It was a ladies'
day, and there was music, dancing, etc. We went in a sleigh up the very
steep hill, much to my astonishment. I should have thought the thing
practically impossible. On our way we passed a toboggan slide down the
side of Mount Royal. It took my breath away to think of coming down it
at the rate of over a mile a minute. The view from the club-house was
splendid, taking in a great sweep of snow-covered country, the city and
the frozen St. Lawrence. There are daily races on the river, and last
year they ran tram-cars on it.

[Illustration: THE OLD GENTLEMAN AND THE TOBOGGAN SLIDE.]

It was odd to hear the phrase, "after the flood." When I came to inquire
into it, I learned that when the St. Lawrence ice breaks up, the lower
city is flooded, and this is yearly spoken of as "the flood."

I drove back from the club with my manager and two English gentlemen,
who are here on a visit. As we passed the toboggan slide, my manager
told me of an old gentleman over sixty, who delights in those breathless
passages down the side of Mount Royal. One may see him out there "at
it," as early as ten in the morning. Plenty of people, however, try one
ride and never ask for another. One gentleman my manager told me of,
after having tried it, expressed pretty well the feelings of many
others. He said, "I wouldn't do it again for two thousand dollars, but I
wouldn't have missed it for three." I asked one of the two Englishmen
who accompanied us, whether he had had a try. He was a quiet, solemn,
middle-aged Englishman. "Well," he said, "yes, I have. It had to be
done, and I did it."

[Illustration: A SNOWSHOER.]

Last night I was most interested in watching the members of the Snowshoe
Club start from the Windsor, on a kind of a picnic over the country.
Their costumes were very picturesque; a short tunic of woolen material
fastened round the waist by a belt, a sort of woolen nightcap, with
tassel falling on the shoulder, thick woolen stockings, and
knickerbockers.

In Russia and the northern parts of the United States, the people say:
"It's too cold to go out." In Canada, they say: "It's very cold, let's
all go out." Only rain keeps them indoors. In the coldest weather, with
a temperature of many degrees below zero, you have great difficulty in
finding a closed carriage. All, or nearly all, are open sleighs. The
driver wraps you up in furs, and as you go, gliding on the snow, your
face is whipped by the cold air, you feel