Country Life in Canada Fifty Years Ago

TO THE YOUNG MEN OF CANADA, - UPON WHOSE INTEGRITY AND ENERGY OF CHARACTER THE FUTURE OF THIS GREAT HERITAGE OF OURS RESTS, - THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. - PREFACE.

CHAPTER I.

—WHITTIER.

—WHITTIER.

CHORUS.

CHORUS. - CHAPTER II. - THE ROUND OF PIONEER LIFE—GAME—NIGHT FISHING—MORE DETAILS ABOUT SUGAR-MAKING—SUGARING-OFF—TAKING A HAND AT THE OLD CHURN—SHEEP- WASHING-COUNTRY GIRLS, THEN AND NOW—SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW—"OLD GRAY" AND HIS ECCENTRICITIES—HARVEST—MY EARLY EMULATION OF PETER PAUL RUBENS—MEETING-HOUSES—ELIA ON QUAKER MEETINGS—VARIEGATED AUTUMN LANDSCAPES—LOGGING AND QUILTING BEES—EVENING FUN—THE TOUCHING LAY OF THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO SAT DOWN TO SLEEP.

CHAPTER III. - PROGRESS, MATERIAL AND SOCIAL—FONDNESS OF THE YOUNG FOR DANCING— MAGISTERIAL NUPTIALS—THE CHARIVARI—COON-HUNTING—CATCHING A TARTAR— WILD PIGEONS—THE OLD DUTCH HOUSES—DELIGHTS OF SUMMER AND WINTER CONTRASTED—STILLED VOICES.

CHAPTER IV - THE EARLY SETTLERS IN UPPER CANADA—PROSPERITY, NATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL —THE OLD HOMES, WITHOUT AND WITHIN—CANDLE-MAKING—SUPERSTITIONS AND OMENS—THE DEATH-WATCH—OLD ALMANACS—BEES—THE DIVINING ROD—THE U. E. LOYALISTS—THEIR SUFFERINGS AND HEROISM—AN OLD AND A NEW PRICE LIST— PRIMITIVE HOROLOGES—A JAUNT IN ONE OF THE CONVENTIONAL "CARRIAGES" OF OLDEN TIMES—THEN AND NOW—A NOTE OF WARNING.

CHAPTER V. - JEFFERSON'S DEFINITION OF "LIBERTY"—HOW IT WAS ACTED UPON—THE CANADIAN RENAISSANCE—BURNING POLITICAL QUESTIONS IN CANADA HALF A CENTURY AGO— LOCOMOTION—MRS. JAMESON ON CANADIAN STAGE COACHES—BATTEAUX AND DURHAM BOATS.

CHAPTER VI. - ROAD-MAKING—WELLER'S LINE OF STAGES AND STEAMBOATS—MY TRIP FROM HAMILTON TO NIAGARA—SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES—PIONEER METHODIST PREACHERS —SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY—LITERATURE AND LIBRARIES—WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS —PRIMITIVE EDITORIAL ARTICLES.