Life in Canada Fifty Years Ago | Page 8

that is, one would choose a
fellow pupil, who would rise and take his or her place, and then the
other, continuing until the list was exhausted. The preliminaries being
completed, the contest began. At first the lower end of the class was
disposed of, and as time wore on one after another would make a slip
and retire, until two or three only were left on either side. Then the
struggle became exciting, and scores of eager eyes were fixed on the
contestants. With the old hands there was a good deal of fencing,
though the teacher usually had a reserve of difficult words to end the
fight, which often lasted two or three hours. He failed sometimes, and
then it was a drawn battle to be fought on another occasion.
Debating classes also met and discussed grave questions, upon such
old- fashioned subjects as these:
"Which is the more useful to man, wood or iron?" "Which affords the
greater enjoyment, anticipation or participation?" "Which was the
greater general, Wellington or Napoleon?" Those who were to take part
in the discussion were always selected at a previous meeting, so that all
that had to be done was to select a chairman and commence the debate.
I can give from memory a sample or two of these first attempts. "Mr.
President, Ladies and Gentlemen: Unaccustomed as I am to public
speaking, I rise to make a few remarks on this all important question--
ahem--Mr. President, this is the first time I ever tried to speak in public,
and unaccustomed as I am to--to--ahem. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think
our opponents are altogether wrong in arguing that Napoleon was a
greater general than Wellington--ahem--I ask you, Mr. President, did
Napoleon ever thrash Wellington? Didn't Wellington always thrash him,
Mr. President? Didn't he whip him at Waterloo and take him prisoner?

and then to say that he is a greater general than Wellington--why, Mr.
President, he couldn't hold a candle to him. Ladies and Gentlemen, I
say that Napoleon wasn't a match for him at all. Wellington licked him
every time--and--yes, licked him every time. I can't think of any more,
Mr. President, and I will take my seat, Sir, by saying that I'm sure you
will decide in our favour from the strong arguments our side has
produced."
After listening to such powerful reasoning, some one of the older
spectators would ask Mr. President to be allowed to say a few words on
some other important question to be debated, and would proceed to air
his eloquence and instruct the youth on such a topic as this: "Which is
the greater evil, a scolding wife or a smoky chimney?" After this wise
the harangue would proceed:--"Mr. President, I have been almost mad
a- listening to the debates of these 'ere youngsters--they don't know
nothing at all about the subject. What do they know about the evil of a
scolding wife? Wait till they have had one for twenty years, and been
hammered, and jammed, and slammed, all the while. Wait till they've
been scolded because the baby cried, because the fire wouldn't burn,
because the room was too hot, because the cow kicked over the milk,
because it rained, because the sun shined, because the hens didn't lay,
because the butter wouldn't come, because the old cat had kittens,
because they came too soon for dinner, because they were a minute
late--before they talk about the worry of a scolding wife. Why Mr.
President, I'd rather hear the clatter of hammers and stones and twenty
tin pans, and nine brass kettles, than the din, din, din of the tongue of a
scolding woman; yes, sir, I would. To my mind, Mr. President, a smoky
chimney is no more to be compared to a scolding wife than a little
nigger is to a dark night." These meetings were generally well attended,
and conducted with considerable spirit. If the discussions were not
brilliant, and the young debater often lost the thread of his argument--in
other words, got things "mixed"--he gained confidence, learned to talk
in public, and to take higher flights. Many of our leading public men
learned their first lessons in the art of public speaking in the country
debating school.
Apple trees were planted early by the bay settlers, and there were now
numerous large orchards of excellent fruit. Pears, plums, cherries,
currants and gooseberries were also common. The apple crop was

gathered in October, the best fruit being sent to the cellar for family use
during winter, and the rest to the cider mill.
The cider mills of those days were somewhat rude contrivances. The
mill proper consisted of two cogged wooden cylinders about fourteen
inches in diameter and perhaps twenty-six inches in length, placed in an
upright position in a frame.