is beautiful country of our own?"

After weighing his companion in thought for a few moments longer,
according to a habit of his, the elder man recollected another matter:--

"You have resigned your seat in the Dominion House to enter the
Provincial. Why is that?"

"A new turn has arrived in affairs, sir. The Honorable Genest's fever
has broken him down. He cannot fill a place where activity is needed.
Until the fever, he was an influence, you know, in the Dominion House,
while I was in the Local. After it, he arranged that we should exchange
seats, as the Legislature has latterly been so quiet. Lately, however,
Picault's corruptionists, whom we thought crushed, have made another
assault for the moneys, bullied, lied, and bribed, weighed their silver
to the Iscariots, and edged Genest out of his seat."

"Who is their man here?"

"Libergent, lawyer. The election was annulled for frauds, but by moving
the heavens and earth of the Courts they saved Libergent from
disqualification, and now he appears again against us. Our cause calls
for energetic action, in the Legislature, so Genest and I are changing
places back again."

"I hope you will not be lost to us long?"

"No longer than I can help. The national work will never cease to
attract me. _Is it not sublime this nation-making?_--that this
generation, and particularly a few individuals like you, sir, and myself
should be honored by Heaven with the task of founding a people! It is as
grand as the nebulous making of stars!"

The seigneur's manner was full of enthusiasm.

"I can't see it as you young men do," Chrysler said, in an inflection
suggestive of regret. "What may we effect beyond trying to keep
Government pure and prudent, and we are often powerless to do even that?
Nor can we form the future character of the people much, but must leave
that to themselves, don't you think?"

"A partial truth," he returned, meditatively,--"a great one too. When I
go into the country among the farmers, I often think: 'The people are
the true nation-makers.'"--

"And Providence has apparently designed it," the old man proceeded in
his gentle strain, "to be our modest lot to follow the lead of other
lands more developed and better situated. Where do you discover anything
striking in the outlook?"

"I do not care for a thing because it is striking; but I care for a
great thing if it is really great. Do not think me too daring if I
suggest for a moment that Canada should a