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HE history of the Montreal Snow Shoe Club, during an existence of over forty years, would supply matter sufficient for a huge

volume, but in the "contemplation of the present" by its early members, and in the absence of official minutes, many interesting events have passed into oblivion. Tradition and the memory of the "oldest member" have done their best for the writer, who will endeavour to give as accurate a sketch of the early days of the Club, as possible under the circumstances.

In the year 1840, the club numbered twelve members, who tramped out of town once a week, on Saturday afternoon. On their return after a ten or twelve mile walk, they repaired to a famous Café on St. James Street, near the corner of St. Peter Street, kept by L. Tetu, whose hospitable board afforded every luxury relished by the jolly crew, in those days representing our now flourishing Club.

Should we dive deeper into the mysteries and seek why our early Snow Shoe men patronized "the Café," I fear that other and more potent reasons than the choice viands tempted their presence, for tradition hath it, that the Snow Shoe men of that era were quite as susceptible to the charms of female beauty and worth as the "heroes of the Shoes" at the present time, and Dame Rumour

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has accused more than one of the handsome fellows who stretched their pedal extremities under mine host Tetu's mahogany, of being attracted thither through the mesmeric influence of the fair dame presiding over the establishment in conjunction with her lord. Here too was found that genial youth, Henry Hogan whose "make up" of a bowl of punch, served to magnetize those from whom old age had eradicated the last traces of the tender passion.

Before leaving this part of our subject perhaps the names of a few of these worthies would not be out of place, and many who read this will remember the strapping fellows "who went snow shoeing a long time ago." Many of them have passed away, leaving "olive branches," who have nobly trod in their shoes, though smaller-a few however remain, steady,stout old patres familia, whose shape serves as a fearful warning to those of us, whose youth is the only safeguard from a like fate. Still we must not laugh as we come across these stout old gentlemen, who laid the foundation of our Club, for ere 40 years pass over our heads we may be only too glad if we are here to "go and do likewise." Who can forget the splendid specimens of manhood in the Ermatingers, the Lamontagnes, Lamothes, and others of that time, who have passed away or ceased to take interest in the Club, or later on, Nicholas Hughes

Burroughs, Fred. Matthews, Harris, Col. Duchesnay, C. J. Coursol, (late Judge of Quarter Sessions, now M.P., for Montreal East, etc.,) R. H. Stephens, Frank Brown, Geo. E. Colthurst, who now resides (or till recently did) on an Estate in Ireland, and no doubt remembers with pleasure his tramps on snow shoes o'er Canadian snows: also E. Goff Penny, senior editor of the "Herald" and one of Canada's Senators-with others, whose names have escaped memory.

These were the men who formed our club and when we think of them now, how we regret the absence of the official minutes to tell us of their jolly gatherings around the festive board, when the more substantial viands being cleared away, the steaming "bowl of punch" lent its aid to loosen the tongues of those genial and witty companions.

Great interest is always excited by tales of the doings of those veterans, and there is no lack of attention when any old member "crops up" at one of the weekly tramps, and delights us by reminis cences of the early days of the Club. And our stalwart Honorary President, always succeeds in rivetting attention, as he recounts in troubadour style the deeds of those honoured in the past; "when Frank Dowd accomplished three long miles over hill and through forest in 25 minutes," in the famous St. Hyacinthe scurry--closely followed

by Hughes and Rintoul, while Romeo Stephens in guileless innocence, found himself and a host of others after half an hour's hard running farther from the winning post than when they started. Later still of the trip to St. Vincent de Paul with such hair-breadth escapes and adventures as were surely never matched by any other expedition. Parys has reduced this to verse, (which will be given further on)—and night after night the Club Room echoes with the chorus that tells us how they "walked and walked,” and how Rambeau gave out and laid himself down

how Charlie Meyer

"left a bloody track o'er twenty miles of snow"

until they reached a

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Stovepipe village, but not"

"St. Vincent de Paul"

and when they had ordered dinner,

"Up sprang Rambeau the liveliest of them all.”

Then of the expedition to St. Johns, when five men raced fourteen miles, arriving in the following order: Fred. Castles, C. P. Davidson, Stewart, Hughes and Radiger. Not being satisfied with the result of the "run" to St. Johns, the men made up

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race home, which Fred. Castles gamely won, running from City Hall to City Hall in four hours, the second man arriving on St. Lambert bank of the River as "Fred" struggled up the Montreal side.

Of other tramps particularly one to Lachine rendered immortal by himself in verse,when two officers of the 47th Regiment, Lieut's DeBalinhard and Prevost, thought to lead the club there in a race and after a hard run over hill, through wood and valley found themselves far in the rear as the welcome portals of Laflamme's Hotel, closed behind the leading men of the "Montreal," John and H. E. Murray, Hughes and Radiger.

All of these tales remain fresh in the memory of "Evergreen" Hughes, and long may he be spared to lead us as of yore and to sing those songs, which fire the blood of our youth and nerve them to deeds. of a like nature.

Snow-Shoeing has taken a firm hold upon the youth of Montreal, and we are proud to say that the "Montreal" Club has always taken the leading part, and throughout an uninterrupted period of over forty years has held its own against all comers; since the days of the defeat of the champion Indian runner on the St. Pierre and Mile end Race Courses by John Murray, until late years, the Club has always had some one to the fore to wrest the palm of victory from the Redskins in distances of from 100 yards to two miles, but in these later years the Indian Race was nobly represented by the "wonder" Keroniare, whose unparalleled performances on the racing track, were the wonder of all who witnessed