The Power of Faith | Page 5

side of us, with five
hundred pounds' worth of land to give to each, I should ask no more in
this world.
"When we arrived, the doctor's friend Mr. Findley came on board, took
us on shore, and brought us to his elegant mansion. He begged we
would look on him as an old friend, feel perfectly at home, and remain
with him as long as we could. Give my love to my dear boys;* you see
them often, I have no doubt. Do, my dearest mamma, write me soon,
and tell me all about them and yourself; and ever believe me, my dear
parents, with the greatest affection,
*Dr. Graham's two sons by a former marriage, who were left under the
care of Mr. Davidson, rector of the grammar-school of Paisley.

"Your dutiful daughter, "I. GRAHAM."
In a letter a month, later, Mrs. Graham refers to the gay and fashionable
circles to which they were introduced in Quebec, and mentions her
visiting the beautiful falls of Montmorency; but mourns over the low
state of religion, and the prevailing desecration of the Sabbath. She
adds:
"I have read Doddridge's Rise and Progress. I little knew what a
treasure Mr. Ellis put into my hand when he gave me that book. I
cannot say it is my daily companion, but I can with truth say it is often
so. Let my mind be in ever so giddy and thoughtless a frame, or ever so
much busied in those amusements I am engaged in, it makes me serious,
and gives my thoughts a different turn; there is scarce any situation the
mind can be in, but it will find something suitable there. I must not,
however, make remarks on the particular contents of it; it would
occupy more paper than I have to spare. I would have you purchase the
book; I am sure you would like it; and when you have read it, it will be
matter of great satisfaction to you that John and I have such a treasure
in our possession. In it are contained every advice you could give us,
and cautions against the temptations which, on account of youth,
company, and the country we are in, we are exposed to."
They were expecting to spend the winter in Quebec, but were ordered
to Montreal, where Jessie, her eldest daughter, was born, and where
Mrs. Graham received intelligence of the death of her infant son, who
had been left with her mother in Scotland. Further orders were soon
received for the doctor to join the second battalion of his regiment at
fort Niagara, on lake Ontario; Mrs. Graham followed him, and they
continued here in garrison for four years, during which her second and
third daughters, Joanna and Isabella, were added to her charge.
Under date of February 3, 1771, we find, from her own pen, the
following description of her occupations and enjoyments, in a letter
addressed to her beloved mother:
"My two Indian girls come on very well indeed. The eldest milked the
cows all summer; she washes and irons all the clothes for the family,

scrubs the floors, and does the most part of the kitchen work. The
young one's charge is the children, and some other little turns when the
infant is asleep. I teach them to read and to sew when they have any
spare time. As for me, I find I have enough to do to superintend. You
may be sure I help a little too, now and then. I make and mend what is
necessary for the family, for I must be tailor, mantua-maker, and
milliner.
"In the forenoon the doctor makes his rounds as usual. I generally trot
about till two o'clock, dress the children, order dinner, dress myself,
and twenty other things, which you know are necessary to be looked
after by the mistress of a family. After dinner I sit down to my work,
and we have always a book, which the doctor reads when I can attend;
when I cannot, he reads something else.
"As I am at present the only wife in the place, we have a regular
tea-table, and now and then a little frugal supper; for the doctor has
come more into my way of thinking, and does not insist upon cutting a
figure as much as some time ago. When alone, he reads and I work, as
usual. He is seldom out, and never but when I am with him. We are
easy in our circumstances, and want for nothing that is necessary; in
short, my ever dear parents, my life is easy and pleasant. The Lord my
God make it pious and useful.
"Could I place myself and family in the same circumstances, and every
thing go on in the same manner, within a