Sir Edmund Head, 1860; Lord Monck, 1861; Sir N. F. Belleau, Lieut.-Governor, 1867; Hon. R. E. Caron, Lieut.-Governor, afterwards Sir R. E. Caron, 1870; Hon. Luc Letellier, 1878; Hon. Theodore Robitaille, 1879; Hon. Mr. Masson, 1884; Hon. Auguste Réal Angers, 1889, who married in April, 1890, Emelie Le Moine, daughter of the late Alex. Le Moine, who now resides there, Oct. 15th, 1890.
SPENCER GRANGE, RESIDENCE OF
JAMES MACPHERSON LE MOINE,
F.R.L.C.
You drive through a pretty road, heavily lined with trees, but through the foliage discern a neat cottage at the left, frequently occupied by the pastors of St. Michael's church. On the right, facing the grass plots and bedded in trees stands a very pretty residence, quite spacious inside, and containing every comfort and elegance, presided over by a charming hostess and her daughters. Mrs. L., the most amiable of ladies, spares no fatigue in showing you all that can interest, and there is a great deal to see at the Grange. The parlor windows look on a lawn skirted with various trees, where many a wild bird makes its nest, and looking outwards, and listening to their varied notes, you could fancy yourself in a deep wood. From a pretty dining-room you pass through a passage lined with marble busts of the ancient heroes of Greece and Rome, into the grapery, where the heavy clusters of grapes look too lovely to be plucked. An aviary adjoins this, and at times the soft cooing of doves mingles with the other caged inmates and the notes of the wild birds in the adjacent shrubbery. All is so quiet here, you might fancy yourself miles from civilization. It is a fitting home for a literary man, and bears everywhere an impress of elegance and refinement. Mr. Le Moine has some very curious heads of rare animals and numerous trophies of the chase and rare birds sent by admiring friends. The odor of the new-mown hay and the varied scent of the flowers complete the charm of this pretty home. Amongst other curiosities, Mr. Le Moine has the original key of one of the city gates, which has been presented to him. It is a very ponderous looking affair.
SOCIETY IN 1854.
We will take a stroll back, citywards, coming down the Esplanade, about the year 1850. We notice, as we near the Esplanade, the sound of the band in full force. The Esplanade benches are crowded with ladies. From the windows of many houses, spectators look on the gay scene; while lord and lady, cavalier and belle, pass to and fro to enjoy the military music and a chat with their acquaintances. The militia, in some measure, replace the regular army, but with a difference: the latter were, as a general rule, men of wealth, culture, travel, and leisure with little else to do but make themselves, agreeable to the ladies, which they did so successfully as to arouse the ire of the civilians. Even from the few houses that face the Esplanade alone, one, at least, and, as in the family of Sheriff Sewell (now occupied by Mr. Hunt), no less than three, if not four, were carried off by English officers; and from houses nearly adjoining went Miss Panet, Miss Healy, two Misses Motz, the handsome Miss Joly, Miss Bradshaw, Miss Maxham; and a few doors around the corner, on St. Anne street, Miss Ashworth.
Amongst the noted belles living on the Esplanade were the handsome Burrage ladies and the Misses Mackenzie, whose father met his death in a very sad manner. There was a house situated on the St. Louis road called the "H—— House," where (there being very large rooms to let for picnic use) were often held evening entertainments. On one occasion the bachelors gave us a ball there. It was a lovely moonlight night, but very cold, and, wherever there was little snow, glare ice. Mr. Mackenzie and his daughters drove out in safety to the door; but, on alighting, he slipped and broke his leg. Being a man beyond middle age, he never quite recovered. The shock was, I think, the prime cause of his death.
C. E. Levy, Esq., occupied the house, former corner of St. Anne and the Esplanade. The first house opposite, on St. Anne street, was then the residence of Captain, afterwards Admiral Boxer, and the propinquity was so favorable, he induced the handsome daughter of Captain B—— to change her father's home for his. His widow now owns one of Quebec's most beautiful and costly residences on the St. Louis road. The house now occupied by Sir William Meredith was, when I was a child, the house of Judge, after Sir William Stuart. His daughter, most kindly I remember, sent me a doll, dressed in crimson satin, velvet and train, to represent Her Majesty. Its gorgeousness is still before me. The corner house above that was at one time occupied by Mrs. White, whose two handsome daughters married the brothers G—— and another took captive a favorite army doctor. One, her pretty young niece, if I mistake not, Miss McG——, afterwards Mrs. B——, lived with her here.
Some years later one sees the erect, handsome old gentleman, Town-Major Knight, taking his daily stroll always arm-in-arm with one of his sons, as hale and hearty a year or two before his death as he was almost twenty years before. One of his daughters still resides in Quebec, the wife of our old but always young friend, Henry A——.
It gives me so much pleasure to recall these old days, to people the streets of my old birthplace with dead and gone friends, who come up so vividly before my mental vision, I could sit for hours and bring them up before you; but to strangers this would be wearisome, so I'll only glance at one or two more, and then, with a few hasty memories of some of our most eminent Quebec gentlemen, turn from the past to the present. I cannot close without speaking of two gentlemen who occupied such a prominent place in gay society, Messrs. Angers and Lelièvre, lawyers, partners and near neighbors. We always looked to them for a succession of most agreeable entertainments. If I am not mistaken, at the time they lived on Haldimand hill, and before they purchased the St. Louis hotel, it was divided into two houses,—one occupied by that gay old gentleman, Mr. Burroughs and his family, one of whose handsome daughters, Cecil, not long deceased, married the Hon. Mr. Garneau; the other still lives, I think, in Paris (Mrs. Kimber). His son John, a very quiet looking gentleman, most unexpectedly carried off our great society belle at that time, the lovely Leda L., from numerous competitors, mother of Madame Masson, wife of the late Governor Masson. But if I go on to speak of all the pretty girls of which we could boast at that time, I should go on for ever, so I will present to you a slight sketch of some of our most prominent men. Of Hon. George Okill Stuart, Sir James Stuart, and Hon. Henry Black so much has been written that I will only mention their names, and give you a slight sketch of Mr. Faribault, a most genial gentleman, of particularly courteous manners, very literary, of good old French family, and universally respected. He lived in the old house on whose site is built that now occupied by his only child and daughter, who married Quebec's famous artist, Mr. Hamel. Mr. Hamel had a most particular gift for catching likenesses, demonstrated when quite a boy. He died unfortunately quite young, leaving a son and daughter, who with their mother reside in her father's old home.
Charles Gethings, son of Captain James Gethings, an Irish officer of the old 100th Regiment, was born in Bona Vista, Newfoundland, and came to this country with his father. His first residence was that occupied formerly by Hon. George Primrose. Captain Gethings was stricken with paralysis while mounting guard at Hope Gate, and died at the fourth house on the right hand going up towards the Fabrique. His son Charles, after being employed a short time in the Commissariat, then with Gillespie, Moffatt & Co., Montreal, subsequently in the City Bank of Quebec, spent many years as manager of the Quebec Bank, Quebec, receiving to the day of his death a liberal pension from the Quebec Bank. A kind father, a scrupulously upright man, the family all honor his memory. He sleeps in St. Matthew's churchyard vault.