90 OVER ON THE ISLAND

A rather different memory is that of the darky who nearly became mayor. As a practical joke some one had Black Sam, the chief chimney sweep of the town, nominated for mayor. The joke, however, was nearly reversed. For Black Sam missed the mayoralty by only a few votes.

For years the Island has boasted of its divorceless state. It is .a fairly just boast, for there have been comparatively few divorces here. But what few Islanders realize is that at one time Prince Edward Island had a divorce court all its own. It began to function in 1837, a suitable date. There was a rebellion in Upper and Lower Canada at that time, and down on the little Island there were a few marital rebellions as well. There were not many—a mere half-dozen or so—no entries beyond 1871. The most outstanding case, and one which exhausted the court, was the Capell case. The divorce court decided that the husband should contribute to his wife’s support. He, however, refused, and was therefore imprisoned. He possessed sufficient means to support her, but he preferred life imprisonment. A frequent note in the record is that “ the court met pursuant to adjournment and there being no business, adjourned. ” Perhaps the Island boast is justified after all! '

So much for old Charlottetown. There is a more modern and gayer side to the city centred around its beautiful new Canadian National Hotel and old Government House with its artistically laid out Dutch garden. There is, on the outskirts, St. Dunstan’s College—the seat of Catholic education in the Province. The work of building this college was carried on at the personal expense of Bishop Mac- donald. On its completion he handed it over as a gift