Although the Canadian winter impedes agricultural operations, there is
plenty of work to be done both out-of-doors and in-doors, especially on
a newly-cleared farm. Chopping down the trees goes on, and if the
brushwood has been collected before the snow falls, the huge trunks can
be dragged together and piled in heaps to be burnt off. It may seem a
sad waste of good timber, but it is the least expensive way of getting
rid of what cumbers the ground; besides which, the ashes very much
assist to fertilise it. The Ashtons, however, found that they could
dispose of theirs at the newly-erected saw-mills, if they could get the
logs there. Not a tree could be moved, however, by any force they could
command, till the snow fell and hardened. The logs then were dragged
down over it on to the ice, where they were easily formed into a raft
and floated across the lake to the mills at breaking up of the ice in
spring.
The first fall of snow had entirely disappeared, and the lake had become
free of ice, to be covered again, however, by a far thicker coat than
before, and equally smooth. Harry and Charley were eager to have an
ice-boat, and they persuaded Philip, in spite of his many avocations, to
assist them in making one. The great point was to have good runners.
These should have been made of iron, but as that was not to be procured,
they got some hard wood of sufficient length, which being slightly
curved up at the ends, served admirably. The boat had, therefore, what
Harry called two keels. This was the most important part;--the boat was
simply a long box with seats across it. The rudder, which was an oar
fixed in the stern, had a sharp iron blade which would dig into the ice.
The craft was rigged as a schooner, and had a very creditable
appearance. A long pole with an iron head helped to steer her and to
put her about.
With eager haste she was launched on the glass-like expanse. "Let us
stand across to D'Arcy and astonish him," cried Harry. "We can carry
him the invitation to spend Christmas-day with us." There were no
dissentient voices. Philip took the helm, Harry managed the head-sails,
Charley the main. The wind was on the quarter. The sails could not be
hoisted till they were ready to start, as the ice offering no
resistance, she would either have blown over, or run away before the
wind. Philip was not quite so sanguine of success as his brothers. The
word was given--Harry shoved round the head of the strange-looking
craft, and far enough off to allow the rudder full play. The sails were
hoisted--the sheets hauled aft--a fresh breeze filled them, and to the
delight of her architects, away she shot in splendid style. She
answered her helm admirably. It seemed but a few minutes before
D'Arcy's clearing hove in sight. Philip fired off his gun to draw his
friend's attention to them, and they had only time to haul down their
sails before, with the impetus the craft had attained, she glided up to
the landing-place, and sent them all tumbling forward, as she made a
bold attempt to run up the bank, only prevented by Harry with his
iron-shod pole.
D'Arcy required no great pressing to embark with them. They all looked,
they declared, like veritable Arctic voyagers, with their fur caps,
flaps over their ears, and bearskin and buffalo-skin coats, kept in by
sashes or belts. The settlement was first to be visited. Such a craft
as theirs had never been seen there, and created no little interest;
though on Lake Ontario, before Toronto, ice-boats of a more elegant
construction are constantly used when the ice will allow of it before
the snow falls.
The store was visited, and commissions, the list of which filled two
columns of Philip's note-book, were executed, and then, with a
considerable addition to their lading, they once more got under way.
They had now to beat back; but the boat lay closer to the wind than if
she had been in water, and though she made some lee-way, they beat back
in a wonderfully short space of time. They were so delighted with their
sail that they could scarcely keep out of their boat. The whole circuit
of the lake was visited, and they talked of taking her into Lake Huron,
when, perhaps fortunately, down came such a fall of snow as to make
rapid progress over the ice impossible, and they once again returned to
their more serious occupations.
The snow became every day harder, till a crust formed on the top of it,
which made walking over it where it was not beaten down, both difficult
and painful. Some Indians had encamped in the neighbourhood for the
purpose of trading with the pale faces, and obtaining food and clothing.
Two of them at this juncture came with some slight oblong frames,
between three and four feet in length, with net-work filling up the
inner portion. What they could be, none of the younger members of the
family could guess, till the Indians fastened one to each of their feet
and began to move along over the snow on the lake. "Snow-shoes!
snow-shoes!" cried Charley; and forthwith a bargain was struck for
several pair. The squaws brought some the next day of a lighter
construction for the ladies of the family, and a new source of amusement
was found enabling them also to take the exercise so necessary for
health. Bravely Sophy and her sisters faced the cold, bitter and biting
as it was, and with their brothers made their first attempt to walk in
snow-shoes on the lake.
They were all thus engaged, laughing and shouting and enjoying the
amusement, when an object was seen in the distance approaching them, and
the silvery cheerful sound of sleigh-bells floated up to them through
the calm air. "Bravo--excellent!--that is what I like to see. We
should hear nothing of sick headaches in Canada, if all the young ladies
would put their pretty little feet on to snow-shoes, and step over the
country as you are doing, or rather will be doing before long, for you
are on the ice just now," cried Mr Norman from a handsome sleigh which
drove up to them. The horses' harness, surmounted by a belfry, as Harry
called the frame to which the bells were suspended, was covered with
bright-coloured braiding, and rich skins filled the sleigh itself and
hung over the back. From among them a lady's head was seen. "Allow me
to introduce my wife," continued Mr Norman. "She has just told me that
she has already fallen in love with you all; but do not let us bring you
in--we will wait for you at the house."
Sophy, however, soon began to find that she had had snow-shoeing enough
for one day, and the rest of the party discovered, when they took the
shoes off, that their insteps ached more than they had ever before done.
Still they were all ready to try again the next day. Mrs Norman
proved to be exactly the sort of person her husband had described her;
though homely, she was entirely free from vulgarity, and as she had
lived all her life in Canada, she possessed and was glad to impart a
large amount of information most valuable to Mrs Ashton and Sophy. She
promised to remain a week with them, to give them instruction in
numerous departments of domestic management of which they were ignorant.
"It's a pleasure, ma'am, to tell you these things," she remarked to
Mrs Ashton; "you take them in so kindly, and don't seem to fancy that
your own ways are better, and that you know more than the person
teaching you, as some people do."
The winter passed by pleasantly and usefully. There were some days when
even the most hardy of the party had no inclination to go out; this was
when there was a strong northerly wind and an intense frost, and the
finer particles of snow were carried through the air and struck the face
like so many Liliputian arrows discharged by an army from that far-famed
land of Liliput. There was, however, abundance of work to be done in
the house, and plenty of hard exercise in sawing up logs for the stove
fires. These, while the severer frost lasted, were never allowed to go
out, and no one had reason to complain of the want of warmth inside the
house; indeed, the walls were so thick, that they retained the heat in
the way an ordinary brick or plank building could not have done. Old
and young declared, that in spite of cold and snow, they had never spent
a happier or pleasanter winter. Probably the happiness of the elders
arose from seeing their children contented and well employed around
them. There was one absent--Leonard, the midshipman. They almost
wished that he would give up the sea, and come and live with them. Mr
Ashton had not even suggested that he should do so, though his necessary
allowance took away a large portion of the slender income on which the
family had mainly to depend. His parents were amply rewarded by hearing
of the high character he was gaining for himself. D'Arcy was a frequent
visitor; he would have been more frequent, but duty kept him labouring
at home. Occasionally Philip went over to help him in return for the
assistance he gave them. The winter passed away so rapidly that they
could scarcely believe that spring had really come. The snow melted,
the green grass appeared, the leaves burst forth, the flowers bloomed
and gave their fragrance to the air, the birds warbled forth their notes
of joy, and all nature seemed alive and busy. If time passed quickly
during the months of winter, it flew by still more rapidly now when
there was so much to do that every moment of the twenty-four hours was
fully occupied, a very small portion only being devoted to sleep; but
then, as Harry declared, they all slept very fast, so that they really
got as much as they required. They were all up at dawn of day, and but
a short time was allowed for meals till they assembled round the
supper-table by the light of their home-made candles, the most social
and pleasant meal in the day, when the hard work was over and any light
indoor occupation could be engaged in. Even then there was no light or
frivolous conversation; constant steady work had sobered their minds,
and they had no taste for what was not real and earnest. Generally Mr
Ashton or Philip read some interesting book, the subject of which was
afterwards talked over, while comments were generally made as they
proceeded.
It is not necessary to describe the various occupations in which the
family were engaged. One of the most amusing and not the least
important, was the sugar-making from the neighbouring sugar-bush or
maple grove, before the snow had disappeared from the ground. They were
surprised at the large amount of sap which even a single tree gave
forth. This being collected in wooden troughs placed under the spouts
formed in the trunk, was next transferred to a huge cauldron, where it
was boiled, and then turned out to cool and crystallise. They were in
this way able to obtain an ample supply of sugar for their tea or
coffee, for preserving fruits, and for their puddings during the year.
The demand for it became considerable, when, as the summer advanced, all
sorts of wild fruits were found in the woods, and strawberries and
raspberries in prodigious quantities.
The Canadian spring soon merges into full-blown summer. The boat had
been for some time launched, and Philip acting as captain, with Sophy
and their mother as passengers, and Harry as crew, started in her to pay
their visit of welcome to D'Arcy's mother and sisters, who had just
arrived at his clearing. The Ashtons were very much pleased with them.
They were just what they expected D'Arcy's relatives would be. Sophy
had not been to the clearing for some time; D'Arcy invited her to
accompany him over it. On one side stood a cottage almost completed.
D'Arcy produced a plan. "That is what it will look like when it is
finished," he observed. "For whom is this?" asked Sophy. "For my
mother and sisters," was the answer. "Then who is to inhabit your
house?" asked Sophy, though the moment she had uttered the words she
wished that she had kept silence. "I shall be very miserable, if you
are not its mistress," said D'Arcy.
They were the first couple married in the new church at the settlement,
mainly built by Mr Ashton's exertions. He had hitherto, from his first
arrival, conducted a service at his own house, open to all who would
attend.
Mr Norman wrote to Mr Ashton to say that he would pay him a visit. "I
have come on business," he said after the usual greetings were over. "I
am a patriot, and I am anxious for the improvement of the country. Your
sons are excellent young men, with talent and sense. The education of
the two younger is not complete, and Philip might improve his
agricultural knowledge with advantage to himself as well as to the
province. On these grounds I beg to invite them to take up their
residence at my house at Toronto, while they take advantage of the very
liberal means of instruction which that city affords. There are some
important lectures on agriculture which are about to commence. Charley
should go to Upper Canada College, and Harry to the University; and, my
dear sir, as I have no young people depending on me, you must allow me
to defray all expenses."
Mr Ashton could not decline so generous an offer. It is possible that
Harry and Charley were slightly disappointed at having to go to school
again, but Philip was most thankful for the advantage offered him.
D'Arcy undertook to assist Mr Ashton in his labours on the farm during
Philip's absence. The three brothers started together. Their life in
Toronto was very different to what it had been in the bush--round hats,
frock-coats, and Wellington boots, superseded wideawakes,
shooting-jackets, and hobnailed shoes or mocassins; and their hammers,
saws, and axes, were exchanged for books, while social meetings of
various sorts occupied many of the evenings when there were no lectures
to attend. Harry and Charley now and then sighed for the woods and
their lake, but as they took long walks every day, their health in no
way suffered by the change;--indeed, they could not help confessing,
that however pleasant it might be to carpenter, and dig, and look after
their horses and cows, and to sail and row on the lake, they had brains
which might be employed to some better purpose, if those brains were
properly cultivated; so they stuck manfully to their studies and made a
progress which surprised even themselves. "I believe that it is the
fine clear weather of this climate which helps us," observed Harry; "I
know that I feel twice as bright as I used to do in England."
Philip found ample occupation in a variety of ways, and said that he
felt as if his old college days had come back, as he sat in the study
his kind friend had given him, surrounded by his books and papers. Duty
had made him turn backwoodsman; his inclination would certainly have led
him in a different course of life. He in time formed many agreeable
acquaintances, both among the families residing in the city and the
single men.
"By-the-bye, Ashton," said one of his acquaintances, with whom he was
walking home from a lecture, "I met last night, at Mrs Stewart's, a
lady of your name, a very pretty and agreeable girl, though rather grave
perhaps. She has only just arrived with a family of the name of Mason,
who have come out to settle. There are a number of young Masons, and
she was spoken of as the governess, but from the way she was treated she
is rather a companion friend of Mrs Mason's, I should think."
"I know of no relation of ours likely to come out here," said Philip, at
the same time a very curious sensation circling round his heart. "Did
you hear her Christian name?"
"No; they only called her Miss Ashton," said his friend. "She sang, and
very sweetly."
"What is she like?" asked Philip.
His friend began to suspect that he was interested in the stranger, and
he replied, "I told you that she is pretty, with clear eyes, a fine
forehead, and regular features, and rather short than tall, I should
say. A good figure, certainly, and a bright complexion; no, not
always,--it brightened up, I remember, when she was speaking; and her
hair, that was not light,--was it black or brown?--yes, I am certain, a
rich brown. There, I have given you the fair stranger's portrait to the
best of my power."
"Very extraordinary. Where do the Masons live?" asked Philip.
"I will ask Mrs Stewart, and get you introduced to them," said his
friend. "You will not find them where there are balls or common
gaieties going on, I suspect."
"That makes it still more probable," thought Philip. He made very few
notes that evening of the lecture he had attended.
There was to be a private missionary meeting at Mrs Stewart's house,
and Philip and his brother received an invitation. There were many of
his Toronto acquaintances in the room, the rest were strangers. He
looked round the different rooms in vain for Mary Ashton, for she it
was, once his affianced wife, whom he expected to meet. Two young
ladies answered somewhat the description his friend had given him, still
he did not like to ask if a Miss Ashton was present, lest his hopes
should be rudely dashed to the ground. The speakers had not arrived,
and people were moving about from room to room. He tried to compose his
feelings by talking to his acquaintance on the subject of the mission
about to be advocated. While he was talking Harry came to him, and,
touching his elbow, said, "Phil, I have just been introduced to a very
nice person, who, curious enough, has our name. I do not know if she
knew mine, but I saw her afterwards watching me round the room, and I
want you to find out who she can be. She may be a cousin of the
fiftieth degree, perhaps, and I should like to find some relations out
here."
Philip did not stop to hear more, but hurrying into the room his brother
mentioned, he satisfied himself that Mary Ashton was really there. She
discovered him. He advanced, and saw by the pleased expression of her
countenance that he might venture to take a seat by her side.
Explanation quickly followed. He told her how he had come out to
Canada, and how successful he and his family had been in establishing a
home for themselves in the wilderness.
"I have a very different tale to tell," she said with a sigh, and her
countenance grew sad. "My home is broken up. The wealth my poor father
so suddenly acquired has been dissipated and lost. Without the
necessary experience for business, or, perhaps, I should say wanting the
calculating craft of the successful speculator, he suffered himself to
be involved in transactions of an extensive nature, which he was led to
believe would double his wealth. They proved to be the fraudulent
schemes of sharpers, planned for their own profit and my father's ruin.
It was in vain that he was warned of their designs--he was infatuated,
and would listen to no counsel but that of his treacherous betrayers,
who plunged him deeper and deeper into obligations and liabilities,
which, in the end, engulphed the whole of his large fortune. He had
even to fly the country to escape a prison, and is at this moment in
hiding from his creditors until his affairs can be arranged. Everything
had to be given up. My mother's small portion is barely sufficient to
maintain her and my sisters; my brothers, ill-prepared for the lot that
is before them, are abroad in the world, making their way as they best
can; as for myself, not choosing to add to my mother's burdens, I have
accepted the post in Mrs Mason's family which I now occupy. She is an
old and well-tried friend, who has known me from my infancy, and both
she and her children regard me as one of themselves. They urged me to
accompany them in their removal to Canada, and cast in my lot with
theirs. What better could I do? Of my own family, not one advised my
remaining in England. I accepted my dear friend's offer--and thus it
has come to pass that we meet once more."
Whether Philip and Mary Ashton understood all the interesting addresses
given on that occasion may be doubted.
"I say, Harry," cried Charley, some days after this, "I am so glad that
Phil is going to be married. That Mary is a nice girl, and she will
make some amends for Sophy having gone away. Not that she is likely to
be up to her--I should like to see the girl who could be."
A short time after the family were reunited at Ashton Clearing, to which
Philip had brought his wife, Charley acknowledged that if not superior
she was fully equal to Sophy. Harry had made up his mind that no
employment was superior to that of a settler; and, anxious to resume it,
he studied very hard while at college, and took a most creditable
degree. The farm had now grown into a very pretty little estate, to
which the name of Ashton was universally given. Cottages had been
erected on the property, and had been eagerly taken by new comers. Saw
and grist-mills had been built in the neighbourhood, and many other
houses and cottages. Harry had, with his father's assistance, purchased
a good-sized farm near Ashton, and had secured another for Charley, so
that they might be near their father to render him the assistance he
required.
His family had long known what had been Philip's secret wish. They now
unanimously assured him that he might properly follow it, and entreated
him to do so. It was to enter the ministry. A church was required at
Ashton--the funds were forthcoming--before it was completed Philip was
ordained and became its minister. Few rejoiced as much as his devoted
wife at seeing his talents employed in the noblest cause in which a
human being can engage.
There was one cloud in Mary Ashton's otherwise serene life--not one of
her family wrote to her, and she could hear nothing about them. Mr and
Mrs Ashton had their hearts gladdened with a visit from their sailor
son Leonard, now a lieutenant, his ship having come to Quebec. From him
Philip first heard of the fate of any of the John Ashtons. "I was
surprised," said Leonard, "to hear among a batch of lads just joined,
the name of Thomas Ashton. He was not a prepossessing youth, but as he
had evidently had a better education than the generality of those who
enter the service, he had a fair prospect of doing well if he behaved
properly. He did not though, and was constantly in scrapes, drunk, and
disorderly. He was under confinement for such offences, when he caught
the fever in the West Indies. The surgeon came one day and said that he
was very ill and wished to see me. I of course went to the lad, who
then told me that he knew who I was--that he was the son of John Ashton
who got our property. It was dreadful to hear him speak of his father
who had cheated us he declared, and cheated all his family, and every
body else. He seemed to consider that he had a claim on me in
consequence of our relationship. I did all I could for him by procuring
him better attendance than he would otherwise have had, and by shifting
him into comfortable quarters where he would get the benefit of pure
air. He soon began to mend, and then I took the liberty of reading him
some serious lectures as to his past conduct and scandalous mode of
life. He took my reproof in good part; and you will be pleased to hear
that when he was at length restored to health, he became quite a new
man--scrupulously faithful in discharge of his duty, sober to
abstinence, and cheerfully obedient to orders. He has had a narrow
escape from death, and is, I trust, thankful to God that he was not cut
off suddenly in his mad career. He is grateful to me for the service I
rendered him--says, indeed, that I saved his life; I shall take
advantage of that feeling to keep him right, if I can. I have trusted
him with some responsibility during my absence, and if, on my return, I
find he has done well, that will afford me a pretext for helping him
forward, which it would give me real pleasure to do."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philip had little doubt but that his father and he had been deprived of
their property by unfair means, though he never even breathed such an
idea to his wife. He is, however, able to assure her, with all
sincerity, that he does not regret its loss, and that he is convinced
that his father is happier with his children collected around him and
all actively employed, than he would have been had he retained his
wealth and lived on in the world of fashion.
Two of Mary's brothers found their way almost in rags to Ashton, having
in vain endeavoured to find employment in England. They expressed
themselves ready to work, and Harry and Charley afforded them some
practical lessons, which enabled them to begin with advantage. At first
they complained that their limbs ached terribly; but in a short time
they had to confess that food honestly gained by hard labour, was far
pleasanter than the bread of idleness. They persevered, and in the
course of a few years were able to purchase land for themselves. They
are now hard at work clearing it, and bid fair to become useful members
of society.
Philip Ashton's sons will, undoubtedly, secure an independence; and
will, probably, from their known integrity and energy, be employed in
some of the more important offices of the State. Indeed, they all look
back with pleasure to the day when they took up their abode in "The Log
House by the Lake."