My paternal great-uncle lived in our family home, he having been born in Massachusetts in 1786, and, coming away with my own forefathers from that State to Upper Canada before things got quieted in New England after the war of the Revolution, he had retained a most vivid recollection of every turn of that most unfortunate struggle, as told him at his mother’s knee. Among the relics which my forefather brought from Massachusetts was a deerskin-covered saddle-bag, with a brass ring in each end to fasten to the horse. This old saddle-bag was octagonal in shape, and was made in London, England, in 1719. It was used as a receptacle for papers from New England, dating mainly before the Revolution, and as far back as 1720. Within this pile of papers in a roll was a large quantity of money, paper money of different denominations, and made at the various periods of the war. First, I remember, were shilling notes, then notes for pounds, and as the war went on, notes for dollars. From my earliest boyhood I had fingered these notes, and played with them, but never until this year (1864) did I realize that at one time they meant just that much money to my forefather. To our scheme the paternal uncle listened, and took it all in. Yes, he understood about buying the bonds just as well as I did, and freely admitted the opportunity to be a good one. Then, arousing himself as if from a fright, he asked me to go and get the Continental money, which I quickly did. Fondly he looked it over, and passed the notes between his fingers, soliloquizing to himself. “No, boy,” he said presently; “they didn’t pay these, and they may not pay their bonds now, and better let well enough alone and not touch them.” My uncle’s decision settled the matter. The bonds were not bought, and thus I lost the chance of becoming a multi-millionaire at a bound, a chance the like of which never may occur again. [Illustration: DANIEL CONANT. THE AUTHOR’S FATHER.] [Illustration: MARY ELIZA CONANT. THE AUTHOR’S MOTHER.] CHAPTER XI. The “_Trent_ affair”--Excitement in Canada--Bombastic “fire-eaters”--Thriving banks--High rates of interest--Railway building--The bonus system--A sequestered hamlet--A “psychologist” and his entertainment--A mock duel--A tragic page of family history. “There is no other land like thee, No dearer shore; Thou art the shelter of the free; The home, the port of liberty Thou hast been and shalt ever be Till time is o’er. Ere I forget to think upon My land, shall mother curse the son She bore!”