Next day the boys were
gazed at, admired, wished for, questioned, and _feted_, until we
began to fear lest they should be spoiled by seeing the great demand
for them, and the eagerness with which they were sought after, being
considered, as they term them, 'smart boys.' With ourselves it was a
day of much prayer for the needed wisdom. And in the afternoon,
(being the Queen's birthday, and kept by loyal Canadians as a
complete holiday), the dear boys went off with us through shady
groves for a walk. We went into a cemetery, and read together from
our penny Gospels the 9th of St. John. But here we were found out,
and invited to one of the loveliest country-seats we had ever seen.
It had been an old Indian settlement, and from its groves we had a
view of the distant woodlands clothed in richest foliage. On a
beautiful lawn, the old Scotchman, with tearful tenderness, fed our
dear boys with unaccustomed dainties, and jugs full of new milk."
"In the evening a Scotchman arrived from a still more western
district, Arkona, deputed by his neighbours to come for seven more
boys. We could, however, only spare him five. The boy he took from us
last year had behaved so well, that the demand had increased.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88