The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-01-16

AIOAsAWukA0AOW NGVoux0llu0 10 AuOWA
to all, but ID historically oil wrong.
Distressing - was the removal Of the
Acadians from Nova Scotia (old Acadie)
their fate was deserved. In my private
library are all Of Parkman's works, who
was one Of the most just and impartial
Of writer's. Those who have mot the
book can doubtless get It from our pub.
lie library. As an antidote to Long.
fellows overdrawn picture, I advise al
who assume the poem to be all worth
knowing, to read chapters four and eight
in the first volume of Parkman's "Mont.
calm and Wolfe." I have . friend who
now resides at Hsmpden Corner, Maine,
and is pastor Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church there. He is scholarly gen.
tleman, q man of broad and liberal views,
and one Of the most elegant of writer's,
both in prose and verse. This is Rev.
erend Arthur j. Lockhart, widely known
as Pastor Felix. He was born in Nova
Scotia, Of Scotch parentage, and is de.
voted to that charming peninsula Of
wood and water. He recommended me
to get and read "The Land of Evange.
line and the Gateways Thither," by
Charles G. d. Roberts, Professor of En-.
glish Literature in Kings College,
Windsor, Nova Scotia. I did 30 and was
delighted with il. Any one can obtain
it simply for the stamps, about six
cents, to pay return postage, by writing
to the Dominion, Atlantic Railway,
Kenesville, Nova Scotia. It is book
which is complete and as interesting as
romance about the lovely land which
Longfellow has immortalized in his great
poem. In reading the book found
Prof. Roberts book the same view as
Parkman. Prof. Roberts had seen
"tourists in Nova Scotia jump out of the
car at Grand Pre- and snatch up hand.
full of pebbles from beside the track,
under the found delusion that they
were thus possessing themselves of
Evangeline mementoes. The harsh truth
is that these pebbles we're mere ballast
brought from gravel bank miles away"
Professor Roberts then says:
The story of the great tragedy of Grand
Pre- is too we'll known to bear detailed
| repetition here. But there are few
points in connection with it that should
be mentioned. When Longfellow wrote
the story of Evangeline he did not fully
understand all the facts. The expulsion
of the Acadians was not piece of wanton
cruelty on the part of England. It was
done to satisfy New England; and it was
carried out by NeW Englanders. Terrible
as was the measure, it is hard to see now
how it could have been avoided, unless
at the cost of Nova Scotia herself. If
Nova Scotia was to remain in English
hands-and New England said this was
essential to her rsafety-thent the Acadians
had to be removed. The Acadians had
| suffered themselvest to be made the tools
of French intrigue. Through them
France hoped to retain her hold on the
PENN '1la. For forty years they had
been tfeated by England with patience
which had long ceased to be virtue.
Every effort had been made to conciliate
them. But they refused to take the oath
of allegiance, which they were legally
bound to do, or to allow themselves to
be considered otherwise than as enemies.
Allied with the Indians, and disguised
as Indians, some of their bolder spirits
INDUCED in bloody raids on the English
settlements and English settlement
became impossible in an English
province. At the same time England
which then meant the thirteen colonies
as well-was engaged in ife.and. death
struggle with her greatest rival, France
and the Acadians were her enemies
within the gate. They were warned,
exhorted, threatened, but they obsti.
nately and blindly closed their ears. So
it came that this unhappy people was
ground to powder between the upper
and neither milestone. They were re.
moved from their homes with such
humanity as was possible under the
piteous circumstances, and were scatter.
ed abroad among the nations. As one
reads ones Longfellow these facts should
be borne in mind-not to lessen ones
admiration for the poets genius or ones
response to the pathos of the Evangeline
story, but to keep ones view of history
undistorted. The traveller who comes
to the land of Evangeline should read,
not Longfellow only, but also Parkman
especially the first column of "Mont.
calm and Wolfe."
AsCNs hItuuI D. AOCAAdnO, IA WIAUAuS
to friend here, says, "Mr. Shade is
poet, and of no mean ability. read his
book you sent me with pleasure. I was
a printer myself, once, at the University
Press, Cambridge. You will read in
Prof Roberts book of Kings county,
and such places in it as Kentville, Wolf.
vile, Kingsport, Gaspereau and others.
You are then very near my native home.
! lived at Wolfville, Kings county, for
over two years, in the home Of Mr..
Theakston, who then published the
Acadian, and learned the printers trade.
My brother, Burton, my nephew, Nathan
son of my brother who was last at sea)
and several cousins were educated at
the college there. Windsor is about
eight miles from my fathers place, and
Hautsport two and one-half miles. Our
home was on slope of the north web,