Part 7 (1/2)

This was done for two reasons: one was for the instruction and profit of all who spoke that tongue; the other was that the Indians ere learning the language ht become theservices were conducted in the Indian language However, if a nue only happened to be present, both languages were used with the help of an interpreter The church was on the shore of a pretty lake, and it was a very pleasant sight to see the gathering of the congregation It was one quite different froather for worshi+p at the sound of the church bell Here were no long streets, or even common roads or sidewalks The howams, had been built around the lake shore on the various picturesque points, not far froe Every family wanted easy access to the lake for water, and none of the places where they kept their canoes The result was that it looked on Sundays, when they caroups, as if there were a pathway froe numbers of the Indians lived out on points and islands, away from the one on which the mission premises stood, the people, in the pleasant summer time, came from their various homes in their canoes to the house of God Very picturesque indeed was the sight, as for an hour or so before the time of service the lake seemed dotted with the well-filled canoes of the well-dressed crowds of Indian men, women, and children

In winter the scene was co waves under an icy paveranite Frost and snow and ice were everywhere

For the sue sailing boats and safe skiffs that would hold all ished to go to theservice In one, enerally hen the weather was at all favourable

In winter the dogs were all called into requisition, and the sight at the church, when on a bright day the croere asse as in the su the many beautiful, well-loaded canoes Frooodly number present both in summer and winter The officials and clerks prided thes and the beauty and completeness of their carioles and harness Then some of the Indians had very valuable trains, and it was interesting to notice the nu-sleds and the strength of the dogs in pulling therel indeed wereto see how rapidly even the rudest looking sledges got over the ground

The dogs seeious worshi+p, and therefore their duty was to get their masters and mistresses to the church with as little delay as possible Then on the return trip, of course, therethereat ta-sled He was called Napoleon, and Alec and he becareat friends When ordered to start he would dash off in his rough galloping way and keep up the one steady pace until the church was reached It seeth, whether two or ten persons were hanging on the sled At the church he was tied to a post, and there quietly remained until the service was over, when he at the sa Napoleon disappeared and was not seen foron Sunday, yet soo just about as fast as possible The terrible cold enerally sent on first, or else requested to wait sos had beco ahead of everything in sight

”Supposing, Alec,” said Mr Morrison, a young clerk of the Company's service, ”that it were not Sunday, I should like to run ahead of your dogs and show you what travelling is”

”Supposing it were not Sunday, I should like to see you do it,” was Alec's reply

”Supposing it were not Sunday, here goes,” was the saucy challenge of this young clerk, who thought he had the fleetest train in the whole district

”Supposing it is Sunday,” shouted Alec back to hiasta-weekee route ”I'll just go on and tell the after a while and dine with us”

It was considerably later when the clerk arrived That afternoon, in conversation with Mr Ross, he gravely stated that one of the temptations of that country was a disposition to travel rapidly, to and from church, on the Lord's day Frank and Sam, as well as Mr Ross, had been proe and the race with this young gentleravely replied:

”Well, Mr Morrison, you need not have any qualms of conscience about your speed to-day We started about the sa time after I reached home ere you arrived”

This bit of sarcasm, so well put in, so tickled Sam that he fairly exploded, and with his handkerchief in his mouth he rushed out of the roohed until they were sore The hypocrisy of the young felloas so evident that they were delighted with Alec's coenerally ca service at Mr Ross's house every second Sabbath The alternate Sabbath evening was spent in holding a sihtful The boys often drove over to the ht back with theed--which was frequently done--the teet young daughters

To Frank, with his powerful train, was generally assigned the e, portly ned the pleasure of bringing Mrs Hurlburt, and at first Sa the robes of rich beaver around the fair young daughters froasta-weekee This pleasure was, however, soon taken froroup that asses The boys used to plead so hard to be allowed to drive back with the loads that they generally succeeded in having their way, although Mr Ross always took the precaution of sending an extra teauidance of an experienced Indian This was necessary, as not only did vicious, ht suddenly coone hard with the boys with their young dogs to have kept the trail

Mr Hurlburt generally rode home in the extra cariole driven by this Indian This enabled Frank to take the elder of the young ladies, and we h Frank was very fond of thehihter

Frequently thejourneys with the dog-trains to distant places where no one had ever gone before with the Bible and its sweet story of God's love tohis absence his pulpit would be supplied by native h not as yet ordained, were eloquent in their way, and were a blessing to their fellow-countrye used to listen with great pleasure to soifted sons of the forest, as they preached froift of his Son In after years soer Indians were educated and ordained, and are now regularly settled astheir own people There were some of them, however, who aspired to be ministers ere not a success So about what they knew themselves, must launch out into deep waters, and so speedily they carief Constantly did the missionary have the theet beyond him For example, one ambitious would-be e audience:

”Brothers, the missionary says the world is round I don't believe it

It is flat as the top of that stove”

As he said this he pointed to the top of the great flat iron stove, in which a fire was burning, for it was in the depth of winter Of course thebrother's unbelief, and a good lesson in geography had to be administered to hi on the wall He ed to the ht with the audience the next time he stood up to address the manner:

”Brothers, I made a mistake when I last addressed you, when I said I did not believe that the world was round It is round I have seen it It is like two ainst the wall”

Of course this would never do, and so the ive hilobe, swung on its axis in its frame, which was supported on three feet Patiently the reat ball, round in every direction Attentively the Indian listened, and carefully exa

”Yes,” he said to his teacher, ”I rong I have it noill explain it to the people”

When the first opportunity offered he was as good as his word, and so he thus addressed theot it now Yes, the world is round every way It is not flat even one way It is round

Yes, it is round, but then it stands upon three legs”