The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-17
THE MONTREAL TRIP.
A woman's Voice from the Rear Car.

The story in the rapers of onr Montreal
Trip, and the speeches, were real nice and all
that, but | have been hoping for more; for
tnere are lots OF things 1t didn't explain that
puzzled US women In the rear car-the Relief
corps Oh the Maine Travellers Association,
as that delightful Gen. Sprague wittily said.
Wasn't it good of the Governor to send himP
I'm sure some of the poor fellows looked as
though they needed relief, before we got
back. 10 begin with, the papers didn't get
as-right. They said we were seven, for all
the world like the verses in the old Reader,
when there were eight of US, and was the
eighth.
1t was fun at the start to see the gentle
men march and try to walk in a straight line
and keep their boots out of the mud at the
same time, and that funny little Mr.. Tug
Wilson in his buster and white hat and the
horse shoe and all. Built was rather dull
ride until we got to Conway and the sun
came out to kiss our cheeks, as gentleman
on the front platform-the Bard, they called
him-said. At Bartlett the train stopped
quite little time, and the gentlemen got out
10 christen the new restaurant, as they ex-
planned TOOK just sip, for / was real
thirsty. and it was bitter, but very cool and
nice. One of them said (the gentlemep) that
1t was the first time he had cleared the cob
webs out of his throat for six months. What
an odd expression!
The trip was delightful to Island Pond.
where we had nice dinner. But the custom
mouse o1hclals didn't worry us one Bit as we
were told they would. Indeed we didn't see
any OF them. Then we were in Canada, and
IL seemed much the same as In America, ex-
yUnr Al
lo0ked.broader and greener.
After passing Richmond we lost sight Of
English names, and kept going by little sta
tons named after saints-St. Hilaire and st.
Hyacinthe and Saint this and that. On the
platforms were funny little French priests
soutanes and the joliiest round faces; and
short, dark women all looking alike; and
the noaSeSt children, who kept screaming
.,ah sah," whatever that is. The crosses on
the village churches were sight to see,
there were so many of them-and real COM
fort, too. | always feel safer when they are
about, don't you? Ecclesiastical lightning
rods" one of our gentlemen Ia paper gentle-
man think called them.
Well, we got to Montreal at last and rode
TO st. Lawrence Hall-named after the saint
who was broiled or something by an old pa
gan emperor ever so long ago. wonder If
the Hall is built like gridiron? l forgot to
ASK. 1t ought to be. you know. Chambers
band played God Save the Queen-I do think
y Is the most dignified national anthem in
supper, for we were awfully hungry am
not going to tell you about the stay In Mon
treal. 1t was simply lovely. They took us
everywhere and showed us so much atten-
ton. They were as kind as kind could be,
and none Of us will ever forget the welcome
the ladies gave us. And the drives and the
views were just appallingly superb. And
the cathedral, too. Some one Of our party
Il guess he must be a Roman Catholic
quantity said 1t was dedicated to Our Lady,
But there were some things don't Just
understand. The papers spoke of the recep-
tion given at the Windsor to Mr.. Dow and
Mr.. Tenant by Sir Peter Mitchell and other
Canadian gentlemen; but they didn't say
word about the warm reception given to Mr..
Jones when he called, though all the men
were talking about it. Where did he call?
and who is the John Collins they kept ask
ing for? once heard Mr.. John Collins, a
clergyman, deliver temperance lecture in
Portland. Is 1t the same? How funny he
should be in Montreal just when we were. /
should like to know, TOO, what one of the
gentlemen meant whom saw sitting in the
hall next morning with a handkerchief to
MS eye, grooming, and swearing dreadfully
to himself. and saying when you try to go
to bed they make you take a night-cap; and
you haven't been asleep more'n ten minutes
before they pull you out by the heels, tell
you IL is Time TO get up. and make you take
an eye-opener. This Montreal hospitality is
too-.rich for my blood" What ridiculous
idea! A young man with night-cap! He
looked as If he needed two more eye-openers,
though.
We had delightful time on the boat-the
lunch and shooting the rapids and the Drum
mer of Damascus and all were quite too ex-
quisitely thrilling for anything. The Cana
dian gentlemen and our gentlemen made
speeches at each other, and said they wanted
to live together always-but suppose they
said that out of politeness, the same as any
body would visiting. 1t is nice to visit back
and forth, but setting up house keeping to-
gether sis horse of another COLOR" as my
brother says, and might be dreadiully trying
to the temper. l expected from what l had
read In the papers that they would get fight
ing over fish before they got through. But
it wasn't once mentioned while we were In
Montreal-except on the bill Of fare. One
of our gentlemen said it was mo wonder
when we yankees look about us on so many
beautiful things, that we covet the land of
you Canadians, and your focks-and your
wives" which sounds so heathenish! Don't
you think so?
They ask such odd questions in Montreal.
One OF the ladies on the boat asked US If we
didn't come to Offset the visit of the Irish the
week before. The ideal
+ CORINNE COLE