and gathered several of his neighbors to assist him. An accident occurred at the commencement of operations, by which the threshing machine very suddenly became a wreck. The father was, naturally, disappointed and irritated, and gave vent in a burst of spirit by shouting to John who stood near: "Go into the house, Johnny, and get your fiddle." In the face of such well meant hostility, Hugh made his way to a high place in literature and is entitled to great credit for his perseverance and success. Notwithstanding his comparative, and by him in view of his modesty, courted, obscurity in his own county, he was well known by reputation in the musical and literary circles of the United States, and of England and Scotland. We quote the following from the "Magazine of Poetry," April, 1889:

Mr. McNaughton's first work was a scientific treatise on Music, a subject to which he had devoted much attention, contributing papers to foreign and American Journals, on harmony, rythm and kindred subjects. These were germane to the song writer's art into which he soon entered. Mr. Shepard, the veteran music publisher, used to relate an incident that doubtless led the young theorist into song writing:

'One morning, says Mr. Shepard, 'I was sitting in the back part of my store, wondering at the sudden influx of music-buyers calling for a certain song, sung at a concert the previous evening. I noticed a stranger, quite a tall, slim young man, pacing back and forth with folded arms, between the files of music buyers and casting furtive glances at the busy clerks. Presently he walked up to me, his steel-blue eyes glittering, and said:

'Will the proprietor tell me what he pays for the MS. of such a song as that those people are buying?'

A good deal,' said I, 'for a song that will make an audience cry as that did; but let me tell you, young man, not one songwriter in a hundred makes such a hit.'

'Ah, Indeed!' That was all he said, and passed out of the store.'

'A few days after I received a MS. song, the handwriting of which I recognized, and with it this laconic note: "That other song of mine I gave you. If you want this one, the price is marked in the corner. Yours, etc., J. H. McNaughton.'

"The price,' continued Mr. Shepard, was outrageous, but I paid it, and never regretted it.'

Mr. McNaughton's first volume of poems, 'Babble Brook Songs,' was issued in 1864. In it are included the poems which drew from Mr. Longfellow that remarkable letter printed in 'Final Memorials of H. W. Longfellow,' and beginning, Your poems have touched me very much. Tears fell down my cheeks as I read them." Many of Mr. McNaughton's songs in sheet music form have won a phenominal success. Of 'Faded Coat of Blue,' 'Belle Mahone,' Jamie True,' 'As We Went a-Haying,' and 'Love at Home,' an aggregate of 450,000 copies has been published. He has also

written a set of twelve songs with music by V. Gabriel, issued simultaneously in London and in New York.

Mr. McNaughton has contributed to the leading Reviews articles on various subjects. One of these papers, The Red Men,' in The Nineteenth Century, May, 1885, occasioned much comment. Of its effect Mr. Labouchere, member of Parliament, wrote thus broadly (in London Truth, May 14, 1885,) I am glad to find everybody is reading or talking about Mr. McNaughton's article in The Nineteenth Century on the 'Red Men!'

Mr. McNaughton's chief work, by which he will doubtless be best known, is his poetic romance Onnalinda' which has already won recognition in the highest literary circles."

Onnalinda (of which 46,000 copies have been sold in England and Scotland alone, up to December 1st, last, at the price of a guinea a copy.) has received the highest commendations in the leading magazines and critical newspapers of Great Britain, and in autograph letters to the author from John Bright, Lord Lytton and others.

From the letter of a friend of the family we take the following:

over

"'Babble Brook,' the poet's home is three miles west of Avon, and within sight of the grounds where once stood the Council House of the Iroquois. The poet's residence was and is a capacious and tasteful dwelling, kept in thorough order, though, on account of being embowered in thick foliage, little of it can be seen the trees, except the slate roof and chimnies. On the west side of his house are a croquet lawn and a range for rifle practice; in both of these diversions the poet took much delight. In the former recreation, on pleasant afternoons in summer, he was frequently seen engaged along with his wife, two daughters and his guests. It was his delight to entertain kindred spirits and friends at Babble Brook.' He was, himself, rarely from home, and the occasions were few indeed when there were not one or more literary visitors at his home in the summer season. Everything about 'Babble Brook' indicated a refined taste."

While Mr. McNaughton was not a member of any church organization, he was, we are assured, a frequent attendant with his family upon divine worship, and a liberal contributor to its support; a believer in an all wise, all loving and superintending Providence; in the immortality of the soul, and an eternity of happiness beyond the tomb. Surely he who could pen the prayer-song of Onnalinda over her mother's grave, must have been one chosen of the Re

deemer:

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Passed from time to eternity! But those who loved him here may in peaceful sadness say:

Thou, pleasant singer of the Earth, art gone

But yet thy harp breathes music sweet in Heaven!

And often as we stand at early dawn

Beside thy grave, or when the star of even

Leads forth her shining train, to us 'tis given

To list in fancy's dream thy spirit song!—

And when, at last, our chords of life are riven,

Be ours the lot to roam with thee along

The streams of thy bright land, and dwell its scenes among.