Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-18

by the Canadian customs, and from which
we passed into the canal, that stretches
IL miles, TO tho Chambly Basin
ON THE CANAL.
What unique paddle that wasI Glimp-
ses of the rapids OF the river always oa
our right, wide stretches of open coun-
try on our left At one minute we arg
getting out OF the way OF some small
steamer speeding south. tho next, w<
have the whole scene to ourselves. ~
we hear a young lad calling the cows
home "voila voilar Then night comes
down, more wonderfully than ever be-
fore; and suddenly. the canal Is lit up
from end to end by the electric lights,
high in the air above, and again. In the
waters below. Then comes excite-
ment or the locks; we pass through four
OF Thorn before our day is done; and that
night we build our nre on the banks ana
sleep there under the carocs. to was6
next morning and find that we are az
Chambly, and have been camping at the
edge Of the village whore the great Ale
ban was born and her gift of immortal
song.
~ member wan tam I be sieepin' Jus
onder some beeg pine tree
And song of de robin walk me. but robin
he don't see me,
Deres noting for so2rin' dGt bird dere.s
he's feel all alone on Dc vorr
VAIL madam she mus lssen lax daea
too. wen she was de- Chsmby grit
Cos how could she sing dat nice chan SOM j
de same de bird / was lyeer
Till see IT do maple an pine tree ans
Richelieu ronnin near"
THE CHAMBLY BAsIN
Four more locks they let US down andl
we are IN the widening Of tho river THAI
is called The Basin" A good Wind isa
bowling across the bay and after much
exploration we find the mouth OF thes
tributary river upon which stands tho,
beautiful old home OF friends with whom
we are to spend the day. It Is an OLD,
stone house, that once belonged to SiPy
William Anderson, who cana over thUI
| line in the days OF the Revolution. Wen
! certainly look a strange company at thes
! table. and who can wonder that the high
ly-clvilized butler looks little white and.
scared as he passes the viands to ths'
wild and hungry company But civiliza-
ton. however kind and hospitable. cane
not hold us. and We sleep that night
the twin villages Of Beloeil and St
Hilaire together under the shadow OF
the mountain.
ADVENTURES IN A STRANGE LAND
Next day we lunch amidst the river
reeds on an island that is all our own.
while sc there, and wandeF through
the avenues of trees and have far-reach-
ing vistas OF all the land abou-. and
| camp at night above st. Charles by a.
little creek. Here I made an expedition
for bread and the wonderful French used,
made such an impression that We have
difficulty in housing the loaves procured
for IS cents / also had the difficult task
OF asking a good woman, who looked OUT
at me from a locked door, TO let US have
the use OF the barn in case it rained
address her in French which is supposed
to mean IF the water tumbles out Of
the heaven will you let us use your
barn" and I lie down on the grass to
supplement our mutual lack of intelli-
} gence and speech My request is grant
ed. But alas! as we make our beds for
the night we are not at all sure that
this is the barn we have borrowed. And
when, In the night, hungry horses nose
the half-open door, conscience fearfully
suggests the real owner Of the barn has
come. One other little touch makes this
spot memorable. A certain ecclesastic Is
, fishing for water from the well to shave.
\, when the long pole of the well-sweep
strikes his head and bids him look up and
, remember it is Sabbath morning-which
he does remember-after n few moments
, given to more earthly thoughts But
!, look in this village and you know that
, It is the Sabbath day. Scores. II not huns
, dreds OF rigs and horses tied in the church
yard. the very sunshine is filled with
peace and worship as the call OF the
bells rings out over the river lands.
That night we have visitors, boats full
of them, serenadlng US in their own ton-
que. as the crimson light floods hill and
road and river. and the campfire burns
with a pure clear flame that belongs to
the scene. Our last camp IS In an old
: unused barn. In the early morning. 7
watch through the door the traffic pass on
the road; and, then as a solitary schools
boy comes trampng along to school.
5 rouse the camp Awake, awake and
h again Awake One after another.
!, these ghosts of sleeping forms sit up
n and that schoolboy leaves at a pace that
t makes MS schoolbas stream out behind
him at ali aSIe OF ~ ueSreeA WOulu
70 give something to know the tale he told
e that day at school OF the ghosts IN the
haunted barn.
! AT SOREL.
. Now the cry is ITO Sorel' And at noon
we arrive amidst the docks. in which are
floating ships and barges from all over
; the continent and from Europe too. We
. have Joined the st. Lawrence. the whole
q party brown and we'll, With a trip to re-
A member FOR a lifetime behind us, full Of
A living interest ana adventure a. the way,
n Why don't more OF US do these things
r In the quiet of tho counting house later
4 on we compute the cost-sl% each for II
= days of unique life-inhnitely cheaper
!, than any OF us car live at homo. Where
+ fore do We spend money for that which
4. Is not brsadT'
1T isn't ths nsh We catch" a. Drum
T. mond said. but just everything that
f, goes to make ~ the trip--the freedonI
the trees. the water, the little birds sing
= ing sway-Oh, thareS a great fasctna-
a ton IN IL ALL