44 The Illumination of Joseph Keeler, Esq. 



and the West, and found it stated that of the few who entered 

 as immigrants at Quebec, almost none stayed in Canada. He 

 now understood upon what basis continental expansion de- 

 pended: viz., that of virgin land for cultivation of wheat, and as 

 yet Canada had no western territories. Committees of the Leg- 

 islature had had Simon Dawson, the explorer, and others tell 

 them of the Lone Land beyond the Great Lakes, behind the 

 rock-ribbed interminable areas of spruce forests and deep- 

 basined water stretches of the western Laurentians. These 

 travellers told of a land of black, deep soil, where the common 

 crops of the East might grow; but which now was the home of 

 Indian tribes and a few scattered half-breed settlements, some 

 English but mostly French, but all tied to the chariot wheels 

 or canoe sterns of the Great Hudson's Bay Company. 



Such was the story which, as it increased in volume, grew in 

 intensity of interest with the telling of the professor, who, proud 

 of his researches, yet with a new-found sympathy, told it with 

 growing emphasis as he paced the floor before his friend whom 

 he held spellbound with his eloquent periods. Becoming con- 

 scious of being entrapped into an unwonted enthusiasm, he said: 



"But, Mr. Keeler, I have been doing all the talking and have 

 been telling what to you are commonplaces and matters of your 

 own experience." 



"No, indeed," said Mr. Keeler, "I am sincerely grateful to 

 you, for you have condensed, what it is quite true I have known 

 but never apprehended in its full meaning, the history of a period 

 which is the length almost of my whole life, into a living picture, 

 which, as you recall its details, enables me to see the very actors 

 in it come upon the stage and play their parts as in a kinemat- 

 ograph, and I shall ever thank you for having worked into the 

 very texture of the series of pictures scenes which make a veri- 

 table drama of the history of Canada as I have known it. There 

 are, of course, dozens of personal experiences which I can give 

 you of the events of those two decades which you have illumi- 

 nated so well; but, in essence you have given the history." 



The professor said, "How dearly I would like to hear some 

 of them from you! " 



"Well, you will remember," said Mr. Keeler, "I was but a 

 child when the American war began and the first thing I recall 



