beth." We had
seats in the pit, or orchestra chairs, as now known. Reserved tickets
were three dollars, and although this was thought to be a famine
price, the opportunity of hearing such celebrated people as the Keens
was not to be resisted, so the house was packed at each performance.

Charles Wheatley, considered a fine comedian, produced the "Colleen
Bawn," or the "Brides of Garry Owen." The play made a lasting
impression on me, as the finest comedy I had ever seen. It may be
that Mr. Wheatley's fine personation of Danny Mann, the leading part,
made me think so, but it was a fact nevertheless.

Madame Anna Bishop, whom Mr. Higgins has told us about in one of his
interesting stories, delighted many audiences in "Old Theatre Royal."

I can also remember the Reverend Morley Puncheon, who was a
celebrated Methodist preacher, and chairman of the home church in
England. He gave readings from celebrated authors. During one of
these readings, and while he was reciting from Macaulay's "Lays of
Ancient Rome," the fire bell rang, and in less time than five minutes
there was hardly a man left of his audience. He was at first struck
dumb with surprise, then offended. That such an ordinary thing, as it
seemed to him, should have stopped his lecture! But it was
explained to him how that fires were put out by the citizens
generally; that it was a matter of much moment to them; that it may
have been the home of any of them; also that many of the audience
were members of a fire company, and were liable to be fined for
non-attendance, although their services were given free. This
satisfied him, and he went on with the reading. Theatre Royal served
Victoria until the building of Theatre Victoria.

[Illustration: Corner of Government and Yates streets.]

CHAPTER III.

MY BOYHOOD DAYS IN VICTORIA.

How dear to this heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollection presents them to view!
The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wildwood,
And every loved spot which my boyhood then knew.

Oh! give me back my boyhood days,
The sportive days of childhood.
The merry games with bat and ball,
The rambles through the wildwood.

As I stated in my experiences in San Francisco in the early fifties,
and in consequence of the loss of my father's vessel near Alberni, we
came north to Victoria after gold was discovered in British Columbia.
We took passage in the steamer _Northerner