PREPARATION 17

would not content itself with imbibing theological
lore. Even at such an early date, he was more or less
of a missionary, teaching catechism to the boys of the
local school, and especially music, both vocal and
instrumental.

About ten years before, a Father Denis Lamure,
who met an untimely death by being accidentally shot
by his companion, as both were trudging through the
bush in search of much needed game, had gathered
up the elements of a brass band which, never being
used since, but, on the contrary, getting kicked about
and ill-treated by successive newcomers, had finally
been put out of order and were then resting under a
layer of dust.

Brother Morice tried to remedy their ills; he healed
their wounds, patched up the best he could their
broken limbs and stopped the holes in their carcasses.
With these he formed a band of Indian boys who soon
attained a high degree of proficiency, the natives
being naturally musicians. So much so, indeed, that,
as an organ was needed for the local church and no
funds were available to acquire it, the young band-
master hit upon a plan which did not lack the element
of boldness, considering the little experience he had
as yet of the ways of the country. Piloted by Father
Jean-Marie Le Jeune, a young priest of the same
Order who had reached British Columbia but nine
months before himself?? and who did all the talking,
though he was the most unmusical of men, he went
up with his native band, first to Yale, at that time
a fairly lively place where a regular concert was
given, and then above, where the Canadian Pacific

20 Father Le Jeune is still alive and hale at Kamloops, and is to-day

the doyen of all the priests of British Columbia, as Father Morice is
of those of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.