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Show : hi ii m iii 9i Marvelous Career of a Poor Scotch Laddie. Th Struggles and Successes of Lord Strathcona, Famous the World Over as Pioneer and Empire Em-pire Builder. Ottawa, Canada. In the closing days of the rebellion of '38, when affairs af-fairs were In a turmoil, there landed on the shores of Canada a poor, friendless Scotch Inddle, alone and new In a new land. He was tall and sparo, but the square of his jaw told of Scotch courage and the man-light gleamed from his determined eyes. He was not more than 18, but be was big and Inherited the brawn of a fine ancestry of Scots. This humble, friendless lad was Donald Smith, the man of whose brains, energy and sacrifices sac-rifices Canada owes much for her present prosperity. In the early days, when Smith-now Smith-now Ird Strathcona begun his life In the employ of the Hudson Day company, com-pany, the Canadian north was a country coun-try of the terrible. For thirty years, Isolated on the Ice-bound conn; of Labrador, he labored In the hardest service on the continent, that of the Hudson Hay company. In his stripling strip-ling days, as a trader, he tratnpod the mighty, silent north from end to end, planning, bartering and bargaining bargain-ing with the grim and stoic natives of the wild. From the time that Smith, a sturdy "highland laddie," left Montreal Mon-treal for his labors In the north bis life was one of hardship, suffering and sacrifice. The lessons In the school of suffering suffer-ing which awaited this lonely but courageous boy were hard ones, but Donald Smith learned tbem all. When he was 29 years old a romance of the heart came to lighten his years of banishment. A g'.rl of the wild, fair as a rslnbow on the snow, crossed bis path and from then the bleakness of his life began to lose Its austerity. She was the daughter of a trader II V v A l V, ' if i- n." , , , ., . . -,, " . ,f I md as Indian woman and he married ler. i Throughout his SO years In tba 1 lortbland Smith gave his leisure to : eading and studying He became a -hinker and a reasoner and In bis i iork he learned to use his power of i rain. From this point bis advance 1 has gradual but sure and In 1 80S, then he was 48 years old, he was ap- olnted governor of the company with ead offices at Montreal. He was well , quipped for his mighty duties. He , ad krrned the lessons of generalship , nd in the years that followed be , roved himself a commander of t flrces, primal and artificial. Many Imes during bis governorship crUel . rose that put bis powers to test. The activities of Donald A. Smith utslde the Hudson Uay company ' rought blm Into the politics of Can ' . His political creed was a diere 1 ard fot party Interests and. w hile he Outset he was n staunch stif",iort-r stif",iort-r of Macdonald, the ConeeTvatlve iremler, talir on, becauae. of the evere cMiflra and accehatlons laid gainst the party and H-cauae he was onvlnced that the Vny was not onducthig Itself strictly along square Ines be Withdrew his support and irought about UK.- first defeat of Mac-lonaid. Mac-lonaid. rxmald A. Smith, silent, reserved ut powerful, was one of the great-st great-st legUlators that ever bad a seat n the Canadian bouxe of commons. Us career ss a lawmaker was one of ionesty and genius. In 1 H!6 lxird Strathcona received he culminating honor of bis great areer. He was made the first holder if the newly-created ffi,-e of high ommlssloner for Canada In London, "our years lat-r he received world ame through his gift of the Strath-ona Strath-ona horse, a body of 28 mounted ofTl-era ofTl-era and S12 men, enrolled from all iver the Canadian west, for service In he I'.oer war. In private life this great man la a -onplderate husband and father and i most engaging host. One of the rreatest tributes be ever received as frm the father and mother of ving George V., the late King Edward ind Queen Alexandra. They always railed hlru "Uncle Donald." At the advanced age of ninety-one ! ia (till a marvelous man. Ills talk s bright and be is equally at home In American, Canadian er English poll-Lie. |