\^M-^
\'>-
iV^
^
WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
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BITS FROMBLINK BONNY;
OR,
BELL O' THE MANSE.
^ %dXt of ^cotttsfj Ftllage %\h Mhttn \W anti 1851.
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' Veiy picturesque these Bits are, sketched by a hand true to nature,
which knows manse life, and kirk life, and but-and-ben life. — One of
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idiom and proverb ; we have seen nothing like it since " Mansie Wauch. "
— Not haggis, shortbread, scones, cock-a-leekie, nor singed sheephead,
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MORE BITS FROM BLINKBONNY.
^ Zdz of &tattis^ VillaQt %itt btftam X831 antr 1841.
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' Stories of Scottish characters and customs of fifty years back. . . .
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EDINBURGH: OLIPHANT, ANDERSON, & FERRIER.
WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR
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MISS GRAHAM'S »PROTEGS.'
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Second Thousand, extra croivn 8vo, elegantly hound, cloth, gilt, 5s. ,
THE *GOME' AND ^GO' FAMILY
TEXT BOOK.
Containmg a * Come* anU * ®o ' Etxt for lEbrrs Bag m tfje gear;
also, .Spaces for Birtfjs, HHarrtages, anO ©eatfjs.
Opinions of the Press.
'A genuine novelty, a remarkably handsome small quarto, with a
dainty coloured border on each page. — Composed of Scripture passages,
each day having a couple, in the iirst of which the word " Come" has a
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prominent. — A real teaching power is secured by the quaint arrange-
ment. — The compilation has been executed "with brains," and also
with spiritual insight. — These two little words are set in the most
pathetic and grandest passages in Holy Writ.— The book may become
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Scripture which have been brought together under the principle
employed.'
EDINBURGH: OLIPHANT, ANDERSON, & FERRIER.
BITS ABOUT AMERICA.
STATUE OP ABRAHAM IJNCOLN AT PHILADELPHIA.
BITS ABOUT AMERICA
JOHN STRATHESK
AUTHOR OF "bits FROM BLINKBONNY," "ELDER LOGAN'S STORY,
"the 'come' and 'go' text BOOK," ETC.
A chiel's amang ye takin' notes,
An' faith he'll prent them." — Burns.
EDINBURGH
OLIPHANT, ANDERSON, & FERRIER
1887
{All Rights Reserved. )
MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH,
PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
I. THE VOYAGE, . . . .
II. THE LATE HENRY WARD BEECHER, .
III. RAILWAYS,
IV. EASTHAMPTON, ....
V. CITIES, .....
VI. PAINTINGS, ....
VII. CHURCHES AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, .
VIII. ON THE ROAD,
IX. THE PRAIRIES, ....
X. THE PRAIRIES {coiUillued),
XI. NIAGARA, ....
XII. CANADA, ....
XIII. SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND NEWSPAPERS,
XIV. AGRICULTURE AND TIMBER, .
XV. MANUFACTURES AND TRADE,
XVI. SCOTS IN AMERICA,
PAGE
I
9
19
29
40
55
68
79
90
103
116
130
146
159
168
177
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
STATUE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN AT PHILADELPHIA, {Frontispiece.)
THE CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON, .... 43
NIAGARA IN WINTER, ..... I25
QUEBEC (from THE SOUTH BANK OF THE RIVER ST.
LAWRENCE), ...... 14!
FALLS OF THE RIDEAU, OTTAWA, . . . 183
BITS ABOUT AMERICA.
CHAPTER I.
THE VOYAGE.
URING a visit which I made to America,
in the early months of 1887, I wrote a
series of articles which appeared in the
Edinburgh Scotsman newspaper as "Bits
from the Scrap-book of a Scot visiting
America." I have been asked to put these
into book form. In doing this, the following lines
keep ringing in my ears ; I recognise their note of
warning and its need : —
"Oft has it been my lot to mark,
A proud, conceited, talking spark,
With eyes, that scarcely served at most
To guard their owner 'gainst a post ;
Yet round the world the blade has been,
To see whatever's to be seen.
Returning from his finished tour,
Grown ten times perter than before ;
A
2 Bits about America.
Whatever word you chance to drop,
The travelled fool your mouth will stop ;
Sir ! if my judgment you'll allow,
I've seen, and sure I ought to know."
America is such an immense continent and
subject, that only a small portion of it can be
seen in a three months' tour ; still smaller is the
portion which a stranger can describe or impartially
compare with similar matters in his own land. I
found that I had a good deal to unlearn as well as
to learn, and that pride and conceit were lessened,
rather than increased, by coming into contact with
its extent and progress. I travelled alone, and only
aim at giving some personal experiences or opinions
as a visitor, not by any means as an authority, —
some " Bits " of odds and ends as reminiscences of
a very pleasant holiday.
I left Greenock on the evening of 24th February
1887 by the steamer Devonia of the "Anchor" Line.
She halted at Moville to take on board passengers
and goods from Ireland. The shores of Lough Foyle
were lighted up by a bright sun, little villages were
clustering on the hillside, whitewashed farm-houses
dotted the slopes ; here and there a church tower
or spire raised its graceful form above tree and
hamlet, and right in front stood the ivy -clad,
picturesque, hoary ruin of Greencastle, an old
stronghold of the O'Dohertys. It was sad to see
friend parting with friend as the " tender " was
The Voyage. 3
about to leave for the shore ; it was sadder to see
two tipsy young men helped across the gangway
by the sailors, and to hear them hiccoughing out in
muddled tones, " The County Down for ever," " The
County Down for ever," " God save Ireland." With
this exception, all were sober and sedate ; after they
had got their baggage attended to, much of it in
little flat bags, they sat down or huddled together;
a good many had prayer-books, from which they
quietly and devoutly read as the steamer ploughed
its way westwards. Eagerly were many eyes strained
to catch " the last glimpse of Erin," and, as it faded
from view, one of the " tight boys " kept firing off
his parting salute, " The County Down for ever,"
" God save Ireland." Pleasanter it was to hear a
passenger repeat —
** While the waves are round me breaking,
As I pace the deck alone,
And the eye in vain is seeking
Some green spot to rest upon,
What would I not give to wander
Where my dear companions dwell ?
Absence makes the heart grow fonder,
Isle of Beauty! — Fare thee well."
Twelve days' tossing on the Atlantic in the
good ship passed pleasantly. During the first
three or four there were high gales, and many
fellow-passengers were so " rocked in the cradle of
the deep" that they were either invisible or very
4 Bits abottt America.
" lily-livered." If Neptune had confined his lullaby
attentions to the night watches, the sad state of
many would have been less visible ; but the angles
of the suspended lamps, or those compound, danger-
ous-looking circular glass and decanter stands that
dangled from the roof of the saloon, as well as the
"hing" of the floors, were so slantm6\Q.\x\diX ^ so
constantly, so suddenly, and so uncomfortably
varied, that it was impossible to keep the balance
of the body. With this the stomach sympathised,
and even the mind felt quite at sea ; but by spare
diet, principally cabin biscuits and iced water, I
contrived to retain this plain fare, to assume "sea
legs " soon, and make the best of a trying position.
During these days the Devonia was sailing directly
in the face of strong head winds and heavy adverse
tides ; sometimes she seemed to be gripped by
these, and shaken from stem to stern, like a rat
by a terrier when a " stack " of corn is being taken
in, and the " ratting " is abundant and must be
prompt. Bravely did she pursue her course, bound-
ing over the waves or dashing right into them as
they swept up to or over her. Sound were the
"duckings" that many passengers got, ankle -deep
were occasionally those on deck, as a "header"
or a " roller " delivered an overflowing broadside.
Many a time a blow was given by one of these
that made the good ship shudder, and the passengers
The Voyage, 5
stagger and reel ; but on she ploughed, tug-tugging
away, so that one felt every stroke of the immense
engine, and she never halted for eleven days (the
engines making over 920,000 revolutions in that
time), until we stopped to pick up a pilot from one
of the trim, swift crafts that cruise often 400 miles
out from New York. Well did Commander Young
and his able crew deserve the expression of thanks
and confidence presented to him by the unanimous
vote of the saloon passengers.
As the sea became more thoughtful of those on
its bosom, the cabin gradually filled, and the thirty-
eight cabin passengers, by reading, chatting, music,
and other socialities, became, and continued, a happy
family until our arrival. An iceberg was sighted on
the afternoon of the seventh day's sailing. Between
us and the sun, at a distance, its outline reminded
me of Stirling Castle's grey bulwarks. The thermo-
meter, which had been standing about 50° Fahrenheit,
kept falling for some time, and when abreast of the
iceberg, it stood at 23°. Need I tell that hats were
slouched, coat-necks uplifted, and ladies' heads and
shoulders quickly beshawled with more regard to
comfort than taste ? When abreast of the ice
mountain it became more like an Arctic hill, having
a sharp peak at each end, a sloping plain in front,
with indented outline from the hill bases to the ice
cliffs, that sloped abruptly, and sheer into the sea.
6 Bits about America.
The waves dashed far up against the mass, and fell
backwards in thick spray. When we had passed
this southward-bound, cold, solitary voyager, the
sun fell full on its untrodden snow, giving just the
least sensation of a yellow tinge to the dazzling
whiteness, broken in a few spots by ice blocks
sparkling like huge diamonds. The base, against
which the waves were beating, was, for ten to
twenty feet up, honeycombed and icicle -bedecked,
showing that the sea was sturdily tackling this huge
cold burden, and gradually absorbing it. Nothing
more beautiful could be conceived than the effect
produced by the combination of the ever restless
but not angry sea, — the pure white snow, the soft
blue of the sky, and the fleecy cloudlets that floated
before it, so soft as merely to lighten, not obscure,
the blue. There was a field of pack ice a little to
the northward, and in or near it whales were seen.
I admit that I saw, as I have seen on dry land,
something "very like a whale," and quite as like
a high breaking wave.
Many of those on board tried to take sketches
of the iceberg ; but as we neared it, the outline
changed so much, and the cold became so pro-
nounced, that the tingling fingers proved too
shivery- shakery to produce a satisfactory result.
In shape and size it reminded me of the Island
of Craigleith in North Berwick Bay, but it was
The Voyage. 7
dumpier, sharper in the outline and slopes, with
a rather higher peak at each end — and all white —
very white.
After leaving this cold companion the weather
improved, and on Tuesday, under a bright March
sun, we entered the beautiful bay of New York.
Patches of snow were on the enclosing heights, but
the air was balmy and delicious. The Statue of
Liberty, 300 feet high, held aloft her massive lamp ;
the spires and towers of the splendid city were
beautifully defined against a sky of cloudless blue ;
the river was a busy scene, swarming with white-
painted steamers, ferry boats, and craft of all sorts
and sizes ; and the passengers, loath to part, yet glad
to reach the desired haven, were, 540 in all, safely
landed in the metropolis of the west.
I, along with many others, did not think that the
custom-house officers were by any means in a hurry.
Each passenger had to mount guard on his or her
luggage, and wait, — patiently, I can hardly say, for
the expressions of a few were hardly Parliamentary,
— until the chief of the customs was ready for them.
Many, seated on trunks, reminded me of the picture
of the " Emigrant," by somebody or another. At
length the official big man came and sent an
"examiner." The search was "pretty thorough."
Several had to follow the examiner into the receipt
of custom, and pay with evident grudge the dollars
8 Bits about A77ieiHca.
that they expected or tried to retain. At length
"pass" was written on each package, and the
immigrants and their belongings distributed them-
selves over the great city, or the great western
world, never all to meet again.
One hearty fellow-voyager was sorely exercised
about his watch, " A first-rate goer, an' new cleaned,"
as he termed it He could not understand "what
for it was half-an-hour 'fast' every day," although
he was told in explanation that as we went west-
ward the hour of sunrise changed. He " couldna
see through that at a'." It was only after eight
days' sailing that, finding his watch "at twelve
o'clock at breakfast time," he began " to think that
there was something in the change o' the sun's risin'
after a'."
He was noisily angry at having to pay duty on
some presents he had brought with him, and as I
left the quay I heard him venting the old proverb,
" There ne'er was a five-pound note but there was a
ten-pound road for't."
CHAPTER II.
THE LATE HENRY WARD BEECHER.
'^-i^-
S I parted from a most agreeable couple, a
clergyman and his delightful lady, of
Syracuse, New York county, who had
been fellow-passengers, and would have
honoured any nationality, Mr. C.'s last
^ words were — "Now, be sure and go to hear
Mr. Beecher." When I reached my hotel, the first
news I heard — indeed, the talk of the entrance lobby,
was, " Beecher is gone." The sudden and startling
announcement led me back in thought to the days
when I used to enjoy the terse, home- thrusting
sayings of this great preacher and man, in his book
of Life Thotights, thirty years ago or thereabouts."
I also recalled his early passion for phrenology ;
his stedfast advocacy of temperance, especially his
uncompromising and persistent denunciation of
slavery, when it was rather dangerous to be out-
spoken on this "domestic institution." His public
appearances in America and in England during the
war between the North and the South were heroic.
lo Bits about America.
Often in Liverpool and other towns, where cotton
and commerce twisted the consciences of humanity
and Christianity, he was hooted and howled down ;
but he held on, and soon he was freely allowed to
hold forth. His eloquence, and his fervid advocacy
of the maintenance of the Union, contributed to the
continued homogeneity of the Northern and Southern
States ; and now that slavery is no more, the
American nation, great, glorious, and free, may well
place high on its roll of patriots and worthies the
name of Henry Ward Beecher. The journals of the
week have been full of him. There was an all but
universal chorus of honour to the self-made, self-
sacrificing, self-reliant minister of Plymouth Church,
Brooklyn, and a feeling that a mighty power, because
a mighty heart, " after he had served his own genera-
tion by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid
unto his fathers." The newspapers of America pro-
vide their readers with the facts and surroundings of
his death, — the outpouring of the sympathy of all
classes and creeds for the widow and family ; the
tribute which his fellow-townsmen, America, and
the world have paid to his memory ; the absence, in
accordance with the frequently and strongly ex-
pressed opinions of the deceased on this subject, of
the ordinary trappings of woe and sorrow in the
funeral arrangements, alike in home, church, and
city ; the dressing of his body for the coffin in the
The late Henry Ward Beecher. 1 1
full garb he usually wore as a living man ; the loads
upon loads of flowers that have been laid above,
around, or near him ; and the high-toned resignation
of his nearest and dearest relatives — Mrs. Beecher
having gone out for a drive, on the solicitation of her
family, between the death and the funeral.
I went by the Suspension Bridge Railway, — one of
the most beautiful objects in the place, as well as a
great triumph of engineering, — from New York to
Brooklyn on the day of his funeral, and observed
that the flags on the shipping and the city heights
were half-mast high. Being without the badge of
the Press, it was some time before I was permitted
to enter the street in which Plymouth Church stands.
This gave me an opportunity of seeing an American
crowd. Various nationalities were represented ; the
majority were good specimens of English, French,
and German mixed ; a few had the typical and sharp
features attributed to 'cute Americans. Coloured
folks were there, from the Negro to the Octoroon,
many of them elegantly dressed, some seedy, and a
seedy Sambo is very downy. Carriages brought or
waited for people, the coachmen heavily fur-tippeted,
the horses light, and some fine, mostly with short
tails like hunters. The fashionable fast -trotting
steed, harnessed lightly, and without collar — with the
traces in front of the chest — to a large light-wheeled
buggy, brought a few. The greater number came
12 Bits about America.
on foot. All were quiet, orderly, and well conducted.
There was a little chaffing and coaxing of the police-
men (very handsome men, all that I have seen) by
several persons not provided with tickets of admission
to allow them to pass, at least to the front of the
church ; but in vain. I failed to convince one lieu-
tenant of my half-right, half-desire to be admitted
to the chapel ; but, getting within hail of a captain,
I produced a Continental passport, with the pro-
minent red seal of the City of Edinburgh, and a
Press recommendation, which procured me access
into the chapel.
It stands in a quiet side street, which has some
old trees on each side and several young ones,
forming a kind of boulevard. The chapel is plain-
ness itself, brick-built, very red, with plain windows
and doors, and bears, a little under the overhanging
roof, the inscription,
PLYMOUTH CHAPEL,
1849.
" Crammed " is no exaggeration for the inside of the
building ; still all was quiet. I was too late for the
opening services, but heard the beautiful music.
Round and round the outer walls and the front of
the gallery were festoons ; against the walls, at short
spaces, were small trees and evergreens ; the rounded
corners of the gallery panelling were embowered
The late Henry W^ard Beecher. 1 3
in green, picked out with white lilies, roses, lotos,
azaleas, etc. ; the massive organ, which stands
behind the platform, was covered with evergreens,
clustering with white flowers ; the " Beecher " pew,
the only one unoccupied in the church, was full of
wreaths, bouquets, and chaplets ; and in the centre,
immediately before the reading desk, lay the coffin,
smothered in green and white — lily of the valley,
lotos, camellias, maiden-hair, smilax, etc. ; while the
late preacher's chair, lost in flowers, was surmounted
by the coronal wreath of the 13th Regiment N.Y.
and C.V., bearing the inscription "Our Chaplain."
Red and pink roses, pale "Marechal Neils," etc.,
enveloped the plain reading desk, on which lay the
Bible. I was told that Mr. Beecher's chair and desk
in the lecture-room were made of wood from " The
Mount of Olives," and are not to be used again.
The clock in the centre panel of the gallery was also
decked, but behind the green surroundings could be
seen its plain old-fashioned face, plain as that in the
Scottish Burgher Kirks of old. The gallery runs
all round, and is seated up to the organ, so that
many must sit behind the minister ; there is a small
upper gallery, with projecting front, near the ceiling,
facing the minister ; the pews, etc., are painted white,
with a mahogany rail on the top. The roof is
concave and high.
All denominations were represented. Not the
14 Bits about America.
least interesting occupants of the platform were ten
of the coloured clergy, honouring themselves by
honouring their champion and friend. Dr. C. H.
Hall's sermon was grand and heart-stirring. He
broke down, and so did many, as he told " that on
the last Sunday evening Henry Ward Beecher was
in his church, after service, the organist and some of
the choir were practising the hymn —
' I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest."'
Beecher in retiring halted to listen. Two poor boys
had gone into the church, and were listening with
apparent awe and pleasure. Mr. Beecher laid his
hand on one boy's head, turned up his face, and
kissed him ; and with his arm about the two, left
this scene of his triumphs, his trials, and successes
for ever. It was a fitting close to a grand life : the
old man of genius and fame, shielding the little
wanderers, — great in breasting traditional ways and
prejudices, great also in the gesture, so like him,
that recognised, as did His Master, that the humblest
and the poorest were his brethren — the great preacher
led out into the night by the little nameless waifs."
I passed the coffin twice, once on each side, and
looked on that face, at rest — at home. Both glances
very forcibly reminded me of the face of a divine
and a poet lately gone over to the majority. I
The late Henry Ward Beecher. i 5
withhold the name, lest friends on both sides should
misunderstand me, but I took the second glance to
confirm my first impression, and it more than did
so. Slowly, reverently, lovingly, did thousands pass
to view that face, and even at ten o'clock at night,
when the chapel was closed, there were thousands of
waiting ones, disappointed. To the left of the
speaker was a floral device bearing, " I will praise
Thee, Lord, with the harp. I will be satisfied when
I awake with Thy likeness." In the hymn-book
handed to me, The Plymouth Collection of Hymns
and Tunes for Christian Congregations, I found,
including supplements, 1464 hymns and 26 dox-
ologies. The last hymn (1464) was by the sainted
M'Cheyne, of Dundee, "Jehovah Tsidkenu,"
"I once was a stranger to grace and to God."
I retired through the large lecture hall behind the
church, where "his" chair and lecture table were
swathed in flowers, and bound about with wide satin
ribbons. I passed through the crowd of waiters-on
about a quarter of a mile from the church, and it
extended in both directions as far as I could see.
The following Sabbath evening services brought
upon one platform " Calvinist and Catholic, Israelite
and Swedenborgian, Episcopalian and Universalist,
Baptist and Unitarian, and Methodist, — all came
to lay a chaplet of loving words on the altar of
1 6 Bits about America
the church." Would that all whose actions tend
to increase the already too wide breach among
Christian churches had been present to learn the
lesson of that meeting — that Henry Ward Beecher,
although many differed from him theologically,
politically, and in other important respects, was
recognised by men of all creeds as a man of God, a
man of prayer, a man of power, and an apostle of
freedom, temperance, and love. He was a multi-
lateral man, concrete, fearless, and genuine ; had
amalgamated the organic remains of Puritan, Metho-
dist, Quaker, and citizen that influenced his youth,
and transformed them into a homogeneous power,
more than a forty-parson power, which was not only
tremendous, but mobile and aye ready. Nature and
Art, boyhood's joys and age's wisdom, fact and
fiction, all that was beautiful or great became a
collecting ground whence he drew fresh thoughts
and sprinkled them over the world. Peace to his
ashes ! Well does such a life warrant the palm of
victory even here, rather than the conventional sable
and sadness. He rests. He is crowned ; but his
works of faith and labour of love remain. Truth
and freedom, effort and humanity, will long cherish
the life-work of Henry Ward Beecher.
I had the pleasure of visiting Mr. Beecher's sister,
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, authoress of Uncte
Tom's Cabin^ etc., in her pretty home at Hartford,
The late Henry Ward Beecher, 1 7
Connecticut, and found her hale and hospitable.
She spoke of the early home at Litchfield, Conn.,
where their father, the Rev. Lyman Beecher, was
pastor of the Congregational Church ; of their
sturdy New England ancestry, dating back, on both
sides, to the settlement of New Haven in 1638 ; of
her brother Henry's student days ; of his first small
church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, on the Ohio,
where he had to eke out his income by working
a small farm ; of his removal, after two years'
ministry, to Indianapolis, where he remained
eight years, during part of which he was an editor
and journaHst; and of his coming to Brooklyn in
1847.
She told that her father's mind got weak during
his last illness, and while waiting on him he asked
abruptly, ''Who are you?"
" I am your daughter Harriet," answered she.
"My daughter Harriet? I have no daughter
Harriet ; you are imposing upon me ; go away, go
away."
On relating this incident to her brother Henry, he
was horrified and said, " I hope and pray that I may
be in possession of my full powers and faculties up
to my last illness, and that that illness will be brief
I have a great horror of growing less vigorous
mentally, and I shrink from a long death-bed."
" And," she added, " he has had his wish ; his was
B
1 8 Bits about America.
a most enviable death, and the surroundings of his
funeral have been what he often urged upon others,
that bereaved ones should give evidence that they
believed in their departed being 'with Christ and
far better,' — using the event as an occasion for the
expression of thankful joy, that Death had been
swallowed up in victory, that the dead friends had
really entered into the 'JOY of the Lord/ and were
more alive than ever — wearing the CROWN of
Life."
The Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler thus expressed
himself at one of the numerous funeral services : —
"Friends and Fellow-Townsmen, — The same funeral bells
which sounded the knell of Grant, Hancock, and Logan, are tolling
their requiem over another warrior for liberty and the nation's life.
... To my dying day I shall retain that vision of Henry Ward
Beecher, the prince of pulpit orators, the trumpet-tongued advocate
of the oppressed, the defender of his country abroad, the lover of
nature from the cedar to the hyssop on the wall, the lover of his
fellow-men, the victorious warrior whose tongue was a flaming sword
for the defence of freedom and the rights of man. Henry Ward
Beecher, hail and farewell ! "
CHAPTER III.
RAILWAYS.
WONDER you Britishers stand these
pokey, stuffy little railway cars," said
a fellow-traveller of Scotch birth but
long residence in America on one of
my early railway journeys. "They ain't
the size of a two-horse 'bus ; then they're
divided into ceils, with double doors, and you're
often locked in."
" They're not safe," said his wife, a born American.
" You might be murdered and pitched out without
anybody knowing, — leastways lots have been. I
once was in a car in England, and, jest as it was
starting, in came a fellow. I hollered, and got into
another carriage with some women in it. English
cars ain't a ' circumstance ' to ours."
She looked an able-bodied " Amazon," dangerous
to meddle with, and was on the offside of fifty ; still
she did not relish her plain-spoken husband's " Well,
mother, you ain't got much to fear ; he'd be a queer
sort that you couldn't double up, you bet."
19
20 Bits about America.
As he finished, a darkey with a can of iced water
came alongside ; a draught of this had a cooling
effect upon her. I knew so little of the manners
and customs of the "road," that I was surprised
she did not think of paying for this luxury.
"You have no system at all in Britain," continued
she ; " your porters either do not call out the names
of the depot, or do it when nobody can hear them.
Then what a fussy mess about baggage. Why, in
this here country, we show our ticket, get a check
with the same number on it as the label they hang
on the trunks, and think no more about it till we
are near our destination, when an 'express' man
comes round the cars ; you give him the check, tell
him where you wish it taken, and for a few cents it
is home as soon as you. When I was in England
I saw dozens of porters in big depots a-scurrying
round the baggage-waggon, and all the passengers
a-shoutin' an' pickin' out their belongin's. At
Glasgow depot, a big box squoze my toes awful.
It's downright stoopid, it is. You have three porters
in Britain for one in America, and most of them's
duffers. I once got the wrong baggage."
" That sometimes happens," was my reply. " I
once found that a newly-married bride had mistaken
my portmanteau for hers at Gilsland Station. I
only found this out at Carlisle, too late to exchange
them that night."
Railways, 2 1
'' Rather awk'ard that," said her husband, — "rather,
I guess."
" Honeymooners," replied she, " han't got eyes for
ordinary things, they's too fixed on t'other; and
your portmanteaus ain't like our trunks; we have
our 'nitials printed on them, and they're always all
right."
" That would have suited a commercial traveller,"
said I, " in the jewellery trade, who, when journeying
from Dublin to Cork, put his precious trunk under
the guard's care, with long and strong orders to keep
it all right.
" * I'll do that, yer honour,' said the guard.
"At the first station out popped his head, and
out popped the question, 'Guard, is my trunk all
right r
"'AH right, sur; never a man'll touch it till we
get to Cork.'
" Next station the same question was asked, and
the guard, evidently nettled, said, ' If ye doubt my
word, ye can come an' sit on the top of it, sur.'
" At the next stoppage the restless traveller asked
very emphatically, 'Guard, are you sure that my
trunk is all right t '
" This was too much for Pat ; his eye brightened
with a roguish smile, and, touching his hat, he said,
i Why, sur, I've been thinking as we were doing
the last run that, if yer honour had been an ELE-
22 Bits about A7nerica.
PHANT instead of an ASS, you would always have
carried your trunk where your nose is, and could
have kept it " all right " by poppin' it under your
arm.' "
" That was fixin' him ; Paddy had him there,
sure," replied my fellow-travellers, and the lady
went off to have a talk with Missis Stratton. The
gentleman drifted back in thought to Scotland,
talked of the fourth class of carriages in his young
days at Greenock, the "standing trucks" as he,
"the congregation of the upright" as Dr. Ritchie
called them.
And when, shortly after, the couple left the train,
he was laughing heartily, for the "cockles of his
old Scotch heart were tickled " with the Scotch
herd laddie's exclamation when he first saw a train,
— " Faither, faither, come oot, come oot, quick ;
here's a smiddy rinnin' awa' wi' a raw o' houses,
an' it'll be round the end o' the toon in a minute."
A brisk retail trade is sometimes done in the cars.
First comes a newsboy ; after him a seller of
" candy," an article of considerable consumption by
passengers of all ages, and, where it gets into the
hands of children, not conducive to their cleanliness,
or that of the seats or passengers, for it appears in
the hand and disappears in the mouth several times
before its final dissolution. Next appeared a travel-
ling stationer with pocket atlases, cheap novels,
Railways, 23
"just outs" magazines, 'llustrateds, and views of
local scenery ; dropping tempting books on the
knees of passengers, but not greatly pressing sales,
for the commerce of America is generally one of
few words. At some stations the local newspapers
are smartly offered throughout the train during the
brief halt, as well as some distinctive production of
the district. Travelling caps and other " requisites "
were shown round. Fruit and bakemeats were on
sale, but there was little pressing or pushing a
trade.
There was "no lack of good tobacco;" and,
while the smoking carriage was well patronized, the
ordinary carriages were quite free from the second-
hand fumes of Lady Tobacco, which is more than
can be said for British compartments.
I found the railway system of America, on the
whole, easier and more pleasant than the British
system. Iced water was either carried through the
cars, or to be had in each, and there was a lavatory
in every car. Need I add that these little things are
great comforts. The carriages are very long, on
bogey wheels, with a passage through the centre of
each car, so that the conductor can go from end to
end of the train ; and passengers, if not pleased with
one carriage, can go to another easily. The seats
are for two on each side, comfortably stuffed. The
backs can be reversed, so as either to have your
24 Bits aboiU America.
face or your back to the engine. The cars are
heated with stoves or steam, well lighted by oil or
gas, with sun-blinds or solid ones, and altogether
sweet and nice. The conductor looks at tickets
671 route, politely gives information, and distinctly
announces in each car the next stoppage.
If you have not secured your ticket in any of the
numerous " ticket offices " to be found in hotels and
streets, the conductor provides you with one, but
charges lo cents (5d.) extra, for which he gives you
a "check" bearing the amount he received. On
presenting this " check " at the booking office, the
5d. is refunded, and this insures that the conductor
pays what he draws. Some suspicious people doubt
if such "fares" are as regularly accounted for in
Britain. Not infrequently the conductor provides
a programme of the route, giving the names and
distances of the stations, which proves very handy.
He also looks after the ventilation and temperature,
there being a thermometer in each car to guide
him.
The sides of the railway are often unprotected,
and the stations on the main street are often without
gate or fence. The law throughout the country in
this and many other matters, seems to be that every
one is expected to be able to look after himself The
locomotive bell rings on entering or leaving a town ;
the railway track is evidently a public thoroughfare ;
Railways, 25
and I have rarely seen anything but " level cross-
ings," without either gate or porter — only a warning
" to look out for the locomotive." Where gates are
in large towns they are light sparred things, painted
white, with a small red flag on them, that are erect
when open and horizontal while shut, but do not
span or block the line as in Britain.
Upon the much-frequented routes and between
the large American commercial centres the railway
transit is rapid, but in less populous regions it is
leisurely, and the service warrants the name of
"slow" trains. It is therefore common to travel
by the evening trains, as they frequently go quicker,
and are provided with the " Pullman sleeper " cars,
with which many in Britain are familiar. These are
much more largely used in America, and constitute
the " first " class ; for there are not the varieties of
1st, 2nd, and 3rd, but one uniform rate for all, ex-
cepting the "palace" cars.
A lady from Scotland thus described her first
experience of a sleeping car : — " I thought we would
never get into our berth, for there were men and
women in the car. I wondered if they would take
off their clothes at all. At length I saw a lady take
off her boots and disappear behind the curtains.
Soon her husband came ; she handed him her clothes
to put in the upper berth, which was empty. He
then partially undressed, and, after being behind the
26 Bits about America.
curtain for a little, appeared in a long coloured night-
dress, and put his clothes also into the upper berth.
Shortly after that, a young lady mounted the steps
brought to her by the steward, and disappeared in
the upper berth opposite ours. I wondered how I
would get to the ladies' dressing - room in the
morning, and thought I would watch what this lady
did. She called for the steps at daybreak, came
down in a dark-coloured night-dress, and, taking her
clothes in her hand, like a ' wee bairn ' coming to
dress at the fireside, she walked quite coolly to the
ladies' dressing-room. It brought me in mind of the
* box beds' of my young days. But what would
some canny Scotch folk think of such a mixture?"
A refreshment car often formed part of the train,
and comfortable meals at moderate prices could be
had, but there was no " bar," so that they did not
quite come up to Mr. Dunlop's description of the
steward's cabin on board the steamer, when asked
how he enjoyed the voyage — " Fine, man, fine ; a
public-house a' the way."
I am old enough to remember the determined
opposition that many of our most useful railways
had to face from proprietors, on the score of " in-
juring the amenity of their property," and of the
enormous prices got by lairds through whose lands
they passed for small strips of indifferent or useless
land. The American railways have been more
Railways. 2 7
fortunate ; they got large grants of lands and con-
cessions to induce them to construct their lines,
which have proved sources of considerable profit.
The increase of American railways is fabulous, and
daily becoming more so. I was told there were
nearly 170,000 miles in operation, or in course of
construction.
The railway is the friend of all, and the single
lines are the pioneers of greater things. These
are carried through the vast plains generally in
lines, as straight as the traditional one drawn by
the late Emperor Nicholas of Russia on the map
with a " ruler " between St. Petersburg and Moscow,
when asked concerning some engineering difficulties
as to the route.
A village or " town " generally commences by the
erection of a smithy, followed by a drug store, a
" saloon " or beer-shop, and other traders. The
railway not only erects a small station or depot,
often with telegraphic conveniences, but nearly
every one has an enormous wooden " tun " erected
at a height sufficient to supply the engine with water,
and higher than the " tun " is a " windmill " pump.
The moving power is shaped like an umbrella, with
the lower part of the ribs covered with short " Vene-
tian " spars, while the upper part is bare. It is guided
into the proper direction by a flat paddle like the
" feather end " of an arrow, assumes nearly as many
28 Bits about America.
curious positions as a real umbrella takes during
a March wind, and it keeps whirling and pumping
away. They are showily painted, look graceful,
and are found in great numbers everywhere. This
source of cheap and available power has largely
fallen into disuse in Scotland. I can recall the
large flapping arms of one that used to swing its
huge bulk round the old tower between Braid Burn
and Powburn, still called the " windmill." Can
Great Britain afford to ignore this and many other
sources of power when America uses and needs
them ? Can she ?
Many of the railway lines are unfenced, but the
Company is responsible for injury, and the train is
occasionally stopped by " cattle on the line." In
not a few districts logs are used as fuel, accounting
for the peculiar shape of some of the funnels, well
known through engravings. American railways
issue showy and even sensational time-tables with
maps, and each declares that it is the nearest,
cheapest, safest, most picturesque, and best. I
recommend travellers not to be entirely guided by
such puffs. " All aboard " is the guard's way of
announcing a start ; and in fully 4000 miles of
travelling to and fro I found time well kept, every-
thing pleasant, and no mishap.
CHAPTER IV.
EASTHAMPTON.
Y first experience of American country-
life was in Easthampton, Mass. On
the way the snow was lying thickly,
ponds and rivers were frozen (middle of
March), and the route was along a swampy,
foresty, fieldy country, with a fine back-
ground of hills and cliffs, relieved and rendered
picturesque by the leafless trees in black against
the snow. The friend I went to visit was a Mid-
Lothian laddie, who left Scotland forty years ago,
and is now a naturalized American.
The ties that bound us, freshened by very occa-
sional letters, were various, and had stood the forty
years' strain well. We lived in the same village,
were in the same class at the parish school, and
generally near the bottom of it — never " Dux" — but
no wonder, when the Dux is now a belted knight,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjaub, with half of
the alphabet after his name, K.C.S.I., CLE., LL.D.
We got palmies together, played and " dookit "
29
30 Bits about America.
together in " Hardie's Pool," and — full proof of boys
being " thick " — kent o' birds' nests in common, to
say nothing of following "Tally Ho," or Geordie
Denholm and the " Gardener's Walk " band.
Although neither of us has been presented at
Court, we had an interview with Her Most Gracious
Majesty on 14th September 1842, of which the Editor
of Leaves from the Journal of our Life in the High-
lands takes no notice ; contenting himself with, " At
half-past three o'clock we (the Queen and Prince
Albert) went out with the Duchess of Buccleuch,
only Colonel Bouverie riding with us. We drove
through Melville Park to Roslin." I supply the
omission by a quotation from my friend's letter,
dated 12th September 1886: — "I was very much
interested in the Queen's visit to the Edinburgh
Exhibition. It recalled 1842. Do you remember
two boys, sent by the crowd at Melville Gate to
watch the Queen when she rounded ' Nancy's
Knowe,' so as to give them warning? One boy ran
like a deer to tell the crowd — the other, red-headed
and bare-legged, could not keep up, so had to fall
behind, but did noble service to his Queen and
country, by keeping pace with the royal equipage
till the gate was reached — hurrahing as well as the
best of them t "
Yes, Jamie, I remember that ; but you forgot to
relate that the two young rogues had been swinging
Easthampton. 3 1
on an upper gate ; that when the carriage came
forward it closed with a spring ; that the horses were
restive ; that we did not know what the Queen said
to us at first, but answered Eh ? Then followed
the " interview," opening of the gate, the race, and
our urging the old gate-wife " to be quick an' open
the gate, for here was the Queen," to which she
replied, " I maun get on a white apron an' a clean
mutch 1 first, Queen or no Queen ; " and it was only
after she had got herself made trim that she came
out, made a " laigh curtsey," and opened the gate.
The grasp at meeting was a warm one. He looked
younger than I expected,— younger than his now
grey-bearded schoolfellow, — and "Auld Langsyne "
was performed to the letter during my visit. From
the station we spanked to his home in a sleigh, with
its tinkling bells and easy motion. That night and
on many others, indeed into the small hours of the
morning generally, we talked of schoolboy and early
apprenticeship days, and the ups and downs of our-
selves and our old classmates and friends.
We had one especially delightful sleigh ride to-
gether behind a grand thorough-bred mare, " Jenny,"
who bowled us over the country roads and past the
snug farmhouses of New England, with her crested
mane, high head, and nimble legs ; we cleaving the
dry air, which, although the thermometer was low,
^ A white cap with a very capacious border.
32 Bits about America.
was rather cool than cold, and most exhilarating.
Occasionally in passing vehicles we had to track into
snow two feet deep — easily done ; at other times we
had a two or three miles' clear run — grand.
Halting at a Scotsman's house in Florence, we
met a Scottish welcome, flanked by cream cakes
and other confectionery mysteries, washed down by
two samples of " American dew," — one called
" Monangehela " another " Bourbon," — both most
palatable, and, considering the weather, seasonable.
Thence we sleighed to Northampton, saw Jonathan
Edwards' church, and home, and tree, and the
pleasant, beautiful residences of this fashionable
summer resort ; then back to our quarters with
"Jenny," frisky and swift. 1 was told that my visit
was at a wrong season. Perhaps it was ; but had I
been later, I would have had no sleighing, which,
now that I have had it, I would like to repeat.
Easthampton is a busy, straggling town of over
5000 inhabitants, its industries being cotton-spinning
and weaving, — buttons, — india-rubber wares, — etc.
In the centre is an open square with a small garden-
park, fine trees, and a bandstand. Around it are
several fine churches, an elegant Town Hall, and the
handsome buildings of the "Williston Seminary,"
founded and endowed by the late Samuel Williston,
a worthy man, who most successfully carried on
the manufacture of covered buttons and woven
Easlhampton. 33
elastic goods in the town. He was a liberal giver to
all good objects. In the founder's original deed of
gift these words occur, " Goodness without know-
ledge is powerless to do good ; knowledge without
goodness is powerful to do evil." It was one
of the first institutions to teach applied science,
laboratory practice in chemistry, and field practice
in surveying.
Boulevards of trees overarch the wide streets and
well-made concrete pavements. The houses in the
centre of the town are mostly built of brick, but in
the side streets, largely of wood ; neat, snug, and
cosy-like ; standing in " lots," with plot before and
garden behind ; painted white, with windows green
or brown ; nice porches and verandahs ; and, being
all "self-contained" villa style, they are a fair
distance apart from one another; hence the town,
like many others, is a " town of distances." The
coal used in the north-west and in New England is
anthracite-smokeless, — leaving the air pure and the
linen decent. The houses are heated by stoves that
give great heat at little expense, but want the
" bonnie blithe blink o' ane's ain fireside."
One of my host's sons was a member of a volun-
teer corps, called, I think, the " Hill Band Corps "
(after its patron, Mr. Hill). He was in full regi-
mentals one evening, preparing to take part in a
concert to be given in the Town Hall in aid of the
34 Bits about America.
funds of the " Grand Army of the Republic." This
is an association, established about ten years after
the close of the rebellion of 1865, to befriend old
soldiers or their widows and orphans, and was, I
believe, founded by General Gordon. There is also
a " Woman's Relief Auxiliary Corps," whereby
thousands of ladies combine to visit, discover, and
assist female relatives of soldiers that may need
help.
I went to the Town Hall, and found it a large,
elegant building capable of containing 1200 easily,
with lower halls, committee rooms, etc. The enter-
tainment was largely dramatic, and the principal
actors were men that had been soldiers in the
Federal army — residents in the town, of which there
were over two dozen on the stage. The roles of the
ladies were filled by amateurs — indeed, all were
townsfolks, excepting A. F. Nail, of Mansfield, Ohio,
who " runs " the piece, trains the amateurs, and
plays the leading part of " Uncle Joe," a negro slave,
to perfection. He is the " Bailie Nicol Jarvie " of
the story. The play is entitled, "The Drummer
Boy ; or, the Battlefield of Shilob," arranged from
incidents of the late war by Comrade S. J. Muscroft,
and begins by a scene of a Northern farmer enter-
taining Southern visitors.
Learning of the outbreak of the rebellion, high
words pass between " North and South " at their
Easthampton. 35
parting. The Northern farmer's three boys wish to go
to fight. One of them, Johnnie, seems too young,
but begs to be even a drummer boy, and, in a touch-
ing scene, gets his mother's consent. The music
was fine ; the tunes in this act were — " Way down
upon the Swannee River," and " Home, sweet Home."
The battle scenes were taken part in by actual
veterans, — the " Northerns " marching to the tune of
''John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave,"
and the "Southerns" to that of "Dixie's Land."
To hear these sung by men to whom they are
patriotic anthems produces a very difi"erent impres-
sion from hearing them bawled to offensive and
slang words, as is too often done in Britain.
There was a very fair representation of actual
fighting, of the apprehension and execution of spies,
while " Uncle Joe," played by Mr. Nail, admirably
brought out the faithful negro, his " foraging expedi-
tion," with its promiscuous result of a hen, a potato,
and a cabbage — his " innocence " when caught by
the enemy — his delight at getting a letter, which he
cannot read, but turns up and down to guess at
— his asking his master when reading it to read
ten million times the first sentence, " My darling
old Joe " — his tricks, vagaries, hits, and acting
altogether made the piece brilliant, and he was
ably supported by the soldiers and amateurs.
The most striking scene was the Southern prison
36 Bits about America.
of Andersonville, where two of the brothers were
confined and starved, because the South was so
blockaded as to have nothing to feed its army, much
less its prisoners. There Johnnie the " Drummer
Boy " is shot, and laid on the dead line. There the
Northern men relieve the others to the tune of
*' Tramp, tramp, my boys, we're marching." Thence
they start and return home to the tune of " We'll all
feel gay when Johnnie comes marching home"
(which jarred on the ear after Johnnie's sad fate),
" Singing the battle cry of freedom," and American
words set to the tune of " God save the Queen,"
beginning " My country, 'tis of thee." When the
sad news reached the Northern farmer's home, a
sweet voice, unseen, sang, —
" There's a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar,
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
Chorus. — In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore ; "
and in the farmer's hall " Drummer Johnnie's " dirge
was finely sung in
** We shall meet, but we shall miss him ;
There will be one vacant chair ; "
while all ended with "The Star-Spangled Banner"
and " Yankee Doodle."
Easthampton. 37
The audience was enraptured, and the result,
I have been informed, of the four days' entertain-
ment was ;^50 to the fund. I met several of the
old soldiers, and had from them thrilling state-
ments of their experience. Many of them were
quiet, earnest men ; much had to be drawn out of
them. I have found all over the part of the
United States I visited an intense regard for the
heroes of 1860-65. Monuments in every town —
expensive and graceful ; banners in every City
Hall ; trophies here and there ; and annually, on
" Commemoration Day," a fresh small American flag
is planted on each of their graves. Commemora-
tion Hall at Harvard University, one of the finest
in the States, was erected to their memory, and for
all easy Government posts an old "1865 " has the
" running."
Splendid panoramas or dioramas or cycloramas
were in each town of the battles of Gettysburg,
etc. The foreground has actual corn sheaves,
fields, cabins, cannons, trees, and muskets ; the
painted part is so exquisitely done as to prove
deceptive. It takes long looking to believe that it
is a painting — a friend wagered upon "smoke"
being real, but although he lost he is still uncon-
vinced. The painting of horses " in action " of all
kinds is marvellous. Need I add that such exhibi-
tions are intensely popular?
2,8 Bits about America.
Washington has its princely institution for old
soldiers, more like a ducal domain, adorned with
ponds, swans, and fine timber. The Pension Office
is large, and the ''appropriation" enormous.
So much for the Northern soldiers. What of
the Southern ? Of course nothing " national." But
their friends have seen to them, as far as they
would allow themselves to be seen to. One fact I
have on good authority, that in Lexington, Ken-
tucky, an institution was provided for disabled
Southern soldiers, but they could hardly catch one
to enter it. They did get one old fellow with a
wooden leg to venture in, but he would not remain,
and the institution seems in a fair way of being
sold, and the purchase - money returned to the
subscribers.
The " scarlet " fever was an old complaint in
Britain when the soldier's dress was the red coat.
America has also a touch of the " war-and-glory "
mania, but it is more in memory and theory than
in fact. Our cousins are too wise to cripple them-
selves, as some European Governments are now
doing, by "arming to the teeth." Until there is
immense risk of explosion, Jonathan bides his
time. Long may he seek peace and pursue it. I
cannot recall having seen a single United States
regular soldier throughout my entire tour. They
seem few and far between ; this cannot be said
East /lamp ton. 39
of European kingdoms, where they swarm like
locusts, and by their immense numbers almost
provoke and would enjoy war.
Longfellow was right when he wrote, —
Were half the power, that fills the world with terror,
Were half the wealth, bestowed on camps and courts,
Given to redeem the human mind from error,
There were no need of arsenals and forts ;
The warrior's name would be a name abhorred !
And every nation, that should lift again
Its hand against a brother, on its forehead
Would wear for evermore the curse of Cain !
Down the dark future, through long generations.
The echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease ;
And like a bell, with solemn, sweet vibrations,
I hear once more the voice of Christ say, " Peace ! "
Peace ! and no longer from the brazen portals
The blast of War's great organ shakes the skies !
But beautiful as songs of the immortals,
The holy melodies of love arise.
CHAPTER V.
CITIES.
^,^ WILL not attempt to treat at any length
Ci of the prominent cities of America. My
of
visit was too hurried to admit of my
doing them justice, and they spring into
P existence so suddenly, or become "great
<^ centres " of special industries so quickly,
that I could not gauge their importance. Indeed,
" importance " is a relative term. Twenty years ago
I accompanied a college-bred Glasgowegian and his
London friend on a visit to Melrose and Abbotsford.
Knowing the district, I did my best to point out
the objects of interest on the route, such as the
battlefields of Falkirk, Pinkie, and Prestonpans ; or
Niddrie, Borthwick, and Crichton Castles. " London "
was alert and delighted — ''Glasgow " was bilious, and
showed no signs of interest until we reached Gala-
shiels. Its large factories aroused him. After
passing a few of them, he said briskly, "This is
an important place," and as more of the many-
windowed blocks came into sight, he declared
vigorously, "This is a most important place. I
40
Cities. 4 1
had no idea that Galashiels was such an important
place." Which nobody can deny.
The general impression I formed of the cities of
America was favourable, although many of them
are so flat that, like "Jeanie Deans," we were
weary o' sic tracts o' level ground, and " glad to
hear there's a hill," even if " it's a murder to post-
horses." In all new towns, and in many old ones,
the streets are wider than in Britain. The " cause-
way " in many greatly needs improvement, as does
also the paving of the footways, excepting where
this has been done in " concrete," which is cleverly
and solidly laid. The numbering of the streets,
from I and upwards, instead of naming them
" Queen's," " Princes " Street, etc., if not so euphoni-
ous, renders it easy to find any place or to guess
its whereabouts. Fancy getting 2849 Washington
Street as an address, or No. 41 26th Street, West.
There is a Republican freedom in the coolness
with which, even in such busy streets as Broad-
way, New York, huge bales or boxes of goods are
left on the pavements, either by lorries or for
lorries to lift, around which the pedestrian has to
engineer his way. Not infrequently he has to wait
until the planks which are used to convey these
from the pavement to the store, or vice versa, have
served their purpose, or to step over them. In
other streets the waggons are " backed " as near
42 Bits about America.
the stores as possible, planks stretched, and one
must either go round by the horses' heads, or
jump the planks, or wait until the waggoner
ready to move ; this in " warehouse " streets
makes walking leisurely and ticklish. The rutty
nature of the causeway is not improved by damp
weather, but the "Boot-blacks" — very prominent
features of the street corners, with their chairs
canopied by huge umbrellas — get more work
thereby, and thus far, trade is encouraged — a great
matter in the New World.
Cities vie with each other in handsome city halls
or Capitols. Of these, very properly, the senatorial
Capitol of the entire United States at Washington
is the grandest, with its towering white dome, its
hundreds of marble pillars, and beautiful surround-
ings. It occupies an elevated, commanding site,
and is the most effective building I have seen
in any part of the world — solid, vast, and imposing.
From its pinnacle a beautiful view is had of the
Botanical Gardens, parks, and palatial buildings of
the city, such as the White House, Patent Office,
Post Office, Museums, and Treasury ; of the broad
sweeping bends of the smooth - flowing Potomac
river ; of the hills of Virginia and Maryland in the
background, dotted with mansions, colleges, the
" Soldiers' Home," and other buildings, embosomed
in woods. It is a city of " magnificent distances,"
Cities. 45
wide streets, with boulevards of trees on each side,
while small parks are very common, and graceful
statues too numerous to mention. It is becoming
the residential town of the wealthy, and is, in
American phrase, "quite a place."
The capitol of the State of Connecticut, at
Hartford, is an imposing and chaste building ; that
of Philadelphia is an immense, unfinished, too
ornate structure of solid marble, and, from the
time already occupied in its erection, it gives fair
promise to be the capitol, as Cologne is the
cathedral, of the millennium. In New York,
Chicago, and other cities the post offices and
court-houses are elegant; many of the warehouses
are magnificent erections, in marble, granite, or
fine stone, so grand that one regrets they are in
streets where their architectural beauties cannot be
studied, even at very great risk to the neck. In-
ternally they are gorgeously finished, sometimes
stretching upwards to fourteen flats. The system
of "elevators" or "hoists" is universal, with ele-
gantly furnished "cages," and occasionally four shafts
are found, in full ascent or descent, in one block.
The streets of all the new cities are wide, and
along the sides stretch fine trees, giving at once
beauty and grateful shade. The public parks are
numerous and elegant, notably those of Chicago,
Boston, St. Louis, and Central Park, New York.
46. Bits about America.
The latter is quite a triumph of landscape garden-
ing; the irregular and rocky natural features of it
having been cleverly made to minister to the
picturesque. It is a favourite place with nurses
and children, and has nice quiet corners for them.
For older boys or girls it has " merry-go-rounds,"
where the riders tilt with little swords at rings
lightly held round the sides, the feat being to
get the "swordies" well ring-covered. There are
zoological gardens, free to all, evidently a great
attraction, with their lions, tigers, elephants, bisons,
prairie dogs, and, of course, monkeys ; a large
pond for boating, a smaller one, still of fair size,
where good-sized model boats gracefully skim and
sail, to the delight of the boy - commanders on
shore, besides miles of walks and flower-beds.
Driving is much more common in America than
in Britain. It sometimes struck me that folks
were ashamed to be seen walking. In the public
parks and fashionable thoroughfares, carriages of
all kinds swarm, from the four-in-hand and flashy
tandem down to the "billy buggy." The wheels
and machines are generally light. Ladies handle
the "ribbons" frequently and well. I was told
that " every woman in America could hitch up a
horse and liked driving." Many of the horses were
fine, but there was a mixture of " Rosinantes." On
the equestrian courses, the " Rotten Rows," there
Cities, 47
was generally a fine turn-out of horses, and in
every town there were little posts planted at short
distances apart, with rings for "hitching the animile"
to, when the driver was shopping or calling, where
often for hours the poor horses stood quietly
amongst snow. There was no opening for the
chance penny so dear to boys for "haudin' a horse."
Tramways are in every town, even very small
ones, and my opinion is in favour of the " cable " as
compared with the "horse" system. In Chicago the
" cable " system has supplanted, or is fast supplant-
ing, the "horse." The original cost of the track is
greater, but on a comparison of costs of working
during the past five years, the " cable " cost 5|d. per
mile per car, while those drawn by horses cost is.
per mile. In speed, in ease of starting and stopping,
the "cable" also "has it."
Despite the severe snowstorms of America, by
having the power of heating the air under the track
by steam pipes, and an effective cable-drawn snow-
plough, the old system of clearing the tracks by great
teams of horses — almost a hopeless task, as well as
a cruel and slow process — has been abandoned, with
the result that, to quote from a published report,
" the cable lines of this Company have never lost
a single trip from snow, frost, or ice upon the track."
Other advantages are the absence of the clatter of
horses' hoofs, the cleanliness of the track, the pre-
48 Bits about America.
vention of what often seems cruelty to animals ; and
these have resulted in a decided enhancement of the
value of property where the " cable " system has
superseded the " horse " plan. There is no wear of
the centre of the track ; indeed, its cleanly and per-
fect condition makes it the favourite, sometimes the
only, " footway " in winter. The cars have wooden
" fenders " all round, rendering it impossible for
any one to get under the wheels. One insane lady
threw herself across the track, and was pushed aside,
*' weel shooken," but otherwise uninjured.
The power is derived from two pairs of engines of
500 horse-power each. One pair amply suffices for
all the work, but the other can be started on short
notice if required. The boilers in use are the " Bab-
cock and Willcox," four in number, 250 horse-power
each, one or two being in reserve for any emergency.
Occasionally a train of three cars is seen gliding
along. At a certain point one is disconnected, and
by an ingenious " loop switch " it goes slowly round
a curve on to another line, while the others move
straight on. As far as I could learn and judge, the
results of the ** cable" system were alike satisfactory
to the owners and to the citizens, as the following
quotation will show : — " Within six months after the
conversion of this Company's lines from horse to
cable power, property along those lines rose in
value from 30 to 100 per cent." " The enhanced
Cities. 49
value of property in the South Division of Chicago,
due wholly to the construction and operation of
cable lines, will not fall short of $15,000,000" (three
million pounds sterling).
I also travelled by an " electric " car railway,
recently constructed in Appleton, Wisconsin, which
has proved quite a success. It is worked on the
system of Mr. Van Depoele, the inventor. Two
" turbine " water wheels, coupled together, capable
of developing 100 horse-power, drive a 60 horse-
power electric generator. The electric current is
carried by wires overhead, from which a flexible
cable, easy of connection or disconnection, conducts
the power to a Van Depoele motor in front of the
car. This is worked by a lever, under the control
of the conductor ; and on grades of 9 per cent, or
round curves of 40 to 45 feet radius, the cars bowled
along steadily.
The local newspapers speak in very high terms of
the safety, precision, and economy of the system, as
the following quotation from the Appleton Daily
Post will show : — " The effective work of the snow-
plough, when pushed in front of two cars, has proved
that the road can be kept in running order, after any
storm not of extraordinary severity, as quickly as a
horse railroad, and at infinitely [sic] less expenditure
of wearisome efibrt. The system is absolutely safe,
as the wires are out of reach above the ground. On
50 Bits about Avierica.
the score of economy the advantages of employing
electricity are numerous — it gives 53 per cent, of
mechanical efficiency after being transmitted over a
distance of some 35 miles. Wherever water is used
to drive the electric generators, the saving cannot be
disputed, and where steam is used as a prime motor
to run the generators, there is a large difference in
favour of electricity over animal power. There is
also avoided in this system the expenses of large
stables for horses, and the annoyance of having a
large number of labourers to care for the same ; less
space for cars on track is required, and there is no
wear of the track between the rails."
I hardly think that the " high level " system com-
mon in New York will ever be mooted, and feel
convinced that it never will be adopted, in Britain.
Anything more Gotho-Vandalish can hardly be con-
ceived. The line is carried on iron pillars erected in
the streets, so that the track is about the level of the
first storey ; the trains puff, and whistle, and thunder
along, wriggling round sharp corners, and murdering
quiet or sleep. It means architectural ruin to a
district ; the ghost of Lord Cockburn would cer-
tainly rise and denounce the outrage, as was done
before the battle of Flodden by a voice " from the
throne of Plotcock," if Edinburgh was threatened
with such a catastrophe ; and Sir Walter Scott's
spirit would send round the "fiery cross" and kindle
Cities. 5 1
the " Border beacon " to save the amenities of " mine
own romantic town."
Electric lighting is universal in all American
cities and towns with any pretensions to progress.
It is also used largely in the houses of all classes,
the users speaking of it as healthy, regular, and safe.
It is, indeed, in America the light of the " present "
more than gas is ; electric lamps span every street,
and well do they light up a town. Science is making
such marvellous discoveries and combinations of
powers and processes, that it is difficult to forecast
the light of the future.
The telegraph and telephone are great factors in
American business. In banks, warehouses, saloons,
notably in hotel lobbies, the machines are " tick,
ticking" away, printing automatically in various
corners, on a narrow paper ribbon, visible to all,
monetary, commercial, general, or sporting news.
Hence the lobbies are capacious, resembling Ex-
changes, " where merchants much do congregate."
Around them or opening from them are collar,
glove, cigar, drug, and barbers' shops. The lobbies
seem to fill the place of the " coffee-houses " of
former days in London, but are noisier, busier, and
more of the smoking-lounge type.
As a rule, the cemeteries of America are well
chosen and beautifully kept. The monumental
sculptures are often massive, composed of beautiful
52 Bits about America.
materials, showing good taste in design and skilful
workmanship. No visitor to New York should fail
to visit Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn. From its
commanding site a splendid view is obtained of the
mouths of the Hudson, the cities on its banks, the
islands that dot its channel, the forest of shipping
that floats on its bosom, and the finely undulating,
well - cultivated, surrounding country ; whilst, by
the side of its miles of drives or walks, stands the
largest collection of elegant monuments in the world,
erected to the memory of men and women whose
fame the nation will not allow to die. It is, besides,
a model of landscape gardening, with neat ponds,
and a splendid variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers.
I visited with much interest the graveyards of
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, especially the quiet nook
where lies Thaddeus Stevens, the early, persistent,
and staunch advocate of the equaHty of all men,
white or negro. He is buried in the "coloured"
churchyard of Lancaster, and his monument bears
the following inscription : —
** I repose in this quiet and secluded spot,
Not from any natural preference for solitude,
But, finding other cemeteries limited as to race,
I have chosen this, that I might illustrate in my death
The principles which I advocated through a long life,
Equality of man before his Creator.
Thaddeus Stevens,
Born at Darmville, Caled. Co., Vermont, April 4, 1792;
Died at Washington, D.C., August li, 1838."
Cities. 53
So beautifully situated and so well kept were
many of the cemeteries, that I was reminded of
the beadle of Eddlestone's parting remark to two
weeping ladies who had come to visit the graves of
their kindred : " There's no hurry, leddies, no hurry
whatsomever. Stay as long as you like, and enjoy
yourselves."
Boston reminded me, in the older part of the city,
of a well-to-do English town. It claims to be the
" Hub of the Universe," and far be it from me to
question its claim, because in that city and many
others I heard the expression used, almost as a
proverb, concerning anything extraordinary, *' That
can't be beat EXCEPT in BOSTON." On the top of
Bunker's Hill, in its suburbs, I was accosted by a
**gintleman," who in a brogue that had more of
Kerry in it than Massachusetts, said, —
" Well, you're right to come and see where the
toyrant Britishers were licked. I'll take ye's round
and show ye the spot."
He had been indulging in drink, one of the very
few that I saw " touched " in that way, and I declined
his offer with thanks, but he was not to be shaken off.
He enlarged " on the cheek of the English a hundred
years ago, troying to hould Ameriky in chains," and
grew demonstratively violent as he spluttered out
a tirade about " the bloodhounds of England traitin'
Oireland worse than any slaves ever were traited."
54 ^^is about Ame^^ica.
" We'll need to go over," said he, " and sweep the
murtherers into the little ditch of a sea that's about
them, and," drawing his left hand over the palm of
his right, " we'll aisy do it with the back of our left
hand."
When he learned that I was a Scotchman, he
became most gracious, and proposed a " drink " and
to show me the city; both of which offers I declined.
It may comfort Scotchmen to know that when we
parted, he said, " We'll not hurt ould Scotland when
we come over ; the Scotch came from Oireland at
first, and gave us Bobbie Burns."
CHAPTER VI.
PAINTINGS.
NE of the attractions of New York this
season was the Exhibition, previous to
their sale and dispersion, of the paint-
ings, sculpture, ceramics, plates, and bric-
a-brac of the late A. T. Stewart, the American
millionaire, from whose estate some worthy
Scottish folks in the southern counties expected a
fair slice, but the slip between the cup and the lip
was a complete spill. I spent an evening in the
galleries, and it was interesting to observe the kind
of pictures with which a busy merchant and clever
man of means and money surrounded himself.
Most of them were bright and suggestive, and told
their own story without the aid of a catalogue. Of
old masters of the dingy type there were none —
colour, sparkle, and bright effect were the features ;
what, in Europe, are considered masterpieces, and
deservedly so, although dingy, smoke-begrimed, and
cracking, were wanting. On entering the first
room, I was struck with a large painting of the
56 Bits about America.
"Falls of Niagara," by Frederick E. Church, N.A.,
New York. It measured 94 inches by 102, and is
taken from the American side. It is dated in 1867,
and was awarded the highest honour at the Exposi-
tion Universelle, Paris, of that year. The mighty
torrent is admirably given, and warrants the use, in
a superlative degree, of the lines in which the poet
Southey describes the " Cataract of Lodore : " —
** Advancing, and prancing, and glancing, and dancing,
Recoiling, turmoiling, and toiling, and boiling.
And thumping, and flumping, and bumping, and jumping.
And dashing, and flashing, and splashing, and clashing.
And so never ending, but always descending.
Sounds and motions for ever and ever are blending,
All at once and all o'er, vi'ith a mighty uproar,
And this way the water comes down at Lodore."
The enormous river is seen doubling over the
shelving rock in an exceedingly swift, gliding rush,
breaking into foam ; the rising mist-like spray is
cleverly rendered, and in one corner there is the
airiest and lightest, yet most distinct, segment of a
transparent rainbow " arching the foaming water."
I have since learned that Mr. John S. Kennedy, of
New York, one of its most honourable and success-
ful business men, a native of Glasgow, v/ho has
spent nearly thirty years of his life in the United
States (a brother of Dr. Kennedy, of Richmond
Street United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh, —
the able Clerk of the United Presbyterian Synod),
Paintings, 57
has purchased this grand example of American
art and powerful delineation of the grandest of
America's natural wonders, and has presented the
picture to the National Gallery of Scotland.
Mr. Church, the artist, is a native of Hartford,
Conn., born in 1826, and was a pupil of the late
eminent Thomas Cole. There is a painting of
Niagara from the Canadian side, by him, in the
great Corcoran Gallery at Washington, but the one
which Scotland has just received is a more attractive
picture. That in the "Corcoran " is 42 inches by 89,
whereas, as already stated, the " Edinburgh " one is
94 inches by 102. The " Corcoran" is not so deep,
but gives a fine idea of the width, though not of
the height of the falls. The hurl .of the waters is
marvellously treated in the rapids, and a rainbow
broken here and there, from absence of spray, greatly
enhances the effect. The Corcoran catalogue thus
describes its gem : — " Of this great picture, of a great
American subject, by a great American artist, it may
be said that it represents all of the mighty scene
in nature save its sound and motion, though the
latter element of its sublimity is grandly suggested
in the rush of its massive green depths, and the
varied sweep and surging eddies of its shallow
waters." It bears date 1857, has been exhibited
throughout America and Europe, and carried off a
gold medal at the Paris Exposition. Good judges
58 Bits about America.
say that Mr. Church never repeated his pictures,
and the one now possessed by Scotland is fully as
effective and more suggestive than the fine example
in the " Corcoran."
I feel convinced that the generous donor will
receive not only from the Trustees of the National
Gallery of Scotland, but from all lovers of art, most
sincere thanks. He has not only enriched the
Gallery with a great painting, but has enabled
many, who will never visit Niagara, to see it depicted
by a master hand. Mr. Church, the artist, is now
quite unfit for further work. He has as yet no
successor, and a look at his picture recalls the story
of the Sheffield steel manufacturer, who asked the
brother of Canova the sculptor, " If he intended to
carry on his brother's business." That, in Church's
case, will not be easily done. The picture was
originally sold for ;^2000.
Near it in the gallery rose — for from its enormous
size we can hardly say hung — Rosa Bonheur's
" Horse Fair," so well known by its having been
engraved in different " scales." The work measures
200 inches by 96, and covers the entire side of
a large room. Although executed in 1853-55,
it is still bright, sparkling, and fresh. The grand
pair of sturdy, dappled greys, in vigorous action,
with their quivering hind quarters and massive
shoulders ; the fiery black stallion, rearing and
Pamtings. 59
about to get a heavy cut with the whip ; the
splendid fore-shortened roan, a sure prize-winner ;
the side filled up by a stringhalt "screw," with
shambling legs and loutish rider ; the effective
treatment of sky and foliage — indeed, the tout
ensemble was so perfect that I felt surprised when
I saw it knocked down at ;^ 10,600 sterling. I was
greatly pleased to find that the purchaser, whose
name I have forgotten, had presented this noble
picture to the " Metropolitan Museum of Art,"
Central Park, New York. Its appropriate place is
in a national collection, where it is in such excel-
lent company as the splendid work presented to
the Museum by Mr. Jessup, banker. New York,
" Columbus giving an account of the discovery of
America to the King and Court of Spain," and
other gems.
This Museum is to be congratulated on its now
possessing, through the liberality of Mr. Jay Gould,
the picture which realized the largest sum at the
sale of the Stewart Collection, "Friedland 1807," by
J. L. Meissonier, Paris, a battle piece of the palmy
days of Napoleon I., which brought over i^i 3,000, and
measured 96 inches by 54. It is a little after the
style of Miss Thomson's "Charge of the Scots Greys
at Waterloo." Another work of Meissonier's, a small
thing, 17 by 23, "At the Barracks," brought ;^3200.
Prominent on the walls, for size and merit, was a
6o Bits about America.
picture of the " Environs of Fontainebleau," by F. A.
Bonheur, a brother of Mme. Rosa's, measuring 156
inches by 118. This forest scene was enriched with
cattle, reminding me of the works of Paul Potter
and Kuyp — the massive bull, the balmy heifer, and
the herd in all attitudes, while the foliage and trees
were finely given. It realized ^3560. Near this
was hung Erskine Nicol's (R.S. A., Edinburgh) " The
Disputed Boundary," one of those exquisite scenes
of Irish life which a few years ago decked the
Academy walls, but which now, alas ! owing to the
failing health of the " Art member for Ireland," we
sadly, sorely miss. It is in his best manner. The
lawyer on the estate, in stately black, with white
neckcloth, ruffled shirt, and quill in hand, the
disputants, one old, defiant, immovable ; the other
with the shocky red hair that Nicol can render
so well, holds the map and *' discoorses ; " while
the onlookers, the table, books, letters, etc., are
perfect. The picture is as crisp and fresh as
when it left the easel, and fell into the hands of
Mr. Thomas B. Clark at ;^3050. The catalogue
tells, "Mr. Nicol wished the above sent to the
Centennial Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876," stating
that he regarded "The Disputed Boundary" as the
greatest work he had ever painted.
There was a nice " bit " of Thomas Faed, R.A.'s,
" Papa's Coming," which has been secured by Mr.
Paintings, 6 1
John S. Kennedy for his home collection. The
works of W. A. Bougereau, Paris, three in number,
were most attractive. " The New-born Lamb "
brought £1020, and a finely executed piece, " Return
from the Harvest," showing a peasant woman,
sheaf-and-flower crowned, mounted on a donkey,
having before her a "bonnie bairn," and surrounded
by well-grouped harvest rejoicers, sold for £\6oo.^
I should exhaust my readers' patience were I to
go over in detail the pictures of Fortuny, Troyon
Fichel, Gerome, Bierstadt, and others. The collec-
tion numbered 220, and the sale occupied three
evenings from half-past seven o'clock till nearly ten.
Chickering Hall, in which it took place, is a large,
handsome concert room belonging to the musical
firm of that name in New York, and will contain
2500 people. On the third evening of the sale I
got into the crowded hall early, and had a favour-
able seat. When business began, young men were
ranged at short distances among the passages, to
catch *' bids," as these would have been lost in the
crowd without such help. The auctioneer, Mr.
Thomas E. Kirby, a man in his prime, stood at a
small desk ; behind him was a platform, half con-
cealed by deep, large red curtains. These were
drawn aside, or rather from the front to the back
of an easel stand, revealing the picture to be sold.
Mr. Kirby spoke incessantly, repeating the last bid
62 Bits about America.
or the new one as fast as he could speak, on and
on, giving sufficient time at the end, but still speak-
ing, until his ivory hammer fell. Then the curtains
were brought to the front of the stand, and in a
few seconds they were withdrawn, showing another
picture for sale. The auctioneer, in the interim of
changing, described the coming lot.
Bids were bawled out by the assistants in the
passages, even from far back in the gallery — in the
front of which were Jay Gould, Vanderbilt, and
several other noted American collectors. Occa-
sionally the jumps were "big." Applause greeted
several pictures, and followed any good bid. Works
by native artists were well received, and a picture
of " George Washington," by Gilbert Stuart, a
famous American portrait painter, brought down
the house. It fell at £620, and was shortly followed
by a large, very fine portrait of Alexander Von
Humboldt (Kosmos), by I. Schrader, Berlin, certified
by the artist as painted from life, which only brought
;^i85, drawing from many an expression of surprise
— Patriotism versus Philosophy. Mr. Gilbert Stuart
has evidently painted a good many portraits of
George Washington, for I have seen them in several
collections. One picture by Jerome, Paris, " Une
Collaboration," brought £1620, or ;^3 per square
inch. The "Old Masters" in the collection seemed
to me, in art phrase, hardly dry — the brightness of
Paintings. 63
the colouring being suspicious, and buyers seemed
of the same opinion, for a large Titian (?), " Madonna
and Child," brought only £\6q\ Murillos, £12^,
£226 ; a Rembrandt, £^0. There was considerable
laughter when some " weeds," that had evidently
hung on the walls of some great dining saloon of a
hotel, large and showy, of ladies of the i8th cen-
tury in ruffles and trickery, brought about £2^
each — the grand frames were almost worth the
money.
One monster, measuring 35 feet by 22 feet, by
Adolphe Zoon, could not be removed from the Grand
Union Hotel at Saratoga. A duplicate of it, well
executed, measuring 60 inches by 36, was exhibited
and sold along with the great "White Elephant;"
for the two, £6^, cheap. The allegory is very
flattering to America, with " Republic," and Minerva,
and trumpets and winged messengers, and " E Pluri-
bus Unum," and peace, industry, a river quenching
the torch of war, etc. The original picture is so
huge that a ball-room was designed with a panel
big enough to hold it. I was struck with " Lady
Washington's" reception by D. Huntingdon. A fine
study of figures, and the dresses, although of a
century ago, more graceful than those of to-day.
Lady Washington is admirably drawn ; George,
effective in full black Court dress ; the Duke of
Kent, a fine soldierly-looking man. Mrs. George
64 Bits about America.
Clinton is a perfect impersonation of a very old
lady sitting, and Jonathan TurnbuU of an old
gentleman. Bierstadt's " Seal Rock, San Francisco,"
is a grand northern sea scene, with wonderful effects
of light and shade on the chafing and " surfy "
waves as they surged round a natural rock bridge
— the light through the arch, the sea - fowl, sea-
lions, and seals were numerous, true to nature, and
admirably rendered. The tout ensemble was a pic-
ture of surpassing merit. Two other pictures from
the same easel showed how thoroughly Mr. Bierstadt
merits the encomium passed upon him as " the first
pioneer painter to reveal to us the sublime scenery
of the Far West."
There was a "Blind Man's Buff" by Charles
Bargnut, Brussels, but how different from Sir D.
Wilkie's ! All the players were ladies in shining
satins and long trains. No MAN body to catch —
" Butter to butter's nae kitchen." In a three-panel
representation of the " Prodigal Son," I got some
information as to the manners and customs of the
East — quite new to me — such as that " dice "-playing
was common in his days ; the apparel, etc., seemed
very modern, and the father is receiving the son on
the staircase of a fine mansion, partly Corinthian,
partly Norman in style. Great is American art,
liberally is it patronized. The prices totalled over
;£"iOO,000, but many pictures fell far short of what
Paintings. 65
had been originally paid for them. Greater is
American propriety. The statue of "The Greek
Slave," original and exquisite, for which no offer
was made, was withdrawn.
The " Corcoran " Gallery of Art, Washington,
the free gift to the public of William W. Corcoran,
Esq., is very fine. In it is a sparkling gem from the
genial Erskine Nicol — " * Paddy's Mark,' where a
genuine son of the Emerald Isle is putting his mark
to a lease, while he looks up with hesitating inquiry
into the bland face of the attorney, whose smooth
manner assures Paddy that it is all right. The
incident is admirably told, and every part of the
work painted with great force and clearness."
There is also " Shakespeare and his Contemporaries,"
by John Faed, R.A., R.S.A., etc., well known by the
numerous engravings of it. It is a little formal,
but fresh and powerful. The following mixture of
nationalities occurs in the descriptive catalogue : —
" This picture is by one of the leading artists of
England. John Faed is a Scotsman, and one of
three brothers eminent in art. Thomas Faed is the
famous painter of ' Sir Walter Scott and his Friends
at Abbotsford,' etc. James Faed is the engraver of
the excellent print of this picture, dedicated to Mr.
Corcoran."
There are also masterpieces by Thomas Cole, M.
Durand, E. Renouf, G. H. Boughton, James M.
66 Bits about America.
Hart-Troyon, G. C. St. Pierre, J. F. Kensett, etc.
" The Magdalena River," by F. E. Church ; " The
Coast of New Jersey," by W. T. Richards ; " Char-
lotte Corday in Prison," by C. L. Muller ; " A Beach
Scene, Holland," by Kaemerrer ; " A Trout Brook,"
by Whittredge ; " A Pastoral Visit," by R. N.
Brooke ; and " Mount Corcoran," by Bierstadt, — a
glorious panorama of Nature's grandest moods and
scenes, which will repay careful attention.
In every considerable town there are Art Galleries
worthy of a visit, for which, in many cases, larger
halls are being provided. By the courtesy of H. W.
Robbins, Esq., N.A., I got a season ticket for the
62nd Annual Exhibition of the National Academy
of Design in New York, and a glance round its
walls warrants me in hinting that British artists will
need to look to their colours.
The large "clubs" of New York have periodical
" picture " nights, where recent works are exhibited.
There artists and the members of the clubs meet,
and exchange opinions. I had the privilege of
spending one such evening at the " Century Club,"
New York, where I saw a spirited portrait of W.
Sloane, Esq., by H. W. Robbins, and other works
of great merit. The mixing of artists, literary men,
and connoisseurs proves useful to each and all. I
dare not attempt to write of the sculptures, ceramics,
etc., of the museums I visited ; they were fine. Nor
Paintings. 67
of the large pictures illustrative of American history
in the Capitol at Washington, at Boston, Philadelphia,
etc. Large — very — is a prominent characteristic,
but the execution is good and the result effective.
From guides and guide-books you learn the price
of each in " dollars." I have seen in various parts
of America paintings of human and still life, in
tempera and colour, that more effectively represent
" relievo " than I ever saw before. It takes many
a side glance to convince one that all is flat ;
but I have already exceeded the limits of a " Bit "
by a " bittock," and must pass on to other matters,
for it was Longfellow, THE poet of America, that
wrote — â–
"Art is long, and time is fleeting."
CHAPTER VII.
CHURCHES AND SABBATH SCHOOLS.
HE church architecture of America is,
as a rule, chaste, and, to venture a
commonly-heard pun, " a-spiring." Even
in New York, with its huge blocks of
high warehouses, the church spires, as seen
from the opposite bank of the river, overtop
the secular element. Organs, with good choirs and
fine singing, were in all which I visited ; the congre-
gations joined in about the half of the service of
praise, soloists, or the choir, doing the rest.
The first in which I worshipped, the Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church, New York, of which the Rev.
John Hall, D.D., is the pastor, is a handsome build-
ing, or rather series of buildings. The under flat
resembles a workshop, with its boilers, air-pumps,
and blowing fan, worked by a steam engine, which
exhausts the vitiated air and supplies fresh air to
the church as well as to the organ pipes ; ventilation
being most carefully attended to. The wood-work
of the church is elaborately carved ; the decorations
Chtcrches and Sabbath Schools. 69
of roof, walls, and windows are chaste, the lobbies
carpeted and the seats cushioned, — altogether a
splendid edifice. The congregation numbers 21 17
members, has 1580 Sabbath scholars, and contributes
about three times as much for missionary and bene-
volent objects as it expends on its own support ;
its gross annual income being over thirty thousand
pounds sterling.
Its membership displays the characteristic activity
of American churches, although the report shows
that that bugbear of British churches, " the half-day
hearer," is found even there, for it tells that " the
tendency in many places is to forego the second
service on the Lord's day." There is a softness
about that "forego" rather pleasing. It sounds a
little as if it were self-denial on the hearer's part.
Certainly it is " letting them down easily," and should
be looked at from all sides.
From the same report (1885) can be gathered the
high state of organization of this church. Some of
their standing committees might be usefully intro-
duced into other churches, such as " for seating
strangers," " for visiting Sunday schools," " for sup-
plies," '' for music." The latter is not uncommon ;
but besides it, I find on page 1 1 a " committee on
music of session." This is new to me, and delight-
fully suggestive of melody as well as harmony. I
can only guess that this committee keeps the session
70 Bits about America.
in musical efficiency, by insisting on each member's
duly practising sacred music and passing a satis-
factory examination at least yearly ; possibly there
may be competitions and prizes for " solo " or
" organ " excellence. I regret that I did not observe
this admirable appointment until it was too late to
inquire into its methods of working and results.
The Women's Employment Society is a model of
perfection. It has " a purchasing and pricing com-
mittee," one for " cutting, marking, and finishing,"
''permit," "distributing and examining," "paying,"
" selling," " order," " reading," a " sewing school," etc.
It has enabled many good women to eke out a
livelihood, by helping them to help themselves.
There is also a Sunday class for female domestics, a
" Chinese Sabbath school," for " John Chinaman " is
the great laundryman of America, a free bed in
the Presbyterian Hospital, a Young Ladies' Branch
of Home and Foreign Missions ; and two Mission
Chapels have been founded and are being fostered
by this influential congregation.
I visited the Sabbath Morning Classes in the fine
halls. There were no " forms," — only neat, light
wooden chairs, the scholars clustering around the
teacher ; and all seemed active, bright, and happy.
As I entered the "younger" class-room, the lady
teacher was proceeding to give out a hymn, when a
bright-eyed boy got up, and said, — " Please, teacher,
Churches and Sabbath Schools. 7 1
I was reading a story yesterday that shows about
our lesson, and I will tell it."
" You're rather late," said the teacher, " we must
sing now." Then, turning to a delicate-looking boy,
she asked him to repeat the first verse of the hymn
about to be sung.
" I can't, teacher," was his reply.
" I forgot that_^ you had been away ill ; George,"
pointing to a boy sitting next him, " will help you
to learn it, — won't you, George ? "
" Yes, teacher," said the little tutor, as he rose to
repeat the hymn, which was prettily sung.
I visited in the afternoon a Mission School. There
were several class-rooms, separated by folding doors,
where lessons were going on ; at the closing address
and singing, the entire school met. The hymns to
be sung were in large print on rollers.
From this I went to a Mission Industrial School,
situated in " Five Points," which used to be one of
the poorest and most degraded parts of New York.
It was called the Five Points House of Industry,
and is a well-conducted " Home," where four hundred
adults or children are sheltered, trained, clothed, and
fed. Some are servants waiting employment, some
orphans or worse, some children of parents who
have had to break up their home, or are in hospital,
or sick. There is also a day nursery for little ones
between the ages of one and four years, open from
72 Bits about America,
7 A.M. to 7 P.M., thus allowing their parents to go to
work.
I quote from a letter sent to my children about
this "Home:"—
" Mr. Paton took me to a most delightful service
by the children of a Mission Industrial School.
There would be 150 girls, with pretty white pina-
fores and a little bit of bright - coloured ribbon,
and 150 boys, with heads thoroughly cropped, and
clothing of all colours and shapes. They are
orphans, or their parents are too poor to pro-
vide for them, or they have been picked up as
homeless by the police, or they have been sent here.
All were clean, orderly, and nice, — sizes from a mite
to five feet six. They sang beautifully. One girl
repeated the First Commandment ; then all sang,
* Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts
to keep this law.' Then a wee birkie of a laddie
repeated the Second Commandment, and all sang
again, * Lord^ have mercy tipon us,' etc. ; and so on
through all the commandments. They all engaged
in prayer, standing up, folding their little hands
together on their breasts, repeating the Lord's Prayer,
etc., and praying for their friends, the trustees, the
institution, and all poor and friendless children. It
was very impressive and very pretty. They sang a
good many hymns ; marched away slowly in beautiful
order, ' singing as they went ; ' — the wee laddies
Churches and Sabbath Schools. 73
hindmost were so wee, that A would make two
of them. There were whites, negroes, half-black, and
all kinds.
"After the service, one of the trustees showed us
the school-room, the dormitory or sleeping room,
with over a hundred little single crib beds, a bath-
room, the bath six times as long and wider than
' ours,' where a dozen might have been plumped in
at one time to wallop. We also went into the
infants' room, and saw forty wee, wee, wee girlies
(I think) toddling about. Their supper of bread
and milk was ready, the table was a very low one,
not higher than a form at home. The bits o' toddle-
kins waddled to their wee, wee, doll - like cane-
bottomed chairs, found out their places after some
shifting, stood up with folded hands, quietly repeated
a short ' grace ; ' and the moment this was done they
plumped down, so true to child nature, and fell to
supper instantly, — almost quicker.
" We also saw the bigger ones at supper. All are
taught to read and write ; all, old enough, are taught
trades. They are clothed from cast-off garments sent
by good friends, and ' adapted ' in the Home, so that
there is no hospital livery. There were play-rooms,
clean, well aired, well lighted, and so nice, that next
to being amongst my own dear bairns, I felt that
here were God's little ones gathered in and cared
for by Him that ' heareth the young ravens when
74 Bits about A^^ierica.
they cry,' and it made me glad to see them so cosy."
The Home Is supported by voluntary contributions,
the directors are Christian men of energy and influ-
ence, the records of the institution's success are most
gratifying, and its influence has been a blessed one.
In one Methodist negro congregation there was
keen competition as to who would sing a voluntary
before the service commenced ; but one broad-
shouldered, strong-lunged fellow got fairly ahead
of three or four earnest competitors, and the half-
gathered congregation followed him vigorously.
When the full congregation began, they did sing,
and the minister, despite his good lungs, and free —
very free — use of them (for his " Oh's " were like
huge cart - wheels, and often introduced), got an
immense amount of choral help (Scotsmen might
have thought it interruption or disturbance) in the
shape of "Amens" and other ejaculations, lustily
and constantly rising from the pews.
Even in the sermon he was powerfully backed by
exclamations. This may account for the fact that,
after the " ladles " had gone round for the collection,
and the service seemed finished, a freewill offering
was coaxingly urged, and a hymn given out to allow
time for its presentation. It was to be laid by each
willing (?) giver on a table in front of the pulpit,
open to the eyes of the preacher and the nearer
part of the congregation ; but having already " paid
Churches and Sabbath Schools, 75
my way," I left the church before the gifts were
commenced. I was told that this was the surest
way of getting negroes to give ; but I declined to
accept such an apparently slanderous explanation,
preferring, as one must do in other countries, the
handy apology for many such anomalies, " It's an
old custom," " It's the way these things are done in
our parts."
One of my most pleasant reminiscences is of a
visit paid to a Sabbath school for children of colour
in Salem Chapel, New York, under the superintend-
ence of Mr. Peter Carter. The children were of all
shades, from almost "jet" downwards. In the
infant department I heard the story of Moses
brought cleverly and lovingly home to a bright
class by the aid of the black-board and homely
illustrations. Their eyes twinkled as they were told
of the "dear little baby," his mother's love and
sister's watchful cleverness. One wee chap, in
answer to the question if they had any babies at
home, answered, " Yes, mother's got two at once ! "
The school was asked to send a message of love
to the Scottish Sabbath school children ; they
expressed their approval by crying out " Aye, aye,
aye," most heartily ; and it was a new sight for me
to see so many rolling whites of eyes, red lips,
tongues, and white teeth, moving briskly against the
swarthy " background " of their comely faces.
76 Bits about America.
I observed a little girl go stealthily up to one of
the teachers who was leaving the district, and, as
if half ashamed, hand her a brown-paper parcel,
saying, '' It's for you, I made it myself," and quickly
disappear. When the parcel was opened, it was an
easel-stand for a photograph, neatly sewed and of
pretty design. Some of the scholars were " aged,"
but interesting, and had been slaves. This school
has sent out several preachers, and for many years
has been a bright light in a dark place. The singing
was hearty.
Sunday schools are "institutions," attended not
only by the young, but some churches, at the close
of the forenoon service, virtually resolved themselves
into Sunday schools, — the gallery being reserved for
grown-up folks. I pass for an old man in Scotland,
but I twice became a scholar in America. Scholars
put questions to the teacher which are more easily
asked than answered, especially older scholars. In
one class of which I formed a scholar, a worthy
deacon was treating of the life of Jacob. He had
the run of a front seat in the gallery — we occupying
the two behind it. One man asked, " Do you think
Jacob was right in offering God ten per cent, of what
he had, if God would go with him and keep him
all right? A good bit of the Jew in that, ain't
there ? "
The worthy deacon did his best with a rather
Churches and Sabbath Schools. 7 7
puzzling lesson, saying, " He was a queer mixture,
was Jacob — very. He was a double - dealer. It
shows us that the Bible tells plain facts. He got
punished in the line of his own sins pretty smartly,
he did."
"And served him right too," added one of the
class.
Even young ones have a cool way of giving
illustrations, or opinions, or "ticklers," that would
startle ordinary British teachers, — as much as the
urchin did who could not be satisfied with the
answer the teacher gave to his question about
Jacob's ladder, question being, "What use had the
angels for a ladder when they can a' flee } " until,
after vainly trying to explain the " dreamy mystery,"
he appealed to the class, and got in reply from the
dunce, who knew more about birds and hens than
about the Bible, "They maun hae been mootin'
(moulting), sir." Or that little wiseacre who, on
hearing the teacher tell about the length of the
devil's chain, said, " He may as well have been
loose."
The sermons I heard were short and pithy ; one
was very full of matter better suited for a theological
chair than a promiscuous audience ; it was also long.
Many of the others were home-thrusting, partly
politico-religious, and in some instances outspoken.
One clergyman, dwelling on the near approach of a
yS Bits about America.
" township " election, launched thunderbolts at the
heads of electors who would not vote " prohibition
of liquor traffic ; " spoke of '' making this town the
black-hole of this Christian state ; " and he certainly
overdrew the " saloons " of the town. Another, a
reverend doctor at Evanston, handled a difficult
subject in a most impressive, direct, and forcible
way. All the preachers had evidently paid attention
to elocution ; and the spate of " intimations " at the
close of each service showed the varied agencies of
American churches, — "cottage meetings," "at homes,"
" picnics," " sewing nights," " flower missions," " hand
in hand," and " helping hand," occurring along with
the usual home notices. In some churches, an-
nouncements of rather a secular nature were made ;
these would have been rejected by the old Kilmar-
nock minister, who used to decline to have himself
or his pulpit turned into the " Kilmarnock Sunday
Advertiser."
CHAPTER VIII.
ON THE ROAD.
N leaving Washington one fine spring
evening for a long journey, I found, as
I travelled southwards, an increasing
proportion of the negro population.
They mixed with whites in railways,
" 'busses," etc. ; but, as a rule, they dwell
in " settlements " or negro quarters " apart." Many
such settlements were visited ; the dwellers seemed
gay, happy, and well-to-do. Heartily do the little
darkies gambol, and play, and romp, and " lark,"
their roguish rolling eyes, scarlet lips, and gleaming
teeth being the very embodiment of childish glee.
Among the older folks there was a breadth and
flavour about their cordial greeting of one another,
and some pretty fair " chaffing " in the courtesies
which they interchanged. I overheard a long, lean,
lanky darky say to a fat paunchy one, " You'm not
of much use, you ain't. You've got too large a
* bow-window* to do things slick, I guess."
" Bow window .'"' replied Paunchy, pulling down
79
8o Bits about America.
his vest and admiring his corpulent form, — " bow-
windows is only put on tip-top genteel houses. You
never see'd them on log-cabins like you. You ain't
the thickness of a good lathe. There ! "
On high days and holidays the men are great in
shirt-fronts and high collars, great also in gay neck-
ties. Most of the waiters in hotels are men of colour,
with their hair cut as short as scissors can do it ;
there is a slight swagger in their uncovering or
carrying dishes, and the ''waiting" in America is
slower — more " republican " — than in Britain, but
the staff is generally large, " boarding " in hotels by
young men or even married couples being quite
common. Negroes greatly delight in driving ; they
will spend half of their wages on hiring a horse and
buggy, and no mortals could look happier than they
when they can carry out the verse, —
" Bring out your bran-new cutter,
And get your gal's consent,
Then hitch up Dobbin, or some other critter,
And let the animile went."
One thus recorded his experience : — " About the
hardest thing a fellow can do is to spark two girls
at once and preserve a good average, 'specially in a
Billy buggy. They shakes so, and gals makes a
fellow nerviss, leastways two does." A young friend
treated (?) me to a ride in one of these spider-like
Billy buggies, with huge bicycle kind of wheels.
On the Road. 8 1
which young America loves so well to spank about
in, behind one of the coveted twenty-miles-an-hour
trotters. The stride of " Beauty " was enormous ;
the jigglety-jolt threatened the teeth, and was other-
wise trying. On she sped, or spended, my friend
delighted, myself preparing for whatever might turn
up, furtively glancing from the horse to the kerb-
stone, feeling like old Betty Davidson when the
horse ran off, "that I could only lippen to Provi-
dence, till the breechin' broke, and then held on like
grim death." Luckily the " turn-out " was too excel-
lent for either the breechin' or anything else to break,
and, like John Gilpin, I soon got down again.
To console me, after again reaching solid ground,
my friend told of an *' ice-boat " that was scudding
along Lake Michigan at such a rate as to alarm a
young lady. Her travelling companion, to calm her
fears, said, " In such delightful company, a journey
into eternity together would be a welcome pleasure."
" Oh ! but are you sure we would travel together ? "
was her quick reply. " Do you think you would go
my way ? "
The work horses w^ere, as a rule, lighter than ours.
Mules are very common. I was told that they were
more cheaply fed, surer-footed, hardier, stood the
intense heat better, and that they lived longer than
horses. I met an Irishman who boasted of having
bought a mule which his grandfather had sold forty
82 Bits about America.
years ago ; he seemed quite pleased with his bargain,
and declared " that the cratur was hardly come to
his best yet, and would serve him all his life anyhow."
The mule having proved refractory in his hands,
he described the treatment as follows : — " Teddy and
me got a barrel stave each, and warmed his quarters
for half-an-hour ; he didn't know which way to kick,
and he got no supper ; we came in with the barrel
staves next mornin', and he gave in like a spalpeen.
He's as swate as a pippin now."
It was moonlight as I crossed the Alleghanies, and
this admitted of some pretty glimpses of their high
tops, and deep, wide valleys. Morning broke as the
train was careering through the valley of the Kinawha
river, a rapid, wide stream, with a great many bends
and curves, round which the track was laid. This
admitted of fine forward and backward glimpses of
the high, rocky, tree-clad cliffs and bluffs that
hemmed in the river, starting often abruptly from
its very brink.
Where there was any flat land there were log-
cabins and settlers, evidencing occupation for a con-
siderable time ; but the valley was so narrow, the
hills so " sentinelled " in the river, and were so rocky
and steep, as to be evidently unfit for easy or suc-
cessful cultivation. My first impression found
expression in the words " poor creatures," and the
romance that had wound itself around " life in the
On the Road, 83
Backwoods " melted away. The houses were " wee,"
so were the barns, the fields, and the "room for
extension."
As the train moved onwards, I saw that wood-
cutting (lumbering, as it is here called) was a main
source of livelihood, evidenced by the large sawmills,
so that the settlers lived quite as much by " felling
as by raising." Onward still the train wriggled
round bends and nooks, past falls and rapids, past
brickworks, coke furnaces, and large mines ; through
mining villages more populous than picturesque,
about which pigs in small numbers wandered at
their own sweet will. Many of the miners were
negroes, their dresses as loose, oily, and neglige as
those of their British confraternity, but the swarthy
complexion did not give that idea of " coominess "
to them which so clings to the white (?) miner.
As the train emerged into the open and gradually
widening valley, there were evidences of improved
cultivation. There stood the snug and pleasant
dwellings of West Virginia farmers ; around them
were smaller shanties, plain and oldish, apparently
the homes of the slaves of former days, and in many
cases still occupied by negro farm-workers. The
westward progress revealed improved agriculture,
more populous towns and villages. Onward still,
past Charleston, into Kentucky, and the wide valley
of the placid, sweeping Ohio river, and the " blue
84 Bits about America.
grass" region, famous for high cultivation, flocks,
herds, busy towns, large manufactories, and farm
stock of all kinds, quadruped and feathered, of
prime quality.
I was reminded at Louisville, the capital of
Kentucky, of a quaint common-sense notice that
for many a day hung on the walls of an office in
Edinburgh, somewhat to the following effect, —
" WHEN YOU CALL ON A BUSINESS MAN,
IN BUSINESS HOURS,
SPEAK ONLY ABOUT BUSINESS;
AND WHEN YOU HAVE DONE WITH BUSINESS,
GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS,
THAT HE MAY ATTEND TO HIS BUSINESS," —
by the undernoted announcement, which had been
considered so valuable by the compiler that it bore
the imprint of —
" Copyright 1 879 — by W. T. Ross, Louisville,
Kentucky."
" OFFICE RULES.
" I. Gentlemen entering this office will leave the door wide open,
or apologize. Don't wipe your feet, it soils the mats.
*' 2. Those having no business should remain as long as possible.
(Short visits will not be tolerated.)
" 3. Walk around behind the desks, examine our books thoroughly
and carefully (they are written up as a public record), and if
such books as you desire are not in sight, demand them, they will
be promptly produced ; we keep a servant for the purpose.
On the Road. 85
"4. Look over the book-keeper's shoulder when at work on the
books, tell him a few jokes, punch him in the short ribs with
your elbow ; talk very loud or whistle, and if this does not have the
desired effect, then sing ; put your feet on the most convenient desk
or table, it will be of great assistance to those who are writing.
** 5. Gentlemen are requested to smoke, pipes and tobacco will be
supplied ; or, if you have an old pipe, bring it along, it may be louder
than those we have.
"6. Spit on the floor, the spittoons are for ornament ; besides,
nothing is more attractive than a frescoed floor.
**7. Profane language is expected at all times, especially when
ladies are present.
"8. Persons having no business with this office must call daily, or
send a written excuse.
**9. The employees of this establishment are daily instructed to
spare neither pains nor expense for your comfort and pleasure, and you
will confer a great favour by promptly reporting any neglect in this
respect."
Onward rushed the tram, until the valley of the
Mississippi is reached, or rather through the immense
flat plains which stretch along the banks of these
great rivers, teeming with busy life and still beauty.
In highly-cultivated, fine bearing fields, there still
stood tree-roots, the blackened stumps of the first
crop reaped by man ; this is a stiffish stubble, and
whilst it is carefully ploughed round, it is not yet
and will not in a hurry be ploughed down, although
a clever, powerful " screw jack " has been invented,
which quickly and easily extracts these many-
pronged memorials of the forest primeval. In some
places, where stumps and roots have been taken
S6 Bits about America.
out, they have been put up as a fence, effective,
rugged, and stockade-Hke.
I sighted the Mississippi, " the Father of Waters,"
as interpreted from the Indian, at St. Louis, twenty
miles after it had absorbed the waters of the mighty
Missouri. The river is here crossed by a great
bridge, three spans of which are over 500 feet wide
each, besides lateral viaducts at either side. The
bridge is built in two stories, the lower one con-
taining the double railway track, and the upper one
the carriage-ways, two-horse car (tramway) tracks,
and two footways, all high enough above the river
to admit of the largest vessels passing under them.
The river was, and I learned always is, muddy, or at
best milky, has a rapid current, and conveys the
idea alike of great bulk and power. On both banks
were busy quays, factories, and railways ; on its
bosom ships of all sorts.
On seeing this " Father of the Waters," at once the
centre and the ornament of an immense valley over
4000 miles in length, and navigable for 2000 miles
of its course, from Florida to Minnesota, with its
numerous tributaries, the Ohio, the Arkansas, the Red
River, the Yazoo, the St. Francis, and the Missouri,
of which a reliable authority states, — "It is estimated
that the Mississippi with its affluents affords 35,000
miles of navigation. A steamboat may pass up
the Mississippi and Missouri 3900 miles from the
On the Road, 87
gulf, as far as from New York to Constantinople,"
— I felt that America was a great place, and the
Mississippi river and valley one of its biggest things,
too big to be comprehended in all its possibilities,
but warranting the high terms in which it is spoken
of, and the yet higher hopes which it enkindles in
the American heart.
St. Louis, by its name, recalled the early French
occupation of this part of America. It is a
pleasantly situated, handsome city of about 600,000
inhabitants, and has several beautiful public parks.
Through one of these the ladies of St. Louis take a
business-like way of expressing their opinions upon
"Lady Tobacco," and back them up with such a
persuasive reason, that their example is worthy of
imitation. Over the gate of the fine grounds which
Mr. Henry Shaw, a rich Englishman and a bachelor,
kindly throws open to the public, may be read : —
"Resolved by a Committee of Ladies, that, as
the perfume of flowers is conducive to the great
beautification of their complexion, Gentlemen be
requested to refrain from smoking and spitting in
the conservatories and greenhouses.
" Rebecca Edom, Secyr
" It is hoped the above will be respected.
" Henry Shaw."
From St. Louis to Chicago I traversed part of
88 Bits about America.
the great prairie plain, passing immense fields of
rich loamy soil, easily ploughed and wrought, well
fenced and cultivated ; as far as the eye could
reach, it was dotted with farm-houses, villages, and
towns, steel works and quarries, industrious, ener-
getic, thriving. There were some bits of primeval
forest, and occasionally, along the track, I saw the
woodman's little log-cabin, and heard the thud of
his axe, preparing for himself a home.
I will not deal in this " bit " with the older settlers,
nor even with the new Chicago, which has grown
in sixty years from a desert swamp to a city
of nearly a million souls, and seems to defy the
elements alike of fire and water. For the scourge
of fire has once and again reduced the greater
part of the city to ashes, but the citizens began
to rebuild it, grander and vaster than before, as
soon as the ground was cold enough to receive
the foundations. Lake Michigan threatened to
engulf it, but seeing they could not lower the
lake, they raised the level of the city. Through
its streets, the busiest stream of life in America,
composed of all nationalities, rushes at a furious
rate. To and from it an immense network of
canals and railways conveys the produce of the
north, south, east, and west. It boasts of so many
big things — the biggest fire, the biggest stock-market,
the biggest failures, the biggest picnics, and some
On the Road. 89
more questionable big things which I forbear to
chronicle, — indeed, I give up as hopeless any attempt
to " compass " the great " Queen city of the Lakes,"
and fall back upon Thackeray's " Crystal Palace,
1851:"
" There's staym ingynes,
That stands in lines,
Enormous and amazing,
That squeal and snort
Like whales in sport.
Or elephants a-grazing.
" There's cabs on stands,
And shandthrydans,
There's waggons from New York here ;
There's Lapland sleighs
Have crossed the seas.
And jaunting cyars from Cork here.
" There's granite flints
That's quite imminse.
There's sacks of coals and fuels ;
There's swords and guns.
And soap in tuns,
And ginger-bread and jewels.
** There's lashins more
Of things in store.
But thim I don't remimber ;
Nor could disclose
Did I compose
From May-time to November."
I can more easily and pleasantly testify to the big-
heartedness of its denizens, among whom "â– I was
a stranger and they took me in," — not in the modern
sense, but in the good old Scripture way of genuine
and thoughtful hospitality.
CHAPTER IX.
THE PRAIRIES.
HE Prairies of America ! Wlio has not
been thrilled by accounts of their vast
extent, and the stirring adventures of
which they have been the theatre ?
Who has not filled up Mrs. Sigourney's
lines —
"The mighty prairie met the bending skies,
A sea at rest, whose sleeping waves were flowers," —
with fancy's wildest imaginings? But as my visit
was in early April, when the snow had newly
disappeared, and spring had not yet clad them in
her mantle of green, I forbear any poetical extra-
vagances, and confine myself to prosaic facts ;
even these I give with hesitation, for I am not a
practical farmer, and therefore no authority. I
merely give my own impressions, or the results of a
somewhat restricted observation and inquiry.
As soon as I struck the prairies I was impressed
with the fine black mould, so easily turned over with
the plough, on land that had been under cultivation
90
The Prairies, 91
for some time, and with the apparently boundless
horizon stretching on all sides. All is not arti-
ficially levelled like a lawn or bowling-green. There
are occasional swellings and depressions, but no
hills, hardly even a " knowe " or brae, and every short
distance there is a small pond or ''rneer," called by the
folks a " slew," into which the rain-water or melting
snow drains itself Some of these are connected
with little burns or creeks, which become rivers.
Where a railway has been constructed, a station
occurs every few miles, provided with a grain store, —
" an elevator," in country phrase, — where the corn can
be taken in carts by an inclined plane to the upper
flat, and thence loaded by spouts, as required, into
trucks. There are also platforms for smartly and
safely loading cattle and pigs ; sparred bins for
holding Indian corn in the husk ; sidings and water-
tanks. All crossings are level and unfenced. Many
of the fields are also unfenced railway-wards, but the
railway company are responsible for damage to
cattle, and occasionally the engine draws up owing
to " cattle on the line."
The stock around the farm-houses alongside the
railway was more abundant and varied than I
expected ; the number of pigs, or " hogs," as they are
here called, is legion, nearly all of the Berkshire or
Polin China breed, and they ramble, and grunt, and
feed all round. There are also a large number of
92 Bits aboiit America.
young horses and foals ; turkeys, geese white and
grey, ducks, guinea-fowls, cocks and hens, besides
sheep, rams, donkeys, and mules. My visit was
before much of the fine stock had been let out to
feed, yet, for miles upon miles, as far as the eye could
reach, there were small herds of roaming cattle,
dotting, at great intervals, the prairie.
There are tile-works at various stations along the
line, and some farmers were conducting slight drain-
ing operations, — easy work, for the soil was an open,
deep, soft black mould. Others were busy carting
out manure from their kraals, carrying out, even in
this land of plenty, the old Scottish proverb, more
true than savoury, about what is "the mother of
meal," and enriching or rather developing the riches
of otherwise rich land. I learned afterwards that
this had a " grand effec'."
After a railway journey of more than 400 miles
across the prairies, I halted in the north-west of
Iowa, at a town of over 2000 inhabitants, rich in two
railway stations, 'busses, banks, big hotels, stores,
kirks, at least one newspaper, and what was pointed
out to me as the crack building of the town and
district, — a court-house and a jail, — glorious evidences
of civilisation.
It being nightfall, my first inquiry was for a
vehicle to take me across the prairie to a relative's
house, twelve miles to the north-west. The coach-
The Prairies. 93
hirer was a genuine Scotchman, and had many-
questions to ask about the old country, some of
which were concerning a mutual acquaintance in the
kingdom of Fife.
" Can you tell me," was one of his questions, " if
Mr. Smith's dog's leg's better, and if it is able to rin
aboot noo ? "
" That I cannot," was my reply. " I know that Mr.
Smith likes the gun, and keeps some good dogs, — I
think some of them are prize-takers, — but as to their
legs, I not only know nothing, but of all the queer
questions asked at me in America, yours is the
queerest."
" Ye understand, sir," said he, " I did a little in
the veterinary surgeon way in Dunfermline; I was
a kind o' 'Vet,' as they ca' them there, and Mr.
Smith's doug had a sore leg. I attended it just
before I came away, an' I'm keen to ken how it
cam' on ; I think it would get a' richt. Tell Mr.
Smith when ye see him, that Charlie Hardie was
'spierin' for him, and anxious to ken if his doug
was fit for the moors now."
Scarcely had he finished when his wife inquired
about some of my relatives with whom she had been
a fellow-boarder at Cairneyhill ; and in the streets of
the town, far away on the prairies though it stood, I
met some known faces, and several folks with well-
known Edinburgh names. It was getting dark
94 Bits about America,
before a gentleman of the town, — whose relatives had
settled on a lot near that of the family I wished to
visit, — and I started with a team to cross twelve miles
of prairie. There was a kind of track for three or
four miles, along which he drove confidently, but
when we came to " burnt land," — that is, where the
grass of last year had not been consumed by the
cattle, but had been burned (like heather at home)
to make room for this year's crop, — he lost his
reckoning.
After looking about him anxiously for some time,
and wondering where the "school," which he con-
sidered the only reliable landmark, was, he said, " I'm
off the track ; we must wait till the moon rises."
My first thought was of that wonderful plant
known as the " Indian's compass," of which Long-
fellow writes in Evangeline : —
*' Look at this delicate plant, that lifts its head from the meadow ;
See how its leaves all point to the north, as true as the magnet.
It is the compass flower, that the finger of God has suspended
Here on its fragile stalk, to direct the traveller's journey
Over the sea-like, pathless, limitless waste of the desert."
But I did not know the plant itself, and if I had
known it I was not sure whether the dry leaves,
after their being snowed up, would prove " true as
the needle to the pole."
The sky was so overcast that the North Pole Star
was not visible, and my companion looked incredulous
The Prairies, 95
when I told him that, if we saw it, we could easily
" steer " north-west.
" On the SEA, may be," said he, " but not on the
LAND. I remember of my father pointing out the
North Pole Star to me long ago in Scotland, but I
forget all about it now, â €” we'll need to wait until the
moon rises."
" Or the North Pole appears," said I, to which he
replied with a " H'm."
We had to wait fully an hour, for the prairie is one
vast plain, with very few landmarks as yet. The
wind was in the south, and delightfully fresh, soft,
and kindly. Its balmy breath felt like a sweet air-
bath, — refreshing, delicious ; and after a night and a
day of railway journeying, in the generally too
hot, dry air of American railways, it was "caller,"
" caller ; " no other word could express the feeling so
well. When the clouds cleared away, the good old
North Pole Star appeared, but my driver and guide
was not at all sure of its reliability. I got him
advised to drive a short distance north-west by my
steering. In a minute or two he brightened up, and
cried, "We've struck the track," and keeping the
North Pole Star in sight, besides being aided by
several prairie fires, which blazed brightly in the
distance, we held on our way, and shortly afterwards
clearly saw the house we were in quest of, standing
out on the horizon against a prairie fire.
96 Bits about America.
As we approached it we were "halloed to" to
stop, because a wooden bridge, which stretched
across a " creek," like a great square platform, had
been put on in the " Fall," but had been snowed up
before the road had been made level with the timber
by nearly two feet. The " creek " was a shallow one ;
we easily forded it, and arrived safely at the door of
an old Midlothian man and friend. The wind had
been high, but it was so balmy, so soft, so nice, that
the drive had proved quite a treat.
Next morning I had my first near glimpse of
prairie life. My quarters had been so comfortable,
that I only discovered, after I got outside, that the
house was constructed of wood. It consisted of two
stories, had been designed with some taste, and
possessed a baronial window, lightning conductor,
and general snugness. Near the house were the
cattle courts, well stocked with sheep, oxen, cows,
and pigs. About us hopped hens, turkeys, and
fowls ; three young horses swanked about pokingly ;
whilst on the willowy fence any number of black-
birds and copperheads, with plumage rather gayer
than home birds, held a "Dame Burden concert,"
and went on with their prate.
Around was the immense prairie ; here and there
the eye rested upon the cabin and onstead of a
settler, but there evidently remained very much land
to be possessed. I visited a good many " settlers "
The Prairies, 97
within a radius of sixteen miles, and will endeavour
to give expression to what I learned from them
of their past experiences and present opinions of
prairie life.
All most emphatically declared that the reports
and representations made to them, as an induce-
ment to become settlers, were far too favourable,
indeed misleading ; that the amount stated as
necessary to commence with was absurdly small ;
and that those who pictured to themselves that
the life of a "settler" was either an easy, a
comfortable, or an idle life, would find them-
selves grievously mistaken. They also strongly
recommended that no one should buy land, or
do anything until he has been working on the
prairie for at least a year, for there is so much
to learn about what not to do, as well as what
to do.
There are no trees ; and many affirm that large
belts of plantation here and there would be of
immense service. But who is to plant them t
Settlers are rearing around their gardens and on-
steads some quickly-growing willows, which thrive
well, and give some protection from gales, as well
as make good fences. Excepting these, all is a
great grassy meadow, with a few small ponds 01
"slews," many of which dry quite up in summer.
There are hardly any stones in the soil, — a few
G
gS Bits about America,
granite boulders are occasionally found here and
there, but none of any size; a curling-stone would
be called a rock, — and all found on the " lot " can
be advantageously used for " loupin'-on " stones, or
as foundations for houses, or "keps" for gates.
The first thing a settler has to see to is a house
or shelter of some kind. If a bachelor, he can do
with little, and often a shanty is run up, where the
team of horses or bullocks and the " laird " share
the same roof. The breaking up of the land is his
first work, and should be done early, to avoid the
summer's growth and heat. The turf, or " divot,"
is firm and rooty, so that the first ploughing,
although not deep, is laborious, and consists merely
in " overturning " the sod. This has to be ploughed
again, and sometimes again, before being sown, and
it takes some time before harrow, plough, etc., make
it smooth and workable.
I saw some old tilled ground, black, loamy, and
easily wrought, and after the sod has been fairly
broken up, the ploughing is comparatively easy.
The soil ranges from four to six feet deep, upon a
subsoil of bluish clay, and, when newly turned up,
it seems to glisten with chemical salts of good agri-
cultural character. It is black, evidently the accumu-
lation of thousands of years' burnings of previous
crops. Indeed, the territory is old Indian hunting-
ground —
The Prairies. 99
the meaning of "Iowa" in Indian being, "This is
the land." Remains of large Indian settlements
exist, and ample evidence that the prairies formerly
supported large herds of buffaloes and wild cattle,
not found on them now, and decreasing elsewhere.
It is hardly necessary to state that no crop can
be reaped the first year, and possibly very little the
second. A bit of garden ground can be brought in,
some home vegetables planted, and if any cattle are
grazed on the prairie during the summer, a barn or
house must be found for them in winter. This
means a large wooden shed, with an upper hay-loft
for storage, having the entire under flat boarded all
round to house the cattle during the long severe
winter.
The snow of Iowa is small, hard, and dry, comes
in "blizzards," drifts greatly, and sometimes the
farmer has to dig his way through eight to ten feet
of snow. Hay for winter food can generally be cut
from the prairies, and stored either in barn or afield.
If stored afield, a large circle, of eight to ten feet
wide, has to be ploughed all round the stack, and to
be kept " red land," to prevent the prairie fires from
burning it up.
If a man wishes to make the best of settling, he
would need, in the opinion of sensible and experi-
enced men, ;^I200 to ;^I500 to give him a fair start.
Some land societies have given out ;^25o as enough.
lOO Bits about America.
Where there is no wood to be had excepting from a
great distance, — railway-brought, — and where labour
is dear, before a settler can get a plough and a team,
a house, a barn, a hay-loft, and a roomy cattle-shed,
fence a kraal, and get ready to face and withstand
the winter, he will find ^250 far too small an amount,
even although he has, like " Ben o' Hillsgill," " a
prime working family."
Settlers seem to think that land agents are as
lucky as "factors" are believed to be in Britain,
recalling Robie Hamilton's advice to Lord Eglinton
about a bit of dorty ground, — " Saw't with factors,
my lord ; they aye thrive a' place." These agents
are in the difficult position of trying to make a good
dividend for their principals, and sometimes a little
for themselves, so that the poor settler is neither
their first nor second care. Then they suggest con-
tractors who are ready to erect buildings or fences,
and report says that these contractors get rich in a
short time. On tools or implements provided, there
are rumours of "pickings," and they even can
recommend where horses or oxen are to be had.
I merely give the " sough " of what I heard, viz.
that they look fairly well after themselves and their
principals ; but, as I may be doing injustice to
"clients in absence," it will be pleasanter and
possibly wiser in me to avoid such personal matters,
lest, if I were to tell all I learned from trustworthy
The Prairies, loi
sources, I might be challenged. I try to be an
impartial chronicler.
America is all surveyed, and each square mile is
marked off on the land, as well as registered on the
Government Ordnance Survey maps. There are
640 acres in a square mile. Settlers generally
secure 160-acre lots, and cultivate them. Where, as
is usually the case, no one has taken the rest of the
" mile " or miles around them, their cattle may
freely graze on the prairies, and splendid grazing
it affords. I saw lots, of 160 acres each, in various
stages, from last year's start to that of several years
ago. The result was evident, almost wonderful.
On one settlement, after five years' tillage, I
found one hundred and fifty fine sheep, about
sixty cattle, fifty to sixty hogs, two teams of horses,
three colts, some calves and stirkies, besides many
fowls of all kinds ; but it had been achieved by
the sweat and self-denial of hard-headed, hard-
handed Scotch men and women, who told of
tornado and blast, hurricane and frost, death of
stock by accident, disease, or visitation — a battle
hardly fought, perhaps now won, but only perhaps,
for a year of drought, or an extra -severe winter —
or — or — may send a' " aglee."
As I will resume this subject in the next chapter,
I close this one by saying. Let no one go to the
prairies without a determination to ignore many of
I02 Bits about America,
the comforts of civilization, and fight a tough,
constant, watchful battle with nature, to work
constantly and wisely for many years, so as to
secure success ; and nothing will more certainly
conduce to this most desirable result than a
sufficient capital judiciously "wared."
CHAPTER X.
THE PRAIRIES (continued).
N my last bit about the prairies I may
have been misunderstood in the sum
which I stated as desirable for effectively
and economically starting prairie farm
life — viz. £\2Q0. I wish special emphasis
to be put on the words effectively and
ECONOMICALLY.
Many have not had the command of the tenth
part of that sum, but by very great self-denial
and plod they have got through.
I write after having had long conversations with
settlers, and if any one tries to figure up the price
of a house, a roomy cattle - shed with hay - loft
above, fencing, team, plough, harrows, and imple-
ments, with a fair stock of cattle and pigs to
start with, he will find that the ^250 given out
by land societies is far more than absorbed, to
say nothing of two, or perhaps three, years of no
return.
A young man, willing and able to work steadily,
103
I04 Bits about America.
and to "rough it," may get employment; he may
earn £df^ per annum, besides his board, and will
learn the quality of the soils, the requirements of
the climate, the severity of winter, the need of
being thoroughly stocked with fodder and other
necessary stores. But it will be more interesting
to the reader if I chronicle what some folks have
actually done. I found, on pretty general inquiry,
that few born Americans take to prairie or back-
wood farming, and I have met with many of
various nationalities who gave it up after one or
two years' trial, cleaned out by drought or cattle
disease, or the lack of anything to sell, because barter
is more common than cash.
To feed stock pays, whereas selling grain (nearly
all say) does not ; and it takes two or three years
on a new settlement before any live stock is ready
for the market — in the case of cattle, three or
four. Flax is often sowed as a first crop, but
only the seed is sold. Oat or wheat is some-
times taken off the second year's ploughing — light
crops.
Indian corn needs special care ; at all events, it
is reported doubtful, and, in Scottish phrase, " dorty."
It is rather planted than sowed. Three grains are
put nearly 4 feet apart each way, and the plants
therefore are so far spread that the "cleaner" —
a specially-constructed "weeding plough" — can be
The Prairies, 105
wrought between the plants, either up or across
the field. Weeds have a provokingly nasty trick
of growing on land freshly broken up, and the
" cleaner " must be used at least once each way
before the grain gets three feet high.
Each three grains yield three stalks, giving from
three to five heads — three preferred. The heads
grow about half way up the plant, and are pro-
tected with long leaves. When reaping, these
husk leaves are stripped off, the head broken off
and put into a waggon, which, owing to the wide
space between the plants, can pass through the
rows, and the stalks remain on the land until they
are ploughed down next year. Hence the stubble
is long and rough. In some States, where fodder
is scarce, these stalks are cut into small pieces
and used for feeding cattle. Should the winter
come on before the "heads" are got in, the crop
suffers little, as it stands frost well ; but seed corn
must be harvested before winter, and carefully
selected.
On the greater number of farms, feeding is done
with the whole head, which the cattle strip
clean, leaving the core. The shorthorn breed of
cattle is preferred for feeding purposes ; they stand
the climate well ; and the stock is gradually being
improved, starting as it did from the native cattle.
Herefords are also favourites, and their " kenspeckle "
io6 Bits about America.
white heads are prominent on the prairies. I saw
no Ayrshires, and very few Guernseys ; these were
only found in more cultivated districts. The
polled Angus and the Galloway breeds are being
tried, hitherto with fairly good results. Pigs thrive
well on the prairies, and when from nine to twelve
months old, they can be sold readily, but a peculiar
disease has appeared amongst them which threatens
to be disastrous.
Where a fair capital and willing hands have
gone together, the result has been excellent. I
saw a farm of 320 acres, virgin prairie within the
last six years, now rejoicing in a nice house, a com-
plete onstead, and large herds of healthy cattle of all
kinds. Ploughing and sowing were being heartily
and cheerily gone into by folks that, although well-
doing and able tradesmen during their residence
in Scotland, have found their present occupation
healthier, and their goods and gear increasing. I
partook at their hospitable table of a fat turkey
of their own rearing, and in general, as the Irish
song puts it, "the 'ating is plentiful and fine,"
because farmers rear poultry, etc., at little expense,
and, there being little market demand, the selling
price is low.
I saw another large farm of 1800 acres broken
up from the prairie within the last fifteen years,
very fully stocked and equipped in every respect
The Prairies, 107
—indeed, a systematized, model place — not the
least interesting feature being about twenty happy
mothers of little black piggies, each family cosy
and frisky in a separate roomy pen. The orchard,
lawn, trees, etc., gave evidence that plantation
might be successfully carried out, and the entire
onstead and stock were first - rate, so was the
hospitality.
Where there are no wives or sisters on the " lot,"
the insides of the houses are neither tidy nor
tempting. I asked one settler — who had been
" batching it," as this life is called, for some years —
how often he washed the dishes.
"About once a month in the summer season,"
was his reply. "I take them to a 'slew,' and
after rinsing them, give them a good rub with
prairie grass."
" How do you get on with the cooking ? "
"Well, so-so. It was too hot work in summer,
after a hard day's work. I got a barrel of sea-
biscuits; sometimes, on Sunday, I tried to cook a
fowl, but it somehow didn't come rights
" What about the spring cleaning } "
" The what .-* " said he in surprise.
" The cleaning of the house ? "
" Well, I guess that the dog's tail did the most
of that. Sometimes I took a broom, but it made
more dust than before."
io8 Bits about America,
" And the clothes-washing ? "
" The rain did a good deal ; I sometimes gave
some of them a swill in a creek, but they became
too little for me afterwards."
" Did you ever try starching or ironing ? "
This provoked a great laugh.
" Ironing } shirt collars are unknown on the
prairies. I think I have a few somewhere, but
where ? I have no notion. Ironing } starching .-*
Ha, ha, ha, ha ! "
I was, however, told that a man considered
himself entitled to take a wife if he had a team,
a dollar to pay the parson, not riecessarily a
waggon, although that looked better for the home-
coming.
The following lines fairly represent the status
quo : —
" He who by farming would get ritch,
Must plow and sow, and dig and sitch,
Work hard all day, sleep hard all night,
Save every cent, and not gettite."
' ' Jane Lovell was a farmer's wife,
A wife she was worth having too ;
For, when Jane Lovell rolled up her sleeves,
Things round that house began to flew."
Many have erected the circular windmills spoken
of in a former chapter, and, as a rule, water is found
at no great depth. Deer have been seen, but very
rarely. Prairie hens, resembling Scottish grouse.
The Prairies. 109
are very abundant ; also quails (like partridges),
snipe, wild ducks, and cranes — all edible. There
are very few crows. Nearly all the birds are
migratory, for winter is a hard time. I heard the
howling of a prairie wolf, and saw the skins of
some that had recently been shot. They do not
often appear, occasionally in twos or threes during
winter, and the State gives from los. to 20s. for the
tips of their ears.
There are a few raccoons, principally living in
stumps or marshes ; they are fond of chickens and
young pigs. So are the ''skunks," a fierce little
creature that will face up if attacked, and emit
a most offensive odour. The musk-rats have also
a weakness for eggs, and there is a thing called
a gopher, a sort of underground squirrel, zebra-
striped in body, that digs up the newly-planted
corn for its own use. There are some birds of
prey, owls, hawks, etc., but neither the wild animals
nor birds are so numerous as to be a pest.
The less said about the mosquito the better;
his pedigree is well given thus: — "The muskito is
born of poor but industrious parents, but has in
his veins some of the best blood in the country."
And another zoological definition is : — " The hornet
is a red-hot child of nature, and has a ' bizziness '
end to him." All concur in pronouncing the air
delightful, and that pulmonary and other diseases
no Bits about America,
have disappeared from those afflicted with them
when they left Britain.
Although I knew before my visit that hired labour
was rarely found on the prairies, the implements of
the settlers surprised me for their number and handi-
ness. I found sowing-machines that would sow
wheat or corn over forty feet at a time, or might be
adapted to sow grass seeds ; also weeders, buskers,
planters, and mowers. Of the grass seeds, "Timothy"
is a great favourite, grows well, makes fine hay, and
lasts. All whom I visited had a bit of garden
ground, from which they got, in their season, vege-
tables and fruits — many of these could hardly be
grown outside in Britain, such as tomatoes and
pumpkins. Orchards had been planted, and pro-
mised well.
The dress of the male sex on the prairies is homely
and confined to essentials. Patchwork is fashionable ;
a button or two awanting, or of different sizes, kinds,
or colours, is nothing thought of; cuffs and collars
nily and the hue of the garments is very varied,
according as the sun, rain, or wind has affected them.
Hats are particularly picturesque, and " Day and
Martin " or other " boot blacking " may be found, but
it is very far from being in general use. The com-
plexions of the settlers were splendidly bronzed and
weather-beaten, their sinews and muscles firm ; and,
despite the apparently never-ending and multifarious
The Prairies. 1 1 1
labours, it gladdened one's heart to see everything so
effectively done and so purpose-like. I noticed, and
dare to chronicle, that they get on well with buildings
and accommodation of a very much simpler and
plainer kind than they would have taken from their
" lairds " in the old country.
Prairie life is patriarchal in many respects — not
least in this, that its wealth is in cattle. Produce of
all kinds " consumed on the premises " by stock pays
best. And it is natural to inquire. How is this live
stock disposed of? Foals easily, either by being set
early to work on the place or sold to a neighbour
settler ; and the mothers do not get the comfortable
rest accorded to them in Britain ; very young foals
are seen following the waggons or ploughs in which
their nurses are working. Cattle and pigs by being
sent to the " stock-yards " existing in all large towns,
which put even " Swan's " and St. Boswells' big rings
into the shade.
I visited the stock-yards of Chicago, to which cattle
by the thousand and pigs by the ten thousand are
sent daily from all parts. These yards cover hundreds
of acres, and are replenished by trains from every
quarter. Not only does the live stock make a stir,
but there are mounted dealers, farmers, settlers, and
agents cantering about on horses, ranging from the
mustang of Mexico to the thoroughbred — good riders
most of them, and bronzed, swanking fellows. Sales
112 Bits about America.
are sharply concluded, and the cattle as quickly-
allotted, some are trucked alive. The greater portion
is consigned to immense mechanical \y\x\.Q}!\^nQ^.
I visited one establishment where they " prepare "
10,000 pigs in one day. These are weighed on a
steelyard in fifties or hundreds, and paid for by certi-
fied live weight. Thereafter they are driven into the
large pens of the buyers, thence into smaller ones,
to the number of fifty or so. There a chain is put
round the hind-leg of Mr. Pig, he is hauled up, —
the younger ones squealing vigorously, the older and
fatter ones only grunting out a protest at their sudden
elevation. Before they have travelled four feet they
are despatched quickly and deftly by one insertion
of the sharp knife of the gruesome, greasy execu-
tioner. They then travel onwards, as closely as
they can be strung, until, after some minutes have
elapsed, they are dropped into a trough of boiling
water, holding from forty to fifty.
At the further end they are lifted up by machinery,
one by one, and passed into and through a machine
fitted with revolving scrapers, which whisks them
round and round, fore and aft, up and down ; they go
in bristly, they come out shaven. Onwards they
travel, undergoing various processes of anatomical
dissection and dismemberment ; the parts, not
essentially of the carcase, are put into separate boxes
for special treatment, and the pork, ready for market,
The Prairies. 113
appears at the other end of the mechanical abattoir.
CooHng, packing, etc., then follow. Fancy 10,000 in
one day. Poor pigs ! — it is even said " they go in
pigs, and come out nail-brushes."
The larger cattle are shot, hauled in, dissected,
apportioned, cooled in refrigerating houses, put into
refrigerating cars, and sent to any market seeking
them. All offal is used up ; all drainage also — some
for manufacturing purposes, some for fertilizers. As
far as an onlooker could judge, nothing was wasted
or lost. The fields around Chicago testify to the
fact that the yards are regularly cleaned, and the
result agriculturally applied. Large stock-yards and
establishments such as I have described are to be
found in various parts of America.
I followed the carcases to the " cooking " estab-
lishment of Messrs. Libby, M'Neil, & Libby, well
known over the world for tinned meats. There I
found that they could prepare 1000 oxen daily,
employing about 1200 people; that scrupulous
attention was paid to cleanliness in every depart-
ment ; that the tin and the solder used in making the
" cans " were of special composition, so that no
chemical change could take place that would affect
the contents in any degree ; that for each size of
"can " there was a carefully- weighed nugget of solder
used, sufficient for the work, but nothing more; that
the metal used was periodically analyzed to secure
II
114 Bits about America.
uniformity ; and that the finest lard was used where oil
was needed. It almost startles one to see machinery
capable of packing 30,000 lb. of corned beef daily,
I did not wonder at one which packed the 14 lb.
cans being called "Jumbo." It was equally in-
teresting to observe the range and variety of this
whole world's kitchen's specialities in catering for
public taste, and the care taken that each department
shall be carefully overlooked and the cans methodi-
cally tested.
To return to the prairies, I have spoken of the
men-folk as not extra particular in the matter of
their personal appearance. The other sex, true to
the finer instincts of the feminine nature, displays
much better taste in this respect. I saw prairie
flowers as sweet as " Rosalie," plain in their neatness ;
and, in closing this motley medley, I gladly express
my delight at finding, in many " new holdings," as
good taste and as correct manners as in the home
middle classes, and my pride at finding so many
sturdy sons and daughters of Scotland, holding to
the traditional virtues of their ancestors, and morally
as well as physically making the wilderness and the
solitary place " to blossom as the rose."
I was privileged with " Queen's weather " while
on the prairies. But since my return the following
passage occurs in a letter received from Iowa: — " You
were lucky in having fine weather when here, which
The Prairies. 115
made it more pleasant. We had a dreadful storm the
week after you left, with wind, snow, sleet, and rain.
Cattle that were out grazing on the prairie were
driven before the blast in all directions, and their
owners had much trouble searching for them, as
some of them were driven twelve or fifteen miles
from their home ; before being found, many of them
had perished. It is said that hundreds have died
around here. Luckily for me, I drove mine all into
the ' kraal ' when I saiv the storm approaching, and
lost none."
This needs no comment. I noticed that one of
the first and the last things which my host did daily
was to watch if the " prairie fire " was coming near
him, or if there were threatenings of a storm
" brewing."
CHAPTER XI.
NIAGARA.
N entering Canada from the west, I found
the country hillier and knollier than the
prairies upon which I had been for several
days. There was more of the forest
primeval ; several of the cleared fields still
retained the sturdy stumps of the old trees,
in others these had been extracted and set up as a
fence, — a barricade would have been a more appro-
priate name, considering their height, rugged outline,
and fending powers. The large orchards and gardens
were interesting ; but my destination was Niagara,
reckoned ever since I can remember as one of the
seven wonders of the world ; and this great " coming
event" lessened my interest in ''passing" scenes.
On the night before my arrival there had been a fall
of snow, accompanied by severe frost, and many of
the trees had every twig and branch encased in ice,
which made them " weeping " shrubs, on which the
sunlight produced lovely effects. The station at
which I arrived is about two miles from the Falls,
Niagai^a. i r 7
and there were touting cabmen who offered to drive
visitors around and show " everything " for two
dollars (8s.). It were nearly as well not to go at
all as to put oneself under such guidance, for they
whirl you to a few favourite peeps, and either get
rid of you as soon as possible, or put on an extrava-
gant extra charge for more than their idea of the
" round."
Niagara is a great subject — perhaps the greatest
even in this day of travel and adventure. It cannot
be taken in by persons travelling like detectives, or
rushing in hot haste to the next train, unless they
follow the advice of the Edinburgh bailie, who, on
being asked by a party of American travellers if
they could "do" Edinburgh, Roslin, Hawthornden,
and Melrose, and get into Glasgow the same night.
" Hardly," was his quaint reply. " Edinburgh
cannot be half ' done ' in a day ; and if that is all
the time you can give, you would be wiser to spend
an hour or two looking over a good collection of
photographs of Scottish scenery."
To master Niagara, the visitor has to "turn and
gaze, and turn again ; " to plant himself at various
points of view, and let the mighty scene " creep into
his study of imagination " through eye, and ear, and
heart.
I was driven, in the bright sunshine and crisp
frosty air of a " snellish " bright April morning, to
1 1 8 Bits about America.
the Prospect Hotel, which stands almost on the
brink of the ravine, within a very short distance of
the " Horseshoe " Fall, on the Canadian side, and
commands the entire scene. While from the coffee-
room, or platform, I looked on the scene, I felt that
it was truly great — too great to belong to any one
nation ; but well fitted to form the silver line that
divides two great nations — the one the hoary em-
bodiment of the civilization of the old world, the
other the Samson of the new, whose brawny muscle
is developing the great material resources of his wide
domain, and whose keen intellect is making the circle
of the sciences help him effectively in completing
the victory of mind over matter.
Who has not felt the difficulty of describing the
grand and the majestic in nature ? I feel, as is told
of the Paisley weaver on his visit to Lochgoil, at a
great loss for adjectives. He ascended from "fine"
to " grand," to " splendid," " magnificent," etc., until
he had to squeeze out the highly improper climax —
" Isna the works o' Nature devilish } " Niagara was
broader, vaster than I had pictured it. Above the
Falls the ground is comparatively low and flat, not
at all like a gorge, and for a mile before it takes the
plunge it has started on a canter of from twenty to
forty miles an hour, over a course nearly two miles
wide, surging between low, tree-clad islands of
various sizes, taking here and there a trial leap of
Niagara. 119
from two to eight feet, foaming, rushing, occasionally
firing off platoons of spray, or boiling up like geyser
hot springs. On it came, — strong, fast, and billowy,
bearing on its surface huge masses of ice, with which
it sported as with feathers.
The Horseshoe Fall has receded in the centre,
and, the tip of the " shoe " having fallen in, the shape
is like, or is becoming like, the dumpy horn of a
rhinoceros. On the " Dominion " side the half of the
horseshoe is still very perfect, and over it huge masses
of greenish-coloured water hurl themselves, abruptly
and solemnly, as if on important business, grading
in tint from pale sage green where the water is twenty
to thirty feet deep, gradually to pure white at the
shallower edge.
About the middle of the Horseshoe, where the
" tip " once was, the rocks have fallen in, and the
river bed is slightly lower. Towards this point the
lower part of the rapids wildly converge, rushing to
the huge vortex, and chafing furiously in their course,
until they plunge into the great seething, hissing,
boiling caldron, whence platoons of spray are shot
up in all directions, and tumultuous "confusion
worse confounded " reigns. The other half of the
Horseshoe Fall, terminating on Goat Island, is
equally grand and impressive. I was struck with
the completeness of the views that can be had of
Niagara from all sides and of all kinds. The banks,
1 20 Bits about America.
or rather the top of the banks, of the river below the
Falls is nearly on a level with the Falls themselves,
and in some places rather lower, so that one can take
in the entire scene.
From the American to the Canadian bank of the
river, the Falls and islands present a frontage of
three-quarters of a mile in width, by about 165 feet
high, so that the breadth is thirty times the height,
and the lay of the land is such that the visitor can
get very near to the top of the cascades on all sides, —
close enough to see the boiling caldron of misty
spray into which the torrent is hurled, to get front,
side, or end views easily, and from the various islands
to see the rapids and the Falls safely and well. There
is no steep gorge to descend as on Clydeside, or at
Schaffhausen ; the land around is not generally
higher above the top of the Falls than an ordinary
mill wear or damhead.
Either the United States Government or the State
of New York have acquired Prospect Park and
corner, with all the islands and the ground bordering
on the Falls on the American side. They have also
erected substantial and elegant bridges between the
islands, and generally have done all that could be
wished to enable the visitor, either driving or on
foot, to see the various phases of the great rapids
and cascades comfortably. The Canadian Govern-
ment, or the Legislature of the Province of Ontario,
Niagara.
121
are providing the same facilities for visitors on
the Canadian side. These "reservations" by the
Governments secure to all easy access at a moderate
charge, and free visitors from the constant " black-
mail " formerly levied by guides and " touters."
The Falls have been so generally reproduced in
paintings, engravings, and photographs, that I spare
my readers anything high-falutin about them. If
the poet Southey made so much of " How the torrent
comes down at Lodore," until his poem seemed like
a review of all the adjectives in the English language
that could be marshalled to represent water in
violent motion, it would be presumption in me to
attempt to describe the indescribable. Let any one
multiply " Lodore" by any number of thousands he
likes to come approximately to the grand reality.
I felt more inclined to be silent, as Mrs. Sigourney
aptly puts it, —
'"Mid the peal sublime of thy tremendous hymn,"
and to recall her lines, —
" Flow on for ever, in thy glorious robe
Of terror and of beauty. Yea, flow on
Unfathom'd and resistless — God hath set
His rainbow on thy forehead, and the cloud
Mantled around thy feet. And He doth give
Thy voice of thunder power to speak of Him
Eternally — bidding the lip of man
Keep silence — and upon thine altar pour
Incense of awe-struck praise.
122 Bits about America.
But as for us, it seems
Scarce lawful, with our erring lips to talk
Familiarly of thee — methinks to trace
Thine awful features with our pencil's point,
Were but to press on Sinai."
Niagara is an Indian word meaning " The thunder
of waters ;" the roar is grand, but not deafening. The
spray is so dense and so high as, in my opinion, to
deaden the sound somewhat, and, in its ever-varying
form, bulk, shade, and spasmodic jerkiness, it supplies
one of the most beautiful features of the Falls.
Sometimes, and at some places, I could see nearly
to the bottom ; at other times the vapours rose to
the top ; luckily the wind was down the valley and
light, so that the whole verge was visible all day.
The rainbows were exquisite, and by a slight change
of position I could make them span the two principal
falls by a cerulean arch, or get a segment in any
corner I pleased. At the bottom, where the spray
was dense, there was a very pleasing softness in the
rainbow, and occasionally, from the failure of spray,
only the ends of the arch were seen, then a bit of the
middle would fill up. I confess to having had quite
a schoolboy pleasure in making the rainbows do
what I liked.
The Fall on the American side is iioo feet wide;
it also is receding in the centre, but the edge whence
it plunges abruptly into the chasm is still fairly
straight. In front of it, caused by the frost fixing
Niagara. 123
the spray and fallen snow, lay huge blocks of
pure white ice, fantastic in shape ; one resembled a
huge polar bear, magnified a hundred times, another
a huge elephant, another a frog ; their sizes were
more like the Mastodons or Megatheria and Ichthyo-
sauri of old. One ice-rock would measure 250 feet
long by 80 feet high, with a smooth sonsie back ;
and a fanciful spectator could easily find faces and
strange shapes on its various corners. All the ice
blocks were smoothly rounded, not angular, and in
some places along the banks there were icicles like
pine trees.
Encasing myself in hideous oilskin overalls and a
peaked hood, I descended by a corkscrew stair to an
ice-covered rock which lay on the margin of the
river, and scrambled as best I could along the
slippery surface, until I got beneath and behind the
Falls. The sensations produced by the immense
volume and rush of the overarching and descending
waters were awe-inspiring, but the constant flickering
of the eyes as they tried to rest on the ever-twisting
falling torrent produced giddiness, and jets of water
or spray, as if indignant at human intrusion, seemed
to delight in making a target of the face. Altogether
I met with a damp reception. I also walked to the
brink of the river a little farther down, and saw new
beauties revealing themselves all around.
The river settles at a short distance from the
124 Bits about Anierica,
Falls, and moves majestically onwards. Its breadth
takes away from the apparent depth of its banks,
and the surrounding country is flat. An elegant
suspension bridge unites America and Canada
within five minutes' walk of both Falls ; from it
grand views worth lingering over are obtained.
About three miles farther down the river than
the Falls are the " Rapids," where the stream, which
generally is from 800 to 1 000 feet wide, narrows
itself to about 300 feet. The current here is in-
tensely swift, and the waves from the converging
sides dash against one another in angrier fury
than ever I saw on other waters ; so much so
that the centre of the river is generally from 30
to 40 feet higher than the sides, and the waves are
goring each other like the "horns of an angry
bull."
I had my ideas of the perilous freaks of adven-
turers rather modified here. I thought, likely from
having carelessly read the accounts, that several
daring men had actually come over the Falls of
Niagara, and lived. That is not so ; they have
passed through the Rapids I am now describing ;
and bad enough they certainly are, but they are
merely a very swift, angry, dangerous current —
angrier than any waves on salt or fresh water I ever
saw. Still, they are not the Falls; they end in a
dangerous, big whirlpool, with treacherous under-
Niagara. 127
current, and issue thence in an even angrier stream,
only 220 feet wide, into a broad river navigable
from Lake Ontario.
It was here that Captain Matthew Webb perished.
The boatman that rowed him to the top of the
Rapids advised him to desist, and enjoy the ;^5000
he had got for former feats in the English Channel.
But he dived, after saying " he would like to double
the stakes." It is thought that the tremendous
side-currents had dislocated his neck, as that was
all that was found wrong when his body was
recovered. He had nothing on excepting a bathing-
dress. Since then, a cooper has shot the same
rapids in a cask, and a man and a woman have
performed the perilous feat together in a barrel ;
while one of the police force of Boston, now called
Professor Kendall, got through them with the aid
of a cork jacket. He was insensible for hours
afterwards, and is said to have declared that he
would not try the same prank again for all the
money in the world.
It was reported that some one intended this year
to dare to go over the Falls themselves in a barrel ;
and since my return to Scotland, I have read that
this has been done. If so, I feel, in the words of
the proverb, " The de'il's owre grit wi' ye, ye're no
canny ; " and waft all such adventurers Mr. Punch's
advice to persons about to marry — Don't.
128 Bits about America.
There is a current joke in the district about the
first little steamer that ferried the river near the
Falls, and carried passengers almost to their base,
having- been attached for debt ; but while the
Sheriff was on his way to seize it, steam was got
up, and it shot the terrible Rapids with only the loss
of the smoke-shaft, and is now doing tug-work at
Montreal. The guides recount the feats of Blondin
on the tight-rope, — hurling a man across Niagara
on a barrow, and such-like, but it gave me a head-
ache to look at the place where he performed them.
I saw the Falls under sunshine and shade, and
even partly under the one and the other ; saw the
evening effect of darkness creeping up the roaring
inn, while sunset touches of glory lightened the
trees and land around. I saw the morning sun rise
and tinge the misty vapours ; saw it dart its bright
light into the chafing, surging, seething billowy
caldron at the middle of the Horseshoe Fall, and
crest the Rapids with gleaming restless silver ; my
last glance was of a rainbow spanning the river.
I think that Solomon, in one of his moody fits,
says that the " eye is not satisfied with seeing." I
would have doubted his wisdom had he said this
about Niagara, unless he had referred to his never
being tired of seeing it — its perpetual motion, its
vastness, the hurling cascade, here green at the top,
but becoming light and fleecy, like a bride's veil, as
Niagara. 129
it descends ; the Middle Fall making one sheer leap
from the top, and forming a Grey Mare's Tail that
would have enchanted Robert Burns, — the whole
forming a sweep of more than the eyes can take in
without moving, of a mighty, irresistible, tremendous
torrent, ending in a glorious cascade and chafing
caldron, formed by a river that drains the largest
fresh-water lakes in the world, and is the largest
feeder of the river which, Americans say, puts more
fresh water into the sea than any other river on
the globe (my geography, or rather hydrography, is
so rusty, that I hesitate to recall something about
the Amazon or Mississippi or — ). This scrap is
very scrappy, but it would tax a " skilled " man to
handle such a subject aright, while at the same time
it would ill become a scribbler altogether to flinch
from outlining Niagara.
Is it ungracious to remark, that the sense of
picturesque propriety is offended by the utilitarian
look of the public works which, on the American
side, draw "power" from the Falls, and return it,
through inartistic rocky tunnels formed in the banks,
into the river ? These reminded me of a Cockney
friend's indignant protest against the domestic
surroundings of Melrose Abbey. "It is 'orrible,"
said he, "to see the beggarly helements of this
world intruding their plain hugliness upon such a
sacred spot."
I
CHAPTER XII.
CANADA.
Y stay in Canada was too short to admit
of more than a railway journey from
one city to another, and a day or two's
residence in each ; besides, it was at the
time of half-winter half-spring, when neither
the country nor the cities looked their best.
Yet, even in these unfavourable circumstances, I saw
enough to impress me with the great resources of
the Dominion, the energy of its inhabitants, and the
rapid development of social and material progress.
Its immense inland lakes, which may not inaptly be
called seas, — its profusion of great navigable rivers,
connected where necessary with each other or with
the lakes by suitable canals, — its 12,000 miles of
railways completed, and several lines in course of
construction, — are securing a prosperous " present,"
and pointing to a glorious future.
As a triumph of engineering skill, untiring energy,
and determined perseverance, the Canadian Pacific
Railway, which traverses the continent from the
180
Canada. 131
Atlantic to the Pacific, stands unrivalled. In proof
of this statement, I subjoin a few quotations from
the Canadian Almanac, 1887 :—
" The longest continuous line of rails in the world, it presented
difficulties in its construction which are unparalleled. On the Nipissing
section to Lake Superior, some four hundred miles, the country to be
traversed was a broken tract, rocky, timbered, and interspersed
throughout with innumerable lakes and streams. It was entirely
uninhabited, and provisions, clothing, and necessaries of every
description, for the men engaged in building the railway, had to be
provided by the Company. Storehouses had to be established,
hospitals built, and medical staff provided j fodder for horses ; material,
tools, and explosives for the work.
*' Next came the Lake Superior section, where the work consisted
chiefly of cutting and tunnelling through rocks of the hardest
possible character, or hewing a bench or ledge around the face of
beetling cliffs, towering hundreds of feet above. Here, and to some
extent in the mountains, the Company found it prudent and econo-
mical to manufacture their explosives largely on the spot, and the
total sum spent on explosives on the entire works amounted to over
21,000,000 dols. =:;!^4, 200,000 sterling. Some particular sections cost
700,000 dols. =;i^i40,ooo sterling per mile.
" Difficult engineering questions bristled on all sides. Rivers had to
be diverted, lakes drained, mountains tunnelled, chasms bridged, and
the material required for all these works anticipated for months.
Yet, throughout the whole period, the transportation department
never once failed to respond promptly to the call of the construction
department, which was not delayed a moment for material.
"To carry on these operations on three extended sections (at one
time, four), to pay the wages, buy the supplies, clothing, food for
men, fodder for horses, was in itself a financial undertaking such as
only nations before had attempted ; but it was done by the indomitable
courage, the enterprise, the financial and administrative skill of a
handful of individuals, and presented to the nation in 1886, five years
before the stipulated time for its completion."
I need make no apology for the above "bits"
about the construction of the great railway, any
132 Bits abont America.
more than I do for those that follow regarding its
results, which are alike gratifying, substantial, and
worthy of " honourable mention " : —
" In the early spring of 1885, large bodies of troops, destined to
suppress the North-West Rebellion, were taken charge of by the
Company, carried, fed, housed, and landed at the seat of war, in a
short space of time, without accident, and in spite of intervening
sections of unfinished railway. India, China, and Australia, and the
lesser British Colonies in the Pacific, were dependent until now, in
case of pressing need, upon the integrity of the Suez Canal. England
has neighbours of an uncertain temper, and a canal can be effectually
blocked, as has already occurred, by a sunken 'dredger.' Not so
with the Canadian route : running through British territory, it is
always open, always free to British troops. It has naval and military
depots, stores, docks, and unlimited steam coal at either end, — within
hail, so to speak, of Bermuda, and five days' sail from England.
" In point of time, China, Japan, and Australia can be reached from
England in less time than by the old routes, and India as soon, and
the deadly Red Sea avoided. Tourists from * older Britain ' to the
East, who have settled in the Pacific Colonies and India, weary of
dusty, burned -up Aden in the Red Sea, and broiling heat of Egypt,
will gladly take advantage of our temperate clime, varying their
journey with land and sea, visiting new cities, new people, and
enjoying mountain scenery which no other country can offer to them.
We have already felt the touch of the ' Orient ' trade. We have
seen teas from Japan and China landed in Canada, carried overland
through Canada, delivered in Canada, and, furthermore, forwarded
to cities throughout the United States from Canada. A new field is
found for the products and industries of the East ; a new field is
opened to the enterprise of our youth. The wealth of the wheat
regions of the North-West, the highly-favoured cattle ranges, the
mineral resources in the intervening country and in the mountains,
must all redound to the profit of the country, and help materially
to make it, what it is bound to be, ' a land of plenty.' "
" We have spoken of the Canadian Pacific Railway only so far as
its main line was concerned, but it must not be forgotten, that, while
all we have described was in active progress, a very complete system
Canada. 133
was being put together, piece by piece, in Ontario and Manitoba.
It reaches every important city and town in Canada, and by purchase
of the Government line reaches Quebec and Montreal. In addition,
it has provided the more advanced of its newer districts with branch
lines, and all the advantages railway service can contribute towards
the welfare of the pioneer."
A perusal of the above quotations induces one to
add Amen to the concluding paragraph : —
" How these changes have been wrought in five years, — how
Canada has been forced into prominence, its hundreds of thousands of
miles of unknown country brought to light, rendered accessible, and
now furnishing homes to all who care to come, — will be known
to future generations as the outcome of the Canadian Pacific
Railway."
It was outside of my plan to go, as can now
be done, from Halifax to Vancouver, a distance of
3500 miles in 116 hours, and it was only a very
small moiety of the three and a half millions of
square miles of the Dominion of Canada that I visited,
seeing that the whole area is fully thirty times larger
than that of all the British Islands put together.
In the older settlements there were large fields well
cultivated and fenced, good homesteads, and fine
orchards. During the few hours which I spent in the
city of Hamilton, Ontario, I admired its wide streets,
elegant and substantial buildings, and comfortable
residences. There was a rattling energy in the
stream of life that thronged its cleanly thorough-
fares, a general look of well-to-do-ness about the
people. The cordial Scottish welcome accorded to
134 Bits about America.
me in the cosy home of Scottish friends, made me
regret that I could not see more of them and of the
district. The sunset " effect " on its spires and
picturesque surroundings was exquisite.
From Hamilton to Toronto I travelled with a
sturdy Scottish settler in search of agricultural
machinery, and a remark he made about some old
settlers somewhat resembled the account which a
worthy Forfarshire elder gave of the former ministers
of Dunnichen, at an ordination dinner, " that three
had died, and one had gone to a better placer
Where universal kindness was experienced, it looks
invidious to mention names ; but I was so deeply
indebted to Major Greig of Toronto, for showing me
the manifold objects of beauty and interest in the
city of his adoption comfortably and thoroughly,
that I venture thus publicly to thank that genial,
loyal, and excellent Scottish-Canadian, or, as he may
possibly prefer to be called, Canadian Scot.
Toronto in Indian means " the place of meeting,"
and is now spoken of as the " Queen City of the
Lakes ; " it is fast spreading itself along the margin
of Lake Ontario, imitating the " lang toon o' Kirk-
caldy," by taking more length than breadth. Its
public buildings include " The UNIVERSITY," a mas-
sive pile in the pure Norman style of architecture,
situated in a large park, on an eminence overlooking
the city and the lake, and graced by a wide approach
Canada. 135
lined with double rows of noble trees. Near it is the
" Queen's Park," with its fine walks and statues, in
which the new Government buildings are now being
erected — Trinity College is an attractive building ;
the Cathedral of St. James, a fine massive example
of 13th century Gothic; and there are other very
handsome churches and public edifices. The streets
are wide. It is a standing joke in the city that
" Yonge " street is nearly forty miles long, — that name
being given to the entire road that bore the stream
of emigrants from Lake Ontario to the more northern
lakes, before the days of the railways. Many of
the warehouses and offices are immense and elegant
structures, beehives of energy and plod ; manu-
factures of various kinds abound ; and the bustle
of the streets, quays, wharves, and railway depots,
indicates that Toronto as a commercial centre bids
fair to rival, if not to outstrip, Montreal, owing to
the numbers of railways from the fast-growing
North-West districts that converge there, for lake
navigation or the general carrying trade.
Ottawa, the seat of the Canadian Government,
was selected by Queen Victoria as the capital of
Canada in 1858. It is conveniently situated for the
Eastern and older provinces, but too far from the
recently added Western ones. The Government
buildings in Ottawa are built on a commanding
situation, in the ornate floral Gothic style, perhaps
136 Bits abotit America.
too ornate. They are commodious, well lighted, and
airy.
I heard from the Speakers Gallery part of the
debate in the House of Commons about the
Coercion Bill of the British Government. There
was a good deal of speaking " at lairge," and much
that was said reminded me of the scolding which
a clergyman of bygone days used to give to his
congregation when the audience ivas small ; for
Ireland and the Irish came in for some very plain
language, which, had the " malignants " been present^
might have been salutary, but, like the minister's
" flyting," it was bestowed on those who did not
deserve it, and not upon the real delinquents. It
was not made a " Cabinet " question, and the
general opinion of the older Parliamentary " hands "
was that Canada had enough to do with her own
affairs, and should not meddle with such a ticklish
point, especially as advice, like medicine, is more
easily given than taken.
Canadians, as a rule, are in favour of such a
scheme of Home Rule as they themselves have,
— provincial government combined with central
control. Prominent amongst those in the House
were Sir John Macdonald, the Prime Minister,
firm, self-possessed, defiant. The Hon. Alexander
Mackenzie, ex-Prime Minister, was in the House,
but apparently in feeble health ; and the members
Canada, 137
look shrewd business-like men. In the lobbies of
the House, and of the hotels, I conversed with many,
and found them hopeful, communicative, and pro-
nouncedly loyal. The library is a handsome poly-
gonal structure on the north front of the Parliament
House, and is elegantly furnished. It contains
about 50,000 volumes, and is amply supplied with
reading easels, writing desks, and a well-equiped
reading - room. In the centre is a white marble
statue of Queen Victoria, in semi-Grecian drapery
and sandalled feet, a light coronet on her head,
adorned with Maltese crosses diwd Jletirs -de - lis ; a
sceptre in her right hand, and a wreath of laurel
in her left ; on the pedestal appears, " Marshall
Wood," 1 87 1. There are busts of the Prince and
Princess of Wales, the Marquis of Lome, and other
eminent people ; and it would help strangers not a
little to have the names put either on the busts or
the pedestals, for one of the men in charge had to
inquire at another before he could give me the
names of some of the patriots in marble.
I arrived at Montreal when the lower part of
the city was under water, and the wide St. Lawrence
covered with a dense, irregular *' ice - block," com-
posed of pile upon pile of huge lumps stretching
across the river, and up and down as far as the
eye could reach. So dense was the "jam," that
individuals were seen far out on it, picking up fire-
138 Bits about America.
wood and other debris. At the " LION " of Montreal,
— the "Victoria Bridge," nearly two miles long, —
which spans the river St. Lawrence, sometimes
called the eighth wonder of the world, the vast
field of ice came crunching along at the rate of about
ten miles an hour ; as it struck the cutwaters of the
massive piers, huge cakes from two to three feet in
thickness were smashed in pieces, and fell backwards
on the advancing avalanche, which kept hurrying
down under the bridge. Despite the enormous
weight and momentum with which the solid masses
of this floating sea were hurled against the piers,
not the slightest vibration was discernible on any
part of the bridge.
Mutterings, loud and deep, were uttered against
the River Commissioners for having dropped the
"dredgings" of the harbour into the channel,
narrowed by an island a little below the town,
instead of carrying it further seawards ; and of
course engineers were found who maintained that
that had nothing to do with the ice-block. Be
this as it may, those who love that city — and who
that has seen its magnificence or shared its hospi-
tality does not ? — should try to prevent the recur-
rence of ice-jams, as they must affect the tide of
prosperity, which its splendid situation and general
fitness for trade, commerce, and education warrant
and should command.
Canada. 1 39
I must not linger on the quaint old markets, the
splendid churches, and public buildings of Montreal,
— nor on its famous drive ^'Around the mountain"
Real, from which the city takes its name. I found,
on going to visit a friend on the quays, that his
office was only to be reached by a boat. I was,
moreover, picked up by a genial giant of an old
and honoured name in Edinburgh, and was other-
wise so thoughtfully entertained, that I feel inclined
to beg pardon for referring to the ice-flood, seeing
I was too late to see the great fete of the year,
" the Ice Palace " and its enchanting gaieties.
No visitor should fail to see Quebec, with its
stirring surroundings of the plains of Abraham,
where General Wolfe fell, and ancient walls and
gates. It is a city set on a hill, crowned, like
Edinburgh or Stirling, with a fine old citadel and
fort, and glittering with spires, towers, and fine
buildings. It occupies a large peninsula formed at
the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Charles
Rivers, where the water is several miles wide.
There are islands in the channel, with bluff head-
lands, and covered with timber ; on the opposite
banks are nice towns, with massive and pretty build-
ings, erected on ground that rises suddenly from the
river. I crossed the St. Lawrence several times
in a plucky little ferry steamer, which clove its way
through the immense ice -blocks that covered the
140 Bits about Afnerica.
bed of the river. The view from the south bank,
especially at sun-down, was lovely. Altogether the
scenery about and around Quebec is picturesque
and fascinating. Appleton's Handbook to the United
States and Canada^ which I found excellent and
reliable, thus describes it : —
"The point to which the attention of the stranger in Quebec is
first directed is Durham Terrace, which lies along the edge of the
cliff, towering 2CK) feet above the river, and overlooking the lower
town. Dufferin Terrace has lately been added to * Durham, '
making an unequalled promenade over a quarter of a mile long.
The outlook from the terrace is one of the finest in the world, and
is of itself worth a trip to Quebec. . . . Cape Diamond, 333 feet
above the stream, is crowned with the vast fortifications of the
citadel, considered so impregnable that they have gained for Quebec
the appellation of the Gibraltar of America."
It sounded a little strange to hear French so
much spoken in Montreal and Quebec ; and in
the latter city to meet so many Roman Catholic
priests and students. They literally swarm, and the
greater number of the buildings are either churches,
colleges, nunneries, or in other ways connected with
the Roman Catholic faith. As evidence of the
watchfulness of this Church, I append a document
received from one of the senators, viz. a Bill which
has been defeated with some difficulty. It would
form a grand text for anti- papal supremacy orators,
and hardly needs comment. The provision in clause
3 about fining the SHERIFF is a master-touch. In
these days of widening " Voluntary " principles and
Canada, 143
indifference to tests and forms, it is a new sensation
to come across anything so very High-Churchy as
this draft Bill.
" BILL.
" An Act respecting oaths and the administration of oaths.
" Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature
of Quebec, enacts as follows : —
** I. In all of Her Majesty's Courts of Justice in the Province, a
crucifix shall be placed in a conspicuous place, opposite the witness-
box or the place in which witnesses stand during examination, and
such crucifix shall be of the size determined by the Lieutenant-
Governor in Council.
" 2. Every court, judge, magistrate, prothonotary, clerk, and other
person entrusted with administrating oaths, shall, before a witness be
allowed to swear and give his testimony, call upon him to lift his
right hand in front of the crucifix, and to place his left hand on the
book of the Evangelists, and to cause him to swear before the crucifix
and upon the Holy Evangelists to tell the truth and the whole truth
in the cause in which he is to be heard as a witness.
*' 3. Every sheriff shall place or cause to be placed a crucifix in the
manner above indicated in each and every of the court-houses within
the limits of his district, under a penalty of fifty dollars for each day in
which he neglects so to do.
" 4. Such penalty shall be recovered from such sheriff by any person
suing for the same before any Circuit Court of the district in which
the offence has been committed, and shall belong to the prosecutor.
" 5. This Act shall not affect the provisions contained in articles
255 and 259 of the Code of Civil Procedure of Lower Canada.
' ' 6, This Act shall come into force three months after the day of its
sanction."
The French population is increasing rapidly in
Lower Canada ; registration authorities represent it
144 -^^^^ about America,
as exceedingly prolific, and that families range as
often by the score as by the dozen. Notwithstand-
ing the immense increase in railways and modes of
conveyance, the immigration is not so large as might
be desired. I was accosted in a hotel lobby at
Ottawa, by a railway contractor, a good specimen
of the " Macdonalds," a genial, jolly, comfortable-
looking middle - aged " beau," who launched out
about not getting some big folks in Britain and
others in Canada to back him in a great scheme.
He declared himself prepared to employ 15,000 men,
to feed them, etc., for two years, pay a fair wage,
and give 120 acres of land, with a house on the
lot, after the railway was finished ; and many talked
enthusiastically of the excellent and abundant
settling grounds which are awaiting the congested
population of Europe. The tide of emigration
has lately been more toward the States than to
Canada.
The winter in Canada, which Europeans so much
dread, seems to be to the Canadians a very jolly
time. Ice palaces and sleighing are in high repute.
Tobogganing is another great pastime. It is like
the " hurley backet " in Biggar of old, being a
slide on a kind of board, down a very long in-
clined plane ; and the impetus carries the voyager
a good way on level ground. The pace seems
furious. A friend tried it once, and declared
Canada. 145
that he would not have missed the " treat " for
100 dollars. On being urged to have another
slide, he replied that he would not try it again
for 10,000 dollars. Kind and hospitable are our
fellow -subjects in British North America — loyal,
strongly, demonstratively loyal ; I met many who
had relatives in Manitoba and Winnipeg, thriving
and happy. Still there seems room for many more,
and, as far as I could judge, there is a fair prospect
of many years of increasing prosperity in the
Dominion.
In the Canadian Society^ New York, I heard a
lecture by Principal Grant, of Kingston, Ont., on
" Canada First," and elsewhere the future relations
of America and Canada were freely discussed. As,
twenty years ago, it was found that there could not
be a "North" and "South," it seems generally
recognised that a still further northern independent
" Union " would not be advisable. Absorption into
the United States, or closer federation with Britain,
are the other alternatives. The latter is the mind of
Canada. Perfect freedom of commercial intercourse
would immensely benefit both. Free trade would
best serve all. Canada is intensely loyal. A
United States boy's ambition is to see Europe ; a
Canadian s, to see THE QuEEN.
CHAPTER XIII.
SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND NEWSPAPERS.
DUCATION is said to be the birthright
of every child in America. What a pity
it does not come by inheritance, and
develop with the natural growth ! I
had often heard that the educational system
America was excellent, and tried to see
a little of its working. I visited one Normal School,
where 1500 young ladies marched, with steady pre-
cision of tramp, into a large hall, and at a given
signal sat down simultaneously. After some hymn-
singing and Scripture reading, several of them from
the body of the hall gave recitations with admirable
distinctness and point, the object being not only to
test their elocution, but to enable them to cultivate
self-reliance. I saw a large class being taught in the
gymnasium of the same institution, and the pro-
fessoress did not spare those who were slovenly
or awkward. Her eye was sharp, her voice was
"snell," and where anything specially obnoxious
required action, she strode to the spot and smartly
Schools, Libraries^ and Newspapers, 147
straightened the raw recruit. " Shoulder-oop " was
the word, and her word was LAW.
I also visited several graded day schools, all
characterized by roomy class-rooms, good light, fresh
air, clean floors, active teachers, and apparently quick
children, — each class in a separate room, whilst
several rooms could be made into a hall by removing
folding doors ; there were also spare gallery rooms,
into which classes were taken for lessons requiring
illustration. The black-board was in great request.
Maps, globes, object-lessons, illustrations of natural
history and mechanics, of plant, animal, vegetable,
and fish life, decked the walls. Answers were
smartly given, and sometimes an explanation was
asked by a scholar ; but I gathered nothing " outrd "
and will not import old bon-mots. There was gene-
rally a good playground.
The " drilling " had evidently been thorough, and
mechanical smartness in rising, sitting, and marching,
had been attained. I thought there was also more
teaching than in Scotland, and less mere hearing of
lessons ; which means more done in school, and
rather less to do at home, — a thing many parents
greatly long for, and School Boards should insist
upon ; as the home work, owing to the dreary length
and variety of lessons to be learned or written there,
steals the night both from parents and children. In
some schools the lesson of the coming day was gone
148 Bits about America.
over and "broken down " during the last half-hour ;
and in arithmetic, the teacher always did a sum or
two on the black-board before asking the pupils to
do any. Several teachers, however, told me that
the Scottish children who came to them were " better
thinkers," and really more thoroughly grounded
than Americans, if not so quick at gymnastic or
mechanical exercises. One who had visited British
schools said, " Your teachers do not seem to me to
teach, — they merely correct mistakes and listen to
repetition of lessons. I could only have found out
that they were cleverer than the scholars, by hearing
the corrections they made. They do not read
before the scholars, and therefore the reading is often
bad and much too low. Many were either afraid of
the teachers or of their own voices ; and in many
instances the pro-nunciation was queer."
I thought the latter remark quite as applicable to
America, until I recalled an old Scotch friend's
remark about London, " Yon London folk are clever
folk and kind folk, but they're desp'rate ill aff for a
language. They didna ken what an edicated man
said till them, though I spoke as plain as ABC. It's
a pity. We maun send them some Scotch schule-
maisters."
Singing had considerable attention, and some
part-singing was done with fine effect of graduation
from low to strong parts. As far as I could learn,
Schools, Libraries, and Newspapers. 149
there was little corporal punishment, anything at all
severe in that direction is considered as " assaulting
a free-born American citizen," and is a high mis-
demeanour, resented, and bringing legal trouble.
The girls and boys of America are very frank,
even precocious. Asking questions that startle a
stranger, joining in conversation at table, and making
very free remarks ; outspoken about their likes and
hates ; fond of candy, fond of pie ; more self-asserting,
more opinionative, more independent of parental
control, than their British cousins. Roller skates are
a favourite amusement with them on all smooth
concreted pavements, and they manage to "jink"
the staid policemen with great agility. Large
covered skating rinks are "institutions," patronized
by old and young, and lovingly, hand-in-hand, do
couples glide around, skilfully piloting their way
across the crowded floor, making few " spills."
Base-ball has strong attractions for boys ; either it
was " in " during my visit, or it is the favourite game.
Morning and night, Sunday and Saturday, I saw it
engaged in, occasionally with very crude appliances,
such as an old barrel stave or a walking-stick with
which to strike the ball ; the boys running as only
boys can run and do run, all the world over, shouting,
laughing, and hearty.
I accompanied some young friends to " Barnum's "
great "immeasurable, moral, incomparable" show,
150 Bits about America.
first visiting the menagerie, a wonderful collection,
where London's late famous elephant Jumbo, stuffed.
Jumbo's skeleton. Jumbo's widow and son, were to be
seen. The "forum " is immense, having three "rings "
for performances, and, outside of these, a broad
track all round. At the start, a cavalcade, consisting
of twenty elephants, several camels, dromedaries,
horses, and other quadrupeds, marched round the
outer hippodrome ; thereafter, each ring was filled
by equestrians, who did great feats, or elephants who
danced " the Lancers," or donkeys, or pigs ridden by
monkeys. Dogs did wonders. There were flying
trapezists taking miraculous leaps, and performing
most hazardous antics ; men in white imitating
gladiators, and every now and again forming them-
selves into e^QctiYQ poses plastiques ; swimmers dived,
swam, rumbled and tumbled about in a large bath.
Indeed, there was more going on at one time than
anybody could take in. The clowns made great fun
with the elephants, monkeys, or pigs ; and Barnum
seems quite entitled to the distinction which he
claims, of having the " biggest show in the world."
Not a moment was lost between one performance
and another. The music was fine, possibly because
the conductor — at least so I was informed — was a
Scotsman.
Many will admit that there are objects of interest
within easy reach of their homes, which, because
Schools^ Libraries y and Newspapers. 151
they can visit them at any time, they have not seen
at all ; whereas, from the wish to learn all they can in
other lands, they " do " foreign sights and institutions
methodically and leisurely, perhaps even critically.
I felt this to be the case when I visited the free
libraries of America. In that of Boston the large
reading-room was crowded with persons of all con-
ditions, ages, and sexes, perusing newspapers and
periodicals, of which there was an abundant supply,
home and foreign. In the central hall of the library
are large glass cases filled with literary curiosities, —
old black-letter books, first editions of well-known
or rare works, in quaint lettering and spelling ;
palimpsests, parchments, autograph letters, old and
new, of kings, queens, statesmen, and men of genius ;
documents of topical interest about the War of
Independence, and Boston's early history and heroes.
Shelves towered above shelves, laden with books ;
while in the consulting rooms students browsed over
folios, deftly brought to them by smart female
librarians.
I was shown over the Toronto Public Library by
Mr. James Bain, jun., chief librarian, and admired
the clever simplicity of the double-shelved bookcases,
stretching in rows across the floor, with right-width
passages between, so that every book was readily
reached, and the light from the roof uninterruped.
The easy means of shifting the shelves, and pre-
152 Bits about America.
venting the front row from pushing the back row
out of line, were simple and suitable. I had no idea
that there was such a variety of books for blind
readers as I saw in the three different styles of
" characters " here.
The reading-room was crowded, and well supplied
with newspapers and periodical literature, including
Blackwood^ Athenceum^ Chambers's Journal, Cassell's,
Quarterly Review, Good Words, Punch (2 copies),
Ftin (2 copies), Graphic (3 copies), Berlin Free Press,
Corn hill, Revue des deux Mondes, Staats Zeitung,
Gartenlaub, Illustrirte Zeitung, Times, Manchester
Courier, Examiner, Glasgow Herald, and the Scots-
man ; besides a host of Canadian and American
papers, many of which were supplied gratis. For
the use of specialists were journals called Inventors,
Academy, Zoologist, Tailor and Cutter, Theatre,
Sporting Life, Sanitary Engineer, Practitioner,
Plumber and Decorator, Poultry Review, Mechanical
and Milling News, Iron, Live- Stock Journal, Israel's
Banner, Chemical News, Dairyman, Bee Journal,
Electrician, The Boys' Own, and the Lady's World.
Besides the Central Library, there are two branches
in other parts of the city, well patronized. In all, the
books exceed 44,000, and the periodicals and news-
papers number 444. I have entered thus fully into
these details, to emphasize the fact that a thoroughly
furnished reading-room, well stocked with newspapers
Schools, Libraries, and Newspapers. 153
and periodical literature, is a most important part of
a public library scheme ; and that this, as well as the
more solid and special function of a public library,
demands in a large town several branches with good
news-rooms.
From the "total classified circulation of books"
for the year 1886, it appears that out of every hundred
issued,
64-4 were Fiction.
Z''^ „ Juveniles.
7*3 „ History, biography, and travel.
5 '2 „ Reference.
4*5 „ Periodicals.
4-3 „ Arts and sciences.
3'3 „ General literature and collected works.
0*9 „ Theology.
o*8 „ Poetry and the drama.
0'5 „ French and German.
lOO'O
The report for the same year bears that there was a
diminution in the circulation of" Fiction," an increase
in "higher class literature," and that^ " Reference "
had advanced nearly 25 per cent. The recently
added room for " patents " in the library has been
much appreciated.
Let no censorious reader conclude that because
" Theology " shows a sluggish circulation, it is at a
154 Bii^ about America.
discount in Toronto. The good people of that city
have libraries in their homes. The university and
colleges have tomes of Divinity. Only one day in
seven can be given to Theology. Perhaps some of
the citizens may sympathize with Auntie's remark to
Maggie about The Pilgrims Progress : " Are ye no'
feared to read sic a gude book, an' this no' the
Sabbath day ? '' And some may be of the opinion of
the old Edinburgh librarian, who, when Miss Aber-
crombie sent her servant to " fetch the best book he
had for the Sabbath day," replied, "That's easily
done," and handed her a Bible.
The press of America is powerful and outspoken,
great in sensational headings, for which a gentle-
man is specially engaged on the staff of every
important newspaper. The following able paragraph
from CJiarnberss Journal puts this matter very
happily : —
" Mr. George Sala once said that American journal-
ists rarely take anything seriously; they are per-
petually trying to be smart and amusing. Few
people who have even an elementary knowledge of
American newspapers will call into question the
truth of Mr. Sala's assertion. The American
journalist is nothing if not original ; and this ruling
passion is strikingly exemplified in the very head-
lines. We have, for instance, never seen but one
heading in English newspapers for those simple
Schools, Libraries, and Newspapers, 155
announcements which never fail to interest female
readers, — we mean the Births, Marriages, and Deaths.
In America, however, they use such headlines as
'Cradle,' 'Altar,' 'Tomb;' 'Hatches,' 'Matches,'
' Despatches,' and so on ; while one original genius
sums up life thus — ' Births, Flirtations, Engage-
ments, Breakings off. Marriages, Divorces, Deaths.'
Then, instead of the familiar heading, Poetry, we
find ' Lays of the Latest Minstrel, or the Warbler's
Corner.' The columns of clippings, however, afford
scope for the most variety. One editor heads his
column of jokes, 'Render unto Scissors the Things
that are Scissors ; ' while another follows with ' Aut
Scissors aut Nullus.' ' One Thing and Another,'
' Drops of Ink,' ' Various Topics,' ' Microbes,' ' Nug-
gets,' 'All Sorts,' 'Faggots,' 'Pressed Bricks,' —
these are a few others taken at random. ' Hash ' is,
however, perhaps the most appropriate of the lot.
These headlines appear very strange to us ; yet it
shoidd not be forgotten that, nearly one hundred
years ago, the Times published weak jokes under the
extraordinary head of ' Cuckoo ! ' "
The following is a cheap and cool way of getting
the columns filled : —
"A subscriber, on renewing subscription to the
Nezvs, writes, ' I like it very much, couldn't keep
house without it.' The interest that people take
in a newspaper depends largely upon their finding
156 Bits about America.
in it mention of the things that particularly inte-
rest them, and the way to have them in the paper
is to let the publisher know of them. Of course a
publisher cannot see from his desk what everybody
is doing ; so hand m the local items."
Here are a few graphic quotations : —
" The butcher's team took a lively run away
Monday on Pleasant Street, home by way of Union
Street. Escaped with slight damage to the cart.''
" Representative Owen voted against the Salary
grab." " Cherries are in their prime, and robins
appear to be happy." " The coffee market, which
was making a climb to get out of poor people's way,
has come back to about the old figure."
" There is one thing that can be said for tight
boots, they make a man forget his other sorrows."
American newspapers are also embellished (.?)
with rough - and - round woodcut illustrations, and
given to " interviewing," of which, as I was occasion-
ally the subject, I say no more. The Sunday issue
was in many instances the largest and raciest. On
representing myself as an "occasional contributor,"
I was frankly received, — notably by Mr. Whitelaw
Reid, proprietor of The Tribune, New York, who
gave me the entree of the " Lotos" and " Union
League " Clubs of New York, and the pleasure of
sharing his princely hospitality (perhaps I should
use republican, but I hold to princely) in his palatial
Schools, Libraries, and Newspapers. 157
residence on Madison Avenue. I was also favoured,
during my stay in the several towns, with the
privileges of the " Century Club," New York, the
"St. James's," Montreal, " The Reform," Toronto, etc.
I give prominence to these courtesies, as they are
most acceptable to strangers, and the hint to ''go
and do likewise " might not be out of place.
The following quotation not only shows that the
American newspapers go into pretty minute detail,
but it may be interesting as a description of a
modern mansion, and as such I insert it, omitting
the personal references to Mr. Whitelaw Reid's
family career, talents, and business habits : —
"Whitelaw Reid's Mansion.
" The home of Whitelaw Reid, the editor of The Tribune, is, without
any doubt, one of the handsomest houses in the country. On a
reduced scale it is a reproduction of an old Italian palace. It is
situated at Madison Avenue and Fifty- First Street. The architecture
is a mingling of Roman and Florentine styles, the stone employed
being of a light-greyish colour. The frontage on the avenue is 60
feet, and the wing on Fifty-First Street is some 80 feet deep. The
main hall of the house is 42 feet long, and is of inlaid woods —
mahogany, satin wood, and maple wood predominating. The hand
somely sculptured arches of the hall were designed by Louis Saint
Gaudens. The mantels, which contribute a further embellishment
are modelled after those found in Pompeiian palaces. The drawing
room and the music-room are on the first floor. The latter is an ex
quisite apartment, in white and gold, the ceiling in the shape of an
elliptical vault. At one end is a stand for musicians. The upper
part of the house is reached either by elevator or a white marble stair-
way. The dining-room is on the second floor. It is 60 by 20 feet,
and finished throughout in English oak, inlaid with mahogany. The
friezes are quaintly carved, and the beams which span the ceiling are
cased in English oak. The decoration of the dining-room, according
158 Bits about America.
to the architects, cost 20,000 dollars, those of the hall 30,000 dollars,
of the music-room 20,000 dollars, and of the drawing-room 50,000
dollars. The decorations of the four principal rooms cost 120,000
dollars, a sum for which two very comfortable New York houses
might easily be purchased. " — Brooklyn Times.
America is rich in Museums, but of these I will
not treat. A very interesting hour can be spent in
" Independence " Hall, Philadelphia, which contains
quaint memorials of America's early days, — pictures
of Washington, Franklin, Penn, La Fayette ; the
"Bell" that rang out "Independence" 100 years
ago, old armour, furniture, documents, and nick-
nackets. The " Mint " at Philadelphia is also very
well worth visiting, not only on account of the per-
fection of the machinery for making coins of various
metals and current values, but from its complete
museum of ancient and modern coins. A numis-
matist would revel in the Egyptian and Grecian
examples, even the casual visitor is interested in a
bona-fide wee " shekel of the Sanctuary," a " Queen
Anne farthing," and other of the R.R.R.'s (Rare-
Rare-Rare) of the old world's " current money with
the merchant," as it is put in Genesis. This, like
other places of public interest in America, is frankly
" open to visitors." Handsome monuments adorn
many cities, erected in honour of such public men
as Washington, Franklin, Penn, and PRESIDENT
Lincoln, whose name is a household word in
America. {^See Frontispiece?) . .
CHAPTER XIV.
AGRICULTURE AND TIMBER.
T was with a feeling of special interest
that I visited Brantford, Ontario, called
the telephone city, from the fact that
Professor Bell, whom Edinburgh claims
as one of its own, established the first
telephone in the world between a cottage,
in which he lived on the banks of the Grand River,
and this town, and worked out the most wonderful
means of transmitting speech yet known. Here is
also one of the earliest Indian homes and schools
on the old reserved territory of the famous Mohawks ;
and in the town is a very handsome monument to
the Indian chief Joseph Brant, who so effectually
befriended the British in i8i2.
In my early days I was wont to visit a relative
whose famous shorthorn cattle, "Andrew" and
" Jenny Lind," took first prizes, and I can recall
their huge bulk and fine points. I also knew that
in 1875-76, three cows of that breed, "Airdrie
Duchesses," brought 1 8,000, 2 1 ,000, and 23,000 dollars
159
i6o Bits about A7nerica.
respectively {£1600, ^^4200, and ;^46oo sterling), at
public sales in the old Crystal Palace grounds in
Toronto, Ontario ; and that one of the finest, if not
the finest, herd of pure-bred shorthorn cattle in the
world had been established by the late lamented
Hon. George Brown at Bowpark, on the banks
of the Grand River, about four miles from Brant-
ford, and is now the property of Messrs. Thomas
Nelson & Sons, Edinburgh.
The herd numbers between 200 and 300, and in-
cludes several animals that have never been beaten
in the prize ring. It is constantly being reinforced
by the first prize-winners of the herds of Britain and
elsewhere, and a glance at the stock carries home
the conviction of its excellence. Fancy the late
fourth "Duke of Clarence" weighing 2870 lbs.;
others even exceeding that weight, animals for which
;^2000 would not be taken ; and heifers of two years
old for which ;^iooo is readily obtained. Even to
one little acquainted with cattle, the straight backs,
the grand shoulders, the breadth of the hind-quarters,
told their tale, while symmetry and style charac-
terized all the herd. The stables and yards were
models of cleanly airiness, and the whole farm,
consisting of about 1000 acres, is in a state of high
cultivation. The future of the stock of America will
be largely affected by such establishments, and the
proprietors have been singularly fortunate in their
Agriculture and Timber. i6i
manager, Mr. John Hope, who knows every member
of the herd almost as a father does his children, and
can screed off their pedigrees, histories, and victories
with ready accuracy.
The following paragraph from the Toronto Globe
of June 1887 will doubtless be found interesting: —
" Canadian-Bred Shorthorns.
"... The tendency of late years has been to breed with the sole
object of producing the highest excellence of form, and intelligent
breeders only employ their knowledge of fashionable strains as a
means to this end. Gf course purity of blood is necessary to the
production of high-priced animals, but in these days a family or strain
becomes fashionable because it produces first-class individuals, while
a dozen years ago animals brought fancy prices almost regardless of
their individual qualities, because they came of fashionable families.
By a little shrewd management it was comparatively easy to * corner '
the produce of this or that fashionable family, and fabulous prices were
often the outcome of such management. Now, however, that the nearest
approach to perfection of form (coupled of course with pure breeding)
has become the desideratum of the shorthorn breeder, high prices that
are amply remunerative have been established, and they rest upon a
much broader and sounder basis than heretofore. Take, for example,
four sales of females recently made from the Bow Park herd, which,
as all shorthorn breeders know, has long been under the supervision
of Mr. John Hope. Of the four, two were two-year-olds, one a
yearling, and one a calf seven months old, and the lot aggregated
16,000 dols., an average of 4000 dols. each. 'Duchess of Brant,*
* Duchess of Brant 3rd,' and ' Duchess of Brant 5th ' were sold to
Colonel King, of Minneapolis, Minn., and 'Duchess of Oxford 26th'
was sold to Mr. C. E. Wakeman, of Pontiac, Mich. All these heifers
were bred at Bow Park. Ontario breeders have good reason to feel
proud of having such a stock farm ; and as long as such prices are to
be had, shorthorn breeders have no reason to say that their business is
in any sense * played out.' "
Brantford is a thriving, busy, cleanly town, stand-
L
1 6 2 Bits about A merica .
ing in the heart of a well-cultivated district, and
abounds in well-built churches of all persuasions.
Around the principal square cluster fine buildings ;
in its centre, cast from the cannon taken, I think,
from the French, stands the bronze monument already
referred to of Joseph Brant, in Indian costume and
feathers, and on market days Indians display and
dispose of their wares in the streets. I saw a few of
these natives, and had a glance at their settlement,
but they are fast disappearing or being amalgamated
with the dominant race. From a lady in the locality,
whose warm heart is drawn out towards them in
deeds of kindness, I heard of the difficulty of
approaching them, of their shyness, which she
cannot remove. On one occasion, when going to
Toronto, one attached herself to her, kept by her
doggedly, but was shrewd enough to tell, when a cab
fare was paid, " Too much, too much — man cheat
you — me go get back — give to you — GOOD SQUAW."
Brantford is famous, amongst other things, for the
manufacture of agricultural implements, in the
variety and " nackiness " and adaptability of which
— tell it not in Sheffield, publish it not in the streets
of Birmingham — our Transatlantic cousins " lick
creation."
Time did not admit of my going through the
workshops of Brantford, but I paid a visit to those
of the Massey Company, Toronto, whose " reaper
Ao^ricultMre and Timber, i6^
^t>
and light binder" did exploits upon the farms of
Fentonbarns and Ferrygate, East Lothian, in 1886.
The workshops cover nearly eight acres ; they have
turned out over one hundred thousand of these
machines, are still sending them off as smartly as
they can make them, and were despatching thirty to
Scotland on the day of my visit. I pronounce no
opinion on the relative merits of this and other
agricultural implements of the same nature ; indeed,
the makers saved me all trouble in this respect by
declaring theirs to be " out of sight the best in the
world," and farmers of my acquaintance find them
suit admirably. This I can say, that I never saw
better machinery for engineering purposes than this
company has, or more care taken that every separate
part shall be exactly made to a certain model, so
that any duplicate of any portion shall precisely fit
the same place. They make their own tools, keep
the timber in stack to season three or four years, use
largely malleable cast-iron, so that castings, although
apparently light, are really stronger than heavier
ones in ordinary cast-iron.
Although I knew that the timber trade of
America was enormous, I was hardly prepared for
the immense stocks that, not only in large cities,
but alongside all railways and rivers throughout
the country, covered large fields with huge logs,
sleepers, beams, boards, " stobs and rails/' lathe,
164 Bits about America.
and " shingles ; " the latter are used for roofing
instead of slates, and stand and " fend " well.
The application of the terms '' wood " and
" lumber " is the reverse of that common in
Britain. A proprietor of one of the enormous
timber yards would feel insulted by being spoken
of as a wood merchant, for that in America means
a dealer in firewood and what Englishmen call
lumber. He would even prefer to be spoken ot
as in the " lumber " rather than in the timber
trade. Awkward mistakes have been made in such
matters. The wealthy proprietor of an extensive
calendering establishment in Glasgow, in which he
had a great many employes, was innocently asked
by a country friend " if it was a big mangle he
kept, or had he twa } " for all that the decent man
knew about the occupation was gathered from
two signs in the village, one of which bore " A
mangle kept here," the other " Calendering done
here by the hour or piece," and both establishments
were alike inside, with squeaking wheels and
junking, stone-filled boxes.
I was kindly shown over one " sawmill " by its
energetic proprietor, where nearly 200 people were
employed. The logs were hauled out of a creek
in the river — down which they had floated from
the upper reaches, where the backwoodsmen felled
them — into the upper floor of the mill, the under
Agrictdttire and Timber. 165
flat being occupied by the " gearing." They were
smartly marked for cross-cutting, travelled on by
machinery ; a saw from the under flat was then
raised, and the ragged end cut off; the log was
rolled on to a travelling carriage, on which a man
stood controlling a " lever and ratchet motion,"
by which he could regulate the thickness of the
plank to be cut ; the outer " slab-wood " was passed
on to make " shingles " for roofing ; if not suitable
for that, it was made to yield what " lathe " it
could ; the " waste " was cut into short lengths,
lifted by an elevator into a drying-loft, thence,
when dry, bundled by hydraulic machinery into
" cheeses " for firewood, tied up for sale, and
packed into railway waggons alongside.
There were also machines for planing, "grooving
and feathering," box-making, all going at great
speed, with automatic travelling and feeding appli-
ances. Sawdust was the only fuel used, and the
resulting ash was utilized agriculturally. On com-
plimenting the proprietor upon the admirable using
up of every scrap, he said, " Yes, we sell everything
but the noise. I wish we could sell it — would make
a fortune soon," I quite agreed with him — the
rasping and hissing and clanking were deafening,
and the "pace" of all employes smart — very. I
was told the thousands of feet turned out per day,
but fear to record it. " Give me," said the pro-
1 66 Bits about America,
prietor at parting, " to-day the plan of a house or
shed, and I'll have the timber — ready to be put
together — in the trucks to-morrow."
" Prodigious ! " thought I ; " Prodigious ! " said
I ; " Prodigious ! '' think I still.
The question of the exhaustion of the forests is
being talked of, as well as the effect upon the
climate of clearing the timber from such large tracts
of land. The woods along the railway tracks bear
evidence of their being of recent growth. Where
they are "primeval," the numbers of fallen trees
lying in all positions, decaying or decayed, moss-
grown and creeper-clad, afford picturesque and
artistic " bits," while streams meander among them
" at their own sweet will." State Legislatures are
making forest " reservations," granting lands for
timber cultivation on easy terms, and some of them
are not above gravely discussing the " fixing " or
changing of " Arbor Day," on which every citizen
is expected to plant at least one tree, thus carrying
out old Dumbiedykes' dying advice to his son :
"Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be
aye stickin' in a tree ; it'll be growing, Jock, when
you're sleepin'."
The " Vandyked," angular, crude rail fences of
the older cultivated States have a homely pictur-
esqueness all their own ; but the modern method of
fencing, with its hideous posts, fiddle-string wires,
Agriculture and Tzfuder, 167
and barbed top lines, does not improve the land-
scape. There are few hedgerows — those exquisite
lines of quivering green that deck as well as divide
the fields of the Old World, and make a country
look compact and tidy ; there are also great gaps
untilled, ungainly ; forest marshes and marshy
forests ; an aspect of neglectedness, almost waste-
fulness ; and a general want of that " finish,"
which long cultivation alone produces. Truly does
John Burroughs write in " Fresh Fields " : —
' ' We leave wide margins and ragged edges in this country, and
both man and nature sprawl about at greater length than in the Old
World." . . . "The first whiff we got of transatlantic nature was the
peaty breath of the peasant chimneys of Ireland, while we were yet
many miles at sea. What a home-like fireside smell it was ! It
seemed to make something long forgotten stir within one. One
recognises it as a characteristic Old World odour ; it savours so of the
soil, and of a ripe and mellow antiquity. I know no other fuel that
yields so agreeable a perfume as peat. ..."
" It takes a good many foul days in Scotland to breed one fair one ;
but when the fair day comes, it is worth the price paid for it. Scotch
sunshine is bewitching, and the scenery of the Clyde is unequalled by
any other approach in Europe. It is Europe abridged and assorted,
and passed before you in the space of a few hours ; the highlands, and
lochs, and castle-crowned crags, on the one hand ; and the lowlands,
with their parks and farms, their manor halls and matchless verdure,
on the other. It is a pastoral paradise. One sees at once why this
fragrant Old World has so dominated the affections and the imagination
of our artists and poets; it is saturated with human qualities; it is
unctuous with the ripeness of ages, the very marrow-fat of time."
CHAPTER XV.
MANUFACTURES AND TRADE.
HE manufacturing industries of America
are going forward by "leaps and bounds."
Her immense rivers are being utilized
all over the vast continent for water-
power. This is generally done by a syndicate
^ or corporation, which erects the damheads,
weirs, sluices, etc., and maintains them, guarantee-
ing to those who may lease " power " from them
a regular supply at a yearly rent of from eighteen
to nineteen shillings per horse-power. At Holyoke,
Massachusetts, 30,000 horse-power is thus let out to
cotton, paper, and other mills. I visited one cotton
mill there, employing 1800 persons, turning out four
million pounds of cotton yarn or cloth in the year,
and already supplanting British manufacturers in
Western and Southern America, and others in
Easthampton, Mass., and Lancaster, Penn., fitted
with the most improved machinery, and " birring "
away vigorously.
In these and other works where steam power was
168
Manufactures and Trade. 169
employed, the engines consisted of few parts, had
" Corliss " or other modern cut-off valves, were con-
structed on the "expansion" principle, with small
but effective " governors," and were purpose - like,
effective machines. The motive power was generated
in boilers, having a large number of small tubes as
internal flues, and it was transmitted direct from
the " fly-wheel " to the shafting by huge, wide belts.
But I will not attempt further technical details. In
engineering establishments I found fine machinery
doing fine work.
At Joliet, Illinois, I was shown over steel-
works which turn out 800 tons of steel rails daily,
and saw the "burning fiery furnaces," belching
out flame and sparks, '* canted " over, and their
molten contents poured into huge moulds ; saw the
"ingots" re-heated and rolled, and rolled, and
rolled again, until the perfect rail appeared ; saw
bits of steel as large as a man's body cut through
"like cheese," — rails cross-cut into lengths by a
saw in a second. Need I add that all was done
by machinery, cleverly, correctly, but certainly NOT
quietly.
A prominent feature of American towns is the
huge mechanical grain "elevators," plain barn-like
erections, towering up to 100 feet of one width, and
suddenly becoming narrower at the top storey, where
the gearing is placed.
170 Bits about America.
A recently-built one is thus described : —
"The yard will hold 300 to 400 railway cars, and two lines of rail run
from the outside yard, inside the elevator building— one side of this
being to the railway, and the other on the river canal. The building
is 312 ft. long, 84 ft. wide, and 130 ft. high. Machinery is driven by
a 400 horse-power engine. It is divided into 150 bins, 65 ft. deep,
each with a storage capacity of 1,250,000 bushels. Ten railway cars
on each line of rails, or twenty altogether, can be in the building and
unloading at one time, and this is done under fifteen minutes. The
grain is lifted direct from the car to the top of the building, poured
into a large hopper scale, weighed^ and spouted at once into the bins
of same quality. Four hundred truck loads are unloaded in a day in
this place, and its facilities for loading into ships, or again into cars,
are equally great, the grain being spouted into the hold direct, or into
the cars."
A visitor from Britain soon discovers in America
that distinctions are less clearly drawn ; there is
great freedom of speech, more interchange of little
courtesies between employer and employed, and
more at-homeness in social matters than in older
countries. This has led to a frankness of intercourse
and interchange of opinion which has often resulted
in the discovery and application of improved methods
of work, and partly accounts for the handiness of
many mechanical appliances ; and, combined with
the high rates of wages, it has developed the labour-
saving contrivances characteristic of America. These
are " legion," and include getting a wooden house
upon a bogey and shifting it bodily to a different
site.
I saw one which had been three times moved ;
Manufactures and Tirade. 171
the proprietor had been lucky enough to get an
" early lot " near the business centre of a thriving
town, which rose so largely in value as to command
a tempting sum. He sold the site and moved the
house to another lot, which he also disposed of well.
Again he shifted his moving tent to his own great
advantage, and I saw the same house of two storeys
on its way to a new locality. The cellar part, upon
which the house proper rested, was of brick ; under
this the bogey was placed, the front wall having
been sufficiently taken down to admit of its being
got in ; the loading and " fixing " were smartly done,
and in the morning it stood on a new site, half a
mile distant from the old one, solidly and whole.
Many of the waggons or lorries had hand-cranes
upon them, and I saw an immense stone, at least two
tons weight, quietly tackled and loaded by two men
and the " windlass." I have seen twenty men fight-
ing, and straining, and "peching" over a similar job
in Britain, with pinches, and crowbars, and " heels,"
and " miller's lifts," taking three times the time,
greater risks, and making noise enough to " deave a
miller." Why have we not " crab-winches " on old-
world lorries t Why, verily }
The fire-engine stations of America deserve a visit.
The engines are all " steam-power," and have fires
ready to be lighted the instant the alarm is given.
Horses are always ready to be harnessed. The
172 Bits about America.
alarm of fire is given by an electric machine, which
also actuates a spring that loosens the horses. They
trot immediately to their places in the engine, cap-
tain's gig, horse reel, and escape car. The harness
is hung from the roof, dropped instantly on the
animals, and fastened by two applications of the
attendant's hand. In seven seconds all are ready to
start. I was in a station when a " trial " alarm was
given. Before the sound was out of my ears the
engine was ready for the run ; the firemen, in full
uniform, had slidden down from the upper flat by a
rope and were in their respective places. The horses
were quivering and munching their bits, eager to
be off, and they looked sold, and insulted, and as
like disgusted as well-bred horses could, when they
had to slink back to their stalls. When they do
take the road, don't they just go ! The fire bell is
well known, the track " given " to them, and they
thunder quickly along, the engine fire blazing, sparks
flying, steam hissing, and all ready for action as soon
as they reach the scene of the fire.
I paid considerable attention to the manufacture
of paper in America, but I spare the general reader
the infliction which a blue-book report on that
subject would be. In all branches of that industry
I found Holyoke, Mass.; Appleton and Neenaw,
Wisconsin ; Lancaster, Penn. ; Wilmington, Dela-
ware, Philadelphia, and many other places far
Manufactures and Trade. 173
advanced, and in every mill I visited I was warmly
welcomed, had every operation and process fully
explained, every question fully answered, and every
facility afforded me for getting information on all
points. For these, and much hearty hospitality and
thoughtful kindness, I sincerely thank those members
of the co-fraternity I was privileged to meet in the
New World.
They have abundance of land to begin with, and
build roomy, substantial mills, handily arranged to
save labour. Mechanical wood pulp is largely and
cleverly used. They have numberless nick-nacks
for doing mechanically and cheaply what is done in
Britain by hand, and they are happily as yet free
from that dreadful " pollution question," about
which — well, about which — the less said the better.
They have also fine machinery, and the power of
production is so rapidly increasing that I think they
not only need no "protection," but within ten years
they will be sturdy competitors in all the markets of
the world.
" Meddling with the tariff" is a sore point with
the Eastern and New England States, which have
thriven so rapidly under its — to them — kindly
auspices; but to the western farmer and southern
planter, who have to sell their produce in the open
markets of the world, and buy clothing, machinery,
etc., at prices enhanced by protective duties, it
174 Bits about America.
means, and actually is, "throttling," and as the
population of the West and South increases, there
must be changes.
No employment of labour or capital in America
will tell so profitably or so directly upon its
every interest as the development of the enormous
resources of its rich soil ; and its other immense
natural advantages should make it fear no rival.
Protective duties have acted, and are acting, against
the self-adjusting laws of demand and supply, as
well as diverting capital into channels which the
abolition of protection will dry up.
America's ambition " to supply the wants of the
world" might be so nearly gratified by her adoption
of free trade, that it is doubtful if Britain should
long for this as much as she generally does. Already
American enterprise and capital have gone far to
make that country independent of foreign supplies.
In itself it can, from the range of its climate, raise
almost anything from the tropics to the poles. Its
mineral wealth is becoming daily more apparent
and amazing. Coal is being found in practically
inexhaustible quantities, in mountains or in mines
so near the surface that it can be cheaply got out.
Natural gases have only to be controlled in order to
make them sources of power and light. Iron ore,
containing 90 per cent, of excellent iron, with coal
and lime overlying it, handy for smelting purposes,
Manufactures and Trade. 175
can be blasted from the sides of the mountains.
Every metal, excepting tin, abounds in rich lodes,
and rumour says that abundant tin has been struck.
Salt, sulphur, and soda are found by the square
mile.
Her vast seaboard, excellent harbours, immense
navigable rivers, and growing network of railways,
do the work of distribution cheaply ; the surplus
populations of the Eastern and Western Worlds are
pouring in ; there are two millions of square miles
still to be colonized, and the increase of the present
population from 50 millions to 1000 millions would
not give the average population per square mile of
some older and poorer countries. There are no war
taxes, and none likely to be needed ; there is no
military conscription swallowing up, as in Europe, so
much of the time and energies of young men ; there
is practically equality, freedom, and elbow-room.
In Emerson's phrase, "America is another name for
opportunity." And in Dr. Strong's work, Our
Country^ occur these sentences : —
"The United States raises one-half of the gold and silver of the
world's supply. Iron ore is mined in twenty-three of our States.
When storing away the fuel of ages, God knew the place and work to
which He had appointed us, and gave to us twenty times as much of
this concrete power as to all the peoples of Europe. Among the
nations ours is the youngest, the Benjamin, and, Benjamin-like, we
have received a five-fold portion."
"Since pre-historic times, populations have moved steadily west-
ward. The world's sceptre passed from Persia to Greece, from Greece
176 Bits about America.
to Italy, from Italy to Great Britain ; and from Great Britain the
sceptre is to-day departing. It is passing on to ' Greater Britain,' to
our mighty West, there to remain, for there is no farther West —
beyond is the Orient."
Such is a sample of what Americans think and
write about their great country. I will not enlarge
upon the darker side of the picture — " Socialism,"
" The Knights of Labour ; " the difficulty of getting
the heterogeneous elements of all nationalities to
amalgamate ; the grumblings, loud and deep, against
" millionaires," and those who, by " bears," or " bulls,"
or "booms," enrich themselves at the expense of the
many ; " the liquor traffic," the mammon worship of
the mighty dollar, and other "incidents of fallen
humanity ; " but close this mixture of a chapter with
a few verses from The Biglow Papers, "Jonathan
to John," written twenty-five years ago : —
" We own the ocean tu, John !
You mustn't take it hard
Ef we can't think with you, John,
It's jest your own backyard.
We ain't so weak and poor, John,
With twenty million people.
An' close to every door, John,
A schoolhouse an' a steeple.
God means to make this land, John,
Clear thru from sea to sea,
Believe an' understand, John,
The wuth o' being free."
CHAPTER XVI.
SCOTS IN AMERICA.
M ERICA teems with persons of Scottish
birth and descent. They seem popular,
and are credited with a happy readiness
in not only making themselves at home
there, but making it the better of them ;
and need I add that the "cannie" Scot
generally contrives to make himself a good deal the
better of it. I did not attempt to reach the repre-
sentative Scotsman said to be found at the North
Pole, but I found his brothers plentifully scattered
over every corner, from Quebec to Western Iowa,
from Boston to St. Louis — honourable and honoured.
In Chicago I heard the Scotsman defined as "a man
that keeps the Sabbath day, and everything else he
can lay his hands on," and in Washington, "as a
steady, up-hill climbing sort of a crittur, that got
what he tried to reach, and kept mighty tite hold of
it if he did not carry ' whusky ' with him." I often
experienced the truth of the saying, " This is a little
world after all," as I met old friends, or was recognised
M
178 Bits about America.
as a " kent face," by eyes and hearts that glowed as
we spoke of the thistle, the heather, and the tartan.
I met with such an amount of courteous hospitality
from my fellow-countrymen throughout my entire
tour, that it seems invidious to select individual in-
stances ; but I venture to mention with special plea-
sure the kindness shown by Senator James Beck,
of Kentucky, during my stay at Washington. He is
a native of Scotland, but has virtually always lived
in America, is one of her most honoured statesmen,
a strong free-trader, and a Liberal of the Liberals.
Alike in the city and in his home he was most
attentive. Nor can I in this connection omit W. R.
Smith, Esq., curator of the Botanic Gardens at
Washington, an East Lothian man, great on the
naturalization of the vegetable productions of other
countries, great in street and city ornamentation by
trees, and especially great on " Robert Burns." He
has a complete library of all the editions of Burns,
wherever published, of all books where Burns is a
prominent theme. I suspect he played a " special
correspondent's " joke on me in a leading American
journal, but I frankly forgive him for the bard's sake.
It was gratifying to observe the large number of
Scotsmen who occupy positions of eminence and
trust in America. In New York I met Mr. Robert
Carter, a genial octogenarian, the founder of the
great publishing firm of Robert Carter & Brothers,
Scots in America. 1 79
and listened with pleasure to his account of the
struggles and victories of his early days : on the
" gingham " loom at Earlston ; in the Seceder
Divinity Hall under grand old Dr. Lawson of
Selkirk ; as assistant " dominie " in Peebles ; of his
success as a teacher at New York ; of his intended
wife's relatives' entire respect for himself, but fear
lest his profession might not yield a sufficient main-
tenance for a household ; of his early start with a
small capital as a bookseller, and publishing such
old favourites as Boston's Crook in the Lot ; of his
ready-money principles ; his bringing his father's
family out ; his well-earned success ; his sixty years'
intercourse with eminent authors and men : all told
modestly and thankfully in words that showed great
literary culture, sterling integrity, and devout thank-
fulness to God for all He had helped him to be and
to do. It was like " sitting at the feet of Gamaliel."
In leading banking and railway circles on
Wall Street and William Street were many Scots,
and in commercial and literary circles they are in the
front rank. Even the genius of poetry has followed
D. MacGregor Crerar, James Kennedy, and others
to the land of their adoption. I regret that space
does not admit of the insertion of more of the
'' wood-notes wild " which I heard from their lips,
when privileged to sit in the " poets' bower," than
the following verses written upon a lovely tree which
i8o Bits about America,
adorns the lawn of Grace Church, New York ; during
my visit it was in full bloom and formed the orna-
ment of Broadway, that busiest of busy streets: —
"O lovely tree, magnolia tree!
Of peerless splendour, fresh and fair.
Thy beauty fills my heart with joy.
Thy balmy fragrance fills the air.
Thou art like handsome bride arrayed
In robes of spotless purity ;
Thy blushes chaste as they are sweet,
O charming tree, magnolia tree !
With blithesome smile thou greetest May,
Wreathed in thy glory and thy pride ;
Thy graceful garb of richest green
Thou wear'st far down the autumn-tide.
Long may'st thou flourish, cheering aye
The hearts of all who gaze on thee ;
A sunshine and delight art thou,
O charming tree, magnolia tree ! "
May loth, 1883. D. MacGregor Crerar.
In the Church are Dr. Ormiston, Dr. Wm. M.
Taylor, and others, loved and loving ; and all
throughout my tour I found the " children of the
mist" clear-headed, open-hearted, and thriving.
On the prairies of Iowa I found Scotsmen making
the wilderness blossom as the rose, pre-eminently
the farm of Blairgowrie, where Mr. Adamson of that
ilk in Scotland, has 2400 acres under cultivation,
with a farm-steading and stock of all kinds that
would do credit to any county in Great Britain. In
Chicago I found on the stock yards, in the produce
exchange, and amongst her merchants, manufacturers.
Scots in America. i8i
stores, and millers, energetic Scotsmen, trusted and
true ; while in their homes, as Prince Aldfrid wrote of
Ireland more than a thousand years ago, —
" I found in Meath's fair principality
Virtue, vigour, and hospitality ;
Candour, joyfulness, bravery, purity,
Ireland's bulwark and security."
In manufactures I found in Philadelphia, in
Appleton, Wis., in Boston, Holyoke, and East-
hampton, Mass., in Lancaster, Penn., in Joliet,
Illinois, and other places, proprietors of large
thriving works, or managing members of important
corporations, or superintendents of immense factories,
that hailed from Scotland, and were serving their
generation nobly by worthily holding up her old
blue banner.
In Canada I found Sir John A. Macdonald, Prime
Minister, full of vigour, full of fight, and full of bon-
homie ; the Hon. Alex. Mackenzie, ex-Premier, who
had for long served the Dominion faithfully, but is,
alas ! far from being strong ; and the Hon. James
Ferrier, of Montreal, despite his eighty-seven years
of age, not only in the complete possession of every
faculty, but keeping these in such incessant, un-
wearying exercise in the Senate, at the Council
Boards of University and Corporation, etc., as to
shame younger men — active, alert, courteous, genial,
and truly great.
1 82 Bits about America.
I cannot dwell upon the learned principals, reverend
doctors, or able lawyers ; nor do more than wish
good sport to the keen curlers, enthusiastic golfers,
crack oarsmen, or good shots, of Scottish descent
with whom I rubbed shoulders in the Dominion.
One incident of my visit to Ottawa redounds so
much to the credit, alike of the living and the
recently dead, that I venture to relate it more fully
than such private conversations generally warrant.
Finding, on reaching the river Rideau in the
southern part of that city, that the picturesque
waterfall, formed by its plunging over a ragged ledge
into the Ottawa river, could be best seen from an
engineering establishment erected upon a corner of
land bordering on both rivers, I asked the proprietor,
Mr. Paterson, to allow me to pass through his works.
His face beamed on hearing his native " Doric,"
and, grasping my hand warmly, he replied in pure
West of Scotland speech and accent, " Let you see
the Falls ? — wi' a' my heart. You're a countryman o'
mine, an' I'm proud to meet you. I've been thirty
years in this country, and I'm as Scotch as ever.
'Deed I'm a kind o' a far-away friend o' the poet
Burns. My grandmother was Mirren Armour, an'
his wife was Jean Armour, an' they were cousins."
He took me to the points whence the brawling
cascade and rapids could be seen to best advantage,
and even in this land of Falls they are well worthy
Scots in America. 185
of a visit. On my apologizing for trespassing on
his time, he warmly said, "You're no hinderin' me
in the least ; — I'm heart glad to see a' Scotch folk,
especially them that come to see 'our' Falls. I'm no'
needin' to work noo unless I like, but I canna thole
(bear) to be idle. Man, I would like to show you the
town ; it'll be a real pleasure for me to gang wi' ye."
I thanked him, and explained that I had accepted
Principal Munro's invitation to spend part of the
forenoon seeing his classes and methods in Central
West school, and was leaving for Montreal in the
afternoon. In our further conversation, he spoke
of his early days in Scotland, and told that after
spending fully twenty-five years in America, he
re-visited his native land. On the Sabbath after
his arrival he went to hear his old minister, Dr.
George Jeffrey, of London Road United Presbyterian
Church, Glasgow, and thus described what took
place : — *' He wasna called Doctor when I joined
his kirk, but only plain Mr. George. I was forward
in good time, and told the gentleman that was
stan'in' at the * plate ' in the lobby, that I had been
connected wi' the congregation five-an'-twenty years
ago, and I inquired about a lot o' the elders an' the
members that I knew in my young days, but they
were maistly a' dead.
" I was put into the minister's ain pew, and when he
came in I saw little odds on him. He was aulder-
1 86 Bits about America.
like, but there wasna a failed inch o' him, and I hadna
heard a sermon like what he preached since I heard
himsel'. It was fu' o' matter, an' direc'. After the
service was over, a message came for me to come to
the vestry. The Doctor gave me a good firm shake
o' the hand, and, looking into my face, said, ' I think
I can tell your name, — you're a Paterson.'
" ' Quite right. Doctor.'
" ' And I think I can tell your Christian name, —
it's Matthew.'
" ' Quite right again,' said I. After a crack about
old days, and how I was gettin' on, an' my friends
an' his, I said, * Dr. Jeffrey, how does it happen
that your bow, as far as I can judge, abides about
its full strength, when sae mony o' the gude auld
elders and members are in the ither world ? '
" * Because,' said he, ' the Lord has been my rock,
and my fortress, and my deliverer ; my God, my
strength, in whom I will trust ; my buckler, and the
horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Let us
bless His name together.' We both went down on
our knees in the vestry, and such a prayer I never
heard, and never will forget. I've often thought of
writing to the Doctor. If you see him, will ye tell
him that you saw me, and that we're a' weel, and
that I send him my VERY BEST respec's."
I promised to do so as we parted. The first thing
I saw in the newspapers, on the morning of my
Scots in A merica. 1 8 7
arrival in Scotland, was the announcement that Dr.
George Jeffrey was dead.
I will not even attempt to enumerate the men of
mettle with whom I came into contact that crossed
over to this "immense subject" from the "land o'
cakes," and have left, and are still leaving, their mark
on every department of its life and work. And,
while loyal to America and its institutions, they
keep fresh the memories of " Auld lang syne," by
Caledonian, St. Andrew's, Burns, Thistle, and other
clubs, formed for mutual help and social intercourse, as
well as by gala days for Highland sports and games.
I would miserably fail were I to attempt to
picture the wives and daughters of my countrymen
in America. Even Burns would have modified his
expression about
"Ayr, whom ne'er a town surpasses
For honest men and bonnie lasses,"
had he come under the spell of many of these
" Flowers o' the Forest." I therefore dismiss this
theme as far beyond my power. Will I venture to
repeat what TWO worthy ladies told me as " a queer
farce " ? Shortly after their settlement in America,
and while their mother-\.orv^ViQ, was pure, they took
seaside quarters at Newhaven, Connecticut, and
asked the landlady if they could be supplied with
meals, — pronouncing the word, as is done in the
west of Scotland, " males."
1 88 Bits about America.
The landlady's look of horror drew out, " Ye manna
be understanding us, its ' mate ' (meat) we want."
" Males ! and ' mate ! ' that's worse and worse. —
Whatever do you mean ? "
"Ye dinna understand us yet. It's board, it's
victuals, it's food to eat we want," was the threefold
explanation, which put all right. The joke was too
good to be stifled, and many a laugh they and their
friends have had over the " males " and the " mate "
of Newhaven.
Well may Scotland be proud of her children in
the West ; well may America rejoice over such
good subjects and good citizens. Next to a Scottish
birth, a Scottish pedigree is often a matter of boast-
ing, even back into the regions of the Covenanting
or Chevalier times. The personal kindness heaped
upon me I will not attempt to embody in words ;
these have been, all through my tour, constant,
thoughtful, and hearty. In this connection I would
do my American cousins great injustice, did I not
thankfully record that they, equally with my fellow-
countrymen, have commanded my admiring grati-
tude by the uniformly hospitable courtesy with
which I have everywhere been met during my
rambles on the great continent of America.
There is a healthy absence of restrictive con-
ventionalities and class distinctions in America, —
pedigree and occupation are largely matters of social
Scots in America. 189
indifference. What a man is, or has, or has done,
makes or mars him. Gentlemen carry parcels which
Britons would " feel " to be seen with, and seem fond
of pushing their children in a perambulator in the
evening, or on Sunday afternoons. Materfamilias
has to do more household work, for American
" domestic helps " (called servants in Britain) have
Republican ideas, and carry them out. No American
female domestic, and practically I believe no Ameri-
can wife, will brush any " man's " boots. Why " the
brightening of the understandings^'' has been made
the flag of the citadel of woman's rights, I leave to
inquisitive sociologists ? Luckily bootblacks of the
rougher sex abound, and the domestic " bete noire "
being known, the want of polish at the extremities
from " Day & Martin," or other " blacking," is under-
stood and socially condoned, while some old fellow
can generally be found to act as a peripatetic " Shine!'
In my opinion, American women work hard, and
to good purpose, " putting to " hands where British
females look on. It is more of " come, and we will,"
than " go, and do." I found a smart, good-looking
lassie, the daughter of the house, scrubbing a " store "
floor. The family was small, had £'J00 a year from
property, all free^ besides a good business. On being
twitted by two young lady friends, who dropped in,
she answered, " Why not t I like it, and do it better
than anybody we ever had do it. It is good exercise,
and saves half a dollar. Jim works," pointing to her
igo Bits about America.
brother, who was parcelling away with his shirt
sleeves rolled up, " and why shouldn't I ? " She wore
her silks and rings at proper times, gracefully, and all
the happier that she earned them. Several incidents
of this kind showed that working, real working, was
very general. Every lady trained her daughters to
practical house-work, as well as to house-keeping.
It was perhaps natural that I should have been
more impressed with the appearance of the American
women than of the men, — policemen excepted. As
a whole, the ladies seemed statelier, more " duchess-
like," more robustious, Scottice "sonsier," but less
rosy-cheeked and blooming, than their British sisters.
They had more self-possession, more affability,
possibly more self-assertion, and a great power of
expressing in few words exactly what they meant ;
but this is ticklish ground, therefore I leave it. Born
Americans spoke well, used fewer Saxon and more
imported words than British people ; accent was
observedly nasal, but there was little waste of speech ;
conversation may have seemed curt, but it was always
courteous ; and there was a frankness of intercourse
alike pleasing and helpful to a stranger.
The " pros " and " cons " of Republicanism versus
Monarchy were seldom referred to by native
Americans ; and those of the imported element, who
were most outspoken and " tallest " in their talk on
the subject, did not strike me as being well-informed
or representative men. Their hobby-horse was " the
Scots in America. 191
expense of the Queen and the Royal Family," and
they did not know that the revenue from lands — the
private property of the Crown — nearly met all this.
A comparison of the cost of government, with paid
Presidents, governors, senators, and representatives,
was in favour of Britain. Besides, it is difficult to
estimate the cost, direct and indirect, of a presidential
election, — indirect particularly, for canvassing and
" stumping " go on constantly, and are costly.
A change of President every four years has been,
in the past, and still to some extent now is, accom-
panied by great changes in public officials, high and
low, tending to lower the class from which they are
drawn ; for men doing well in their own trade or
profession will not accept office for such a short
period, while the persons appointed are apt to make
good use, for themselves, of the short term. Happily,
in Britain, there has been (excuse the term) a
perpetual president for the past fifty years, — loving
and loved — " Our NOBLE QUEEN," and long may she
reign. There will be no canvassing or confusion
as to the succession ; and where Her Majesty by
conferring a " title " honours Literature in Lord
Tennyson, Politics in the Earl of Beaconsfield and
Lord Sherbrooke, Engineering in Lord Brassey,
Medicine in Sir Andrew Clark or Sir James Simpson,
Art in Sir J. Noel Paton, etc., we stake triumphant
Monarchy against triumphant Democracy, and repeat
" with heart and voice, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN."
192 Bits about America.
I cannot linger over the beauties of May-day on
the margin of Lake Champlain with its chiding
constant whistling of bull - frogs, its mountain
surroundings of The Adirondacks, and the green
Hills of Vermont, or on the rugged passes about
Lake George, or the Hudson with its immense ice
stores (Americans are "great " for ice), and enchanting
surroundings of " the Catskills " and " palisades."
Nor did I see the beauties of the " Fall " season, but
keep that before me as a " Pleasure of Hope."
Since my return I have been asked if I had any
" swashbuckler " or " bowie - knife " or " revolver "
experience ? No ; ten times no ! ! ! Once or twice,
gentlemen (?) known to the police accosted me
warmly, " delighted to see you," " knew your father
intimately," " at your service gladly." I got quit of
them very quickly by asking a loan of 50 dollars.
In closing these " Bits," I confess to various sins of
omission and commission, but detailing these would
only further exhaust the reader's patience. May
Anglo-Saxondom, Eastern and Western, co-operate
in hastening Tennyson's dream of the future : —
"Till the war -drum throbs no longer, and the battle-flags are
furled
In the Parliament of man, the federation of the world."
MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH,
PRINTERS TO HKK MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.
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