f1}, 35o . ~ ~ 'OUR ISLAND STORY

Such frolics usually went the round of many settlements once 5 , _ or twice in each year. They gave variety and social liveliness to 4‘55 , the usually monotonous existence of those who conquered the ' forest and established the homes for their successors,—-—those who now cultivate cleared and levelled fields by means of ”gang ' ploughs” and “wheel harrows,” and self-spreading manure wagons, who have mowers and reapers and threshers and machines for harvesting their hay, grain and potatoes; who live in well fur— nished homes with ranges in their kitchens, warmth-dispensing pipeless furnace-s in their cellars, hot and cold Water flowing through their chambers and bathrooms, and the telephone and radio, as well as the daily newspaper to keep them in touch with _ the world at large and informed concerning all the facts of current 'a ' history. ‘ i f, V As in the country, so in the city and the town. With the exception of a few officials, the Ichief of whom drew their means _ - of livelihood from the government» of the Mother Country, the ._; inhabitants of the Capital, the only considerable town then in 5 .- the Island, were in comparatively poor circumstances. For the »,. i, most part they had to cultivate gardens for vegetables and fruits ‘ with which they supplemented their meagre and hardly earned incomes. Money was scarce in the country; and consequently this medium of exchange was small in amount throughout Char- lottetown. There were no'banks or other financial inStitutions. Fortunately the prices of the necessities of life were low, while ,5 , those of the luxuries, even tea and coffee, were so high that they were beyond the reach of tall but the well-to-do. The cheapest ill commodity not essential to life, was rum obtained in the West Indies. For this stimulant to exertion, a large prOportion of the money then current in the town was paid. The wholesale deal— ers in liquors and the tavern keepers were consequently among the 'more prosperous citizens.

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b, J.