CHAPTER II 



HIGH ANCESTRY OF THE KEELER FAMILY 



The Keeler family stood high in the general regard of their 

 community, for the merchant was successful in his business 

 and his wife in her social circle. The latter as the wife of a 

 prominent wholesale merchant of old standing in Toronto, but 

 more especially as the granddaughter of an early missionary 

 and Anglican clergyman of the Hamilton District, demanded 

 and with its usual good humour society in some measure 

 yielded her that place, if not that consideration which she 

 deemed due to herself. Most properly she was a member of 

 the "Daughters of the Empire Club" and, indeed, had been 

 for two terms a vice-president of the local branch for had she 

 not had pointed out to her by some friend of historical research 

 tendencies that the following was to be found in the old register 

 of the parish church where once her grandfather had officiated? 



"Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1838. This was a day of Public Thanksgiving by 

 proclamation from Sir Francis Bond Head, the Lieutenant Governor, for 

 victory obtained over the rebels in both Provinces and for their general 

 dispersion." 



(Signed T. M.) 



She had not, indeed, actually known her grandfather, but 

 very naturally believed he was honored in having so high- 

 spirited a granddaughter, who was so well able to replenish 

 with luscious fruit the already productive family tree. She 

 might, indeed, have had ill-natured remarks borne to her, as 

 that people said she was showy, superficial and even mercurial, 

 whatever that might indicate; but such remarks were simply 

 ignored, or endured with equanimity, she always knowing that 

 they came from persons of no family importance, who really 

 had no ancestors! 



It was not unnatural, therefore, that her family, nurtured in 

 their comfortable home, surrounded with the generous luxury, 

 which a merchant of their father's standing so easily made 



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