Sunday at Fort Churchill. 129 



ladies— at these places at all, except Cree ladies ; and although some 

 of these are really beautiful and fairly well-educated, they are not 

 just suited to the necessities of the parsonage. Under these circum- 

 stances, the Rev. Mr. Lofthouse exchanged photographs, through 

 friends in the old country, with a young lady whom he had never 

 seen, but of whom he knew something by hearsay. The courtship, 

 the proposal, the acceptance, and the whole business had been com- 

 pleted in the narrow scope of two letters ; but let not the reader 

 suppose it lacked sentiment and feeling on that account. Far from 

 it. On the contrary, I fancy, the intended bride, and I am sure the 

 intended bridegroom, were greatly overcome by the peculiarity of 

 the circumstances. They were to meet as strangers, as lovers- 

 betrothed, promised, engaged, and for the purpose of marriage. 



I can imagine that as Mr. Lofthouse gazed at her photograph, he 

 would ask himself, " I wonder if she is large or small ; her likeness 

 looks well ; she is the picture of goodness, indeed, she is beautiful in 

 the photograph ; but the photo cannot speak or smile, and I want 

 to meet the original." And I can also imagine that, as the adventur- 

 ous young lady looked upon his likeness, she would say, " He looks 

 splendid, doesn't he ? I wonder if I'll like him ?" and so on. 



But I thought of the young lady who was coming out to be his 

 wife, and of the hardships she must endure on the voyage in a 

 rough sailing vessel, and of the privations ' she will suffer in this 

 northern climate. Supposing her to be in one of the ice-bound 

 vessels we had passed in Hudson Strait, it struck me forcibly that 

 she will have merited a pretty good husband by the time she reaches 

 Churchill. But I suppose ladies will never cease making endless 

 sacrifices for shiftless man. There has never been a time in the 

 history of the world when the pioneers of civilization were lacking 

 of good, true, brave, noble-hearted women; and the history of 

 Churchill is but another demonstration of it. Where men dare to 

 ofo, women will venture to follow. 



Our pleasant conversation in Mr. Spencer's residence was sud- 

 denly brought to a close by the ringing of the chapel bell. Mr. 

 Lofthouse observed .that it was time for service, and hurried away 

 across the yard, passing through a swarm of husky dogs towards the 



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