which reflected
great credit on the Chief Factor of the company. It was said that a
scheme was concocted to corner all the flour in the country (_a la_
trust) by some enterprising citizens across the border; and the
Company was approached by these gentlemen, who proposed to them to
buy their whole stock of flour for that purpose. To the credit of
the Company's officials, they refused to do so, and sold at the usual
price, against the combination, and so broke it up.

[Illustration: Sir James Douglas and Lady Douglas.]

After we had got settled in our new home the question of sending me
to school was discussed, and easily settled, for it was Hobson's
choice. The Colonial School, as it was called, was on the site of the
present Central School. It was the only one I can think of except
Angela College, and maybe a private school. There was a fee of five
dollars a year charged, payable quarterly in advance.

After you left Blanchard Street, the way to the school was by a
pathway through the woods. The country around View and Fort Streets,
up to Cook, was very swampy, and covered mostly by willow and alder
trees. In fact there was a small swamp or lake on View Street, where
there was good duck shooting in winter. When I went to the Colonial
School in 1859, it was taught by a young man named Kennedy, whose
father was Dr. Kennedy, of the Hudson's Bay Company, and whose
brother was in the same service. Some months later he resigned, and
his successor was an Irishman named W. H. Burr, whose temper was
quick, like my own, and although he tried to make me a good scholar,
I am afraid I did not do him or his teaching justice, and I
remember two good beatings he gave me far better than the useful
knowledge he tried to inculcate.

It was thus: Our school might aptly be termed a mixed one, for it
consisted of boys and girls who sat together. This arrangement just
suited me, for I was fond of the girls. There were white boys and
black boys, Hebrews and Gentiles, rich and poor, and we all sat close
together to economize room. One day a dispute arose between a white
boy and a black boy, and ended in a fistic encounter. I was mainly
instrumental in bringing it about, and backed my man until the sponge
was thrown up by the white boys' friend. Mr. Burr heard of the
occurrence through the boys not reporting at the school the next
morning, and an investigation by the master revealed my part in the
affair. I was sentenced to be flogged for