National Republican., 1883-08-09

mounting-for everything is up hill in Que
bee We entered the second oldest church in
Canada. IL is Of large size and proportions,
but the decorations are extremely unattract-
i've. Mass was being said, and tenor sweet
as love was singing tho "ARnus Del" q full
chorus of male voices sent the refrain thrilling
up TO heaven, and the people we're bowed in
an ecstasy of prayer have never seen such
passionate fervor, such deep devotion. The
mayor sat in the royal pen" with its railing
Of heur-de-lis, and the escutcheon OF the Ca
pets shone aboveh is head; q verger in blue
and scarlet and gold paced up and down the
aisles with his gildod mace of Office bran
dished in the air, and the music fairly shook
the roof.
After the priest had quilted tho altar we
went to the sanctuary to see the vestments.
Their msgpifcence is unique The set for
Easter is of cloth of gold so stiff IL cannot be
folded, and is set with diamonds, rubies, and
emeralds. The set presented by Louis XIV
is of brocade, heavily embroidered in gold
and silver, and bearing, like the church, the
royal arms. The Penteeost set is of wine-red
velvet, embroidered in roses and vines that
look like a goldsmith's work. This set is
worn but once year, and although fifty
years old it is as fresh as if it had just left the
| loom. The second of November (all souls') set
is equally superb, being Of black Lyons velvet
embroidered in cypress and poppies; the work
is in silver and seems wrought rather than
embroidered, so solid and massive Is 1t. There
are also vestments for every festival of the
year, and the altar vessels are of correspond
| ing richness.
The parliament houses are a part of the
"Dufferin improvement" which also includes
the two handsome and picturesque new
ports-Duiferin and Kent gates. These last
are modelled on tho departed ports-St. John
and Hope-and are really beautiful feature
in the city's plan; they are connected by a
wall, on the top of which is a delightful prom
enade from which a view" is to be had.
But where in Quebec can one fail to have a
view2
The "burnt quarter" was a second Chicago,
but the traces have disappeared almost en-
tirely, the Church of St. John the Baptist
being one Of the last vestiges of ruin. This is
the favorte church Of the QUARTER st. Roche,
and is now rebuilding with rapidity. 1t was
the last thing to succumb to "the great fire, ~
and its bells tolled to the end, calling for help
for its congregation; and when finally the
spire fell and the bells, with one last cry,
rolled into the flames, the heart of the people
went up in great sob, for Jean Baptiste u
had and has personality to them.
Fire is the scourge of Quebec, for although
the st. Lawrence is at their door, they bring
all water from Loretto, and the supply is
'on" for only three hours a day in each
quarter. If q fire kindles at the wrong time
it burns till the bed rock starves out the
flames, and blackened ruins stand about all
over tho city-an odd enough sight for
Yankee eyes.
Our last climb was to the citadel. We went
along Dufferin terrace and up the Cham.
| plain steps, break-neck flight that is almost
perpendicular We skirted the wans, and
entering by the sally port, with its vast
double gate of chain work, found ourselves
inside the key of Canada," the "Gibraltar Of
America" A grim soldier, who looked as
if he had stepped out of "1olanthe," came
forward and guided us to the various points
Of interest-the reading rooms, the soldiers
theater, the kings bastion with its Arm.
strong gun, the quarters of the Marquis oi
Lorne, and finally to the center of the parade
| ground, where, chained TO slab of stone, is
cannon, captured from the Americans-us
think of it-at Bunker Hill
1t is n wee bit of ordnance of purest bronze
and has an Indian with tomahawk rampant
cut in bas relief near the touchhole. When
the soldier said, Bunker Hill, num-" one
of the party, cleverer than the rest, answered
"Ah, and where is that, pray" but the ma.
jority of us dropped our plumes and trailed
sadly away from the trophy.
The English cathedral is an objective point
to non-Catholic tourists, but there is very
| little to it as o place of interest, except the
Balaklava flag presented by the Prince o.
Wales in 1861, and the verger, who is {
veteran of the Light Brigade, and a survivor
of the horrors of the Indian mutiny
/ have not said word about Lower Town
with its quaint old houses 200 years old; it
| French people, stores, and signs; its pictur
esqueness, and its dirt; nor about tho "ca
lashes," nor the market. But it is past mid
night, and the Sanguenay boat sails at z il
the morning.
The last glimpse catch of Quebec as
bid you good night is the old chateau" ant
the mutual monument of Wolfe, and Mont
calm both are etherealized by the half light
and look like ghosts that have come back t,
scenes of former life, rather than substantial
structures of granite and marble. L. l.. d.