1 raser 



Niagara Falls 



over thirty dollars; so we joined hands, and a visit to the Falls 1S90 

 of Niagara was decided on. Fr 



The vulgar term of " doing the Falls " was not known in 

 our young days. Cur baggage was not heavy; besides the 

 clothes we wore, a small carpet bag, containing a change of linen, 

 socks, etc., a Mackintosh and a walking stick, comprised our 

 whole baggage. Travelling was cheap in those early days. 



It was on a Saturday morning, in the month of April, 1845, 

 that we walked on board the steamer at Toronto, to cross Lake 

 Ontario to Queenston, from which place there was a Horse Car 

 to Drummondville, within a mile of the Falls. The trip from 

 Toronto to Drummondville cost us three dollars. 



We entered the Head Inn in the village, an unpretending 

 place, and arranged for two weeks' board and lodging at half 

 a dollar a day each. This amounted to fourteen dollars for 

 both of us for the two weeks, by which our purse was lightened 

 one-half. We had comfortable quarters; there were no visitors 

 but ourselves at that time at the Falls. Our host was ignorant 

 of our wealth or standing. We kept that secret to ourselves, 

 maintaining a dignified reserve; no doubt putting on a few little 

 airs, as most travellers do. No personal in the local papers 

 announced our arrival, but our appearance being respectable 

 commanded the respect of the villagers. We had the place all 

 to ourselves. 



The next morning, Sunday, an April morning, we strolled 

 down after breakfast to have our first view of the Falls of 

 Niagara. The constant and continuous roar — or rather thun- 

 ders, from the tumbling rapids, rang in our ears the whole of 

 the previous night. It was music grand and wild. It chimed 

 in, and was in accord with our youthful tastes. It was a charm- 

 ing morning, with blossom and bloom overhead ; there was silence 

 all around, the silence of a Sabbath morning in a quiet country 

 side. Nothing was heard save the song of birds, the early spring 

 notes of those little choristers of the woods; and the thunders 



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