acquaintancesofthehotelparlorandtheRapids-elevator，andhadglancedtentativelytowardsthem。Whereuponthematronofthepartyhadmadeadvancesthatendedintheirallsittingdowntogetherandwonderingwhentheboatwouldstart，andwhattimetheywouldgettoMontrealnextevening，withothermattersthatstrangersgoinguponthesamejourneymayproperlymarveloverincompany。Theintroductionhavingthusaccomplisheditself，theyexchangedaddresses，anditappearedthatRichardwasColonelEllison，ofMilwaukee，andthatFannywashiswife。
　　MissKittyEllisonwasofWesternNewYork，notfarfromErie。Therewasadiversionpresentlytowardsthedifferentstate-rooms；butthenewacquaintancessatvis-a-vasatthetable，andaftersuppertheladiesdrewtheirchairstogetheronthepromenadedeck，andenjoyedthefresheveningbreeze。Thesunsetmagnificentuponthelowwesternshorewhichtheyhadnowleftanhouraway，andabroadstripeofcolorstretchedbehindthesteamer。Afewthin，luminouscloudsdarkenedmomentlyalongthehorizon，andthenmixedwiththeland。Thestarscameoutinaclearsky，andalightwindsoftlybuffetedthecheeks，andbreathedlifeintonervesthattheday’sheathadwasted。Itscarcelywrinkledthetranquilexpanseofthelake，onwhichloomed，farornear，afull-sailedschooner，andpresentlymeltedintothetwilight，andleftthesteamersolitaryuponthewaters。Thecompanywassmall，andnotremarkableenoughinanywaytotakethethoughtsofanyoneoffhisowncomfort。
　　Adeepsenseofthecozinessofthesituationpossessedthemallwhichwasifpossibleintensifiedbythespectacleofthecaptain，seatedontheupperdeck，andsmokingacigarthatflashedandfaintedlikeastationaryfire-flyinthegatheringdusk。Howverydistant，inthismood，werethemostrecentevents！Niagaraseemedafableofantiquity；
　　theridefromRochesteramythoftheMiddleAges。Inthispool，happyworldofquietlake，ofstarryskies，ofairthatthesoulitselfseemedtobreathe，therewassuchconsciousnessofreposeasifoneweresteepedinrestandsoakedthroughandthroughwithcalm。
　　ThepointsoflikenessbetweenIsabelandMrs。Ellisonshortlymadethemmutuallyuninteresting，and，leavingherhusbandtotheothers，IsabelfranklysoughtthecompanionshipofMissKitty，inwhomshefoundacharmofmannerwhichpuzzledatfirst，butwhichshepresentlyfanciedmustbeperfecttrustofothersminglingwithapeculiarself-reliance。
　　“Can’tyousee，Basil，whataveryflatteringwayitis？“sheaskedofherhusband，when，afterpartingwiththeirfriendsforthenight，shetriedtoexplainthecharactertohim。“Ofcoursenoartcouldequalsuchanaturalgift；forthatkindofbeliefinyourgood-natureandsympathymakesyoufeelworthyofit，don’tyouknow；andsoyoucan’thelpbeinggood-naturedandsympathetic。ThisMissEllison，why，Icantellyou，Ishouldn’tbeashamedofheranywhere。’ByanywhereIsabelmeantBoston，andshewentontopraisetheyounglady’sintelligenceandrefinement，withthoseexpressionsofsurpriseattheexistenceofcivilizationinawesternerwhichwesternersfinditsohardtoreceivegraciously。Happily，MissEllisonhadnottohearthem。“Thereasonshehappenedtocomewithonlytwodressesis，shelivessonearNiagarathatshecouldcomeforoneday，andgobackthenext。Thecolonel’shercousin，andheandhiswifegoEasteveryyear，andtheyaskedherthistimetoseeNiagarawiththem。Shetoldmealloveragainwhatweeavesdroppedsoshamefullyinthehotelparlor；——andIdon’tknowwhethershewasbetterpleasedwiththeprospectofwhat’sbeforeher，orwiththenotionofmakingthejourneyinthisoriginalway。Shedidn’tforceherconfidenceuponme，anymorethanshetriedtowithholdit。Wegottotalkinginthemostnaturalmanner；andsheseemedtotellthesethingsaboutherselfbecausetheyamusedherandshelikedme。IhadbeensayinghowmytrunkgotleftbehindonceontheFrenchsideofMontCenis，andIhadtowearaunt’sthingsatTurintillitcouldbesentfor。“
　　“Well，Idon’tseebutMissEllisoncoulddescribeyoutoherfriendsverymuchasyou’vedescribedhertome，“saidBasil。“Howdidthesemutualconfidencesbegin？Whosetrustfulnessfirstflatteredtheother’s？Whatelsedidyoutellaboutyourself？“
　　“Isaidwewereonourweddingjourney，“guiltilyadmittedIsabel。
　　“O，youdid！“
　　“Why，dearest！Iwantedtoknow，foronce，yousee，whetherweseemedhoneymoon-struck。“
　　“Anddowe？“
　　“No，“cametheanswer，somewhatruefully。“Perhaps，Basil，“sheadded，“we’vebeenalittletoosuccessfulindisguisingourbridalcharacter。
　　Doyouknow，“shecontinued，lookinghimanxiouslyintheface，“thisMissEllisontookmeatfirstfor——yoursister！“
　　Basilbrokeforthinoutrageouslaughter。“Onemoresuchvictory，“hesaid，“andweareundone；“andhelaughedagain，immoderately。“Howsadisthefruitionofhumanwishes！There’snothing，afterall，likeagoodthoroughfailureformakingpeoplehappy。“
　　Isabeldidnotlistentohim。Safeinadimcornerofthedesertedsaloon，sheseizedhiminavindictiveembrace；then，asifithadbeenhewhosuggestedtheideaofsuchaloathsomerelation，hissedoutthehatedwords，“Yoursister！“andreleasedhimwithadisdainfulrepulse。
　　AlittleafterdaybreakthesteamerstoppedattheCanadiancityofKingston，ahandsomeplace，substantialtothewater’sedge，andgivingasenseofEnglishsoliditybythestoneofwhichitislargelybuilt。
　　Therewasanaccessionofmanypassengershere，andtheyandthepeopleonthewharfwereaslittlelikeAmericansaspossible。TheywereEnglishorIrishorScotch，withthehealthfulbloomoftheOldWorldstillupontheirfaces，orifCanadianstheylookednotlesshearty；sothatonemustwonderifthelinebetweentheDominionandtheUnitedStatesdidnotalsosharplyseparategooddigestionanddyspepsia。Theseprovincialshadnotourregularityoffeatures，northebestofthemourcarewornsensibilityofexpression；butneitherhadtheyourcomplexionsofadobe；andevenIsabelwasforcedtoallowthatthemenwere，onthewhole，betterdressedthanthesamenumberofaverageAmericanswouldhavebeeninacityofthatsizeandremoteness。Thestevedoreswhowereputtingthefreightaboardweremenofleisure；theyjokedinakindlywaywiththeorange-womenandtheoldwomenpickingupchipsonthepier；
　　andourlandofhurryseemedbeyondtheoceanratherthanbeyondthelake。
　　KingstonhasromanticmemoriesofbeingFortFrontenactwohundredyearsago；ofCountFrontenac’ssplendidadventamongtheIndians；ofthebraveLaSalle，whoturneditswoodenwallstostone；ofwarswiththesavagesandthenwiththeNewYorkcolonists，whomtheFrenchandtheiralliesharriedfromthispoint；ofthedestructionofLaSalle’sfortintheOldFrenchWar；andoffinalsurrenderafewyearslatertotheEnglish。Itisaspicturesqueasitishistorical。Allaboutthecity，theshoresarebeautifullywooded，andtherearemanylovelyislands，——thefirstindeedofthoseThousandIslandswithwhichtheheadoftheSt。Lawrenceisfilled，andamongwhichthesteamerwaspresentlythreadingherway。
　　Theyarestillascharmingandstillalmostaswildaswhen，in1673，Frontenac’sflotillaofcanoespassedthroughtheirlabyrinthandissueduponthelake。Saveforalight-houseupononeofthem，thereisalmostnothingtoshowthatthefootofmanhaseverpressedthethingrassclingingtotheirrockysurfaces，andkeepingitsgreenintheeternalshadowoftheirpinesandcedars。Inthewarmmorninglighttheygatheredordispersedbeforetheadvancingvessel，whichsomeofthemalmosttouchedwiththeplumageoftheirevergreens；andwherenoneofthemwerelarge，someweresosmallthatitwouldnothavebeentooboldtofigurethemasavasterraceofwater-birdsassemblingandseparatinginhercourse。Itiscuriouslyaffectingtofindthemsounclaimedyetfromthesolitudeofthevanishedwilderness，andscarcelytouchedevenbytradition。ButfortheinterestleftthembytheFrench，thesetinyislandshavescarcelyanyassociations，andmustbeenjoyedfortheirbeautyalone。ThereisindeedaboutthemafaintlightoflegendconcerningtheCanadianrebellionof1837，forseveralpatriotsaresaidtohavetakenrefugeamidsttheirlovelymultitude；butthisepisodeofmodernhistoryisdifficultfortheimaginationtomanage，andsomehowonedoesnottakesentimentallyeventothatdaughterofalurkingpatriot，wholongbaffledherfather’spursuersbyrowinghimfromoneislandtoanother，andsupplyinghimwithfoodbynight。
　　Eitherthereluctanceisfromthenaturaldesirethatsorecentaheroineshouldbefoundedonfact，oritismereperverseness。PerhapsIoughttosay；injusticetoher，thatitwasoneofherownsexwhorefusedtobeinterestedinher，andforbadeBasiltocareforher。Whenhehadreadofherexploitfromtheguide-book，IsabelaskedhimifhehadnoticedthathandsomegirlintheblueandwhitestripedGaribaldiandSwisshat，whohadcomeaboardatKingston。Shepointedherout，andcourageouslymadehimadmireherbeauty，whichwasofthemostbewitchingCanadiantype。TheyounggirlwasredeemedbyherNewWorldbirthfromtheEnglishheaviness；amoredelicatebloomlightedhercheeks；asoftergracedweltinhermovement；yetshewasroundandfull，andshewasintheperfectflowerofyouth。ShewasnotsoetherealinherlovelinessasanAmericangirl，butshewasnotsonervousandhadnoneofthepainfulfragilityofthelatter。Herexpressionwasjustalittlevacant，itmustbeowned；butsofarasshewentshewasfaultless。Shelookedlikethemosttractableofdaughters，andasifshewouldbethemostobedientofwives。Shehadablamelesstasteindress，Isabeldeclared；hercostumeofblueandwhitestripedGaribaldiandSwisshatsetuponheavymassesofdarkbrownhairbeingcompletedbyablacksilkskirt。“Andyoucansee，“sheadded，“thatit’sanoldskirtmadeover，andthatshe’sdressedascheaplyassheisprettily。“ThissurprisedBasil，whohadimputedtheyounglady’spersonalsumptuousnesstoherdress，andhadthoughtitenormouslyrich。Whenshegotoffwithherchaperoneatoneofthepoorest-lookingcountrylandings，shelefttheminhopelessconjectureabouther。Wasshevisitingthere，orwastheinteriorofCanadafullofsuchstylishandexquisitecreatures？
　　Wheredidshegethertaste，herfashions，hermanners？Asshepassedfromsighttowardstheshadowofthewoods，theyfeltthepoorerforhergoing；yettheyweregladtohaveseenher，andonsecondthoughtstheyfeltthattheycouldnotjustlyaskmoreofherthantohavemerelyexistedforafewhoursintheirpresence。Theyperceivedthatbeautywasnotonlyitsownexcuseforbeing，butthatitflatteredandfavoredandprofitedtheworldbyconsentingtobe。
　　AtPrescott，theboatonwhichtheyhadcomefromCharlotte，andonwhichtheyhadbeenpromisedapassagewithoutchangetoMontreal，stopped，andtheyweretransferredtoasmallersteamerwiththeuncomfortablenameofBanshee。Shewasveryold，andveryinfirmanddirty，andineverywayboreoutthecharacterofasqualidIrishgoblin。Besides，shewasalreadyheavilyladenwithpassengers，and，withtheadditionoftheothersteamer’speoplehadnowdoublehercomplement；andourfriendsdoubtediftheywerenottopasstheRapidsinasmuchdangerasdiscomfort。Theirfellow-passengerswereingreatvariety，however，andthuspartlyatonedfortheirnumbers。AmongthemofcoursetherewasafullforceofbridesfromNiagaraandelsewhere，andsomecuriousformsoftheprevailinginfatuationappeared。Itiswellenough，ifshelikes，anditmayevenbeverynobleforapassablygood-lookingyoungladytomarryagentlemanofvenerableage；buttointensifytheideaofself-