— 238 — . 



had to be inquired into. The applicants did so, and gave me 

 but equivocal replies. To make sure, I referred them to our 

 forest ranger ; he, prudent man, sent them back to me. No 

 bargain was made, and two long hours were thus lost. 



" I am worried and bothered. What is worse, I have to 

 inhale the fumes of tobacco smoke ; tenant and lessee, with 

 whom I must deal, are each wedded to a pipe, inseparable 

 companions. I sat down tired out. Eventually, I collected 

 my thoughts ; the latter tell me it is wrong to thus seek rest. 

 I then drew near my writing-desk and sat to draft a Petition 

 to the House of Assembly, of which my husband had scribbled 

 on paper six lines in English, and my brother, three lines in 

 French— in hieroglyphics ! I put in order, as best I could, 

 these discordant elements. At the foot of the petition, the 

 words " As appears by the annexed Plan " tell me my work 

 is not yet done. Doubtless my husband drew the plan before 

 he left ; a second copy is wanted for the Legislative Council 

 and a third, for the Governor. I sat to copy the plan and 

 then cleaned it up. I was getting on well, when it began to 

 get dark. Soon I failed to see any more. 



I then put-by my compass and brush, ordered a horse to be 

 hitched to the cariole, as I had to meet a party before it got 

 dark, a quarter of a league away. Got ready ; threw a wrap 

 over my shoulders — when ! What ? * * * I felt faint. What 

 did it mean ? Hum ! I recollected that, hard pushed as I had 

 been all day, I had forgotten to eat any dinner * * * But, the 

 vehicle is at the door. I will dine when I return. 



" I have returned and dined off, a cup of tea, with no 

 other company but my own. I take up " Saint Augustin, " 

 but the book had so mixed up my ideas in the morning, that 

 I layed it down and picked up a newspaper. My eye wandered 

 over the advertising column of " Houses to Let " and " objects 

 lost." 



"Tea and reading alike short; I got through both. At 

 last (this was in November), came the moment to draw closer 

 to the house stove. I settled there. But this did not answer. 

 I felt 1 must cheer up, and made three melancholy attempts 

 to sing the complainte of poor Mary, Queen of Scots ; this 

 came to an end. Here I am, attempting to weary you with the 

 tale of my daily household duties. 



It will at least help to explain to you, how hungering and 

 thirsting to see you, I must decline an invitation which would 

 satisfy the craingsv of this double desire."— (The Canadian 

 Voice.) 



