trifle
chilly as becomes a city of the prairie, rather flat and not altogether
attractive, yet purposeful.

It also gained another reason for regard by becoming the headquarters
of the "Mounties," the Royal North-West Mounted Police, whose main
barracks are here. We saw something of the discipline of that fine
service in the way the big crowds were handled, for the Prince drove
through the streets in the order and state of a London or New York
pageant.

The Parliament Buildings are beautifully situated before a wide stretch
of water. They are the semi-classical, domed, white stone buildings of
the design of those at Edmonton and other cities--a sort of
standardized parliament building in fact. Before them, on the terraces
and lawn that shelved down to the water, the big throng made a scene of
quick beauty. There were ranks of pretty nurses, rank upon rank of
khaki veterans, battalions of boy scouts mainly divorced from hats
which were perpetually aloft on upraised and enthusiastic poles, aisles
of sitting wounded whom the Prince shook hands with, and thick,
supporting masses of civilians. Lining this throng were unbending
fillets of scarlet statues, the "Mounties" of the guard. And
humanizing the whole were solid banks of school-children who sang and
cheered at the right as well as the wrong moment.

The presentation of medals--one to a blinded doctor, who, led by a
comrade, received the most poignant storm of cheers I have ever heard
in my life--and a giant public reception finished that day's
ceremonies. Sunday, October 5th, was a day of rest, and Monday was the
day of the "Mounties."

The Prince showed a particular interest in his visit to the
Headquarters of this splendid and romantic corps. The Royal North-West
Mounted Police is a classic figure in the history of the Empire. The
day is now past when the lonely red rider of the wilds stood for the
only token of awe and authority among Indian tribes and "bad men"
camps, but though that may be there are no more useful fellows than
these smart and sturdy men, who, scarlet-coated, and with their
Stetsons at a daring angle, add a dash of colour and bravery to the
streets of Western Canada.

In his inspection the Prince saw the reason why the physique of the men
should be so splendid and their nerve so sure. The training of the
R.N.W.M.P. makes no appeal to the weakling of spirit or flesh. He saw
their firm discipline. He saw them breaking in the bucki