Our Little Quebec CousinSaxe, Mary S. (Mary Sollace)
General
Our Little Quebec Cousin
Saxe, Mary S. (Mary Sollace)
Children -- Québec (Province) -- Juvenile literature
"I vote for whichever will have the most about Indians," said George,
"we can see the Victoria Bridge when we travel any day." At this moment
a party of French politicians entered the enclosure and Oisette's eyes
dilated with amazement, "Mon père!" she exclaimed. Sure enough, it
was Monsieur Tremblent, and he, too, was amazed to behold his little
girl in a new white sailor hat. Miss Anstruther explained how Oisette
happened to be with them, so he took a great interest in their plans,
and after consulting with his party found he could put a motor car at
Miss Anstruther's disposal; in this they could cover more ground in the
city and be taken out to Lachine, then the party could see the rapids
and the car could be brought back to its owner at five o'clock, when he
would be returning from the political meeting.
Their plans were soon made, and their first stop was to be on
Sherbrooke Street just west of Guy Street, where behind huge gray
stone walls, is situated the grand seminary of the Sulpician Order.
Entering these grounds, they could see the huge building which houses
four hundred or more students, all preparing for the priesthood, but
one reason of their visit was to see the two stone towers in the
grounds which were built in very early times and remain standing in an
excellent state of preservation. One of these old towers was used as a
chapel for the Indian mission and the other as a school. A tablet on
the chapel tower bears the inscription "Here rest the mortal remains
of a Huron Indian baptized by the Reverend Père de Brebeuf. He was, by
his piety and by his probity, the example of the Christians, and the
admiration of the unbelievers; he died aged one hundred years the 21st
of April, 1690."
Miss Anstruther reminded George that he had but recently read in
Parkman's history about this same Rev. Père de Brebeuf, who was
tortured to death by the Iroquois with every cruelty devisable.
The school held in the other tower had, at one time, a famous native
teacher; she was called "the school mistress of the mountains," and
died in 1695, when but twenty-eight years old. Above the door of the
western wing of the great seminary is the legend in Latin "Hie evangel;
bantur Indi," "Here the Indians were evangelized."
Next they rode along Sherbrooke Street, past a beautiful art gallery
and some fine residences to the McGill University grounds, which lie
at the foot of the mountain slope. This college was founded in 1821
and named from its founder the Honorable James McGill. Then, just a
little further on, is the Royal Victoria college for women, donated by
Lord Strathcone, and a beautiful statue of Queen Victoria ornaments the
entrance steps--this statue was designed by the Princess Louise, one of
Queen Victoria's own children. Miss Anstruther said she hoped some day
her little students would become McGill graduates.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account