The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-04-06

hollow trunk Oelhg large enough lot
horses and carriages to be driven in. We
measured one maple leaf and found it to
be % inches in width.
From here we took the steamer Prn
cess Victoria to Victoria, crossing the
straits of Georgia and passed through a
world OF small islands which are com
pared to the Thousand Islands OF the st.
Lawrence. The rocks and crags that
rose up out OF the water on either side,
and the distant view of the mountain
hills, made us feel transported TO Scot
land or England, but the occasional
spouting of the whales made us feel that
we might be out on the ocean.
Victoria is the seat of the provincial
government, and we viewed the munich
pal building, which is called one OF the
handsomest buildings on the continent.
This is a city of exceptional beauty, and
as we sailed into harbor just at sunset
we beheld such scenes as we have dream
ed of seeing in Italy We reached there
Thursday, the English Thanksgiving
day, and as soon as we left the beat we
were soon seated at Thanksgiving din
ner enjoying turkey and cranberry sauce.
We left here on the Princess Beatrice,
reaching Seattle Friday morning. We
spent the day viewing the city and in
the early evening reached Tacoma. Sc
attic is a big, busy, hustling city which
reminds one of Chicago Like Rome, it
is city of hills, but we had better say
10 rather than seven.
Among all the places we passed on the
way, none seemed so homelike as Ia
coma. This city is built on high bluff
200 feet above the tide water and over
looks the broad expansro OF Commence
ment bay at the soutAsSast point of
Puget sound. To the north is the snow
clad Sierras of the Olympic mountains
and to the southeast the far spreading
Cascade range with its Mt. Rainier, or
Mt. Tacoma as it is called here, giant
\ snow covered dome of 14,529 feet in
heighth. 1t Is in this county, and al
though 30 miles away has the appear
ance of being only five or 10. We have
had some rainy days and fog, but most
of the time since we came has been very
warm and sunny; roses and pansies and
various other flowers we have seen in
the outdoor gardens IN bloom, and the
parks are green and the grass on the
lawns keeps green and fresh all winter
1t is never very hot, nor cold enough to
be uncomfortable. We often stay in our
rooms without any heat, and frequently
see people on the street without wrap.
Scarcely any persons fasten their cloaks.
t'urs are worn, but only to satisfy wom-
ans love for luxury. Tacoma has one
of the best harbors along the coast, the
longest grain warehouse in the world,
and the largest lumber company west Of
the Mississippi Ocean steamers and
regular liners ply between Tacoma and
other parts of the world. 1t has as fine
buildings and thoroughfares as any Of
the eastern cities: has many parks and
much natural scenery. The business
blocks are built on the side hills so that
there is one more floor on one side than
on the other. We find it very pleasant
and interesting place in which to live
and we have seen 1T at its most unfavor-
able season of the year, its rainy season.
We are anticipating more for the sum-
mer, as they tell US it is almost rainless,
never too warm and never too cold. We
find as much fruit as in the eastern cit
les, and vegetables in abundance, You
will never know what fish are until you
come here, but if we should attempt to
tell you of them you would certainly
think it fish story.
We have Travelled distance of ABOUT
1000 miles and seen scenery as beautiful
as any in the world, that along the Fra
ser canyon being called the Switzerland
of America. There remains one thing
more to make our journey complete in
the way of seeing the finest and grandest
scenery which our continent affords,
that of visiting the grand old ocean. aud
we hope to take this trip soon, as it is
only a short distance by rail to the
coast.
Affectionately yours,
RUTH AND GERTRUDE.