er his or Nelson's glory. Then Annie Fraser played "The
Battle of Waterloo" on the organ with an execution quite worthy of the
carnage of that event. The only drawback to it was that Sandy Neil,
who had been detailed to announce each different part of the action,
and apprise the audience of the fact that certain sounds meant
"cannonade," while others symbolised the "cries of the wounded," as
usual allowed his spirit of mischief to carry him away. He sang out
the names of the different movements in the long-drawn-out tone
associated with "calling-off" at a dance, much to the horror of the
staider portion of the audience. Mrs. Fraser told 'Liza Cotton
afterwards that it just gave her a turn with her heart to see her Annie
sitting right up there in the midst of such iniquity.

Crooked Sandy McDonald, who was as straight as a pine stem, but who
lived under the misfortune of his ancestor's distinguishing
appellation, and who, next to Syl Todd, was the best elocutionist in
the neighbourhood, recited "The Charge of the Light Brigade"; and
though he said "Half a leak" owing to the inconvenience of a Highland
accent, he rendered the selection with such vim that his efforts
brought down the house, and a deluge of lozenges.

Such a warlike programme had never before been heard in the township of
Oro. The very air seemed to smell of gunpowder. The schoolmaster was
electrified. He sprang to his feet almost before the Light Brigade had
ceased charging, and announced in a voice high and tremulous with
emotion that the auspicious moment had come, for they were now to be
favoured with the great feature of the evening, a patriotic address by
Mr. Thomas Hayes, Member of Parliament!

Mr. Hayes arose with the ease and deliberation of an old election
campaigner. He was a tall, lean man, with bright penetrating eyes, and
a delightful suspicion of an Irish brogue, a man with hands horny from
the plough and a brain that belongs only to the rulers of men. He
represented a political party that had its stronghold in Glenoro and
its impregnable fortress in the Oa; so he took his place upon the
platform amid uproarious stamping and cheering.

Canada could not well have had a better champion. He spoke in the most
glowing terms of his beloved land, of her wonderful scenery, her
healthful climate, her free, hardy people, her glorious future. He
reeled off enough information about her mines, her fisheries, her
agricultural resources and h