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St. Andrews Beacon, Aug. 22, 1889Sir John MacDonald
The Conservative Chieftain and His Lady Visit St. Andrews
St. Andrews has been all agog the past week over Sir John and Lady MacDonald, who arrived here by special train from River du Loup, on Friday last. [this would have been Aug. 16] It had been known for several days previous that the Conservative chieftain was coming, but out of respect to his wishes, his advent was kept as quiet as possible, lest a horde of office and favor seekers should swoop down upon him and disturb the serenity of his repose. Sir John was met at Edmunston by Mr. Cram, General Manager of the New Brunswick Railway, who accompanied him to St. Andrews. On the arrival of the party here they were at once driven to the Algonquin, where Mr. Jones had rooms in readiness for them. As Sir John entered the corridor of the hotel, the orchestra played an overture—"The Red, White and Blue"—in his honor. He spent a very quiet evening, in the company of Sir Leonard Tilley and Lady Tilley, whose guest he was. On Saturday morning, Sir John and Lady MacDonald loitered about the hotel piazza, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and drinking in the pure, health-giving air, for which St. Andrews is so famous. It was generally remarked that both the Premier and his partner appeared to be in the best of health. In the afternoon Sir John had a drive with Sir Leonard, and in the evening he was present at the Algonquin hop. The hotel was brilliantly illuminated with Chinese lanterns in his honor, and a number of fireworks were sent off, all of which, he, no doubt, appreciated. Sunday, he went to church, like all good Christians, should, whether at home or abroad, and on Monday morning he was in excellent trim for a trip to Campobello in the fishery cruiser "Dream." He was accompanied on this trip by Sir John Leonard and Lady Tilley, Sir Somers Vine, of London, and Mr. Leonard Tilley. The party lunched at the Tyn-y-coed, and got back to town at a respectable hour. Sir John retired early on Monday night, so as to prepare himself for the return journey to River du Loup, which he took on the morrow. The premier and his party started off in the morning in a special train, a few minutes ahead of the regular express. Conductor Fred. McLellan, one of the trustiest and best-looking of the B. B. R. conductors, was in charge of Sir John's train, and deposited the premier safely at Edmunston. Harry Saunders drove the locomotive through. Sir Leonard Tilley and family went with Sir John. They propose to stop at River du Loup for a brief spell, and then go down to Dalhousie.