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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1945-02-08, Page 9THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 8, 1945 'T “LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT” CHAPTER V Mr. GIossup took this opportune Uy to, turn the plane over on its back. I hung, suspended by th© Safety belt. My fept felj from the pedals and flopped aimlessly under the instrument panel. A week’s ac­ cumulation of small pebbles bpd lesser frith drifted down my print legs. My bands fell loose and my arms dropped limply into space. This was the straw that broke the camel's-. equilibrium. “Go ahead and kill me," I sob­ bed, tired of living. A tide was ris­ ing in, my threat, “That was inverted flight," chirped Mr. GIossup. . My head fell forward on my chest, -I felt as if I were gbing to drain right out of myself. Mr, GIossup looked in the reflec­ tor. “From youx* ghastly pallor I judge that you are sick,” he said. “May I?" He kindly tipped the plane over to one side, affording all the com­ forts of home. I summoned my waning strength. The large .GIossup head was direct­ ly in front of me. The target was right in my sights and a couple of damp bursts in back of the neck was no more than he deserved, I was on the verge of pulling the trigger, but the Dowds are a proud clan. Could I shoot a ' man in the back with iny background? I lurch­ ed-to the side of the cockpit. We turned for home, while Mr. ■Closeup .gave a bright resume of the flight. I slumped lower and lbw into* trie cockpit in a partial coma. The figure of Drake recrossf­ ed mjf fevered mind, but this time be wasn’t strutting jauntily off the bowling green, tie lay on his bunk below’ decks, an ordinary man hum­ bled by the elements, swallowing Mother Sills’ Pills like peanuts. Few people know of that. InAjthis semiconscious state I felt the wheels of the plane jar against the earth. Mr. GIossup taxied slow­ ly back to the place on the line. “Switch off!’’ he cried to the me­ chanic, arid leaped nimbly from his seat. “You’ll find a mop and water be­ hind the hangar," he said to me, and walked away. Nodding weakly, I prayed., he wouldn't slip on the sidewalk and break his back in four places. I sat motionless in the cockpit. The sun,- now almost at its - zenith, had biirhbd, the freshness out of the morning. A hot wind was raising the dust in swirls. The world was an old, repeated thing, shorn of novelty. I shuddered to contem- -iplate the tattered leftovers. Of ad­ venture and gallantry as Arthur’s knights knew it, nothing remained but misery arid sickness’—much sickness—much sickness. And it would .get worse and worse. With effort I hauled myself from the plane and settled dizzily to the ground. David Munk shuffled up. “Ole son, it looks as if you wuz rung out," he said. “Dfjr as a bone,” I confessed. '“David." I asked, raising my head, “how do you like flying?” “Well," he drawled, “Ah’m not so shot in the tail with it as some of tlie other boys. It’S nd straw­ berry festival. Them flyin' ma­ chines ruin mah nerves.” “What’s wrong?” I asked. I felt cheated. “It’s too much like work,” Munk Criticized. “Ah worked before once. Ah didn’t like it then and Ah don’t change much from year to year.” Munk had a constant pickled cutlook that rarely let him down. I never envied him more. From the direction of the road a familiar harjsh voice hollered, “Hey Mack, all abroad if your’e going back With Ben Hur.” It was Fearless indulging his whimsy. He noticed my distress, “bti, sick, hUh, Mack? Happens to the best. 'C’mon get off the canvas, it’s good for you, Mack, best thing for ya." “You too?’’ I cried. I put my head between my knees and retched After ten periods Of Instruction a cadet is considered safe for his first solo, an experience, lie is^givbn to understand, that.is Camparable to going over Niagara in a barrel. Mr. GIossup abandoned the rough and ready tactics of initiation add cphscientiotisly ppintbd me for .t$e Great Day, Little by little confi­ dence returned, By the second flight I was sitting securely in the cockpit without clawing at the up­ holstery, and on the third I opened my eyes. Relations between myself and the plane, however, never am­ ounted to anything like boori -copi- panionship. Mutual trust was lack­ ing. For my part, I always suspect­ ed the assembled nu.ts and bolts, and if the aii^lane had any ©enS© it watched me like a hawk. Landings were the first obstacle. The procedure was to take off, and iriake a climbing turn to the right or left in accordance with the course rules,, level off at five hun­ dred feet, cut the throttle at the runway's end, make a gentle ap­ proach and land, We had not been five minutes in the air on the first instruction when Mr. GIossup call­ ed over the gosport; “All right, keep the air speed constant, keep the wings level, and don’t cross the controls. You got it!" he cried, waving his hands over his head. Judging from this madcap ges­ ture that nobody was at the helm, I grabbed the stick and stepped on the right rudder as if it were-a poi­ sonous spider. The plane skidded. “Just fly the machine. Don’t sprain it,” called Mr. GIossup. I could maintain something like level flight for a while, but then a wing would dip and the plane would edge slyly off to one side. It was disconcerting to have the con­ trols at my beck and call and yet have no influence over the proceed­ ings. I felt like a governess of faul­ ty character victimized by hellion charges who have discovered their keeper’s rilind spot and fiendishly exploit the advantage. When I banked to the right, the plane went thirty degrees past my intention. The altimeter registered alternate j gains and losses in altitude. 11 might as well have been on the Magic Carpet. “Watch the wings. Keep them level with the horizon,” criticized Mr. GIossup. I evened the wings. “God, the ail’ speed,” he snapped The indicator represented the air speed in the dangerous red segment at fifty-five knots. I dropped the nose and thrust the throttle for­ ward; . . - “Seventeen hundred r.p.m.’s is ample," said the Voice. “You seem determined to ruin this engine for the better student who will follow you. Now will you look at the wings? Didn’t I just explain about the wings? Use your head," he im­ plored. I could have managed with an­ other pair of hands and feet, but it was so hard to get extra help in those days. “Cut your gun," he moaned. “Cut your gun. We’ll be over the Navy Yard, and they shoot at you." I followed instructions to the let­ ter and banked sharply to compen­ sate for errors. “Fine, oh fine!" tie Voice chid­ ed. “Wrap us up tight, We are two hundred feet above the ground arid you wrap us up in a knot. Bundles for hell." After some uncertainty we straightened up’ over the runway. I forced the descent by pointing the nose down. “How deep do ybu intdhd to bury us this time?” asked Mr. GIossup in a resigned Oriental tone. It was too late to make any changes. The plane hit the ground as if it had been pushed off a cliff. “Oh!” groaned Mr. GIossup. The plane leaped into the air like a stricken thing and then fell back. “My!” groaned Mr. GIossup. The plane bounced up once more and then came to a final rest. “Lord!" breathed Mr. GIossup. I opened the throttle and pre­ pared to take off again. ‘‘This is an airplane, not a yo­ yo," explained Mr. GIossup. The plane staggered and swerv­ ed. “And these pilgrimages of yours on the runway! When day is done you may inspect every inch on your hands and knees. In the meantiiu© I advise something simple in a straight line." . t Day after1 day this routine was repeated as I groped for the “feel" of flying. Most of the others caught o’ri rapidly. Tim Carpenter referred to his plane as if it were female in gender and shy by nature, Flying for him was just a matter of put­ ting his arm around this pretty, fat, backward child and getting her to talk about herself. With Tim it was love at first flight, “I give her throttle, but she says *No,’ she don’t want to come around. So then I give her more throttle and she comes around So nice and sweet—and puts her nose just where I want it." He shook His head at such compliance. As far as I was concerned “she" was just a dumb animal. With “us” it was a marriage of convenience, After the .crisis, when the children were old enough to know, there would be a quick divorce. She could go her way and I would go mine, and there would be an end to this Silly pretending. The day for my first solo arrived at 5 a.m., like all the other days. It had unconsciously developed tre­ mendous importance. All the let­ ters from home ended with “Love, and have you soloed yet?" Aunt Mab always wrote that after she “recently talked to your mother,” and she was constantly undei’ the impression that I was about to solo. Mother had commissioned me be­ fore I left. Now on the eve of the Big Game there was an ominous telegram of good cheer from Father. “Best of luck, .son. Everybody here hopes you make it." The message was apprehensive. There seemed to be some doubt in the family whether or not the third generation could drift around by itself in the ether. Before we .left for the field Chief Connolly, a kindly man with Six service stripes who lectured us in th© theory of flight called me aside. “Son, .1 see you’re up to solo,” he smiled. “Next to your wedding night,” he said, moving closer, “it’s the greatest thrill of your life.”' Although the Chief had never flown in his long rich career, he had insisted on this bizarre com­ parison all through his course. I often speculated on the aeronauti­ cal nature of his nuptials, which must have taken an odd bird-like turn. Members of the class were free with their best wishes, and each poured advice over me like lini­ ment. Evidently Mr. GIossup had advanced the opinion that his stu­ dent was no Rickenbacker and that even if I managed to get up in the air, I should come down like a rock. Tim Carpenter generously demonstrated the technique of “throttling." Red iRun and Johnny Barkei* made pretty speeches on Death, outlining the great advan­ tages it offered young men of tweiity-two, and clohin£ on a fa­ talistic “if-it’s-your-turn" note. I was iri the afternoon wing that week. By the time We were ail gathered at {He field tile tension was strong enough to swing on. I fidgeted in front of the assign­ ment board until the second period, wliicli was scheduled to go up at tliree-thirty, and then started down the line to the plane, number two- ,ninety-six. On the way I passed Mr. GlosSup. “Where are you going?" he asked. “I’m up for my solo, sir,” I said. “My gosh!” he muttered. He walked away, taking extra large steps which s©oh developed iiito a trot. When last seen he was run­ ning for the Offieers’ ready robin. I could see him making all the ar­ rangements, passing his hat, edit­ ing the florist. The maestro was a very considerate man. Reaching the plane, I smiled thinly at the mechanic and made a precautionary investigation of the plane. Finally convinced that all was “according to Hoyle," I taxied gingerly out to the runway strip. I looked up at the tower—somebody waved—locked the tail wheel, ap- plied full “throttle", and put in a rush call for Saint Jude. The plane left the ground as it was supposed to and I headed for the hinterlands. If I Was coming down like a rock, I was coming down unobserved in the country as a gentleman should. (TO BE CONTINUED) . A Mp to Ttes® Wh Are Past Middle Age When men and women'get past middle age their energy and activity, in many instances, begin to de­ cline. and their general vitality is on the wane. Little ailments and sicknesses seem hafdrif to shake off than formerly, and, here and there, evidences of a breakdown begin tb appear. New is the time these jMshifiR to help maintain their health arid vigour should take a course of Milbutri’s Health arid Nerve Pills. They help torio up and invigorate .the patient by their tonic action on the system. Price 50c a boxj 65 pills, at all drug covmters. Look for mri trade mark a "Rdt Heart" oft th© I'liCi T. Milbiifit Co., Lirtjitcd, Toroftto. Oftt. MRS. W. G. HART Mfs. Charlotte Hart, of St. Marys, died in the Stratford General Hos­ pital Sunday hi her 76th year. She had be6H ill for o month. Born in Blanshard Township, she was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Robinsbh. .After her marriage to the late William Georg© Hart, who died in 1918, she lived hi McKillop Township before moving to St. Marys in 1930. She was a member of the United Church. Surviving are a soft, cpl. James Hart, R.ck A.Fo Centralih ; a bi’Othei', Arbhie Roblusch, Klrktdn, Intefriieril Was in Maitiaridbarik Cemetery, Sea­ forth, LETTER BOX (Continued from page 3) dreaming that I would be in the same position myrieif some day. It just goes to Show you that you tieVer know Wlisft is ahead, do you? Weil, friends, it is almost supper time, so 1 had better go and see “what’s cookin’/’ T-bone steak and mushrooms no doubt—oh yeah! I will agaiu say thanks very much for th© parcel' and I appreciate it from the, bottom of my heart,— Fred Darling, « $ * * Exeter District Wartime Committee; I wpuld like to take this oppor­ tunity to thank all those who made my recent parcel possible, which I received a short time ago. I in­ tended answering the day I re­ ceived it when the Sergeant-Major said on parade that there would be transportation to Pisa, so I thought I would wait until my turn came so that I could tell the folks back home something about that city along with Florence and Rome which I have also visited since writing last spring. Christmas Day passed off very well with a very nice dinner con­ sisting of turkey and trimmings and as usual the old familiar stocking with its fill of chocolate and such like. This is my second one in this country, but if all goes well am looking forward to my next back home. One thing we did miss and that was the snow; it hardly seems like it without snow although many troops* in this sectoi’ had a good old-fashioned white Christ­ mas. Since writing last I have travel­ led from Cassirio up to Rome, then northward through Veterbo, Siena and finally coming to Florence, a distance of approximately 350 miles. When you read in the papers how the airforce was shooting up German trKhriports, they weren’t lying, if you could see the hundreds of wrecked vehicles arid tanks along the road. How Jerry can con­ tinue the war so long is beyond me, He certainly .must have had a great amount of material. In August I went on a 5-day leave to Rome and while there was bn two conducted tours from the Canada Club. • One took Us through old Rome and on it we saw many interesting sights, among them the Monument to Victor Emanuel II (1885-1911), Behind this monu­ ment is the Capitol, the smallest but historicaiiy^tiae'most important of the seven hills of Rome. The square was built on designs by Michelanglo and at the end of the Piazza is the Town-Hall, the seat of the Rome municipality. Next came the Roman Forum, this fam­ ous spot being the centre of the political life of ancient Rome. It was originally a market place but gradually public buildings, temples and monuments arose within its area and on the Palestine hills to its right were the palaces of the Roman emperors.* On the left of the Forum stands the old Roman Senate House and running thb full length of the Forum is the Via Sricra (the Sacred Road), built of rough cobble-stohe.g and owes its hriirie to the fact that the religib'us processions of the' ancients arid the triumphal processions, passed down this road on their way to the Capi­ tol. Othei* ruins of special interest are S. Maria Antiqua church, the most ancient Christian building in the Forum. Other places on this tour of in­ terest were the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine, the castle of St. Angelo, the Pantheon, not to forget the Vatican city with its famous St. Peter’s Cathedral. The other torn* took us through modern Rome and on this one we were shown what is known as the Sports Town with two stadiums built in white xnarble and decorat­ ed’ with colossal marbles statues. Here are the schools for physical training. Other places of interest on this tour were the modern apart­ ment buildings in the newer part of the city, also saw several of Mussolini’s homes. The next city which I would like to mention is Florence, built on two sides of the Arno River. It is quite a large place with the south­ ern part somewhat damaged by war but the northerii part is intribt. These two parts are connected by ■many bridges, th© most famous be­ ing Poute Vechio (Jeweller’s Bridge), th© only ©he intact/ An­ other famous place is the cathedral but In my estimation is 'not nearly as nice as St. POter’s of Roirie. St. Peter*© attraction is on the inside, the Other th© exterior. The next important area I visited wa© the Piazza della Signoria, the main square of bld Florence, it is domin­ ated by the Town Hall, called th© Palazzo della SignoriA, This great fortresS-like structure was th© cen­ tre of many bloody arid turbiilfeiit events in the history of Florence. Florence also has many other churhes among them briihg the churbh ©f Santa Croce f©unded by the Fraricisian Order and built be- tween the mid-dle of the 13th cen­ tury and the middle .pf th© 15th. Other important churches hut jpuch smaller a.i”o Fazzi .Chapel, church of Santa Maria Novella and quite a few others. This city also con­ tains a great many private palazzi pr palaces,. Most of these are, of course, still in private hands and therefore ian only be seen front the outside. The most interesting short trip out ©f Florence is to Fiesole. it lies to the northeast. On the way a|*e th© church and monastery of S, Domenico a Fiesole, which is the monastery at which Fra An­ gelico presented himself when he decided to become a monk. Fiesole itself lies high and is on the site of an old pre-Roinan city. Its chief attractions ay© the picturesque churches (the Dumo and S. F'ran- ciscb), the Roman theatre, the market pliice, and especially the terrace from Which an unforget­ table view of Florence is to be had. A short time ago I was fortun­ ate in being able to get to Pisa and see the famous leaning tower. It is 179 feet high with 294 steps to the very top with a lean of 13 feet out, of the perpendicular. It consists of six galleries with 30 small columns. It is surmounted by a belfrey which stands almost ver­ tical. Nearby stands the cathedral built in 1063 after the great vic­ tory over Saracens at Palermo. The Arno is crossed by six massive bridges, some of which are really fine or I should say were because they are smashed now. On the edge of the riyei* is a most charming Gothic church called Santa Maria Della Spina. The exterior is decor­ ated with innumerable statues, gargoels and tabernacles; in the interior are two Madonnas, one called Madonna de Latte apid the other, Madonna della Rosa, both by Nino Pisano. Without taking up any more of SUBSIDIES RED CLOVER ALFALFA Participation certificate* for subsidies on 1944 crpp of red clover and alfalfa will not be ac­ cepted by the seed export offices after March1 31st, 1945, In order that we may properly clean and Pro“’ cess seed it would be appreciated if any growers who still have seed to market, would bring it in not later than March 1st. We cannot guarantee to clean in tithe ,tb issue participation certificates, any lots brought to • us after that date. Thanking you for your co-operation, Jones, MacNaughton Seed Co. Exeter, Ontario your space I would like to thank everyone who helped make these parcels possible and which are so greatly appreciated by we so far from h'ome and treats such as we receive in them and wishing that another year you will see us all back home again,—-Allan Fraser. * * * * Short letters of appreciation for parcels have been received from Tpr. C. J. A. McCarty in Italy; LAC. T. H. Luft in Newfoundland, Pte. J. J. Regier in Italy, Gnr, G., O. Desjhrdine in Holland, Pte. H. G. Squire in England. .LAC. J. K. Weber in Belgium, Pte. G. J. Bieb­ er in England, Spr. D. W. Pritchard in England. CHUM FOR PIPE OR ROLLING YOUR OWN j or April book your order NOW PRICES MAY BE HIGHER FOR THIS PERIOD: With fewer early hatch­ ed chicks in February and early March going out, we may have to raise our prices for late March and April. We give you this opportunity to Book NOW before we raise our prices. Poultrymen who start Chicks in February usually make the most out of their pullets and cockerels This year we believe it will be even more so with the heavy demand by Great Britain for A Large and A Medium during the Summer and Fall months. Later hatched* pullets will also lay during the Fall, but more pullet eggs, and there often is a difference of 15c per dozen. There might even be more difference this coming season. We expfect egg prices to be better next season, especially during the Fall months. Coal for Brooding Chicks We know the coal situation is not good. This condition and the coldj, snowy weather is postponing a lot of orders to a later date, so if you can arrange to take your chicks in February you will really CASH IN next Fall. EARLY Chicks are easier raised. They get off to ft better start, less coccidiosis, flies and bugs to carry worm eggs, etc.j in the early stages of the chick’s life, which is the riiost important. Coal Dealers who supplied you with brooder coal last season should try tof look after ftt least the same customers again this year if at all possible. If any of them do not co-operate with you in this way, and you think they are in a position to do so, please let us know, and we will sfee if wfe can help you. If you cannot get your chifcks EARLY, or insist on chicks the latter part of March, April or Ma^, plabe your order at ©rice, as we are booking thousands of chicks every day, and even though we expect to hatch 35,009 chicks per week, we expect we will Soon be sold out during this period. WHETHER YOU WANT THEM EARLY OR LATE, PLACE YOUR ORDER AT ONCE, AND BE SURE TO GET THE BREED YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT THEM. Lakeview Chicks are from thoroughly blood tested, banded and culled Breeders, backed by Pedigreed foundation stock. Testimonials: Renaud Guerette, of Estcourt, Que., says: Last year I got barred Rock X Leghorn pullets from you and they are doing fine, and please find enclosed my order for 350 chicks for 1945. I am very anxious to hear from you and 1 do hope you will be able to supply me with my chicks at the date wanted. Nov. 30, 1944: The ehiejkeriS I gbf last yeal' ate the most profitable hens I have ever had, and hardly any mortality. Every one who sees them sure thinks they are nice. Walter Dobb, R. R. 2, Waterville, Que. Pure Breds Pure Bred Sussex Large Type White Leghorns Pure Bred Barred Rocks Pure Bred New Hamps Book Your Order for Lakeview Chicks Now No Mattel When Ybu Want Thein. BREEDS AVAILABLE Hybrids Sussex x New Hampshire Sussex x Leghorns Rocks x Leghorns Barred Rbtk St New Hamps. Wein Bros. POULTRY FARM Exeter, Ontarib