weakness into a nation's strength, and public burdens into public blessings, I claim the eulogy of Holy Writ: 'Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.'” "When women plead, men give like gods," said Mr. Hall, paraphrasing the words of Shakespeare when proposing a vote of thanks to the ladies who had thus stitched and knitted, begged and bartered the institution practically out of debt; and the pen that had announced the opening of the bazaar in quaint language thus told of its close in the spirit of the undertaking and with a closing benediction in the language of the day : "O YEZ! O YEZ! O YEZ! "Ye Fayre is ended and ye stalles are closed, That came to see, and spent so lib'ralie. And parted braivelie wythe their hard-earned gold, 6 Are now welle pleased that they were bought and sold.' How one would chaffer and then change hys minde, Then to ye stalles again return wythe smiles But spurr'd them on to try and selle ye more. They'll laugh to think, their handes for pleasure made, But months of thought and toil in them were cast. " And generous hearts did bravelie give and spende, So wythe success our Englishe Fayre' did end. "But hark! What is this? A sweet chorus I hear, 'Tis the voices of children that ring in mine ear, 'Tis the song of thanksgiving from homes by the sea, From hearts full of gladness, to you and to me, Its sound shall be echoed from streets sorrow-pavedFrom the lips of our sad little waifs to be saved. 'Tis their thanks, for the labour and wealth you have given, That shall find its re-echo from angels in heaven." CHAPTER V. NEW HOMES IN CANADA FOR THE GIRLS. "Behind the scared squaw's birch canoe The city lots are stalked for sale "I hear the tread of pioneers, Of nations yet to be; The first low wash of waves, where soon "The rudiments of empire here Are plastic yet and warm, "Each rude and jostling fragment soon The raw material of a state, "And westering still, the star which leads Has tipped with fire the icy spears ROM grave to gay, from lively to severe." The fourth annual report (1884) stated that there were then in the Homes seventy-nine children, of whom twenty-three were orphans, twelve motherless, thirty-one fatherless, eleven with both parents living, and two unknown. In some of the cases the children had been abandoned either by their father or mother, who had left the neighbourhood, and of whom nothing was known. Two girls had gone to their friends, two sent to places, and five had been taken to Canada and there placed in respectable situations. They were accompanied by Mrs. Craig, the head matron, whose interesting report the committee referred to with pleasure; and which cannot be read without intense interest by all concerned in such institutions: "I have much pleasure in laying before you a report of the voyage, arrival, and placing of the five girls which you committed to my care. "The children and myself left Whitley on Thursday morning, May 15th, arrived at Shields in good spirits, and had a smart row up the river; we climbed up the side of the steamer, and were all very kindly received. "We went at once to our quarters, which were very clean, and situated in the ship's bows. The girls commenced at once to put things in order, and before long every bed was made, and our baskets and packages all properly arranged. We had dinner at half-past two. "After dinner the girls cleared away the dishes and washed them up, they then took out their knitting, and so passed the afternoon alternately working and watching the cargo being taken in. Tea at seven o'clock. 66 'During the evening we had the unexpected pleasure of a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Hall, who came to see that we were properly provided with necessaries for our (to us) long voyage. After expressing their satisfaction with our accommodation and many good wishes for our safe journey, Mr. and Mrs. Hall bade us good-bye. We then had prayers and an evening hymn, and went to bed at half-past nine. “The next morning we rose at half-past six, the girls shook out their bedding and made all tidy; we then had prayers and breakfast. We spent the morning in making our quarters look comfortable and home-like. "Mrs. Scott came to us at midday and brought several additions to our comfort, which were kindly sent in by Mrs. James Hall, and thoroughly appreciated by the girls themselves. "Several gentlemen came to see the girls during the afternoon, each one giving a word of good advice to them. Some of the children's friends came to see them on board, and left quite satisfied that it was their own wish to go to Canada. "On Saturday morning we were all up at six o'clock. The morning was fine, but rather hazy. When we passed the Wellesley the boys waved their red handkerchiefs and my girls white ones as a parting salute. "We passed the pier at a quarter past seven. The girls looked anxiously for a sight on Whitley Sands of the red hoods, but none were to be seen; so their handkerchiefs were waved again to the Whitley Church steeple and to the Convalescent Home. And now the journey was fairly begun, but all was bright; not a sigh, not a tear, but a full determination to do what is right. "Polly was the first to turn sick, and the only one on Saturday; still she was not so bad, but was able to join the others in a skipping match on deck for fully an hour, which they thoroughly enjoyed. We had prayers at half-past nine, and so ended our first day at sea. "On Sunday morning it began to blow hard, and before long all the girls were sick. Not one could touch food all day, only oranges, a good stock of which Mrs. Hall so kindly sent us. I think that was without exception the one day of trial. However, about ten o'clock at night, Annie thought she saw a rat looking at her, and that fact made them all wonderfully lively, so much so that there was an eager wish to sing a comforting hymn, as Madge called it; she was quite sure that it would keep away the rat, but Sarah was rather anxious to encourage the little fellow to come back again, and so it did every day, for Sarah placed food for it every night. "On Monday the sea was smooth, and Annie and Madge quite well; all were able to take their food. |