been possible. As to erecting a monument on our soil to the memory of a brave man (for he must have been brave to venture within our borders)-marking a spot where the American troops were defeated by our own-surely this should in no way incur the resentment of the Canadian people. The strong man, confident of his power, smiles good naturedly at small liberties taken by others. We, as a nation, are becoming too big and strong to notice such trifles as the crection of a monument on our side of the line, to a Revolutionary hero, even were such an event to take place to the tune of The Star-spangled Banner and with spread-eagle" speeches. Let us, as a society, encourage the most friendly relation with all societies of similar aims, either in this country or in the great republic to the south.

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The important work of interviewing the aged residents of the county has, I regret to say, been neglected, or only carried on in an unsystematic and desultory way. This work should be done at once, if the society ever hopes to collect all known facts relating to the early settlement of this county. We find by experience that individual members cannot be relied upon to interview those in their immediate vicinity. Some plan should be adopted for canvassing each municipality, in a systematic and businesslike manner, thereby gathering material for a history of the county.

In the case of a society so ably officered as is the MissisquoiCounty Historical Society, it would seem as if the Women's Committee of the same were almost a supernumerary, though as yet it remains in the state of " arrested development."

However, we respectfully acknowledge the honor conferred on us as help-mates without questioning whether it be from courtesy or from acceptance, of woman's adjudged proclivity for ferreting and revealing.

Happily, there are a few things to record of women's special work during the past year, showing a lively interest in the society at home and abroad,

In January we received from Mrs. E. Sornberger, of Bedford, a very ably writ1en article entitled "The Life History

of Rev. F. N. Jersey." It was published in the Missisquoi Historical column of The News and must have been very gladly received by those who still cherish the memory of that Christian gentleman whose sterling common sense, humor and kindliness appealed to the hearts of all who knew him.

In March we received a highly valued letter from Mrs. Henry D. Post, daughter of Mr. John Coatsworth, secretary of the late Bishop Stewart, whom he accompanied to America in the year 1807.

Although Mrs. Post has been a resident of Holland, Mich., for many years, she says: "I am a loyal daughter of Missisquoi," and announces her wish to become a member of this society. She also enclosed in her letter some currency of the "Confederate States of America " for Our proposed museum and library. Such marks of interest shown are very encouraging. We have received them from many quarters whence it was least expected, and for all of which we offer grateful acknowledgement.

Mrs. E. L. Watson, of Dunham, in a letter to the Secretary, expresses pleasure at becoming a member of the Missisquoi Historical Society, and shows her interest in its work by sending a series of articles entitled " Sketches of Canadian Villages," written in 1867 for the "District of Bedford Times," one of which, re-published in The News, March 16th, 1906, gave a vivid account of the early settlement of Dunham by the Loyalists, one of whom was Mr. Joseph Baker, grandfather of Mrs, Watson and of Hon. G. B. Baker, senator, and for many years the representative for Missis uoi Co.

The Rev. gentleman crossed the ocean in 1821 in company with the Hon. and Rev. Dr. Stewart.

The lives of our venerable members of eighty years and upwards almost bridge the space covered by our history with all its marvelous progress. All honor to them.

At the suggestion of Mrs. Theodora before Moore in her thoughtful address this society last year, that a prize be offered by individuals, singly or combined, for the best paper on local history, contributed by a pupil of our schools, a prize of five dollars was offered by Mr. J. P. Noyes and was won by Miss Jessie Baker Ruiter, fourteen years of age. It is an admirably written article, entitled The Histo y of Cowansville, and was published in The News Historical col

umn.

It is a precedent which we hope to see followed by other schools. It depends largely, however, on the parents and teachers, who naturally enough establish the ideals that their children and pupils are expected to strive for.

We are particularly fortunate in having as enrolled members of our society several of the leading educationists of the Province of Quebec, among whom are Miss Carrie M. Derick, of McGill University; Miss E. L. Baker, of Dunham Ladies College; Mr. N. C. Davis, of Bedford Academy, and others high in the ranks of their profession.

We are indebted to Miss Chamberlain, of Ottawa, for an interesting account of her grandfather Knapp's early settlement in Dunham, which was published in The News and duly acknowledged by letter of appreciation. A letter of thanks was also sent to Dr. McAleer for the latest contribution by him to our histo

rical work.

And an open letter was also addressed to the women of Missisquoi through the columns of The News urging them to

unremitted activity in enlisting the interest of the young in the work of this society.

The women's work of the past year is soon recorded, therefore the paper that I am required to read before you to-day, according to the by-laws of the Women's Committee, is mainly a plea for the existence of this society.

In The Simple Life' by Chas. Wagner, we read: "The history of humanity is the history of indomitable hope......... Το press forward under his burdens, to guide himself in the dark, to retrieve his faults and his failures, to escape despair even in death, man has need of hoping always... that form of confidence that turns toward the future."

late Mr. Erastus Chandler, in his quaint little volume, entitled "Poems and Essays," says in his characteristic way :"All honor to our brave pioneers who, often with very limited means, courageously faced the rigors of a Canadian winter and disputed with the bear and the wolf, the right of possession. And often too, when the wolf hunger was at his door, the wolf lupus was devouring his little flock; and while bear bruin was destroying his little crops, bare naked half exposed his limbs. It was by the sweat of his brow that these fields were cleared, on the income of which we riot and surfeit ourselves."