Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-31

I called it old, for if / had waited q
single year to visit, it would have been
just 200 years old, it looks as though it
might last good while longer as most of
the buildings not only public but private
are of limestone. Though not very cheer
full in appearance, it gives an air Of "sta-
bility." Yes, this is just the idea exactly !;
it is place that don't frisk about much
1t contains the usual number of public
buildings, Court House, City Hall, Asy-
lum, and the Provincial Workshop, in
which I am told are employed eleven
hundred workmen, and steady employ
ment with no fear of being discharged be-
| fore their time is out. A walk through
the streets, gives you the impression that
at least three-fourths of the people here
are of the female persuasion, or that the
men are at home attending to domestic
duties, or the more probable fact that
lack of business drives many away to
seek employment The Grand Trunk
Railroad, has passenger depot, within
two miles of the city. An American would
naturally think the cars had better run
| into the town, not so here. I am told |
this arrangement accommodates the hack
drivers and is Ia their interest it is &C
commodating at any rate, to them. There
are great many things of interest in and
about this queer cid city, but must leave
it. Embarking at 81 a. m, Sunday morn
ing. on the steamer "Corinthian," we are
ready for days voyage on the grandest
river in North America. I have no doubt
there are many people who have read of
this river, yet have no idea that it varies
in width from to 25 miles, and for most
part of the entire length seems more like
an inland archipelago than river, just
below Kingston commences a series of is
lands, in utter disregard of the oft re-
peated calendar number, 365 stretch out
until they number eighteen hundred,
though commonly known as the One
Thousand Islands. At one point on the
passage, it is said one hundred are visible
at once. The whole voyage is one of I'M
usual interest, varied with scenes of is.
lands constantly appearing and disap-
pearing, like the changing views of the
kaleidoscope; but the greatest interest GEN.
tered in the passage of the steamer down
the rapids. The question on the lips of all
passengers was, "when shall we pass the
rapids" These are at different places, and
of different length. making perhaps in all
20 miles, and when entered what a
change The river which moment be-
fore was as calm as mill-pond, roars and
surges like the ocean in q storm, and the
mighty steamer is carried down the chan
mel like toy, and it seemed to me for
moment, never felt and feared the pow
er of the ocean, as I did when deshing !
down this mighty river, past the rocks
and wrecks of other boats. Darkness
brings US to Montreal, the most impor
tapt city OF British North America. Here
is theme for book instead of a letter {
In the first place stranger coming here.
had better have his boots BACKED, get
newspaper in each hand, hire hack to
take him "around the mountain" for he S
will have no peace until he has done each 4
of these. Having propitiatsd one of the
last named gentlemen. we started on a
tour of observation aud sight-seeing, o
Space forbids that 1 should speak If bat /
few of the many places and things Of in T
terest, prominent among which are the .
Catholic churches or CAthedrals The ::
Il, e "a 20 no 4haf :
finest edifcc of the kind on the American e
Continent. v
The first idea I had was a feeling of Q
wonder how any human being could work 9
such q plan or de.ign out of his brain a. O
is manifest in this building. When once l.
you are ready to enter, you will = 8
good sized sign by the main door almoa II
ishing all visitors to remove their hats, :
not to speak Icud, and under no circum r
stances to center the eanctuary." Imme- a
diately after entering one of tho most n
fascinating looking of the "sistero" clad 4
in black, with a satohel in hand contain >,
ing guide books, Photographic views of {
the church, etc, smilingly approached f
and softly whispered in my car the pro- g
posal to part with few Of them for q :,
''quarter" apiece but I racklesely ven
tured to take look without these aide. W
But have not fairly Settled the question %
whether it was WHO decision or not. o
The church 10 very large and costly, the :,
fresooing being, beyond q donbt, tn" fnest 4
ID the continent. It would fill your page q
10 attempt a description Of them. Some t
people think these works of the ''old mas
ers" are "magnifcen+," M matter how
vulgar or brutal the ideas represented. m
some of these represented horrid giants dj
dressed, if not within an irch Of their A
ivea, within an inch Of Igkedueas, in the -
lct of infcting the most rcyotio& md f.
phumen sruelties upon their helpless vic W
inns. It il not very clear in ms mind p
,ow such teachers can purify and elevate u
mankind Passing down the sides of this u u
.ast and costly church, with its dozen :"
Confessional closets, you see the name of tn
he presiding priest on the door, like
awyer's sign ON his Office; just raise the to
urtain and see the little wicker opening, re
yhere thousands Of men aud women So
make known to these priests tv
be secrets of their lives, and then see ta
be throng kneeling before these sbrines "
nd pictures counting their beads, while
very appearance shows their experience :,
} unlike that of the just nan whose path -
hines brighter and brighter unto the PER -.
cot day. Ii we may judge anything by -
atward appearance, theirs is the very 49,
sverse. The more they devote themselves .n
their rites the darker and denser set
es the gloom of their moral and spiritual
ght around It ia one of the most strik
g illustrations of the power of tduca-