, 
 and are making a fortune out of it, having set it 
 up as an Indian curiosity shop in some part of 
 the States. Why not have done it here } 
 
 Strolling on through the beautiful St. Louis 
 
86 
 
 OLD MEMORIES . 
 
 Gate, past the new armory, certainly a credit to 
 the old city, and past rows of handsome new 
 houses, we come to a solid looking building with 
 a golden lion sign. When I looked at it, I 
 wondered if it was chosen to beguile the 
 innocent into the impression that they were 
 at the old chien d'or. It does not need that, it 
 has memories enough of its own, for here 
 lived the late A. Joseph, Esq., and his 
 amiable wife, one of the most charming of 
 hostesses, and who gave us any number of 
 pleasant parties, but almost every house on that 
 street (then, as now, quite a fashionable one) is 
 associated with pleasant recollections. The one 
 just inside the toll gate on the left was then 
 occupied by Capt. Charles Campbell, a retired 
 officer of Her Majesty's 99th, I think, father 
 of our old friend, A. C, joint Prothonotary of 
 Quebec. 
 
 Mr. Le Moine, in his able work, " The Ex- 
 plorations of Eastern Latitudes, " by Jonathan 
 Old Buck, F. G. S. Q., so graphically depicted 
 the Plains of Abraham and its surroundings, 
 I can but touch on old personal memories, 
 which as they please me in writing, for I live 
 but in the past, may serve to amuse you, my 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. %^ 
 
 readers, in an idle hour. I will now stop at 
 Spencer Wood, and visit the pretty home of 
 our favorite author. 
 
 The house at present occupied by Judge 
 Bosse, Quebec, was fitted up in i860 for Lord 
 Monck, Spencer Wood having been burnt down 
 on 1 2th March, i860. Spencer Wood residence, 
 having been rebuilt and fitted up in accordance 
 with the requirements of a permanently selected 
 vice-regal residence, was successively occupied, 
 by the following parties : 
 
 Sir Edmund Head, 1860; Lord Monck, 
 1861 ; Sir N. F. Belleau, Lieut.-Governor, 
 1867; Hon. R. E. Caron, Lieut.-Governor, 
 afterwards Sir R. E. Caron, 1870 ; Hon. Luc 
 Letellier, 1878; Hon. Theodore Robitaille 
 1879; Hon. Mr. Masson, 1884; Hon. Auguste 
 Real Angers, 1889, who married in April, 1890, 
 Emelie Le Moine, daughter of the late Alex. 
 Le Moine, who now resides there, Oct. 15th, 
 1890. 
 
 4 
 
88 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 i f 
 
 SPENCER GRANGE, RESIDENCE OF 
 JAMES MACPHERSON Le MOINE, 
 
 F.R.L.C. 
 
 You drive through a pretty road, heavily 
 lined with trees, but through the foliage discern 
 a neat cottage at the left, frequently occupied 
 by the pastors of St. Michael's church. On the 
 right, facing the grass plots and bedded in trees 
 stands a very pretty residence, quite spacious 
 inside, and containing every comfort and 
 elegance, presided over by a charming 
 hostess and her daughters. Mrs. L., the most 
 amiable of ladies, spares no fatigue in showing 
 you all that can interest, and there is a 
 great deal to see at the Grange. The parlor 
 windows look on a lawn skirted with various 
 trees, where many a wild bird makes its 
 nest, and looking outwards, and listening to 
 their varied notes, you could fancy yourself in a 
 deep wood. From a pretty dining-room you 
 pass through a passage lined with marble 
 
AM us INC AND IlISTOh'lCAL. 89 
 
 busts of the ancient heroes of Greece and 
 Rome, into the jjrapery, where the heavy 
 clusters of ^^ra pes look too lovely to be plucked. 
 An aviary adjoins this, and at times the soft 
 cooing of doves min«,rlcs with the other caged 
 inmates and the notes of the wild birds in the 
 adjacent shrubbery. All is so quiet here, you 
 might fancy yourself miles from civilization. 
 Jt is a fitting home for a literary man, and bears 
 everywhere an impress of elegance and refine- 
 ment. Mr. Le Moine has some very curious 
 heads of rare animals and numerous trophies 
 of the chase and rare birds sent by admiring 
 friends. The odor of the new-mown hay and the 
 varied scent of the flowers complete the charm 
 of this pretty home. Amongst other curiosities, 
 Mr. Le .Moine has the original key of one of 
 the city gates, which has been presented to him. 
 It is a very ponderous looking affair. 
 
 \^ 
 
90 
 
 LLC MEMORIES . 
 
 SOCIETY IN 1854. 
 
 I 
 
 We will take a stroll back, citywards, coming 
 down the Ksplanade, about the year 1850. We 
 notice, as we near the Esplanade, the sound of 
 the band in full force. The Esplanade benches 
 are crowded with ladies. Erom the windows 
 of many houses, spectators look on the gay 
 scene; while lord and lady, cavalier and belle, 
 pass to and fro to enjoy the military music and 
 a chat with their acquaintances. The militia, 
 in some measure, replace the regular army, but 
 with a difference: the latter were, as a general 
 rule, men of wealth, culture, travel, and leisure, 
 with little else to do but make themselves 
 agreeable to the ladies, which they did so suc- 
 cessfully as to arouse the ire of the civilians. 
 Even from the few liouses that face the Esplan- 
 ade alone, one, at least, and, as in the family of 
 Sheriff Sewell (now occupied by Mr. Hunt), 
 no less than three, if not four, were carried off 
 by English officers; and from houses nearly 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 91 
 
 adjoining went Miss Panet, Miss Healy, two 
 Misses Motz, the handsome Miss Joly, Miss 
 Bradshaw, Miss Maxham ; and a few doors 
 around the corner, on St. Anne street. Miss 
 Ashworth. 
 
 Amongst the noted belles living on the 
 Esplanade were the handsome Burrage ladies 
 and the Misses Mackenzie, whose father 
 met his death in a very sad manner. There 
 was a house situated on the St. Louis road 
 
 calletl the " H House," where (there 
 
 being very large rooms to let for picnic use) 
 were often held evening entertainments. On 
 one occasion the bachelors gave us a ball there. 
 It was a lovely moonlight night, but very coUl, 
 and wherever there was little stiow, glare ice. 
 M. Mackenzie and his daughters drove out in 
 safety to the door ; but, on alighting, he slipofd 
 and broke his leg. Being a man beyontl mid- 
 dle age, he never cjuite recovered. The shock 
 was, I think, the prime cause of his death. 
 
 C- E. Levy, Esq., occupied the house, former 
 corner of St. Anne and the Es[jlanacle. The 
 first house opposite, on St. Anne street, was then 
 the residence of Captain, afterwards Admiral 
 Boxer, and the propinquity was so favorable, 
 
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 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 4" 
 
 I 
 
 
 he induced the handsome daughter of Captain 
 
 B to change her father's home for his. 
 
 His widow now owns one of Quebec's most 
 beautiful and costly residences on the St. Louis 
 road. The house now occupied by Sir William 
 Meredith was, when I was a child, the house of 
 Judge, after Sir William Stuart. His daughter, 
 most kindly I remember, sent me a doll, dressed 
 in crimson satin, velvet and train, to represent 
 Her Majesty. Its gorgeousness is still before 
 me. The corner house above that was at one 
 time occupied by Mrs. White, whose two hand- 
 some daughters married the brothers G 
 
 and another took captive a favorite army doctor. 
 One, her pretty young niece, if I mistake not, 
 
 Miss McG ; afterwards Mrs. B , lived 
 
 Vv^ith her here. 
 
 Some years later one sees the erect, handsome 
 old gentleman, Town Major Knight, taking his 
 daily stroll always arm-in arm with one of his 
 sons, as hale and hearty a year or two before 
 his death as he was almost twenty years before. 
 One of his daughters still resides in Quebec^ 
 the wife of our old but always young friend, 
 Henry A . 
 
 It gives me so much pleasure to recalt 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 - 
 
 these old days, to people the streets of my old 
 birthplace with dead and gone friends, who 
 come up so vividly before my mental vision, 
 I could sit for hours and bring them up before 
 you ; but to strangers this would be wearisome, 
 so I'll only glance at one or two more, and then, 
 with a few hasty memories of some of our most 
 eminent Quebec gentlemen, turn from the past 
 to the present. I cannot close without speak- 
 ing of two gentlemen who occupied such a 
 prominent place in gay society, Messrs. Angers 
 and Lelievre, lawyers, partners and near neigh- 
 bors. We always looked to them for a succes- 
 sion of most agreeable entertainments. If I am 
 not mistaken, at the time they lived on Haldi- 
 mand hill, and before they purchased the St. 
 Louis hotel, it was divided into two houses, — 
 one occupied by that gay old gentleman, Mr. 
 Burroughs and his family, one of whose hand- 
 some daughters, Cecil, not long deceased, mar- 
 ried the Hon. Mr. Garneau ; the other still 
 lives, I think, in Paris (Mrs. Kimber). His son 
 John, a very quiet looking gentleman, most un- 
 expectedly carried off our great society belle 
 at that time, the lovely Leda L., from 
 numerous competitors, mother of Madame 
 
94 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 : ] 
 
 5 tf V 
 
 i 
 
 ' i 
 
 Masson, wife of the late Governor Masson, 
 But if I go on to speak of all the pretty- 
 girls of which, we could boast at that time^ 
 I should go on for ever, so I will present to 
 you a slight sketch of some of our most promi- 
 nent men. Of Hon. George Okill Stuart, Sir 
 James Stuart, and Hon. Henry Black so 
 much has been written that I will only mention 
 their names, and give you a slight sketch of 
 Mr. Faribault, a most genial gentleman, of parti- 
 cularly courteous manners, very literary, of good 
 old French family, and universally respected. 
 He lived in the old house on whose site is built 
 that now occupied by his only child and daugh- 
 ter, who married Quebec's famous artist, Mr, 
 Hamel. Mr. Hamel had a most particular gift 
 for catching likenesses, demonstrated when quite 
 a boy. He died unfortunately quite young, 
 leaving a son and daughter, who with their 
 mother reside in her father's old home. 
 
 Charles Gethings, son of Captain James Geth- 
 ings, an Irish officer of the old lOOth Regi- 
 ment, was born in Bona Vista, Newfoundland, 
 and came to this country with his father. His 
 first residence was that occupied formerly by 
 Hon. George Primrose. Captain Gethings was 
 
i 
 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 95 
 
 stricken with paralysis while mounting guard at 
 Hope Gate, and died at the fourth house on the 
 right hand going up towards the Fabrique. Mis 
 son Charles, after being employed a short time 
 in the Commissariat, then with Gillespie, Moffatt 
 & Co., Montreal, subsequently in the City Bank 
 of Quebec, spent many years as manager of the 
 Quebec Bank, Quebec, receiving to the day of 
 his death a liberal pension from the Quebec 
 Bank. A kind father, a scrupulously upright 
 man, the family all honor his memory. He 
 sleeps in St, Matthew's churchyard vault. 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
■MR 
 
 9#' 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 
 1 
 
 ! ; i„ 
 
 NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1840— IN QUEBEC. 
 
 Old Time, with cuPtomary speed, 
 Has pacped us on his flN'ing steed, 
 And once again a New Year's day 
 Now greets us smiling briglit and gay. 
 
 My young friends, I live so little in the present 
 so much in the past, I hardly know the customs 
 of modern society, but I am not so totally out 
 of the world as not to be conscious that old- 
 time hospitalities on that day are quite relegatec 
 to the past, and happily the cake and wine 
 given once so freely are no longer fashionable, 
 for I think now with amaze of our ancient cus- 
 toms, and wonder how, having partaken of the 
 lavish hospitality of these old days, any of 
 our beaux could have got home without the aid 
 of Dicken's traditional wheelbarrow. As it may 
 amuse you I will just give you a picture of New 
 Year's day as kept about forty years ago. Well, 
 I cannot state what precise year, but one New- 
 Year's day the courtyard of the English Cathe- 
 
 
 I 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 97 
 
 ' 
 
 I 
 
 ^ral was a mass of glare ice, just like a skating 
 rink, and no lady could go to service at the 
 English cathedral without the assistance of a 
 well-shod beau to help her to keep her equili- 
 brium, and after service return with me to the 
 home of one of our city belles. You will find 
 the mother of the family in full dress, seated 
 in a comfortable arm chair, a bright fire burn- 
 ing in the grate, magazine in hand, to while 
 away the hour when the ready attendant will 
 usher in the first visitor. A couple of young 
 ladies beside her, in full dress, pink, blue or gray 
 satin or silk decollete, a heavy gold chain or 
 valuable watch visible attached to n handsome 
 gold watch hook on the side of the dress, a 
 bouquet holder in one hand, and embroidered 
 handkerchief and white kid gloves and numerous 
 ibracelets, they sit with all the indifference it is 
 possible to simulate, till the announcement of 
 Mr. A, soon followed by B, C, D, and E, till 
 the room is so crowded only the compliments 
 of the season can be exchancred before with 
 a bow one gentleman gives place to another ; 
 and so numerous are the visitors in some 
 favored houses, perhaps even eighty in a 
 -day, one of the family surreptitiously takes 
 
98 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 1 I ^ 
 
 \\\ 
 
 the names for future recognizance, and woe be 
 to the unfortunate swain whom torgetfuhiess or 
 too much occupation may have prevented from 
 paying his respects; he will surely be left out 
 of the list of invites for the next ball. And yet, 
 poor unfortunate, he cannot leave the house 
 without taking from the hand of the fair lady of 
 the house a glass of wine, and that offer he was 
 expected to accept perhaps at twenty or thirty 
 houses. A year or two later it was considered 
 bon ton to offer nothing in the parlor, but an 
 obsequious waiter tendered ale, wines and other 
 deUcacies, catching the departing visitor in a par- 
 lor near the hall door. This was something 
 better. A gentleman could refuse a waiter's 
 demand^not so easily a lady's. Still later, 
 about fifteen years ago, I well remember the 
 Rev. Mr. Hebert, of }-Iamouraska, asking as a 
 personal favor and a mark of respect to himself 
 that none of his parishioners should offer temp- 
 tation to the weak in the form of stimulant to 
 New Year's visitors, and he very lucidly ex- 
 pressed himself in these terms : " You say some 
 of you are advised by your physician to take 
 wine, well, that is all right, and put your liquor 
 beside your pills ; and as you do not think it 
 
 \ 
 
 t\ 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 99 
 
 necessary to give physic to all your friends be- 
 cause the doctor orders it for you, neither do I 
 . think the tonic that may do you good necessary 
 to sow broadcast to those to whom it may prove a 
 bitter poison." This was particularly hard 
 on a character in the village we had dubbed 
 Monseigneur because he served a former 
 Bishop, and being wealthy he piqued himself 
 on bringing something new for New Year, and 
 his lait purchase had been a valuable liquor 
 stand. He was heart-broken. Being a very pious 
 man he was deeply chagrined to think he could 
 not display his new purchase, till he was ones 
 more elevated to the summit of happiness by the 
 suggestion that raspberry vinegar, lime juice 
 and lemon syrup would look equally well in his 
 fine caraffe. 
 
«oo 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 A POINT OF HONOR. 
 
 I' 
 
 ilil 
 
 It must be fifty-two years ago fully when I 
 first remember the house now occupied by Mr. 
 O'Hare as a first-class private boarding house. 
 Its rear faces the Citadel, its front looks into 
 the barrack yard of the former barracks on St. 
 Louis street, now occupied by Major Forrest. 
 Well, this house was then occupied, and I think 
 owned by a very dear uncle, the late Charles 
 Adolphus H. I say, I think owned, because I 
 perfectly remember the rocks in rear being 
 blasted to make a stable and the building of an 
 extension with vaulting apparatus and so forth 
 for the young people's recreation, and this 
 extension adjoined the nursery where presided a 
 female nurse of wonderful imaginative powers, 
 who, when the twilight gathered, and we begged 
 for stories, detailed for our benefit horror after 
 horror — her only idea of entertainment for young 
 children. Well, in the garret of this old house 
 my dear grand-uncle found a large ledger, very 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORiCAL. 
 
 lot 
 
 Strongly bound. On the outer pages were these 
 words : " I implore whoever finds this volume 
 
 to keep it until the year , when, if not 
 
 reclaimed, then burn it unless he would incur 
 the curse of a dead man, for by that jtime all 
 interested and for whom this book is kept must 
 be dead.' The leaves were crossed with red 
 tape, and every here and there sealed with red 
 sealing wax, but by breaking off a bit of wax 
 we could read a few words, and though I do 
 not remember why, we seemed to associate 
 their meaning with some record of the North- 
 West. Devoured by curiosity, we young people, 
 too afraid of the curse to openly destroy the 
 seals, devised every plan to ascertain the con- 
 tents, and one of them was to give the book 
 to the younger children of the family as a play- 
 thing, hoping they would break them open and 
 the contents be exposed ; but alas! one day my 
 dear grand-uncle came upon the scene, fathomed 
 our project, and put a stop for all time to our en- 
 deavors by putting said ledger in the stove, and 
 watched it while it burnt. Was this absolutely 
 necessary ? Did the most rigid scrupulousness 
 demand this } I don't know how others will 
 answer. For myself, if I had the book before. 
 

 I \i' 
 
 n 
 
 i ! 
 
 ill 
 
 102 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 me now I would read its contents, and then 
 judge whether I should divulge its secrets or 
 not in the interest of the public. What a field 
 of conjecture is open here ! This book con- 
 tained records of the North-West. Of what ? 
 Do you remember, my friends, an article that 
 appeared in the papers very many years ago, 
 saying that a voyageur had discovered some- 
 where in the far north an old white-haired 
 gentleman, the Rev. Ebenezer Williams, wh© 
 claimed to be the son of the unfortunate 
 Dauphin, son of the decapitated Louis XVI., 
 and whose devoted followers had rescued from 
 prison and substituted a pauper, and at great 
 personal risk brought the unfortunate boy to 
 America and placed him for safe keeping with 
 an Indian tribe, and leaving documents to 
 prove his identity should there ever appear a 
 chance of his claiming the throne. But as years 
 rolled on, and no prospect of his being recalled 
 to the throne, and his protectors being dead, 
 he had been educated as a clergyman and 
 served as missionary till his death. In fact, it 
 was only when on his deathbed these facts were 
 discovered. Had this book — a very closely 
 written volume — anything to do with him } God 
 only knows ! 
 
 , 
 
 J 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 103 
 
 
 COUNTRY POST OFFICES FORTY AND 
 FIFTY YEARS AGO. 
 Our ancestors must have been very honest in 
 '■U'-al parts, and had unlimited faith in each 
 other's integrity, judging by the early post offices 
 The first one I remember was that of Murray 
 Bay, when on the arrival of the bag its con- 
 tents were dumped on the floor and every one 
 picked out the letters for themselves and friends, 
 and enacted the part of voluntary carriers for 
 the.r friends, and very curious were the articles 
 then transmitted through the post office, the 
 tnail bags then doing the present express ser- 
 vice. A relative told me that he was some- 
 where in the Gaspe district when the carrier 
 arrived with the bags he had carried a long 
 distance on hi. back, and using rather hard 
 language at the unwonted weight oftheba-, 
 and curious to see what was the cause of thts 
 extraordinary weighty mail, when lo! out 
 tumbled two immense wild geese, sent as a 
 
104 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 
 fM 
 
 IP 
 
 present by the Hon. W. H. to a friend. Fancy 
 the denouement and the wrath of the old 
 Scotchman, who had borne the weight on a long 
 tramp through a pathway in the forest. 
 
 One of the most curious experiences I ever had 
 occurred about ten years ago, when I went with 
 my family to a rural summer resort. We were 
 several miles from the post office, and had very 
 steep hills to climb on every side, so I wished to 
 kill two birds with one stone, and decided to go 
 to the post office after church service. I did so, 
 and inquired for a registered letter I expected* 
 After a few minutes inquiry the maitre de poste 
 said : " Yes, there is a registered letter for you, 
 but I can't find it, but it is all right, it is in the 
 book," " Well," I said, as the assistant was 
 absent and might possibly have said letter in 
 charge, "I'll call back after afternoon service " 
 I did so, but again the letter could not be found. 
 ** You'll probably be passing in a week or so, 
 won't you call in then, by that time I have no 
 doubt we'll have it for you." " But," I said, " that 
 won't do. I am a stranger here and need the 
 money." ** Ah I madame " (they were French 
 Canadians), " we are very sorry to inconvenience 
 you, and if you will say how much you need 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. ,05 
 
 will be happy to advance you the cash, as by 
 four books you are entitled to some. " I could 
 . not feel angry with these simple people, they 
 were evidently so honest and true. Yet, as I 
 wanted my letter, with home news as well as 
 the cash, I proposed that we should make a 
 search in the post office, which was also a shop 
 of general merchandise. So after looking 
 through box after box, some suggested looking 
 in the cellar, as an ill-fitting trap door with wide 
 cracks was directly under the official desk. The 
 cellar, however, did not contain the missing 
 document, and I was almost in despair of re- 
 covering for some time my lost property, when 
 a happy inspiration came to me, and I inquired 
 if they sold envelopes. "Ah! oui, madame, " 
 they did, and among the envelopes ready to be 
 sold at about a cent a piece was my letter con- 
 taining fifty dollars cash, which, minus my per- 
 sistence, might have found its way into the 
 .pocket of some honest or dishonest purchaser. 
 But all is well that ends well, and I parted from 
 my post office friends with expressions of 
 mutual regard, and fearing to do them harm, 
 believing so fully in their integrity, I never 
 :spoke of the matter; but when, some years later, 
 
 7 
 
io6 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 I heard the Post Office Inspector had made 
 radical changes, I thought it was beneficial to- 
 the general public. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 lojr 
 
 TK^ SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGES OF 
 THE CITADEL, QUEBEC. 
 
 _,,. In the year , the late lamented Lieut 
 
 Fayrer, ordinance officer, ea„,e to Quebec on a 
 tour of .nspection as to supplies needed (aeeon,- ' 
 panned by his wife, Lizzie Henshaw, a cousin). 
 He asked us if we would like to accon,pa„y 
 
 h.m through the underground passages of the 
 Citadel, very rarely open to visitors. We ..rate- 
 fully acceped the offer, and so well guarded 
 was the secrecy of these prennses, it was with 
 the utmost astonishment the soldiers preen. 
 heard that underneath their Citadel were „,iles 
 of underground passages for transfer in case of 
 s.ege, large roon,s for the refuge of women and 
 children, and places for the safe depositing of 
 treasure. We accompanied hin,, and I reni^.n- 
 ber gomg down stairs intersected with heavy 
 ■ron doors and though long passages with only 
 outlets for muskets to give light, then into 
 iarge damp underground chambers for a safe 
 
io8 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 I 
 
 m 
 
 I cannot tell the length we went through of 
 dark passage, but it was some considerable 
 •distance, and the rooms are quite large, I 
 suppose capable of each holding fifty people. I 
 have heard it said (but can't vouch for the truth) 
 that these passages have an outlet on the St. 
 Lawrence at one end and the Martello towerS 
 at the other. I have no doubt such is the case. 
 The underground passages are bomb-proof, and 
 no sound can be heard from them. A soldier 
 forgotten there once gave himself up to die, 
 until he remembered he might be missed at roll 
 call. Such was the case, and his life thus 
 saved. The passages are underneath the Cita- 
 del at Cape Diamond, so called because at one 
 time great quantities of an inferior diamond 
 were found there. I remember when the Cape 
 quite shone with them, and many old people 
 havehandsome jewellery made from these gems. 
 There is one street of houses opposite the Cape 
 about fifty-five years ago occupied by the follow- 
 ing parties : the late Chas. Gethings, the late 
 Col. Dydejohn Carleton Fisher, William Patton 
 and Col. Gore, father of the present Countess 
 of Errol. A small house on the offside, occu- 
 pied by a waiter, is the spot where is the 
 present High School of Quebec. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORlC.U 
 
 J or) 
 
 THE FIRST ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY 
 : ' IN QUEBEC. 
 
 Ireland, so prominent at the present time 
 especially appeals to favorable remembrance of 
 all her true people, and it may prove interest- 
 in- to many of my readers to hearsomethincr of 
 the first St. Patrick's Society ever formed' in 
 Quebec. I therefore copy for public benefit tl.e 
 very interesting account of its first doings, ^^^^'^^x 
 me by an old friend :— - 
 
 " In the year 1836 a few Irish gentlemen met 
 in a small house in the Upper Town market 
 place, to form a St. Patrick's Society without 
 reference to church or creed, but merely for the 
 purpose ofrendering assistance to anyofthefr 
 countrymen who might be requiring help or 
 advice. Those gentlemen present on that 
 occasion were as follows :— 
 
 The Hon. Dominick Daly, then Secretary of 
 the Province. 
 
 The Hon. George Pemberton, merchant. 
 
5-J..L-.J11J LLJUJ ^5- 
 
 no 
 
 OLD MEMORIES ; 
 
 The Hon. Mr. Cochrane, brother-in-law to 
 Bishop Mountain. 
 
 Sir Henry Caldwell, Baronet. 
 
 Geo. Holmes Parke, Esq., merchant. 
 
 Charles Gethings, Esq., of the Bank, Quebec. 
 
 Edward Bowen, Esq., son of Judge Bowen. 
 
 Edward Ryan, Esq., merchant, and Mr. 
 O'Meara, Custom House. 
 
 " These gentlemen formed the St. Patrick's 
 Society, and the subscription was to be five shil- 
 lings each, annually. They also decided to have 
 an annual dinner every anniversary. The 
 first president was the Hon. D. Daly, and their 
 first dinner was in a building where now stands 
 the Russell House. The subscription to the 
 dinner was to be six dollars, to make the meet- 
 ing as select as possible, and to be paid out of 
 the subscribers' own pockets without reference 
 to the annual subscription. The next president 
 was the Hon. George Pemberton, and that 
 dinner took place in the Albion Hotel in Palace 
 street. The third president was Sir H. Cald- 
 well ; they dined in the same building, the ' 
 Albion. The fourth president was George 
 Holmes Parke, Esq., who was annually elected 
 president for the succeeding fourteen years in 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Is 
 
 succession, and the dinners took place princi- 
 pally in the old chateau. To the anniversary 
 dinners the presidents of St. George, St. Andrew 
 and St. John the Baptist were invited as guests, 
 as was also the heads of all military and civil de- 
 partments. On one occasion in the old chateau, 
 when over two hundred and fifty guests sat down 
 to dinner, it looked well to see Geo. Holmes 
 Parke, Esq., with the president of St. George 
 on one arm, and the presidents of St. Andrew 
 and St. John the Baptist on the other, walking 
 up the long room to the head of the dinner 
 table. There were a large number of subscribers 
 to the Society, and the consequence was al- 
 though the subscription was small, it was 
 enabled to do a multitude of good. The 
 Society for many years got on admirably until 
 other branches were formed, and then Mr. 
 Parke did not take the same interest as he had 
 formerly done. Notwithstanding, there never 
 was an anniversary dinner given afterwards, but 
 Mr. Parke was invited to it as a guest, and given 
 one of the most prominent seats at the table. 
 Charles Gethings, Esq., I believe, followed Mr. 
 Parke as president, and after him others whose 
 names I have not ascertained. Of all the gentle- 
 
Il2 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 ; I 
 
 I 
 
 men that met to form the Society, Mr. Parke is 
 the only one living. In 1840 Mr. Parke bought 
 a large tract of land on the River St. Charles, a 
 short distance from the Dorchester Toll Bridge,, 
 on which he had built a splendid mansion, and 
 ornamented it with thousands of forest trees 
 and circular avenues, iron entrance gates, stone 
 pillars, etc-, also beautiful quickset hedges oa 
 each side of the avenues kept neatly trimmed. 
 In this house, which he called * Ringfield,' he 
 has lived for the last fifty years, and is still living 
 in it. There is a splendid view from Ringfield»^ 
 P'rom St. Foy's church to St. Peter street in 
 Lower Town can be seen almost every house in. 
 Upper To\vii, St. Roch and St. Sauveur. 
 Down the River St. Lawrence can be seen nine 
 miles, and from the hall door, before the trees 
 grew up, could be counted fourteen parish 
 churches, apart from the city or suburbs. Mr. 
 Parke came to Canada in 1830, and is now in 
 his eighty-fourth year. During his business 
 career he did a large business, and in the 
 course of twenty-five years he had built for 
 himself seventy-six large ships by different 
 ship builders, which cost and was paid for out 
 of his office over three millions of dollars, apart 
 
 / 
 
 ! 1; 
 
 ili 
 
 i 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. m^ 
 
 from his other business. " This gentleman is 
 father of the present popular physician, Dr.' 
 Parke. Mr. Lemoine in his " Tourist's Note 
 Book" says: "A very remarkable vestige of 
 French domination exists behind the villa of Mr. 
 Parke, a circular field house, hence the name 
 Ringfield, covering about twelve acres, with an 
 earthwork once about twenty feet high to 
 the east, to shield its inmates from the shot of 
 Wolfe's fleet lying at the entrance of the St. 
 Charles below Quebec. " 
 
 / 
 
fi4 
 
 OLD MEMORIES ; 
 
 SILLERYCHURCH— THE PARSONAGE, 
 
 ONE TIME A RESIDENCE OF 
 
 SIR E. R. CARON. 
 
 \ 
 
 Sillery Church, beautifully situated above 
 Sillery Cove (one of the best-known lumber 
 coves near Quebec), has for its parishioners 
 many families of note, foremost amongst whom 
 were the Sharpies family, well known for their 
 Catholic piety and their active benevolence. 
 
 At the time I first knew Sillery Church, its 
 pastor was the Rev. George Drolet, a very 
 fervent, energetic priest, who I fear lost his 
 health in part from over zeal in the discharge of 
 his arduous duties. His people being mixed Eng- 
 lish and French, I have known him go through 
 the ritual of two masses, preach two sermons, 
 one in French and one in English (fasting), 
 though frequently warned against such over- 
 exertion. 
 
 He was stricken with paralysis some years 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 "S 
 
 ago, and though comparatively a young man, 
 is quite debarred now from all church services. 
 He exercised considerable influence amongst 
 his parishioners, many of them being very 
 difficult to deal with — a floating population 
 of sailors; but his genial manner and tact 
 carried him through many difficulties. I can- 
 not give a better illustration of that same tact 
 than by narrating a fact that occurred full 
 thirty years ago. At the time of the great 
 Corrigan Murder (as it was called) — the 
 outcome of a fisfht between Orancjemen and 
 R. C. Irishmen — the feud ran so high, the 
 Bishop of Quebec, seeing how impossible it 
 would be for an Irish priest to abstain from 
 being drawn into the vortex of party strife* 
 decided on sending a French-Canadian 
 priest, who would have no national feeling in 
 the matter. The matter was discussed, but 
 it was supposed to be such a po.st of danger, 
 even for a priest, the Bishop decided he would 
 ask for a volunteer instead of issuing a com- 
 mand to one of his clergy. All eyes turned 
 to the Rev. Mr. Drolet as the one suited ; he 
 had been junior priest in St. Patrick's Church 
 in Quebec, was thoroughly acquainted with 
 
ii6 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 
 the character of the Irish people, and much 
 beloved by them. He offered his services, 
 which were at once accepted ; but some of 
 his confreres felt badly over the matter, and 
 remonstrated : ''You must remember, my 
 dear sir, that you have a mother and sisters 
 dependent on you for a home, and you hold 
 
 your life in your hand if you go to 
 
 in the present state of feeling, as the Irish 
 say they will not have a French-Canadian 
 priest. " " I am not afraid, " was the Rev. Mr.. 
 D.'s rejoinder; he went, to find the Presbytery 
 closed, the Paiish Church nailed up, and a 
 very threatening crowd assembled. He could 
 do nothing that day, so went to a neighboring 
 parish to say his morning mass. The next day 
 the same scene. Undaunted, he began to talk, 
 said he always thought an Irishman liked fair 
 play, and thought he might ask for a few 
 minutes hearing — he^ one man against hun- 
 dreds. " Oh ! yes, " they said, ashamed. " We'll 
 let you talk, but remember we don't want to 
 insult your reverence, but we won't have a 
 French-Canadian over us. " " Well, answer me 
 one question, I like to know to whom I am 
 talking : what is your name, and in what part 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, ,,7 
 
 of Ireland were you born ? " " Oh, sir, I was 
 not born in Ireland, but my grandfather and 
 grandmother came from tho Old Country. " 
 "" And you ? and you ? " The same answer, not 
 one perhaps in forty were born in Ireland, all 
 really by birth Canadians, and Mr. D. said, 
 "You say you won't have me because I am a 
 French-Canadian, my name is so, but, as my 
 grandmother was Irish, I consider myself as 
 Irish as any of you. " His wit carried the day. 
 He resided there for many years, and was so well 
 liked that between thirty and forty of his 
 parishioners accompanied him to do him 
 honor when he was given the pastorate of 
 St. Michel, and I shall never forget the sight 
 of a crowded steamboat, half of the people in 
 tears as they went to see him off, and land him 
 at Sillery, to which he had been promoted— 
 the most desirable rectorship, I fancy, in the 
 R. C. gift, near Quebec, but which he was 
 to enjoy only a i^v^ years. 
 
ii8 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 ST. MATTHEW'S CHAPEL. 
 
 A beautiful little church on the site of the 
 old burying ground, on St. John street, Quebec, 
 built by that well-known philanthropist, Mat- 
 thew Hale, Esq., and very much enlarged and 
 beautified by the various members of the Hamil- 
 ton family with their well-known liberality. 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL, 
 
 119. 
 
 BISHOP HAMILTON. 
 
 About thirty years ago, there arrived fresh 
 from college a newly-ordained clergyman of 
 the Church of England. So youthful lookmg, 
 so mild in character, it appeared at first as \{ 
 he would hardly yet be fitted for the onerous 
 position of pastor, but he was appointed. 
 Family influence and money soon caused St 
 Matthew's to be most largely patronized! 
 also free seats. In the meantime our young 
 clergyman pursued his unobtrusiv. way. Daily 
 he might be seen in the poorest and least 
 frequented streets of the city, driving a little 
 waggonette, evidently constructed to order from 
 its capacity for holding comforts for his poor 
 people. A thoroughly earnest, fervently pious 
 man, our young clergyman, before many years, 
 displayed his innate force of character, acquired 
 great influence, and we know him now as 
 Charles Hamilton, Bishop of Ontario. 
 
t 
 
 1 20 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 ST. PATRICK'S CEMETERY, QUEBEC. 
 
 Formerly Woodfield, the residence of the late 
 
 James Gibb^ Esq., previously the residence of 
 
 Chas. Sheppard, Esq. 
 
 As I tread the sod of this cemetery, what a 
 host of memories are evoked. Here was the 
 handsome residence of Chas. Sheppard, for- 
 merly large timber merchant of Quebec, one of 
 whose sons, Mansfield Sheppard, Esq., and his 
 daughter, Mrs. Watt, I think still survive ! This 
 pleasant home was burnt down, the family having 
 hardly time to escape, and many cherished and 
 valuable mementoes of the past perished with 
 it. It was purchased by James Gibb, Esq., as 
 a homestead, and so occupied for many years- 
 and who in the flush of enjoyment at the many 
 pleasant entertainments given by the Gibb 
 family would have foreseen the day when many 
 of those dancing and promenading through 
 
tit 
 
 AMUSim AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 those beautiful grounds would be treading over 
 perhaps the very spot mav b. fK • 
 
 place in the qTiet '"7 S ." T" "^'"^ 
 4"'cc grave. Such is Wi^ Thic 
 
 cemeteo,, no. of great beauty from its nat^a 
 Characteristics, is about two rniies fro. qX 
 
 8 
 
122 
 
 OLD MEMORIES 
 
 V 
 
 MOUNT HERMON CEMETERY, 
 
 About three miles from the city of Quebec, is 
 most beautifully situated on the St. Louis road; 
 its grounds at the back overlooking the St. 
 Lawrence. 
 
 Amongst other noted monuments here is the 
 slab that indicates the last resting place of the 
 young son of Sir Edmund Head, who was acci- 
 dentally drowned in the St, Lawrence river, and 
 buried here in Mr. Price's lot The Price family 
 had long occupied a high position in Quebec 
 society, and been intimate with the families of 
 several of the governors. I see they had the 
 honor of a visit from the Prince on his late trip 
 to Quebec, who lunched with them. 
 
 I will attempt no further description of old 
 Quebec, Mr. Le Moine has too thoroughly e". 
 hausted the subject, but confine myself to a de- 
 scription :f people and incidents illustrative of the 
 to me good old times. Perhaps the beauty of the 
 prospective is enhanced by the distance, but to 
 
123 
 
 AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 those Who have passed the meridian of life the 
 past must ever be dearer than the present, for it 
 alone is peopled with so many of the loved we 
 look for in vain now. So many of my once 
 dear associates have gone on before me I 
 often ponder on what must be the feelings of 
 one living to a hundred years, who stands 
 totally alone without one he has known in his 
 earlier days to greet'him. 
 
124 
 
 OLD MEMORIES : 
 
 IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 To my darling husband, on the anniversary of 
 his death — September the 14th, 1889. 
 
 A year has come and gone since, by God's Holy will, 
 
 You left me, husband darling, and I still 
 
 Sorrow ?is in the earlier days, and grieve 
 
 As only those do who also are bereaved 
 
 Of one so fondly loved, whose life for years so 
 
 closely 'twined together i 
 
 It seemed that death itself could never sever 
 The bonds, so firmly bound, in sickness or in health, 
 Time of disaster, poverty or wealth. 
 The love which warmer grew with length of year. 
 It seems not possible you're gone, I here. 
 Be still my heart, 'tis only for a time. 
 God's will be done, and humbly mine 
 Must bow to His who doeth all things well. 
 Perchance you hear me, darling ; who can tell 
 '•^'hat line divides us ? Thought may meet thought 
 , n h: high shore you stand, 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 And waft a loving greeting to the spirit land, 
 So I'll not grieve you with my helpless sorrow, 
 But happily look toward that glad to-morrow 
 Will surely reunite us on that Heavenly shore. 
 The time will come, we'll meet and part no more. 
 
 "5 
 
f 
 
 126 
 
 OLD MEMORIES: 
 
 NOVEMBER. 
 
 When you speak of drear November, 
 Of its days of rain and gloom, 
 You should also e'er remember 
 It's the advent very soon 
 Of the bright month of December, 
 With its Christmas joys and cheer. 
 That its family rejoicings, 
 And its greetings of New Year, 
 Eclipse all previous darkness, 
 As the dark before the dawn ; 
 Ignoring all the dangers. 
 That yet before us yawn. 
 For happily so the future 
 Is hidden from our gaze, 
 We only blindly, step by step, 
 Tread the ever-tangled maze 
 That encircles all our future, 
 And no one can design 
 The pathway to be trodden 
 By either yours or mine. 
 So implicitly we'll leave 
 
AMUSING AND HISTORICAL. 
 
 Our Heavenly Guide to say 
 The road that we will travel 
 And journey day by day, 
 Assured He will truly guide us, 
 If we will only follow, 
 And land us safely on the shore. 
 When some assured to-morrow 
 Will join the past, and safe return 
 All those for vhom we sorrow. 
 
 ta7 
 
I 
 
 128 
 
 OLD MEMORIES', 
 
 % 
 
 TO THE OYSTER. 
 
 How I love you ! toothsome oyster 
 
 Because at hunger's call 
 You are at all times ready 
 
 To fill our empty maw. 
 
 But still more do I love you 
 For the odor that you waft 
 
 Of seaside and sea-air you bring 
 With memories of the past. 
 
 The past whene'er your advent 
 In autumn's wintry weather, 
 
 Was grandly hailed on every side, 
 And brought all friends together. 
 
 When seated at a well-spread board, 
 Full quite a score and more 
 
 Of neighbors met to eat the food 
 All must pronounce so very good. 
 
 So whether hot, or whether cold, 
 
 In stew, or soup, or pie. 
 We sing your praise, for very few 
 
 Your excellence can deny. 
 
J^ liM^ 
 
 / >r« 
 
 ^I^*-.. . 'V