4 



osculatory custom of the times I was 

 always imbued with the idea that the 

 process should be mutually agreeable to 

 the participants, and for that reason I was 

 impelled— however rude it may have 

 been — to make a hasty exit through the 

 front door as our dusky lady friends 

 came in by the back, in order to avoid 

 the terrible ordeal. 



In the summer people were generally 

 too busy to devote much time to amuse- 

 ments and pleasure. The gun and fish- 

 ing rod were the principal means of sport. 

 We used to play a game we called "Bat," 

 which was practically the same as base- 

 ball, only we had no "leagues," no "pro- 

 fessionals," and no "gambling." We 

 had no croquet or lawn tennis, although 

 we used to wear a neglige costume such 

 as tennis players now affect, shirt and 

 trousers, and I am sure that we wore it 

 for the same reason that the tennis 

 player does — to keep cool in. The one 

 however was io play in, the other to zaork 

 in. 



The C4th of May was always a great 

 day in those old Red River times. People 

 would gather at Fort Garry from Lake 

 Winnipeg to Portage la Prairie and as far 

 up the Red River as Pembina and St. Joe 

 across the line. We had no military 

 manoeuvres but horse racing was the 

 whole sport. We have on many occasions 

 ridden races from the Fort down what is 

 now Main Street, but was then only a 

 trail, to about where we are now standing. 



There was ver}' keen competition in the 

 different events, and every race was run 

 on its merits — the best horse invariably 

 winning the race. There was ver}' little 

 gambling on the events and pool selling 

 was unknown. Neither was there any 

 "jockying," " pulling horses," or "sel- 

 ling races." There was always much 

 satisfaction among those who took an 

 interest in horse races to know that, if 

 their favorite did not wiu he was at least 

 fairly beaten. 



We knew nothing about Dominion 

 Day, but I can well remember that when 

 the 4th of July was celebrated by our 

 American friends, then resident in Win- 

 nipeg, the proper salute was fired and 

 the day generally observed with horse 

 racing and other sports. 



A few days ago I came across a short 

 poem written by the Hon. Harvey Rice, 

 an old gentleman in his Slst year, and sung 

 at the first annual convention of the early 

 settlers association of Cuyahoga County, 

 Cleveland, O. The poem seems to me to 

 be very appropriate to the conditions of 

 the people in this country in the good 

 old days. 



Give me the good old days again 

 When hearts were true and manners plain 

 When boys were boys till fully grown, 

 And baby belles were never known ; 

 When doctors' bills were light and few, 

 And lawyers had not much to do ; 

 When honest toil was well repaid. 

 And theft had not become a trade. 



Give me the good old days again 

 W^hen only healthy meat was slain ; 

 When flour was pure and milk was sweet, 

 And sausages were fit to eat ; 

 When children early went to bed 

 And ate no sugar on their bread ; 

 When lard was not turned into butter, 

 And tradesmen only truth could utter. 



Give us the good old days again, 

 When women were not proud and vain ; 

 When fashion did not sense out-run 

 And tailors had no need to dun ; 

 When wealthy parents were not fools. 

 And common sense was taught in schools; 

 When hearts were warm and friends were 



true. 

 And Satan had not much to do. 



THE HONORABLE HUDSON'S BAY CO. 



This paper would be far from complete 

 if something were not said of the social 

 customs of officers and people generally 

 connected with the Hon. Hudson's Bay 

 Co. 



Sometimes, it is said, that the affix 

 "honorable" is to the name of some 

 person whose moral character would not 

 entitle him to it, but the experience of 

 the old settlers in their dealings with this 

 Company, would justify the term Hon. 

 Hudson's Bay Co. in every sense of the 

 word. Possibly no individual company 

 or corporation had greater opportunities 

 for imposing on the credulity and ignor- 

 ance (of business matters) of the un- 

 sophisticated aborigines of this countrv 

 as had this gigantic Hudson's Bay Co., 

 whose forts, posts and establishments 

 were in every conceivable part from 

 Labrador to the North Pole. The com- 

 pany was generally fortunate and wise in 

 the selection of its officers and employes. 

 Young gentlemen sent out from the old 

 country and some selected from among 

 the natives of the country, were gentle- 

 men in every sense of the word. They 

 nearly all started at the foot of the Hud- 

 son's Bay ladder and were generally 

 young men of education and culture, and 

 man}' of them of more than ordinary 

 attainments — young men whose early 

 home training was moulded on principles 

 of morality, honesty and probity. These 



