of military salute—for here the casins kicking in the air. Howlaws of society do not require ever, nobody is hurt, and the you to take off your hat in passers - by hardly turn their winter-and puzzle for a mo- heads. Young Canada in winment or two who they can be, ter is a fascinating study. Here though their faces are familiar. come two squat little figures, Then I remember ; but she looks as broad as they are long, apso different in her furs, and parently exactly the same size, the beard which he allows to about two feet nine by two grow every winter and shaves feet nine. In their small bufoff every spring works such a falo coats and otter caps they transformation, that it requires look for all the world like twin a mental effort to rearrange bear-cubs. One of them joyone's friends here from season ously pushes the other over in to season. For a long time the snow and rolls on the top after I came to Canada, I could of him. Then they jump up not rid myself of the idea that and dust themselves, for the in the winter it was peopled snow is as fine and dry as the with millionaires. In England sand above high-water mark, we are accustomed to associate and their mother has no cause the idea of furs with the for anxiety about damp clothes. wealthier classes exclusively, As soon as I enter the club and here every shopgirl, in her I am greeted by a pleasant fur coat and coquettish little warmth from within. The long cap, looks like an heiress, and low dining-room has a bright every business

like fire burning in the grate, more Russian diplomat or a Jew for the sake of appearance and financier. After a year or so I association than for any real became accustomed to it, and use, because the thermometer am now critical on the subject, (there is one hung in nearly being able to distinguish differ- every room) shows that the ent kinds of fur at a glance. temperature is nearly 70° Fahr.

There is a quick scurry along In fact, it takes an Englishman the pavement at my feet, and a longer to get acclimatised to the small boy whirls by with a heat indoors than to the opwhoop, muffled up to his eyes, posite extreme outside. But and seated on an old soap-box still, after a year or two he ingeniously fitted with runners, will not find 70° excessive, for the whole equipage being drawn consumes carbon

very by a half-bred collie, who is quickly in the open air, bebarking vigorously, and evi- tween the latter end of Decemdently enjoying himself as much ber and the beginning of as his master. In a minute or April. The hotels are probably two he meets a rival, and then heated several degrees higher his canine nature asserts itself, than this. After breakfast I and the two disappear in have to “go down town” to cloud of snow, fighting furi- see a lawyer on business. Beously, while the driver stands fore I have been in his office on his head with his little moc- five minutes I take off all my

man

a

one

a

furs, and glance surreptitiously was a crack like the striking of at his thermometer, which marks a wax vesta, and a small blue 80°. He catches the look, and spark. Sometimes the children remarks apologetically that it will join hands, and run down is a little oppressive. Here I these passages, shuffling their spend an hour, sweltering and feet on the carpet as they go, uncomfortable, and am glad to and then light a gas-jet with take my leave. Three doors the tips of their fingers. A down the street is a drug-store traveller's tale, you say? well, with a long thermometer hung I thought so myself—till I saw outside, which, as I note in it done. Once, some years ago, passing registers 40° below I was in bed with an attack of zero. A difference of 120° in "grippe,” and a temperature of the time it takes to walk down about 105°. The doctor, who a short flight of stairs and pass was in a hurry, had run up the through a couple of swing- carpeted stairs without taking doors ! Small wonder that I off his fur coat, so that when marvel how human lungs can he put his fingers on my wrist stand it; and yet they can, for I felt as if I had been lashed the air is as brisk and exhilar- with

with a whip, and

even he ating as champagne. Then I started back with a gasp. jump on to a passing car and After leaving the hotel I conam whirled off to the big hotel. tinue my way on foot along the The car is comfortable, as the main street towards the river. conductor takes good care to There are no birds to be seen keep the stove going, and the except a few sparrows, and even constant ingress and egress of they are perched under the passengers ensures a regular eaves, little hunched-up balls of supply of fresh air. Overhead staring feathers, trying to look there is a perfect network of as if they were in the fashion, wires ; for nearly all the offices, and had on their winter coats and most of the private houses, too. They are a new importaare connected with the tele- tion, and it is only their indomitphone service, and electric light- able pluck that enables them to ing is in use everywhere. The thrive.

The thrive. A few years ago they wires hum and twang like were unknown, and even now, banjo - strings in the intense after a really cold "snap," you frost. The hotel is terribly see their little dead bodies lying over-heated to my idea, but where they dropped, and frozen other people don't seem to mind as hard as bullets. The great it. In walking down the long law of selection works quickly carpeted corridors I accident- here, but still nature is kind to ally touch a painted iron pillar her children. I once had two with my bare hand—and then fox - terrier pups, brother and I I jump and say things. Not sister, from the same litter. that the pillar is hot, but that During the first winter of their I have been storing electricity existence nothing would tempt in this dry air till I am like a the bitch out of doors, while the walking accumulator, and there dog fairly revelled in the snow.

a

a

on

we

At the end of a year the differ- when you bethink yourself that ence in the thickness of their eighteen inches will bear coats was very marked. On the railway train, you venture on dog's back the hair grew so without feeling particularly close that it was hardly possible, nervous. It is different in the by rubbing it the wrong way, spring, though. About the to distinguish the pink skin middle of April the ice will beneath. His sister's coat was begin to break up, and the normal. There is no insect life great floes will come crashof any kind—not a fly to be seen, ing and sweeping down the even in the kitchens. Crossing current, breaking into a sudden the street, I pass a butcher's sparkle of silver where their shop, with the carcass of a slain edges grind together, or playpig sprawling hideously in the ing a mad leap-frog in their doorway, erect his four frantic efforts to reach the frozen legs, which are extended great lakes before their doom at unnatural angles-a ghastly is on them, and they are gone. object, white, and cold, and But to-day the river is still naked. A little farther on is a enough, though even now fishmonger, the window full of hear occasionally a sudden white-fish from the great lakes crack like the report of a gun,

a , to the north. They have been the result of intense cold, and forcibly “ yanked” out by in no way a sign of disinteIndians and half-breeds through gration. holes in the ice, and frozen as On the farther bank is a long, stiff as walking-sticks before low, wooden building, which I they have fairly quitted their enter without the formality of native element.

knocking. Inside all is life and When I first came out here bustle, and my ears are greeted my mental picture of a frozen with a “confusion of tongues river was a little vague. I think that it would be hard to match I had a notion that it was one elsewhere : the eager chatter long sheet of clear ice, through of the "habitant,” the cultivated which you could dimly descry English of the university and the fish swimming slowly, and public - school man, the broad staring up at you with pathetic “ kailyard ” of the Highland

· eyes, --something that reminded farmer-ay, even the guttural you of a vast aquarium under- tones of the Red Indian. Through neath your feet, or the practical it all a strange vibrating roar, joke that King Solomon played which never ceases and has a on the Queen of Sheba, accord- queer music of its own the ring

— ing to the pages of the Koran. of the curling-stones. The floor I forgot the snow, you

is of beautiful clear ice, every The real thing is a little dis- speck of snow being constantly

a appointing, - merely long swept clean by those busy white ribbon between

brooms.
The men

are quaint clad banks. There is probably figures, clad in short thick coats a thickness of about five feet of pilot-cloth, or buckskin, or of solid ice below you, and shaggy buffalo, heavy tweed

66

see.

a

see

”—you

trousers, and moccasins or over- will bask therein, like Théophile shoes. Nearly all of them wear Gautier's hero, and gaze at the

. Tam o' Shanters, as a tribute of sky, and dream that I am in a respect to the nationality of the land of eternal summer. Meangame; but figure to yourself a while I am anxious to get back Blackfoot Indian in a Tam o' to lunch. Shanter! And yet there is a The club is crowded to-day, rink here composed entirely of for the "bonspiel " is on, and full-blooded Redskins that would the curlers and their friends make some of your very best have been pouring into town men work hard to beat it. for the week, SO that the I have never seen any curling lavatory walls are decorated in the old country; but I fancy with brooms, and the hat-pegs you would be sore put to it to with “Tammies.” The talk is pick out a team that could of “in-turns” and “out-turns,” tackle our best men here. You of “wicks” and “tee-weights,'

our season is longer, and of “skips” and “leads" we get more practice. Running would think the whole city was down between the rinks are long curling. Their appetites are planks, on which stand the

spec- enormous, and the fare is good, tators, almost as much excited for game of all sorts can be as the players themselves. One frozen early in the winter, and end of the long barn is glazed will keep till the following across, and behind the glass spring. Canvas - back duck are more spectators and more can be bought here in the fall players, the latter busily en- for ls. 2d. apiece,-in New York gaged in changing their out- you would pay 16s. or 17s. If door gear by the stove. But you are a sportsman, you can standing about is cold work, go out and shoot them for youreven when you have a plank self within a few miles. The between your feet and the ice, prairie chicken, a species of so that I do not linger long after grouse, is as plentiful as delivering my message, and re- iniquitous system of legislation trace my steps towards the will permit, and a bag of snipe town. There is one feature of running into three figures is not the scenery that even now comes uncommon. Moose, too, and on me with a sort of surprise, wapiti, can be killed in the deep intense blue of the journey of a few hours from cloudless sky,-a blue that is where we are sitting. more suggestive of Italy and My stay in town is short, so the Mediterranean than of a I have to do a good deal of wide waste of snow. Some day running about from one office when I have “made my pile,” to another, and, as it is imposand am as rich as Fortunio, I sible to sit in a room for any will build me a lordly winter- length of time in furs and overgarden, roofed in with glass, shoes, and equally impossible to and I will stock it with tropical walk a hundred yards without plants, and birds, and a bee- them, each separate visit entails hive with real live bees. Then I a good deal of dressing and un

an

a а

mere

a

dressing Later on I have a youths who have been trained call or two to pay ; but after- to the sport from early boynoon teas run in pretty much hood, and who know

every

trick the same routine here as at and turn of the game. After home. It is noticeable, how- an hour or so of this

you

return ever, that the fair sex manage to the club for a quiet smoke, to walk about the streets on " and so to bed." the coldest days with ordinary The sky at night is a deep hats, and, by some mysteri- dark blue, and the stars are like ous dispensation of Providence, dropping balls of fire, so close their ears never seem to freeze. that they seem to be almost It may be owing to their long within reach. The Northern hair; but certainly in weather Lights look as if a titanic paintwhen every man you meet brush had been dipped in phoswears a fur cap,—from the phorescent flame and drawn in astrakhan or sea-otter of the great bold strokes across the bank - manager down to the heavens. As you pass the sheepskin headgear of the last electric lamps you see very fine Galician immigrant, you will particles of snow caught up by meet a daintily dressed damsel the wind, and glittering high in tripping along with a

the air like diamonds. But it bunch of silk and feathers is a cold night, and you are not perched on her glossy curls. sorry to get into your room. After dinner, instead of going First of all, you take a blanket

a to the theatre, we make up a or so from the bed, for there are party to the big skating-rink. people in Canada who sleep all This is an enormous building, the year round with only a with a sheet of ice some 200 sheet over them, to such a pitch feet by 80 feet, and sitting ac- of perfection have they brought commodation for 2000 or 3000 the heating of their rooms. people. There is an important After you have tucked yourself hockey-match on to-night, and, in, the stillness of the night is consequently, every

seat is broken occasionally by a report taken, and you are lucky to find like a cannon. Have you ever standing room. Hockey here is been inside a bathing-machine as superior to the ordinary game when a mischievous boy threw as is polo at Hurlingham to that a stone at it? And, if so, do of Little Pedlington. The great you remember how you jumped? hall is brilliantly lit up with When the walls of a wooden electric light, and the applause house crack in the bitter cold, that greets every good stroke is the effect is similar, only fairly deafening, all the more so magnified. because one's feet get cold, and what it means here, so you violent stamping promotes circu- only draw the clothes closer lation. The two opposing teams round you, thankful that you contain among them some of are snug and warm.

And so the finest skaters in the world, good night.

But you

know