52 PRINCE EDWARD ISLVAND

or the wooden yoke of his ox or heifer, fastened the hinder ends together by means of a hardwood stick and a couple of hardwood pins; attached a small platform; placed upon this his bag of grain or other product, and proceeded along the path, marked by blazed trees, to the nearest shipyard, or other centre of trade.

While the goad of necessity was almost continually urging forward our pioneer farmers, there were not wanting compensations, even in the lone log cabins in the midst of the wilderness. The early settler in P. E. Island was not at all troubled about the duty on oil or the price of electric light. He couldn’t go to his telephone in the evening and hold a conversation with his friend in the nearest town concerning the day’s doings in Great Britain or the day’s battle on the plains of Thessaly. But, seated before his blazing wood-Sre—wood was plentiful in those days—in the wide fire-place, with an immense back-log steaming and fizzing at the ends, he could enjoy

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his evening pipe, and toss his babies on his knee, or divide among them the home— made maple sugar, while he listened to the whirr of the little spinning wheel or the click of the quick shuttle as his industrious wife spdn the flax or wool or wove the web of coarse linen or woolen cloth with which he and they were to be protected from the cold. When a neighbor paid him a visit, he could discuss the latest news from the nearest post-office or talk over the old times in the old land. If to his industry were added good judgment and good health he could rest and sleep in peace, none making him afraid. He retired early and rose before the sun. His tastes were simple; his desires few. He lived close to nature and to nature’s God. He con— quered the wilderness and prospered.

In the course of seven or eight or ten years from the time of his arrival, the roots of the stumps of the trees which he at the first cut down, were sufficiently decayed to be taken out. Then began the heavy work of stumping. In this work our pioneer farmer was often assisted by his neigh— bors, he in turn assisting them, with horse or yoke of oxen. Every succeeding summer he would have a "stumping frolic,”——-in which all the men and boys near— by would take an active part—endingby a dance with the girls and a “goose supper” in the'evening.