Chapter 13
It seemed a great event to me, this my first visit to a foreign country, especially as I was going all alone. Kind Lady Robinson helped me pack my trunk, and had it very firmly corded and the address tacked on over one of the knots; she said it would discourage the Custom House officials from opening it! I went first by train to Niagara. There I got a bus which took me to some other station, where I got a train for Buffalo and changed there again for Castille. I found Dora and Jue awaiting me, and I was soon comfortably settled in the house with them. There were not many boarders. Besides Dora and Jue there was a girl from Chicago, with whom they were very friendly, a Miss Tibbetts, generally known as Tibbie, and a dear old Southern lady, Mrs. Poindexter, and her two daughters Mary and Betty. Betty was a sweet, gentle, clinging little creature, with the big brown eyes and black hair so often seen in true Southerners. I remember our brown hair was quite admired by the Americans. They said it was uncommon in their country and known as “Canadian brown”.
Castille itself was a quiet sleepy little street, surrounded by a beautiful country, very pleasant for driving or riding, as we found later on. Near to our boarding house was a beautiful apple orchard, now all in flower, and we spent many peaceful hours in it. We always went there on Sunday mornings, and Dora generally had a book to read to us, and I remember she taught us several hymns. One in particular I have never forgotten, beginning: “There is sunlight on the hilltop, there is sunlight on the sea”, and another: “Oh to be over yonder, in that land of wonder”. I still connect the Song of Solomon with that orchard and the pink and white apple blossoms.
I did not take treatment, as I felt the board was all I could manage. It was only $5.00 a week, but it seemed a good deal in those days. Dora and Jue went over twice a day and submitted to various baths and rubbings. It certainly did them both good, and the regular life, with exercise, rest and food all carefully arranged was certainly beneficial. Dr. Green was a remarkable woman. She was then about fifty. Her father had been a doctor and she began to study medicine at twelve years of age. She only took ladies, and her good common sense and Christian principles must have been a great help to many of the “spoiled” girls who frequented the “cure”. Every week she had a Bible reading which was highly instructive, and most of the patients attended it. Her assistant, Dr. Stevens, was a very attractive lady and a very great favorite with us all. I soon found out that my new friend “Neen” Checkley was at Canesaraga, only about twenty miles from us. She got a week end off and came over and spent it with us. We all resorted to our orchard on Sunday and studied Deuteronomy 8, that wonderful chapter. Later on I went over and spent a day with her. She was not very happy. It was a large house in beautiful grounds, but she was never free for a moment from her work. She had a school house, which had been built on purpose in the grounds, and there she taught all the family who were “of understanding”, certainly six or seven, and she had the charge of them at all times.
One great excitement marked my stay at Castille, that was the visit by burglars at the “Cure”. They climbed up the pillars of the verandah, which surrounded the house on all sides, and began to tackle the ladies trunks, which stood in the hall. Dr. Green discovered the thieves and called out with less truth than presence of mind: “John, fetch the gun”, and the burglars decamped. But alas, in the morning it was found that all the delicious cakes prepared for Sunday dinner had gone with them. Sunday was the only day on which we ate cake. We had a very generous breakfast and an equally good dinner, but our tea at five o’clock was light and to my mind scanty. We indulged in many gymnastics, which performance we went through twice a day, and at night we were supposed to creep up and down the hall on all fours to strengthen our muscles, and it may be imagined that several lively girls had great sport out of it.
I was due in Bowmanville the last week in June, to give the children their examinations, and as I was feeling very much better I had no excuse to remain away any longer, though I was loath to leave the peaceful spot. It was one of the great holidays of my life and had few drawbacks.
As I had to go to Bowmanville and not Toronto, it seemed a good opportunity to extend my travels, so I arranged to go to Rochester and from there to take the boat for Coburg, which is just across the lake. There I was to spend a few days with my cousins the Darcy Boultons, at “The Lawn”, and go on to Bowmanville. It was rather an ambitious project, as I had not much knowledge of traveling, but I collected a small fund of information from our fellow boarders, received a letter from Bessie Boulton saying she would meet me when the boat arrived at 7 a.m. and I started off, taking a good lunch with me.
Arrived in Rochester, I made my way up to the hotel to which I had been directed, having arranged to have my trunk sent up too. After dinner, I made enquiries as to boats and found that the Port of Rochester was six miles away and I must take another train to it. I then went to hunt for my trunk, but it could not be found. I was in despair, but a good natured man to whom I applied in my distress said he would take it up and told me to be at the hotel at four o’clock, and he would see I got my train. Thus reassured I went for a short walk and I remember bought a bow and arrows and some other trifles for the Reid children. My kind friend was true to his word. He had found my trunk when I returned and put me into the bus for the station. I soon reached Charlotte, the port, and saw the boat lying beside the wharf. I found it left at 9 p.m., so I secured a berth for 75 cents, breaking into my last dollar, as the fare across was $8.00—more than I had anticipated. Charlotte was exceedingly dull and I soon settled myself in the saloon of the boat and enjoyed my good lunch. Later I found the boat had been rented for a large picnic the next day and would not start until 8 a.m. I was disgusted, as I had now neither money nor food. I also found that the picnickers only paid $1.00 for their return trip, instead of the $2.00 and 75 cents for the berth as I had done. I slept fairly well and we set off in good time. I ate the scanty remains of my lunch and then had the pleasure of watching the wonderful contents of hampers and baskets being brought forth—such pies, such cakes as only Americans can make. No wonder my mouth watered, as I sat through the long trip hungry and lonely.
We arrive about 3 p.m. Bessie had been to meet the early boat but of course it was not there and she had an engagement in the afternoon. I did the best thing I could, took a cab, and went up to “The Lawn”. Kind Mrs. Boulton and her sister Miss Heath received me warmly and at once got me a nice dinner, which I did ample justice to. My time there was very enjoyable. Bessie took me out driving and we visited her eldest brother’s family at “The Farm”. Major Boulton was a very pleasant man and his wife equally so, and they had several nice little children. I would like to have remained longer in Coburg, but I had to hurry on to Bowmanville as soon as I had procured some money.
I got a warm welcome in Bowmanville from all parties. Mother was tired enough of her job and I think the children were a little afraid of her. It was the strawberry season I remember, and Mrs. Reid had a great feast for us all under the trees in her garden, when we ate strawberries and cream ad lib. Mother returned to Toronto the day after I came, as she was to keep house as usual for Lady Robinson. I was a week or ten days at the Reids and was very sorry to leave them, but I felt so sure of going up to join Graham in October that I would make no promises for the next winter.
We had had a few letters from my brother, but as he was 40 miles from a post office his letters were scarce. He had gone up with three other young men, Mr. Wright the son of my grandmother’s old friend, and his particular chum Mr. Christie, an English gentleman. They were also accompanied by Edgar Atheling Bredin, a veritable Irishman. On the way they fell in with a young man of the name of Keen, who also joined their party. On arriving in Emerson they had purchased oxen and wagons and supplies, and set off across the snowy prairie, but it was an early spring and became so terribly slippery they had to stop when they reached the hills, and have the oxen shod, eight shoes for each ox. However, Graham had at last succeeded in locating a beautiful homestead near to the other boys, and he and Keen were living on it in a tent. He seemed delighted with the country and hoped to have a house built ready for me by October.
When I got back to Toronto I spent most of my time at the Home. Sophie was still away and I think Mrs. Cayley was glad to have me. She was in great trouble. Her youngest son Arthur, such a bonny boy and the apple of her eye, had showed signs of tubercular trouble and her heart was very heavy. He was in Muskoka with Hugh and a friend, but she had watched two sons go the same way and felt there was no hope. In these enlightened days something might have been done, but forty-five years ago people just accepted the inevitable and watched those dearer to them than life fade away before their eyes.
I was not idle at the Home. Mr. Cayley had a fine crop of grapes in his hot house, and he persuaded me to undertake the work of pruning them. Bessie Boulton, who was also staying there, assisted. We had to cut three grapes out of five in every bunch. Mr. Cayley insisted on our doing it early in the morning. I can see him now, in his dressing gown, a dear stout old gentleman. He would go up the ladder to the high bunches, as he did not think we should climb ladders. It took many mornings’ work but was finished at last and he presented us each with $5.00.
I was also a partaker in many picnics. The Island was not yet much frequented, though I think Mr. Cayley’s house must have been built that summer, but anxious mothers took their children for trips on the water to Scarborough Heights and other places, and I was considered a helpful companion on these excursions by Mrs. Frank Cayley and Mrs. James Cartwright, and I enjoyed the trips as much as the children.
I often went up to see my mother. I remember one special day I spent with her. I had taken little Ada Cayley up with me, now for many years the wife of Hugh Strickland, but then not quite two years old and a great pet of mine. It was a hot day at the end of July and we sat on the lawn. Every now and then the wind brought a most disagreeable odor to us. Mother remarked that it must come from the Don Flats, which were then undrained. Whatever it was we always blamed it for what followed. This was Thursday, and when I returned on Saturday, as I always did for Sunday, I found mother in bed with a high fever. She was a little better on Sunday but remained in bed till Monday. On Monday I felt very poorly, but there was a lot of jam to make; jam was a very important item in those days and was made with much care and trouble. I worked over it in the summer kitchen as long as I could, but finally succumbed and had to go to bed. Of course dear mother got up to wait on me. I do not know just what kind of fever it was, but I was in bed for some time, and when I got up was very weak.
Lady Robinson wrote that she was returning the middle of August and was coming home by Castile, where she was leaving both the girls. Mother had accepted an invitation to Brantford to stay with Mrs. Joseph Robinson and I was to accompany her. We had everything packed and were to leave the day after they returned. But Lady Robinson brought back a very poor report of Dora. She said she was not continuing to gain as she had done at first, and she strongly advised mother to go to Castille first and see what was to be done. So, instead of going to Brantford, we left by the early boat next morning for Niagara. I had never seen the Falls, so we spent most of the day there. They were very different then to now—not the Falls of course, they go on unchanged—but there was no park nor curio shops nor special view points, but not having had these advantages we did not miss them and managed to spend a very pleasant day.
On arriving in Castille, we found Dora a good deal better, but in rather a depressed condition. She had had rather a dull summer, Jue having been away with her family, and mother thought needed a little change from the routine. So she suggested taking her to Brantford and leaving me in her place. I was nothing loath and they went off almost immediately.
We had rather a select company at that time; Mim and Jue Robinson and Kate Reid, and we were soon joined by Neen Checkley. She had remained at her post all the summer holidays, as her employer had told her if she went for a holiday she need not return. This was especially hard, as her half brother was very ill and died during the summer and she was not able to go to him. But to crown all, this abominable man, after keeping her until September, told her she could go. She had nowhere to go and came to us, while seeking for a fresh post. It was very late to get anything, but at last she heard of a position in a school in Holly Spring, Mississippi. To go on a little, she found on arriving the whole city was in mourning from a fearful epidemic of yellow fever. She did not get it, however, and remained there as a valued assistant for a number of years.
To return once more to Castile, we had a happy month together. Dora came back to us in two weeks much refreshed and a new interest started up. There were two young ladies, the Misses Foot, taking treatment. They were Southern girls and very fond of riding. They suggested our all riding, so a couple of horses were hired and we all took turns. I felt sure I should fall off when my turn came, but Kitty Foot said: “Why certainly you won’t”. I always felt that saved my neck, as the horse went off at a trot and then into a canter, but I kept my seat and returned triumphant. “Oh,” exclaimed Kitty, “I had my heart in my mouth; I was sure you would be off.” “Why,” I said, “you told me I would not fall.” This was my only ride, but Dora rode often and it did her a great deal of good. Also she enjoyed the companionship of the Misses Foot and began to really pick up and look like her old self.