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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1972-11-30, Page 2..........-....-......- aryi•rrril. Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley Since 1860, Serving the Community First Pubileilled 'at SEMI:WA ONTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN Publishens Ltd. ANDREW Y. MCLEAN, EcOtor 'Member Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation Newspapers Subscription Rates: Canada (in advance) $8.00 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $10.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 20 CENTS EACH Second Class Mail Registration Number 0696 Telephone 527-0240 SEAFORTII, ONTARIO, November 30, 1972 Merits community support A The annual meeting of the. Chamber of Commerce which was held last week was a reminder of the con- tribution which the organ- ization makes to the com- munity. Despite the support which it has contributed to many worthwhile projects during the many years it has been in existence,there continues to be a hesitancy on the part of many people to lend their support. De'spite the efforts of an interested executive each year sees a continuing difficulty' in arousing in- terest and obtaining repre- sentative attendance at meetings. Instead too often representatives of those areas in the community who could make a major contri- bution seem to delight in withholding their interest,. This is strange con- sidering what is happen- ing in a number of other Ontario communities in which the C. of C. is not organized. In these centres there is an increasing de- mand to provide the services and direction of which the Chamber is capable. The-Chamber has con- tributed' much to Seaforth. However,'this is a two-way street and if we aee to continue to enjoy its bene- fits,, we as citizens must be prepared to lend our services and assist the executive in carrying out the aims of the Association. ••••—.0. ror. From My Window . By Shirley J. Keller DECEMBER 3, 1897. W Egm polled at ~the Collegiate Institute elec.: • tions. Robert Jones and John Common of town returned from Manitoba where they Went with the harvest excursion. They had plenty of work, good pay and they both liked the country. M. Y. McLean of town, left for Toronto to attend his parliament duties there. Johnson Bros. of-town are putting in a new underfeed furnace in D.D.Wil- son's residence. Broacifoof and Box Furniture Company have on exhibition a hand- some oak sideboard and extension table, part of a dining room suite which - has been sold to a man in Stratford. Daniel Levigood, of the Goshen Line, south of Zurich, was engaged in his barn when he fell through a• trap door, into the stable beneatik, a distance of 7' feet. His leg was 'broken above the ankle. • Hensall, having grown so much dur- ing the past few years, coupled with the fact that the great majority of the fami- lies have been of Presbyterian faith, is necessitating more room in Carmel Church. It is thought that a gallery will be found necessary. By actual count, 127 teams were at, Cook Bros. Flour Mills on Saturday last. This shows that the Village of Hensall is a lively business place. We understand that Hector Reid of Brucefield sold to a Canadian buyer over $100:00 worth of Shropshire lambs. Simon A. Miller of Cromarty, car= riage builder, is rushing the season, having on hand a fine stock of cutters. DECEMBER lst,1922 The sawmill at Walton has been doing custom sawing for a few days. The box social in' S.S.No. 9 School near Walton, was a decided success. Duncan Johnston was the auctioneer. Charles Dietz of Manley' has pur- chased the 50 acre farm of Tim Lynch, the price paid being $3,000.00. Master Elgin Thompson of Bruce- field is taking three months training in agriculture in,Clinton. A quiet wedding of interest was sol- emnized at the Manse, Kippen, when Mary Luella, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Smith was united in marriage to Apdrew D. Coutts, the Rev; R. A. Lundy -officiating. The worst fire that has yet occurred in 13ayfield took place when Thomas King's bakery, dwelling and shop, in which the Bayfield Library was located. A large crowd gathered but the lack of fire fighting appliances prevented the buildings front being saved. Nearly all the contents were removed to the street and to the Albion Hotel. If the hockey club can draw as large an attendance to their games as they did to their euchre and smoker in the Town Hall, they will have a successful season. There were 62 tables in play, representing both town and country play- ers., The winners for first prize were Baker and Nigh; the, second E. H. Close and Thos. Phillips; the thfid prize Adam Hays and Wm. Reid; the fourth John Regier and C. DOwsdn, Dr. Rose' cutter was the first to appeaf on Main Street this winter ass boroalY; V. F. Buck, photograRhei.; haS leased' • the, residence of Mr. Barber ,on High St. Having purchased the' general stock of groceries, boots and shoes from the U.F.O. Co-Operative, Seaforth, J. J. Cleary will carry on the same business on Main Street. DECEMBER 1947. Mr. and Mrs. David Boyd of Mc- Killop celebrated the 50th anniversary of their wedding. They settled in Mc- Killop where they have resided ever since. They have one son, Mr. Chas. Boyd, who also resides in McKillop Township. A social evening was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. Holman when friends and nelighborf of Mr. and Mrs. 'Wm. Palmer and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Grainger met to present the newly married couples with suitable gifts. They were presented with end tables and the ladies with pretty broaches. Mrs. W.C. Bennett read the address and Mrs. Moody Holland and Mrs. Stewart Humphries made the presentations. Marking the 28th anniversary of their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Cornish, Brucefield, members of their family, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Brock of Hensall and Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Cornish of Seaforth surprised them with a duck dinner.- The family reunion was held at the home of Mrs. Catherine Parker when Mrs. Parker had her nine children all home together for the .first time in 43 years. A turkey dinner was served to twenty guests. Mrs. Parker, who marked_ her 88th birthday this year, was formerly Catherine Johnston. A euchre party sponsored by the Sodality of St. James Church had 20 tables in play. Prize winners for the evening were: Most games - peter Mc- Iver; Lode hands, Barney Hildebrand; Ladies; most games, Mrs. Hildebrand; Lone Hands, - Mrs. F. Devereaux;Lucky Chair by Mrs. J. M. McMillan. At very impresjive ceremony, Mrs.. D.H.Wilson was installed worth matron of Seaforth Chapter 233, Order of the Eastern Star. During the ceremony Mrs. .J. B. Higgins sang two delightful solos. After the installAtion Past Worthy Ma- tron, Mrs. HelmarSnell and Worthy Patron Helmer Snell were presented with jewels and other gifts from the officers of the chapter team. While in Seaforth Premier George Drew spent an hour discussing hospital matters with the members of the Scott Memorial Hospital and inspecting the hospital and new 25 bed addition, now nearing completion. .M. R. Rennie of town has purchased the residence of the late Wm. Elcoat. Miss Lillian Faulkner of town was in Galt this week owing to the illness of her brother, W. J. Faulkner. Harold Connell of Varna has moved to the residence in James Street which he purchased from W. .1. McIntosh. J. A. Westcott is making extensive improvements to his residence on High Street. • Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Bell celebrated their 52nd wedding , anniversary on December ard. Mrs. ft,s,Hays entertained at a lovely tea in honor of her daughter, Miss Mary Hays, bride elect of this week. About two hundred guests were present. • Well friends, we're nearing that magi- cal time once more - the time when Santa ClauS will be peeking into, around, under, out of, behind and over every- thing from dishwashers to diamond rings. It is that fabulous season of the year called Christmas when all mankind gets weepy and sentimental over the fellow down the street who hasn't got it quite so good, but spends money on I'm not an early shopper. There's nothing worse, 'I suspect, than to buy the gataa,the,„kids w.Vt ialhlovember,only, r. to discover that by ,rthe middle•Pf D• e•-• P eeee ember, ,.that prize'has lc ,its ' and something else has taken the lime- light. If your children are anything like my children, they change their minds several times in the weeks before Christ-, -, mas about what they really want to find under the tree. That's why smart, par- ents (well, I thing they are smart) wait until a day or two before Christmas to do their shopping for the children. It pays off...even if you run the risk of not finding what you are looking for. Quite often, prices have been slashed, too, by panic-stricken storekeepers who fear they'll-be left with a bunch of dead stock once the store closes December 24. That brings me to another point. I've never allowed myself to promise any- thing in particular to a child for Christ- mas. My kids know that Santa's pocket- book is no fatter than mom's and dad's. Squirrels in the attic and a cat at the door. Winter is on its way. Yep, the squirrels, after about five years of exile, have managed to chew their way back into the attic, and are happily holding their regular family 'quarrels, wakes, weddings, bowling games and foot-races right' overhead. There probably aren't more than three or four hundred of them, to judge from the commotion. And I'm helpless. Once they get in, you might as well wait until spring, when they emerge and you can whack up some tin patches over their entries. I like to have black squirrels around the place, but not in the place. They're cute and picturesque hopping about on the lawn, picking up acorns in their dainty mitts and swivelling their little bright, beady eyes about as they chew. But when you can't see them, and all you can do is hear, they're not so cute,. The only picture of them I have in winter is of a couple of young buck squirrels gnawing away on the insulation covering my wiring, and chatting: "Hey, Jack, this is better than that hole in the oak we lived in last winter. Right?" "Right, George. It was kinda crowded with the eighty-four of us. And no central heating except our own. And down to an acorn 'a day. by February. This is great. Lots of room for jugging to keep in shape. Lots of heat. And - rnmmmmm- I love that electrician's tape." They remind me , of a rat who took over nocturnally in our room in prison camp barracks In the winter of '44-45. One single, lousy rat had eighteen grown men in a state of nightly alarums and excursions. If I can't afford it, chances are better than average that Santa won't be able to supply it. So, Christmas become an- other budget hassel at our house. There's no• question about that. The haggling goes something..like this. "You kids have Christmas every day 61 the year," I say. "You have good clothes, spending money, entertainment, records, games, the lot. At Christmas, you must take all that into consideration. You must not expect that you can have everything you want just because it is hristmas. Somebody has to pay the bills nd sad to say,, it won't be $anta Claus." "How much money do you intend to spend on each of us 'for Christmas," ask the kids, and the bargaining begins in earnest. "I look at it this way," I state firm- ly. "Christmas is a time for being to- gether. It's a time for worshipping the newborn Christ at church. It is a time for happiness as the family sits together around the tree and enjoys just being with one another. It is a time for a quiet, leisurely, festive 'dinner. Gifts are jUst tokens of our love for each other.". "How much do you intend to spend on each of us," the kids query, anxious to get an indication of the budget limitations . which will be imposed. Then I tell them the ugly truth. I tell them that Dad and I have so much money set aside for Christmas 1972. I tell them that expenses include such things as goodies for the tummy, decoratiops At first, he'd wake somebody up with his gnawing. It was a cross between the sound of a chain saw and that of a snowmobile. It was a welcome diversion, in the beginning. Sort of company, as though . somebody cared. We named him Packy and talked about him rather fondly. For a while. But then the nerves started to wear thin. There's something nerve-wracking about a huge rat chomping away right in _your ear, as it seemed: It got to the point where nobody could go to sleep. We'd lie there, 'nerves strumming, waiting for Packy's evening performance to 'begin; each of us clut- ching a weaponp a -boot or a bed-board. The little devil seemed to know that he had us right where he wanted us. One night he'd start right after lights-out, and suddenly stop, just when we thought we'd located him. Next night, he'd lie there chuckling - and we'd have sworn we could hear the chuckle - keeping us iksuspense until it was almost unbearable. Then he'd give a couple of zrooms. And stop. In a few minutes he'd start again, gnawing steadily and contemptuously. At last, somebody's' nerves would break,, there'd be the flare of a match and eighteen of us would leap out of our bunks, flail- ing at the spot we were sure he was in. He never was, and it's a wonder somebody wasn't killed in the confusion. Because we all had a different spot. Well, that's enough about squirrels and rats. But I know exactly why people use the term "squirrelly" as a synonym for being a bit mental. The other manifestation of winter hor- rors I mentioned was our cat. In summer, for the house and of .course, gifts. I extimate the' first two items, subtract that figure from the amount we have to spend and divide the remainder by three. That provides me with the fig- ure which will be spent on each off- spring. Usually, at this point the faces drop. But only momentarily. Usually, there's , a wild dash for the Catalogues and for the pencils and papers' and the Christmas lists. The new planning is done 'Meek- ly - within budget limitations. Revisions are made to the former lists. Estimates are soon done. In a matter of hours, I've been ptesented with three Christmas requisites which have been slashed to within my price range. 'This kind of approach to Christmas hasn't hurt my children. In many re- spects, I believe it has helped them to accept reality a little better. Besides that, it helps them to understand me and their father and the kinds of problems we face at Christmas. . And I believe it helps my kids to put the right emphasis in the right spot. our's is a Christ oriented Christmas. Gifts are little extras which make the holiday more pleasant but do not cause per- manent or even temporary financial disability to our way of life. We spend what we can afford ... and no more. .Yes sir, we've a very practical Santa calling at our household. But even in second place, he's still a jolly old Christ- mas spirit to us. - she's lean and tawny, a tigress prowling her domain, stalking bumblebees and butterflies and birds. And she's outside, day and night. A lovely cat.' As soon as the first wind comes out of the north, she turns into Mr. Hyde. She hangs on the screen door, howling pitiably. She has ruined three screen doors. Does she want love, affection, admir- ation? No. She wants in, And once in, she wants grub. I have never kicked' an animal, but • *hen that pig of a cat lurches in like a hyena scenting a fresh kill and starts rubbing against ,rny legs when I'm trying to rattle up some break- fast for myself, there's a grave temptation to turf her right into the kitchen sink. She's an unlovely cat. Fat and demanding, like some wives. And' she, thinks I'm 'her husband. Apparently my un-love affair with cats has been mentioned before, because I have here a letter to the Listowel Banner. from Rita Dodkin, 11. I'll quote parts. "Cats are very useful in many dif- ferent ways than 'putting them on a calendar'. They provide lots of company for old and lonely people who cannot have dogs because they can't give 'them the right exercise. They pamper and pet' their cats because they enjoy it." "I think this is far from turning them into 'bloated, contemptuous para- sites' as Mr. Smiley said. They look so sweet when they sleep on your best chair. When they rub your legs I think they are trying to show love. Our cats always tried to show love. I used to have one but now I'm getting one next spring." Rita, you might get one long before next spring. In the Years Agone and since then sleighing has been gen- eral and the roads are good for either cars or cutters. Wm. Kruse of Egmondville received a large deer which weighed 225 pounds and had 10 points on its antlers. It was by his, soli Barry,at,,Aarry,4ound,• g the Brest A • ••• 0 0 "