The men were kind; they rubbed our frozen
limbs with snow, and shared with us their supper and buffalo skins.
On that very spot where we camped that night, where we heard nothing
but the wind soughing amongst the trees, and the rushing of the
river, now stands the great city of Rochester. I went there two
years ago, to the funeral of a brother. It seemed to me like a
dream. Where we foddered our beasts by the shanty fire now stands
the largest hotel in the city; and my husband left this fine growing
country to starve here."
I was so much interested in the old woman's narrative - for she was
really possessed of no ordinary capacity, and, though rude and
uneducated might have been a very superior person under different
circumstances - that I rummaged among my store, and soon found a
piece of black silk, which I gave her for the hood she required.
The old woman examined it carefully over, smiled to herself, but,
like all her people, was too proud to return a word of thanks. One
gift to the family always involved another.
"Have you any cotton-batting, or black sewing-silk, to give me,
to quilt it with?"
"No."
"Humph!" returned the old dame, in a tone which seemed to contradict
my assertion. She then settled herself in her chair, and, after
shaking her foot awhile, and fixing her piercing eyes upon me for
some minutes, she commenced the following list of interrogatories: -
"Is your father alive?"
"No; he died many years ago, when I was a young girl."
"Is your mother alive?"
"Yes."
"What is her name?" I satisfied her on this point.
"Did she ever marry again?"
"She might have done so, but she loved her husband too well,
and preferred living single."
"Humph! We have no such notions here. What was your father?"
"A gentleman, who lived upon his own estate."
"Did he die rich?"
"He lost the greater part of his property from being surety for
another."
"That's a foolish business. My man burnt his fingers with that.
And what brought you out to this poor country - you, who are no
more fit for it than I am to be a fine lady?"
"The promise of a large grant of land, and the false statements we
heard regarding it."
"Do you like the country?"
"No; and I fear I never shall."
"I thought not; for the drop is always on your cheek, the children
tell me; and those young ones have keen eyes. Now, take my advice:
return while your money lasts; the longer you remain in Canada the
less you will like it; and when your money is all spent, you will be
like a bird in a cage; you may beat your wings against the bars, but
you can't get out." There was a long pause.
