d airy, and our bed stood in one of those quaint old
alcoves so peculiar to the English bed-chamber; while the table d'hote,
with its savory roast beef, plumb pudding, etc., was equally
characteristic of British comfort.

This was during the blustering month of March, and all who have visited
that city at the season in which it becomes necessary to cut away the ice
from the streets will remember the pitfalls and realize how difficult it
would be for the blind, even with the kindest and most careful attendance,
to avoid danger. I escaped without any greater mishap than a fall into one
of these excavations, attended by a wetting of my feet, as well as a
thorough soaking of five books and their consequent loss. I had, however,
four weeks of successful canvassing, and during that time the condition of
the streets had quite improved.

As my payments were made in the current coin of Canada, and I had the
advantage of easy access to the States, I exchanged my silver at a premium
of thirty-five per cent, and my gold at forty per cent., thus greatly
enhancing my profits. In this connection I must acknowledge the kindness
of the residents of Montreal, as well as their more than liberal
patronage, which I will ever gratefully remember.

Returning to Toronto I rejoined my friends, and, after another short
season with them, I went to Ottawa, the delightful Capital of Ontario,
then Canada West, arriving there about two days after the news of the
assassination of D'Arcy McGee, his household being in mourning, and the
whole community convulsed and sobbing in responsive sorrow.

This martyred man seemed to have had a singular premonition of death,
which came foreshadowed in a dream. He was visiting some intimate lady
friends, and after dinner threw himself upon a lounge for a short siesta,
when, suddenly springing up from a disturbed slumber, he exclaimed: "I
believe I am going to be murdered!" Whereupon he related his dream. He
said he thought himself in a little boat, floating upon a stream, and
accompanied by two men, who, in spite of his convulsive efforts to near
the shore, persistently allowed him to float down the stream to the falls
below, over which his boat was madly hurled, when, by his imaginary fall,
he was awakened with a strange and premonitory dread in his heart. His
devoted wife survived him but a short time, and was found dead at her
bedside in the attitude of prayer, where, as her spirit was wafted away
upon the wi