Page:New Brunswick Magazine Issue 1.djvu/391

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Christmas as it was.

The year 1808, time about three o'clock in the afternoon, of a fine winter day in the middle of December. A portly gentleman, considerably past middle age, is standing on the stoop of his residence on the corner of King and Germain streets, and a young lad is on the sidewalk, looking inquiringly at him.^[1] "Run Charles, there countryman coming down the street to 'Kent's.' See what he has got in his saddle bags, before Col. Billop gets hold of him." The boy starts off and brings the countryman to the old Major, and submits his load for examination. He has two geese, a fine turkey and several pairs of chickens and partridges, which are quickly bargained for and carried into the house. Christmas is at hand and it is necessary to have the larder well supplied.

At that period the country was but sparsely settled, roads were few and did not extend far in any direction from the city, except the main road to Sussex, in which direction the country was being rapidly cleared and opened up for farming. There was no market in St. John, farmers came to town, some in wagons in summer and sleds in winter, and others from remote clearings on horseback. The only market they had was the public highway on King street.

About this time of the year there was great rivalry amongst the householders to get first chance from any countryman coming into town with poultry or game, hence the words of the Major to his son.

↑ All versed in the history of St. John will recognize in the Major and his son, the grandfather and father of the writer of this sketch—Major Ward and Charles Ward. The Ward house was at the south-east corner of King and Germain streets, now occupied by Hall's book store. Kent's corner, later Foster's corner, was on the opposite side of Germain street. The picture drawn by the present writer is practically one of Christmas in the Ward household.—Ed.

[1] All versed in the history of St. John will recognize in the Major and his son, the grandfather and father of the writer of this sketch—Major Ward and Charles Ward. The Ward house was at the south-east corner of King and Germain streets, now occupied by Hall's book store. Kent's corner, later Foster's corner, was on the opposite side of Germain street. The picture drawn by the present writer is practically one of Christmas in the Ward household.—Ed.

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