At first it was the "Great Lone
Land,"--the country of bleak winter, eternal snow and fearful
blizzards. Then it became a little better known, and, suddenly it
dawned upon the world that a great country lie sleeping in the arms of
nature, and awaiting the call of civilization to awaken it up and send
it forth on a mission of importance. The "boom" began. All thoughts
were directed to the land of the Rockies. Pictures of plenty and
abundance floated before the vision of many thousands. Homes in the
east were abandoned to rush into the wilds of the West. No gold fever
of the South was ever more exciting, and to add thereto, they found
that the government proposed building a line of railway from end to
end of the Dominion. Then the Frazer, Saskatchewan, Red River and
Assiniboine became household words.
In this story of a fancied land of plenty, there was much truth, but
as in every case in life, there was much falsehood as well. It suited
the purpose of monied speculators to laud to the skies the North-west
in general. But rich and extensive as the land may be, no man can
expect to make a fortune there, unless through hard labor, never
ceasing exertion and great watchfulness. There, as in all other lands,
you must "earn your bread by the sweat of your brow." That sentence
passed on man, when the, first sin darkened his soul, shall exist and
be carried into execution unto the end of time.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88