Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-05-23

81 2
By F. w. P.
Green Raw Wis.

Green Bay, Wis, - -
Dear Fellow Voyagers of the Do
minion:-Just year ago todaJ
we parted company in historic
old Montreal. What a beauti
full day it was-ft seque
to a charming voyage! How good il
seemed to be again on American sol
how pleasant the thought as we trod
the streets of that quaint and beauti
full old town and climbed the heights
beyond--old Mount Real-that 4
should be our supreme good fortune
to cross twice the raging Atlantic, tC
travel ten thousand miles and return
home again without a single mishap
What, a triumph of modern ciyili2a
tion | remember how these thoughts
were in my mind on that eventfuI
morning that we all left the dear Gid
! Dominion.
How happy we all were at having
landed safely-so happy indeed that
we forgot to be sad at the Thought
that we were parting forever! The
| Joy over or safe arrival drowned all
regard for the severing of ties that
had been formed on the sea. There
was ever uppermost in our minds the
| thought of getting home. But,
friends, do not interpret our non
chalance at parting as Indifference to
you for the future. DO not harbor the
idea that we have forgotten you.
Ever and aron have our thoughts been
with you and we have dwelt lovingly
o.. tho charming ocean voyage and our
delightful associates.
What congenial group we formed
and weren't we the elite of Dominion
society? Didn't the steerage people
lean over the bar-the ne plus ultra
line to them-and watch us longingly
and admiringly as we danced AMI
laughed and sang and chatted and
played, or gazed listlessly over the
heaving deep satisfied, when tire
of everything else, with watching the
ever changing surface of the ocean?
And as for the first cabin people
didn't we look down upon them with
compassion as we passed by the long
row Of invalid chairs, filled with the
pale faced saloon occupants who Wera
wrapped up in their cloaks and fury
as though they were Drawing the
wrath of a Labrador winter, while
we passed merrily on to the windy
prov for an enjoyable promenade on
the heaving deck. We went to what
ever part of the vessel we chose.
Our liberties were unbOunded. The
sailors smilingly yielded to all our
wishes.
All, yes, we too had our apprehcn.
sion of the boat when we first saw il
call to mind how on August 20 We
went down to get our first glimpse
of that Dominion in which we were
destined to take up our abode SoC
ten days and how, on our way, We
stopped to see the beautiful AMI
majestic Oceanic. How poorly the
"od Dominion" compared with this
pride of the waters. How our hearts
sank as we gazed on the Dominions
dirty looking sides and untidy deck;
and | recall As laconic remark d
We left, well, she'll probably get
us across"
We all know how well she did il
and how many other vessels can
boast as she can, that when she
ended her voyage she had one more
passenger than when she began it,
Best wishes to the fair little Do
mintana. May her life be as unique
as was her birth and may she long
survive the stanch vessel after whi2h
she was named! Who does not re-
member the wee maiden as we all saw
her at her baptism in first cabin that
pleasant afternoon on the gulf of St.
Lawrence.
| sit ard muse on the various
incidents of our voyage and again | |
am looking down upon the motley
crowd and smiling at the iacongruity |
OF it all-that array of different |
nationalities that was gathered on
the tender that conveyed us to the |
now dear Dominion, and | wondered |
ing elements could readily blend into |
one consistent social whole. Again !
we are crowded into the cabin that
seemed at first so small, but later
was only cosy. We are piuning on
our little slips of paper to the table.
cloth at the place whore we wish to
sit, which act gives us legal CD right
to that particular place for the trip
not undisputed right, however, for 4
rather warm argument ensued be.
tween two elderly men, one of whom
had disregarded this important na'
teal code. But all claims are SOON
adjusted equitably if not amicah.y
and then comes our first supper on tn
home-going vessel After supper we
are in the smoking room listening to
the invincible logic of Boesche against
lynching and Bryant's discourse on
the present status of London. the
sly hits of Boyd and the jokes OF
Hondrickson coming in between
whites as pleasant interludes 10 the