The Republican journal., 1899-12-28
Letter from Nova Scotia.
Correspondence of The Journal }

| seven weeks nave passed since lelL DEL
fast, and the weekly visits of The Journal
have been greatly appreciated. The
weather has been mild, and frequently an
overcoat has been burden There has
| been no snow in the valley as yet, though
/ during the first week in December the
mountains were capped.
AS came over from st. John, and en-
| tered Digby harbor, | was surprised at the
| Improvements that had been going on dur
ing the past three years. Many new and
beautiful buildings have been erected
Last summer fifteen hundred Americans
registered at one hotel and seven hundred
at another Other hotels were fnl Just
cottage is going up, about like the cot
tages at Dark Harbor, Islesboro. A
wealthy New Yorker is building it, and it
will be ready for occupancy next summer
All through the province, from Yarmouth
to Cape Breton, thousands of Americans
spend their vacations. More than thous-
season, and each year brings more and
more. The natural beauties of the place
seem very attractive.
The other day | took walk upon the
top OF one of the French dykes, built,
say, between 1740 and 100 There are
miles and miles of these ''dykes which the
hands of the farmers raised with labor in
cessant to shut out the turbulent tides. y
Yesterday l noticed three or four vessels
unloading at one of the wharves about
fifty rods from the railroad station. The
tide was out, and they We're fully mile
from low water mark. On recent Sat
ulday | went about three miles to visit a
few historic spots. ! stood beside the
old cellar where the French Priests house
stood, Then looked into his old well.
now partly filled up A few rods away
is the site of the old church. Upon this
spot-a knoll or small ,und hill-the AGA
dams were brought together in 1755, and
hurried on board the English ships an
chored a few hundred yards away. Lines
sill mark some of the French roads.
Even some of their apple trees are still
standing, though IN the last stage of de
cay. The Grand Pre- railroad station is
close by
Three years have passed since l visited
WalfyIlic. Two fine hotels and more
than a score of private Iesidences-all of
modem alchitccture-lave been erected
dmirg that time. one of these hotels.
called "kent Lodge was built beside
and Joined to a large private residence
that has been in poss Ssion of a Dew ofe
family fol century or So This hotel is
called Kent Lodge, in honor of Prince
Edward, duke of Kent, son of King George
III. and father of Queen Victoria. When
a young mamie was born in 1767-he
visited Wolfyille, and stopped at this
house on his way from Halifax to Annap-
oils 1t is quite ''tony' hotel, and we'll
kept and was full OF American tourists
all last summer
Three Baptist institutions of learning are
located in Wolfville, viz, Acadia College,
Horton Academy, and Acadia Female
Seminary To the building of the latter, a
wing three stories high and 175 feet long
has been added since I was here before.
In tLis young ladies' institution eleven
teachers are employed, the vice principal
being Miss Jones of Providence, II l..
graduate Of Brown University. Among
College who ale teachers i'll the United
States ! might mention Prof. Elder of
Colby, Prof. Macvane of Harvard, and
President Schmnan OF Cornell Univer-
>lty, who was chairman Of the commission
sent by President Mckinley to the Philip
pine Islands. The college now admits
young women upon the same terms as
young men.
The Baptist church here, organized
! about l2O years ago, is large and prosper
Gus. Rev. Hugh Ross Hatch, NJ. A, of
Islesboro, Me, is the present pastor.
After graduating at Colby and at Newton
Theological Seminary, he was assistant
professor of Hebrew in the latter institu-
ton three years. He ably fills his present
position, as he did the former. He is a
clear thinker and a very effective preacher
and is held in very high esteem by the
people. he serves. The Episcopal, Presby-
terian, Methodist and Catholic churches
in the village are prosper Gus, though
much smaller in membership than the
Baptist.
The Masonic Lodge here was orga nized
in 1874, and the minutes have been pre-
served in perfect form from the first. The
signatures of the charter members and
! others following them are still kept as
treasures.
In travelling through the valley of
Kings and Annapolis Counties one cannot
help noticing the large apple orchards.
A few months ago Mr.. Charles Eaton, who
lives few miles from Wolfville, was Of
fered four thousand dollars for the apples
on his trees. He declined the offer, and
made money by gathering them himself.
/ ri i !. :,