"
The little maid promised to bring her young lady some wreaths of the
festoon pine--a low creeping plant, with dry, green, chaffy leaves, that
grows in the barren pine woods, of which the Canadians make Christmas
garlands; and also some of the winter berries, and spice berries, which
look so gay in the fall and early spring, with berries of brightest
scarlet, and shining dark-green leaves, that trail over the ground on the
gravelly hills and plains.
Nurse Frazer brought Lady Mary some sweetmeats, flavoured with an extract
of the spicy winter-green, from the confectioner's shop; the Canadians
being very fond of the flavour of this plant. The Indians chew the leaves,
and eat the ripe mealy berries, which have something of the taste of the
bay-laurel leaves. The Indian men smoke the leaves as tobacco.
One day, while Mrs. Frazer was at work in the nursery, her little charge
came to her in a great state of agitation--her cheeks were flashed, and
her eyes were dancing with joy. She threw herself into her arms, and said,
"Oh, dear nurse, I am going home to dear old England and Scotland. Papa
and mamma are going away from Government House, and I am to return to the
old country with them. I am so glad--are not you?"
But the tears gathered in Mrs.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186