46 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



enthusiasm. Had he ever beheld so glorious a sunset 

 before ? 



" Yes, many a time, in Italy and in Switzerland ; 

 often quite as beautiful." 



I wished to claim all the loveliness for Canada, the 

 country of our adoption and henceforth our home. 



The after-glow of rose tints faded only to give place 

 to the tremulous rays of the now risen moon, giving' a 

 yet greater charm to the scenery, deepening the shadows 

 or throwing objects into stronger relief. Then, later on, 

 as star after star came out, heaven seemed to cast 

 unnumbered glories at our feet in these twinkling points 

 of light mirrored in the lake. Almost unconsciously the 

 inspired words rose to my lips, " The heavens declare 

 the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His 

 handiwork.'' 



Wrapped in my ample Scotch tartan cloak, I lay 

 with head pillowed on my husband's folded plaid, too 

 much delighted with my surroundings to leave the deck 

 for the cabin and the sleeping-berth below. 



Sometimes our vessel passed so near the rocks that 

 the overhanging boughs of the trees almost swept the 

 sides of the smoke-stack, startling from their night roosts 

 flocks of blackbirds and pigeons. Flying out they 

 circled around us, then settled again among the trees. 

 The distant hooting of the big cat-owl was the only 

 sound that broke the monotonous plash of the paddle- 

 wheels. The only other living thing that I noted was 



