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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1871-05-05, Page 21;••• 2. impommimari-rammomsm-r. RbUCHING iT IN THE BUSH Ole LIFE IN..CANADA. MRS. MOODIE. VOLUME IL—CHAPTER I. Nigher the charge." _ : THE HURON EXPOSITOR MAY 5, 1871. ,••• 1 rank odour of the fried , porkand t . were once more en the fres i air. s "Well, misteix did yoi grudge your -money for that baL meat r said D—, when we ifere once more seated in the sleig . "But. in thee parts, the Worse t e fare the " I would not have cared," said I, We were descending a - very -steep bill, and encountered an ox-eleigh,- of tea." which was. crawling up it in a Con- trary direction. Three people were • seated at the bottom of the vehicle upon straw, -which made a cheap • substitute for buffalo robes. Perch - •ed, as we were, ;upon the crown- of -the height, eve looked Completely down into the eleigh, and dming the whole course of my life I never saw three uglier mortals collected into such a narrow space. The man was blear -eyed„ with a hare -lip, through which protruded two dreadful yellow teetb, which resembled,the tusks ,of ft boar. The woman was long -faced, high cheek -boned, red-haired, and freckled all over like, a toad. The boy resembled his hideous mother, but with. the addition of a vilkinops obliquity of vision which Tendered him the most disgusting object in. this singulai trio. r - As we passed them, our driver gave a knowing nod to my husband, directing, at the same time, the most quizzical glance towerds thestrangers, eis he exclaimed, " We are in luck, sir! 1, think that 'ere sleigh may be called Beauty's egg -basket I" We made ourselves very merry at the poor people's -expense, and Mr. with his odd stories and Yanleefied expressions, amused the tedium' of our progt'ess through the great swamp,- which in summer pre- sents for several miles one uniform bridge of rough and nnequat log* all laid loosely across huge sleepers, so that theyiumped up and down, when press41 by the wheels, like the keys a a piano. The rough rnotiori and jolting occasioned- by this collision is so distressing that it never fails to. en tail upon the travel- ler sore bones and an achieg bead • for the rest of the day. The path is so narrow over these logs ttfat two wagons Cannot pass without great difficulty, which is rendered more :dangerous by the deep natural ditches On either side of the 'midge, formed by broad creeksthat fiow out -of the SWatlip, and often terminate • in mud -holes of Very ominous di- mensions. • The snow, however, hid from us all the ugly features of the road, and AtIr. "D—' steered us through it in perfect safe,ty, and landed us at the deer of the little log house whick drowned the steep bill on the other side of the swamp. and which he dignified with the • • name of a tavern. It was now two o'clock. We had been on the road Since seven; and men, women, and children were all • ready for the good dinner that Mr. • 1)— had epromised us at this splendid house of entertainment/. -where we were destined to stay for two hours, to refresh ourselves and • rest the horses. " Well„ Mrs. J—, what have' you got for Our dinner?" said the • driver, after he bed seen to the ac- • ceinntodation of -his teams. - Peitters and pork, sir. Nothing else to be had in the woods. Thank God, we have erkough of that !" D shrugged up his shoulders, • and looked at -us. " We've plenty of that same at • -home,. But hungerte good sauce. • Come, be spry, widow, and see about it, for I an Very hougry." inquired -for a private room for myself and tie children, but there were no private rooms in the house. The apartMent we occupieci was like t14 cobbler's stall in tlie old song, and I was obliged to attend • upou them in public. You have much to learn, nt,a'arn, if you are. going to the woods," said ".if I could have got a en "Tea ! it's peer trash. could drink tea in my lif like coffee, whe tis boil d till it's qi ite blame. ]iit coffee is not good without plenty- of trimmi gs." "What• do Tou meani by trim- ming?" - He laughed. Good sweet cream. offee is diinking.witho t trimmi Often in aftr years *called the coff endeavouring which goes by the houses of e country. We had no asse narrow strip ofl c earingi kvhieh sur- iounded the to, ern, and - again en- , I .never But ugale and ot worth eve I re - e trimm lags, when drink th vile stuff he name f coffee in tertainth nt in the I I d LI rough the , , tered upon the eunset, and we Mg a steep lii. traces that held beake, ' D--1 pulled h to repair the d n ageJ team was close belar41, ti, expected - sta d•still b horses upon s 'before ceuld--etop the! a I 1 violent a brow from _he of them, just i . the `b Leek, that for stunned and recovered, I was arms of my, ho knees ' I was 1 was rtibbing y with snow. "There, It11 to. I though have seen a 1.0 byea blow frorp the like Mann could we reeu 13 sleigh, but al tournet- had i.t. , ., , r sible, was ,gone. When we r'ea MOodie wishek . . Tun all Taight, a miles of our j u hat thiough I a, ittleitravelle eded by fall .tacks; but Dr etet back as sbo wn home, a pathetically i The trioon .1 at the xill, anc stra °Ain 0 frau' . be 6 formed thenot ing town of crossed the w l Otonabee riv soon fotind over the'plai yond the vill Wooded 'with oak and pin sembled a ge t eman s Far beloW4 4 ur tigh upon the Sm tl town. is the rushing • f the IT pid waters • ver rece the iron c • n of 1 while the r y banl with ice, and e frost from every ig "arid and fa -a. rs rest. am risi rids, at o ea vibra iw•cehiorfis.t .- is and opposing rocks, to tiour its tribute i - ke, to swell the cal eur of the Trent,. t.11 lost 'in. the beautifr 1 and , finally merg cl an of ,O WOOdS. It was near ere rapi ly descend - 1 ne of. the our Slei 'h suddenly in order is brother's d our -un- ought the J. D eceived so ead of one ck. of the few minutes I was ensible. When I supported in the band, ovec. whose ening, and D nd ;temples he's coming -killed. 1 now killed s head in 1 hands oodie she wa before a hots ". AS soon as we tl our places in the enjoyment for our een otherwiee pos- irecl s to ie we ha ney to blazed nd ver trees a wa -I as. po he ur roceed. se clur net our sta d upon. th which the s and Ulric rough. W g, beautafu by a rude bridge, an reelves or level Mrs. j " To unlearn, you mean," said "To tell you the ttrut,h, lies. Moodie, ladies and gentlemen have no business in the woods. Ed - dietitian poils man or woman for that location. So, widow (turning to our hestm), you are not tired of .ing zd erre yet e " No, sir, I have nowisli for a second husband. 1 bad enough of the first. I like to have tray own way—to lie down mistresel and get UP master. "Yea don't like to be put out -veer abi way," returned he, with eniscbievous glance. She colored very red, ler tht migh be the heat of the he over whiel s112 was frying the pork for out dinner. I was very hungry, but I felt n appetite for the dish she was pre paring for us. It proved ,sellt, hard and urlSaVOury. pronounced it l- and the whiskeysLifl wor which he wattled it down. I asked for a cup of tee and slice of ht`ettd. BAIL they w tea, and thEi hop -rising ba and there was no bread in t 14-1or thie diseo ttstinmeal ey r, the rate of a quarter of a head.. I was glad when, the bar again put te. we escaped 60111 di. • ry bad e, wit re ort failed inhouse liaid a dollar tes bein terborough ain at the still eleven )erforrn, and forest -road, . much, im d other ob anxious t •sible to hi- ed. us vet. gleem houtes populo Peterb ,. rush journeyin( heights b e, whiol were thinl cturescpie 'groups o y much re ark at hom (for -we were .de) we hear ivert whos ve curb fro niter. 7 EVe, 1 s. are coetel ihg suseen branch the astic crystal aniing alone, - constantly hetet a boili e and tremb e impebuo round ceda and vet cl te most beautifal the black ete t a thick st above the fa. pot. 'The s beneath thelf flood, as i crowned isin and hurries o to the Rice majestie gran( its waters a •e bay- of -Quin te, in the blue The most lish rivers rills -when lunity'of • language the solemn river scenery that floate 1 up0fltl rious stars. The ancient forest retched al'OUlld US On every side, nd a forebbding sadness sank' upon y heart, Memory. was busy with he events Of many years. d step by !step the pilgri *1st life, until envying a age in its -!sombre histo hrough tears upon the avage scene around me, y marvelled, "What ere r _ I • " Providence," was hich Itiht soul gave. our ow -n welfare; perha the welfare of your children, the un- erring band of the great led you here. You for ing link in the destini It is impossible for a. creature to live for. hi It may be your lot to others will reap the your trials. Lpek up fidepce to Heaven, and hope will yet shed a ch through the forbidden d tangled wildernets." The road=becatne so D --e was- obliged t and lead his horses t more intricate paasages. themselves, wea6 with journey and- heittly load at foot -fall. 'The moon, setted us, and the only 1 to guide us throUgh the I retfrao- ag1of my WO pas - y, I g zed singuhi.rly and ,seeret- roudht me he answer "Not ..for s, but for fe,eling of dread upon the foaming bed of rocks, their white crests Waters as they tumbled over their ftashing, life -like, amid theelarkness "ihIenbisiglt. i'san ugly bridge- OVer' shell- a • dangerous place," strict as be stood tip in the sleigh aInd tuged his tired team across the miserable, insecure log bridge, where darkness and death raged below, end one false step of his jaded horses would have tilunged us into both. I must confess I drew a • freer breath when the bridge- was 0rossed, and D- congratulated ns on our safe arrival in Douro. • We now • continued our journey along the left bank of the river, but when m sight of Mr. S—'s clear- ing, a large pine tree, which bad newly fallen across the narrow path, brought the teams to a stand -still. The mighty trunk which had lately formed ore of the stately pillars in the sylvan temple of natnre, was of too large dimensions to chop in two wit* axes, and after half -an -hour's iabor, which to me' poor, cold, weary wight, seemedan age, the males of the party abandoned the task in despair. To go round it Was impossible, its roots were con- ettled in an impenetrable wall of cedar jungle on the right hand side of the road,- and its huge branches bung over the precipitous bank of the river. We mnst try arid make the horses jump over said D "We may get an upset, but there is no help for ; we must either make the experiment, or sty here all night, and I am too cold and hungry for that—so hertegoes." He 'urged his horses to leap the log. re- straining their ardour for a moment las the sleigh rested on the top of the formidable barrier, but so nicely balanced, that the difference of a straw would almost have overturned the heavy laden vehicle and its helpless inmates. We, however, cleared it in safety. Henow stop- ped, and gave ditections to his brother to follow the same. plan that be had adopted; but whether rthe young man, had lest coolness, or the horses in his team were more diffi- cult to ina,nage, I cannot tell; the sleigh, as it hung poised upon the top of the log, was overturned with a loud crash, and all my household Coeds and chattels were scattered over the road. Ales, for my crockery and stone china! scarcely one article remained unbroken. "Never fret about the china," said Moodie, "thank God, the man and the horses are uninjured." I should have felt more thankful had.the crocks‘been spared too, for, like most of my sex, I had a tender regard for china,. and I knew that no fresh supply could be obtained in this part of the world. Leaving his brother to collect the ! c tttereZ fragments, D proceeded on his journey. We left the road, and were winding our way over a steep hill, covered with heaps of brush and fatten timber, and. as we reauh- ed the top, a light gleamed cheerily from the _windows -of a log house, and the next moment we were at my brother's door. • I thought my journey was at an end; but here I was doomed to fresh disappointment, Ms wife was absent on a visit to her friends, and it had been arranged- that we were to stay with my sister, Mrs. T— , and her husband.' With all • this I was acquainted; and I was about to quit .the sleigh and seek the warmth of the fire when I wits told that I had yet further to go. It's cheerful glow was to shed no warmth on me, and, tired as I '‘as, I actually buried my face and wept upon the, neck of a hound which Moodie had given to Mr.- S' • andwhich sprang up upon the sleigh to liek my face and 'hands. This was my first halt in that weary wilderness, where 1 endared so many -bitter years of toil and sorrow. My brother-in-law and his family had retired to rest, but they instant - rose to receive the way -worn travellers; and I never enjoyed more heartily a warn welcome after a long day a intense fatigue,. than I did that night, of my first sojourn in the backwoods. To BE CONTINUED. Father has a connect - .of many. v human self alone. suffer, but enefit from with con - the sun of ering beam pths of this ad that Mr. dismount, tough the he animals their long proceeded. too, had de- ight we had dim arches 11 of the forest was from t' e snow and eered down ess branches lumen bril- the stars, , which .now upon us through the lea of the trees, with unc liancy. "It will be past mi we reach your brother (where we expected t night,) said D . "1 wish Mr. Moodie, we had follow d your ad- vice, and staid at terborough How fares it with you lis Moodie, and.the young ones'? „ t is growing very cold." We were 110W, in the heart of a dark cedar 'swamp, d my mind was haunted with visio s of wolvee and bears; but beyo d the long, wild hovV1 of a solit y wolf, no °other sound awoke the sepulchral silence of the disnaal 1 oking wcod. " What a gloomy sp tt" said I to my husband. "In th old country, superstition would pe ple it with ghosts." in'Oanada!" said Mr. night before s clearing," spend the .1 1 nowned wmdle in, oi pared adequi and ell ic ; the gl ke vis e bosom mirrors- of ;le • cloud e dreary breadth of Ma with flags, hi le from parese of 1 ti foul Mud- ea wholesome rocky slitir cedar, the maple, tha the pure s in the lin Canadian o blossoms: Thefiat: may dimi of these. never leaves nor ebecitlit their danc n oeenings i then ctuIit river tun b splendour, o'f the win I us gave a tit an(:holy cad The .child deep silenc 'Night was a 1 1 • tar io. of. onr: En little Mud 1.y ith the sub - waters. o ss 1(1 tely expr f her lake at •dons fslan ns from fai • 1" GUIs ! There a e. no. ghosts , "The country s too new for ghosts. No Canadien is afeard of iosts. It is only in the old c untries, like you'rn, that are full of sin and wickedness, that peep e• believe- in such nonsense. No h man habita- tion has! ever been er cted in this wood through which y u are passing. Until a very few ,ye rs ago, few white persons had ever passed through it e and t e Red Man would not pitch his te t in such a place as. this. Now, ghosts; as I understand the word, re the spieits of bad Men, that are ot allowed by Providence to rest in their graves, but, for a punishment are made to haunt the spots whet their worst deeds Were committee . I don't be, lieve ini all this; but, supposing it to be tripe, bad men Ust have died here.before their spiri s could haunt the place. NOW) it is more than probable that noper on ended hiS • days in this forest, s•o that it would be folly to think f seeing his -ghost." , This theory of Mr D—'s had the merit of original ty, and it is not improba,ble iiat he utter die - belief in. supermittur 1 appearanceS, which is common te most native- born Canadians, is tl e result of ther serne very reason. ble mode of areeaine. The unpe pled - wastes of Canada must pres nt the satire aspeet to the new s,ttler that the world (lid to our .firs parents after their expulsion from the garden of Eden, all the sin w rich could de- file the spot, Or hau t with the as- soCiation of depart -d evil, is con- centrated in their own persons. Bad stcirits cannot e supposed to linger neat a place shere crime has never been committ .d. The belief in ghosts, so prevalea t in old -coun- tries, must firet Thavd had its founda- tion in the consoions ese of guilt. •y. of these azure s skies.jo 'sires; cover d ur (raze the ex- ven-tint d waters, no ks spr ,ad thei un - s are CION i eh, the r dip their . •e an; fron toile th e wave le t'drough the vel antic s_reams, but ierrocky channels b' le mournful music waves. Ihrongh he forest, -we now ,silver gleam of mg on: in moonlig hile the hoarse chid' n the lofty pines ab ing rospeinse to the nee of the waters. en had fAllen asleep. _preceded the par ove us With her -tri s around. The ned withthe lder, and sOft Ong tresses every crevice harebell and their ea rac6ful te of sumn ame and-poe er er it re, of he fl i1 he lit n Ye el - A y. 5 - 1 After clearing; thi low, swampy portion of the wood, with much dif- ficulty, and the freq rent application of the axe, to cut way the fallen timber that imnedel our progrets, our ears were assa roaring, rushing s falling of waters. "That is Herri or guide. "We miles of our destine Oh, welcome sou two miles appearer than the whole clouds, that thre storm, had blotted and we continued t led by a low, unda as of the 7 Fresh Arrivals ! yresli Arrivals BEAITITY tie COMPANY • BEG to announce toi their friends and the public, that their Mr. memb-itIN. has just returned -from the Eastern Market, with one of the choicest Stocks of New and Seasonable DRY GOODS ever imported into Seaforth, which, owing to the enormous reduction in the price of goods this season, they are enabled tz) offer at prices which must ensure a ready sale. They would say that from the fact of their 'stock being new, and bought since the GREAT FALL and on the very best terms, that they are roods at m;ninium prices, They are not 'OODS, bpught fit prices THIRTY PI, MARKET -VALUE. They would also say that they have facilities m bnymg bot DRY GOODS,: in a Most favorable position to offer: =limbered with any PILES OF OLD' CENT ABOVE THEIR PRESENT . . LITT GO pas a c1LtatroLec,..)7-iest Possessed by no other House Seaforth, having intimate connections with Boma • minion and a, thorough knowledge of stfully invite inspection of their stock, Novelties in the Market this Sea.son, of the largest Wholesale Houses in the 1.N. the Wholesale Trade.' They worrld resj.,3 which will be found replete with all the Particular attention is direete PRINT DR t's Fal)s," said re within two ion." d! But these more lengthy ourney. Thiek tenet: a snow out ,the stars, grope our way through a narrow, 1 ocky path, upon the edge of the river, ia almost total narknEISS1 now felt the eh -illness of the midi ight hour, and the fatigue of the lo rg journey, with double force, and et vied the servam and children, who 1 ad been sleeping ev91' eince we le t. Peterborough. We now 'descend.. e steep bank, and Prep,ared to cr s the rapids. Dark as it was, looked with a to the following lines, viz.: ss GOOIJS, P..A.1=t SOTteS, TWEEDS, HOS TICK FRENCH D'LAINES1 ERY, GLOVES, NGS, FRENCH MERINOS, BL ACK LUSTRES, BLACK CO BURGS, 131_, A_C1C B A RAT HE AS, TABLE CLOTHS, TOWELL1NGS,. Boots and Shoes and Ready..made Clothing. THEIR GROCERY DEPARTMENT is alwa,ys well supplied with abundance of the best awl cheapest good,s, which_ will be sold at the most reasonable prices. Their LIQUOR DEPARTMENT is well supplied with all the • BEST BRANDS. Give us a call and judge for yourselves. TRY OUR 80 CENT TEA, BEATTY & COMPANY. CARMICHAWS, BUILDINGS, Main Street, Seaforth, April 20, 18711; • 17-64f. EDWARD CASH, Dealer La all kinds of Farm and Dairy Produce, WHOLESALE and RETAIL. Clover and Timothy Seed, CHEAPiR THAN EVER. Plenty of SEED POTATOES Of the best kinds. Goclerich street, SEAFORTH. 170 tf April 12, 1871. -HORSE FOR SALE. 4 LiOR Sale, Cheap for Cash, or on time, _U a good. Driving Mare. Apply to McINTOSH & MORRISON. Seaforth, March 31, 171. 173-tf SIGN OF THi RED FLAG. PL4 Read, Read, EW STORE OIENED, and SPRIING GOODS received daily. Goods Sold CH APER than ever. Nothing eharged to show gocis. 174- TRIAL IS .THE SUREST TEST. e et 1 • HOFFMAN. BROS, MAIN STREET, SEAFORTH. Gan JILL Is W SPRING GOODS. E. HICKSON & C -Beg leave th announce that they are now opening up AN EXTRA LARGE STOCK OF SPRING GODS, In every department, and invite an early inspection from customers and the public in general. The goods will show for themselves, so COME ON. Hickson's Empo r i u, 175-2t SEAFORTH MAY ::.3„ agaismaNIME.2 sitippos6d. Remains iKrainilo„d.ge near Edan. l iA di,scoveryof corm qt Arian intent:it- 1)&8 de in. the VieiflilV T )e sheet of 1.vater is • have extendedlin reino • a 111 uch larger :space cf. -t at i)rsent Covers. it is ce'rtain that be witluir4wal of •s pply of Le10 mama , lo -h has greatly fallen o size. It waS in a's+ locnierly covered Vid ilq)NV laid liare alo`ng iniargin of the lock t.;rieve, Lochendroul, low of the fioviety Of lnikl his atntion att months ago by the disci: -emains- of titces'enil) • soil. The wood was fa. into mould, tind` it careful examination th) tccted what ;-..ppeared tlines of liea.vv „ 411 lig the Lim -face. regular in+ervals. observations, *IL G•. that the reinai:us extero shores of the loch for ti 1:20 yards, the linpress being that thty 1 id fo• a great wooden fnune form, 11 n the absence feasible ex plana tionef itt e, t be ; su lsr suggested !itsclf ti -s htd .served ;us for tztnetr lakinaIiaving e eir -der the notice' of aultiqi excavations were Intafi - tre.$ro with a view to jamostigation. 1 Tb ree Noce.° dug, and each d qs of Nontiod,r4 wand nWhichtiflavti1:0/zsditi e re sixe. -greater timber ,s7ili tre ibtn-hletuillriaxit irt,r411 1 its general Zeeapra- ken in the hautl,Ier li'ke clay. • found a mass of riith intermixed with nn of small 1)1anelie3. rj to be the rem4ins of f dles of undeitwood, • have been useri te,rstices. Owiltig ;to cumulation of water, *possible to find th tieis of logs, or the de I 4e framewoit extend. •men ts or oiher trad.,es ci;lpation dist:qv ))3 mentioned', lit,wev- r::ly,t ve9itccennitnbei yfiii.*net:0: which , hare been - those of led deer,: ( antiquaries who '.e, there .ibenis vression that the tilllb ii!)dicates the site -df Dough further lir).- 1-1)aps 1 necessarly 1 11 concinsively e age of the retnai °SS 431"SapeePu°11 • One of the most r1 n; ii the hist( ry of special lath numl Kn. of 1 tht, ardiitiz. It arisoi. ou )tcy of an old get oward, who is mart of age. More tha4 ago Mr. Howard Jeg spimler, 14-1 tlae course of f w i.iiiiiii1;it'.d foit. quarter of 'million mt the prospect of addfug ta te in one niontb, li to enter into speciltiat -Qrrel JAver, once IN 4ay, led Mr,: How= Irtal sti..tp,and there- of all his propert$r„ of indentednyt-s )e lielled him to seeli th t e Bankruptcy Ciat \ aid steps are reilmi c iciigth in r. Howard betainie '253,000 for the eamers vhih Mr, L1111 from 'Galway 41t,e:Irinisf‘everaer;i: (mut of the RA 4 ,rovi (Tz thirmifv, high eminnigion v that the bills 411;1 execul-ed a in, to two gentlemen, sented ttllifitfi) but who we ('.'!cl t4) to 1WP. VOUT of ()veren.41 5411(Iii LtsLo(it471 t)ii:I14 J;,Iiiiilltst.Ttsti tind when }rowan' i ulept the Milli 11. an fliVept "terVieW ith lr 1 1,7 •ivf 1 - t •