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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1937-02-18, Page 6***** ***.'■ J 1 1 THE WINGHAM ADVANCE-THIES i Thursday, February 18, 193T e//rj/ Hr PAS SYNOPSIS; Ellen Mackay, on her way from school at Winnipeg, to join Jher father at Fort Edson, misses the boat by which she was to travel. Hearing that another boat is to start north in the mc-rning, Ellen goes to the owner, John Benham, and begs him to give her a passage. To her surprise he flatly refuses. Angry and puzzled, Ellen tells Pat McClatchney, a kindly old storekeep­ er of her difficulty, and Bat with the help of one of Benham’s crew, suc­ ceeds in getting Ellen on board as a stowaway. When the vessel is well under way Ellen, emerges from her hiding place and faces John Benham, who now cannot help taking her with him. During the voyage Ellen begins to be strongly attracted, by John. But when she reaches Fort Edson she finds her father broken,' ill and dis­ graced, and learns that his troubles are due to one man—John Benham. ♦ * * “I have thought of little else, since learning about it,” she said wearily. “I refuse to give up without a bat­ tle, but it seems almost beyond hope to think of averting it.” Deteroux’s cold eyes gleamed in open admiration . “You are very courageous, mam’selle. And Bernard Deteroux will be most happy to help "you in any way possible. Now, be­ cause I have been much through all this country and you have but late­ ly come back to it, it may be that I could give you information of many kinds, should you desire it. Ask me what you will. 1 promise that your confidence will not be abused.” Ellen looked at him seriously for a moment. She sensed breeding be­ hind Deteroux somewhere. The man did not talk like the usual run of river-men. His brain was plainly al­ ert, his tongue fluent. “Very well,” said Ellen presently. “In a case of this sort it is well to know one’s enemies in their true light.. My father feels that John Ben­ ham, the free trader, is to blame for all his woes. Is it possible that one man can come into, this district and in three years upset the reputation of an old, established post like Fort Ed­ son?” Deteroux shrugged. “It would seem so ,mam’selle. I know of no other free trader in your territory but John Benham.” “But how can he Ellen. “He cannot more in trade than Bay Company.” “True,” nodded perhaps, it is not how much he of­ fers for his furs, but what he offers.” Ellen stared at him for a moment. “I , dp not understand,” she said slowly. , “I forget, mam’selle,” went on De­ teroux swiftly. “I forget that when you left this post four years ago, the old order still existed. But in four years many things may change, you know. In many ways our Indian is a child. He has ideals that are Strange, mam’selle, and which we cannot grasp. Also he has weakness­ es upon which the unscrupulous may trade. An Indian values many things, mam’selle, but most of all he values —whiskey.” Ellen’s eyes widened. At last she saw. “Whiskey?” she murmured. for law. You ‘'John Benham trades whiskey furs? But that is against the The North-West Mounted Police will not** permit trading whiskey to the Indians.” Deteroux laughed softly. forget, mam’selle. You forget that al­ though they are a great organization, the red-coats are, after all, but men. They are few and the north country is. measured in millions of square miles. They cannot be in all places at once. And if Benham is cunning, as w’C know he is, lie can do much that the law cannot prove. And the law must have proof.” Deteroux gave vent to another of his expressive shrugs. “What can we do without the law? And then also —what can wc prove? We know, but we cannot prove—-yet. Perhaps later, this weapon may lie in our hands. And then—there is another thing." “What is that?” Deteroux looked at Ellen steadily. “You must understand, mam’selle, I do not like gossip. But in my desire to help your father—and you—I will speak it. with the he gives he is of them.” For some strange, inexplicable rea­ son, Ellen flared almost angrily at John Benham trades well Indians, not only because (hem whiskey—but because their blood, tie is one of if necessary—can furnish proof.” Ellen’s truant impulse died hard. “Is it reasonable that he, being of their blood, would deliberately bru­ talise them and rob them for his own selfish gain?” “Reasonable?” said Deteroux with a short, barking laugh, “Not to us, perhaps. But what is that which is said about the half-breed. He has all the vices and none of the virtues of either side of his heritage. .Perhaps in John Benham this is also true, The Indian in him schemes Jo satis­ fy the greed of his white ancestry, If you had known men as I have know them, mam’selle, you would not won­ der at anything they do.” Ellen was silent for a long time. She knew Deteroux was watching her closely. Grudgingly she gave in. “You must be right, Mr, Deteroux, There is no other way in wl’iich he could have stolen the trade from" us in so short a time.” “You reason correctly, mam’selle," said Deteroux, and it seemed as if there was an unconscious note of tri­ umph in his voice. “I hope you will not think of me now as just a gabb­ ling old woman, but one who sin­ cerely wishes to help your father and you. Facts, though unpleasant, are best faced squarely and uncompro­ misingly, And if at any time I can sensed some of stark con- about her. It it was there. do it?” persisted afford to offer can the Hudson Deteroux. “Yet Business and Professional Directory Wellington Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Established 1840. Risks taken on alj classes of insur­ ance at reasonable rates. Head Office, Guelph*, Qnt, ABNER CQSENS, Agent, Wingham,. Dr. W. A. McKibbon, B.A. PHYSICIAN And SURGEON Located at the Office of the Lute Dr. H. W. Cojborne. / Office Phone 54,Nights 107 HARRY FRYFOGLE Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director Furniture and Funeral Service Ambulance Service, Phones: Day 117. Night 109. DR. R. L. STEWART PHYSICIAN Telephone 29. Dr. Robt. C. REDMOND M,R.C,S. (England) L.R.C.P. (London) PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON J. W. BUSHFIELD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc, Money to Loan. Office ,r— Meyer Block, Wtngham Successor to Dudley Holmes? J, H. CRAWFORD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc, Successor to R. Vanstone, Wingham Ontario A THOMAS FELLS , AUCTIONEER / KRAL ESTATE SOLD Thorough knowledge of Farm Stock. Phone 231, Wingham. 4 Ellen Mackay was crouched in the bow of a slender birch-.bark canoe. O' < >• ' V.;. »-f fifed this accusation. The reaction was un­ conscious, yet none the less honest. “Is this also something you know, but cannot prove?” she asked, and her manner was cold. Deteroux looked at her with in­ scrutable eyes. “Does it matter?” he asked answering question with ques­ tion. Ellen felt the hot blood rushing through her cheeks. Shame gripped her. Why had she flared so quickly in defence of a man towards whom all things pointed as being the cause of her father’s misfortune; a man who stooped to that most dastardly of all tricks, bestialising and robbing Indians through the medium of bidden whiskey? “I wish merely to be fair/’ stammered. “You are admirable, mam’selle. You would be a gallant enemy in any battle. But this thing I know—and have already of my dilem- ask what that- I 1 the for- she be of further kelp to you, you have but to command.” “Thank you. You shown me a way out ma.” “May I presume to is?” “Of course. It is to furnish proof to the law that John Benham is trad­ ing whiskey to the tribes. He will then be removed quickly and for good.” Deteroux seemed to hesitate. Something flashed in his eyes, which seemed momentarily to show emotion for the first time. Then he caught up his guard again. ‘ “I hesitate to warn you, mam’selle. But you must always remember that John Benham is fighting for high stakes. In a pinch he might become quite ruthless.” “I am not afraid,’ ’said Ellen quiet-1 ly. “I, too, can be ruthless.” “That is true,” nodded Deteroux PLANNING FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD Amelia Earhart Putnam, who has close to the equator as possible, map-part of the flight as navigator, announced that she is planning an ping a proposed route with Capt. fL east to west globe-cifdlihg Right, as Manning, who will accompany her Oft thoughtfully, “Well, duty calls, and the river trails are Jong. I will see you again, mam’selle—^when I re­ turn/’ Ellen suffered, him to bow over her hand, though at the contact of his hard, calloused palm she could hardly repress a shiver, Strangest of all, perhaps, was. the fact that she could not analyse that flurry of feel­ ing, It might have been repugnance, or then again it might have been something else. There was no deny­ ing the magnetism and virility of this man, Then another strange thing happened. As Deteroux swung his huge bulk through the doorway, El­ len caught a glimpse of old Moosac’s wrinkled face just beyond, and Moos­ ac was openly snarling. At sigh? of the Indian, Deteroux seemed to hesitate, then, with a swift, cold laugh he elbowed the old Chip- pewyan aside and swung off on his way. Ellen darted to the door. At sight of her Moosac slunk away also, and when she called to him he did not answer, For a long time Ellen stood there, puzzled furrows wrinkling her smooth brow. Distinctly she ominous undercurrent flict and hate swirling was inexplicable, but The more she tried to draw strange ends together and make some true picture of it, the more confusing it all was. Finally she sighed and drew her thoughts back into more direct chan­ nels, Here at least she had a clear, damning trace to follow. The secret of John Benham’s exploitation of the Fort Edson territory was plain. Her mode of attack .was simple and dir- cet. Proof of his trickery to offer to the law. And she must act now, while the trading season was at its height, Immediately a load seemed shifted from her mind; She could think clear­ ly at last, for ahead lay action, True, there was some strange, crushing weight in her breast which made her curiously cold and unfeeling. The John Benham she had known had seemed so clean and fine, yet she was now possessor of knowledge which made’ him that meanest and lowest of all mortals: a man who traded up­ on the weakness of the ignorant and primitive. And he was a half-breed! Feverishly she began her prepara­ tions. Her father objected strenuous-' ly to what she had in mind, but she overrode his objections with firm de­ termination. And that evening when the hush of the short night settled down over river and f.orest, Ellen Mackay was crouched in the bow of a slender birch-bark canoe, her .face turned towards the north. In the centre of the canoe was a heap of baggage. In the rear was wrinkled, hunched' old Moosac, wielding a drip­ ping paddle. Lightly the canoe slipped away in­ to the darkness. The dim lights of Fort Edson paled and faded front view. Twelve days after leaving Fort Ed­ son, Ellen found her first evidence of John Benham’s nefarious trading ac­ tivities, She came' upon a small camp of Laird Indians, and saw there the influence of “firewater” in all its hell- ishness. Less than a dozen families made up the camp. The bucks were blear-eyed and besotted, sullen and stupid. Gaunt, stony-faced squaws stared at Ellen in silence as she pick­ ed her way through the filthy jum­ ble of the camp. It was the plight of the children, of apathetic, half­ starved papooses which particularly tote at Ellen’s heart-strings. Unable to understand the bullishness of their elders, the look in their little eyes begging mutely for food arid still more‘food, their plight was pitiful in the extreme. And if they were starv­ ing now, in the midst of spring and plenty, what would their future be when the cold, merciless hand of win­ ter shut down again? A quick survey and a question or two, to which she received hardly more than a grunt in answer, show­ ed Ellen that their winters’ catch of furs were gone. These furs had gone to purchase "firewater,” when they should have been used to trade for food and blankets, clothes, ammuni­ tion, and other supplies to carry the camp through another winter. , There was nothing Ellen could do. She left presently, with the Whole tawdry picture etched upon her brain beyond alt forgetting. There was no mistaking this evidence, It lay all about the camp iff the form of dozens of empty whiskey bottles. Ellen travelled Ceaselessly, Bend­ ing her strong body to the task of paddling, she drove Moosac to his labours until the old Chippewyan was hunched with ' Weariness. She found Camps of Yctlowknives and Dogribs, of Rae and Simpson and Hay River Indians in which conditions approxi­ mated to those of that first camp, Everywhere lay the evidence of the white man’s murderous greed and. the Indian's stupid weakness, She shiv­ ered whenever she thought of what would happen when winter shut down again, Everywhere she looked, instead DR. W. M. CONNELL PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Phone 19, W. A. CRAWFORD, M.D. Physician and Surgeon Located at the office of the late Dr. J. P. Kennedy. Phone 150 Wingham of seeing the rioting splendour of the spring, the dread spectre of famine and wholesale death seemed to loom. It was there before her eyes as she dropped to sleep at night, and was still with her when she wakened dawn. (Continued Next Week) OLD TIMES at ! By P. S. Fisher From the days of Adam till men have always had certain stand­ ards of their own creation, concern­ ing the ideal wife; and frequently the woman who .closely approximated to their ideal had a good chance to wear orange blossoms and subsequently knit socks and bend gracefully over a wash tub. / Men’s ideas and ideals vary con siderably,, even though they follow the same vocation in life, as for in­ stance John Dinsley and Jack Swartz. John Dinsley, it was claimed, said that a man would run small risk of making a failure of his marriage if he selected a life-partner with a large head, large bust and large hips. Jack Swartz, perhaps, took a some­ what opposite view as Mrs. Swartz was what the Frenchmen would call petite. Now judgi'ng of the apparent ideals before us — the larger and the smaller —• as they relate to off­ spring one would conclude that both men were right, for who could handle a lacrosse stick better than “Doc” Dinsley, play a piano better than Norma or sell dresses faster than May Johnston. However, le.t Addie Hutchison decide. One of these chaining women was supposed to have remarked in a con-: versation on the subject of feminine loveliness: “— says I’m the prettiest woman he ever saw, and he knows I’m as homely as — If all the men in Ontario and Reno had tact like that, the divorce courts would close down for good in both places, happy family life would enstte and the sol­ idarity of society be assured. It costs little to say the nice things and hot dinners on the nick of time usually result, “Handsome is that handsome does” is a motto that wears on, to cheer life’s latest stage, long after the ruddy glow that first inspired the rapturous flame, fades from blushing cheeks and placid brow, “Oh, that reminds me, I am getting low lit lip­ stick,” says one to herself; perhaps so; but if instead yo-tt put your mon­ ey on the collection plate, it will doubtless do more good and after all you^can’t make a spring blossom out of a winter snow-flake. Speaking of eggs, I remember de­ livering several dozen to the Dinsley House obe day and as I was about to head for Flannigan’s with a bar of Surprise soap or something^ out ■pops Mrs, Dinsley' to announce that "Six of those eggs you brought last week were no good,” “Ohl thats’ too bad/’ I replied. “It wasn’t too bad at all, it was six rotten/’ she insisted, now R. S. HETHERINGTON BARRISTER and SOLICITOR Office — Morton Block. Telephone No. 66 4 It Will Pay You to Have An EXPERT AUCTIONEER to _onducV your sale. See T. R. BENNETT At The Royal Service Station. Phone 174W. J. ALVIN FOX Licensed Drugless Practitioner CHIROPRACTIC - DRUGLESS THERAPY - RADIONIC EQUIPMENT Hours by Appointment. Phone 191. Wingham F. A. PARKER OSTEOPATH All Diseases Treated. Office adjoining residence next to Anglican Church on Centre St. Sunday by appointment. Osteopathy ElectricityPhone 272. Hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.mj A. R, & F. E. DUVAL CHIROPRACTORS CHIROPRACTIC and ELECTRO THERAPY North Street — Wingham Telephone 300. On the way to Elannigan’s I kept talking to myself instead of the horse saying “It’s not too bad at all it was six rotten.” Mrs. John Dinsley was a true yoke-fellow and she always looked nice on the street. It would hardly seem right to leave the precincts of the Dinsley House without telling that incident which may have taken place between John Foster, the roofer, and Mary Ann Scott, whom we all knew and liked. Both of them put all who knew them under a compassionate tribute of sympathy because of their mutual affliction—the lack of a roof to their mouths. I believ.e if the rest of us had to choose between no roof in our mouths dr none over our heads we would make sure of the former. Therefore how apt are the words of Job: “To hint that is afflicted, pity should be shewn him from his friend.” Apart from that indispensable* view of kindly commiseration for the mis­ fortunes of others it is oil on the wheels of our own creaking life to find amusement in humorous situa­ tions. It was a hot summer day, John Foster was fixing the Dinsley House roof. Mary Ahn Scott was employed in the hotel. Both were thirsty at the same time. They met at the pump, beside the dipper. Com­ ments concerning hot weather and cool sparkling water were exchanged. Neither was aware of the other’s af­ fliction. “You quik you nock-a-ne,” “Well, you quik you nock-a-me.” If you don’t ijuik you mock-a-me I’ll herow-dis diher-a-waugher ah you.” Loss of normal 'vision is another affliction. My father experienced this, yet took a philosophical view in the abstract, of what was not clear either in or on the concrete. I said to him one day “It is unfortunate your sight is impaired.” “Yes, it is; still I miss seeing a lot of devil­ ment.” John Hanna, when around sixty, had poor eyesight. One morning af­ ter a two-day January thaw I saw him walk up to a wood-pile, a wood­ pile both long and high — which was leaning toward Belgrave. He thought it was leaning toward Belmore and attempted with outspread hands and braced feet to push it toward Blyth, to‘Straighten it. Overwent the whole pile, except-one buttment. Beauty Parlors for Dairy Cows An important step in clean milk production is to clip the udders, hips, and flanks of the .cows, thus making the daily bushing much easier and more effective. Clipping of the tail, head', neck and shoulders adds to the appearance of the cows and aids in getting rid of lice, which will multi­ ply quickly at this time if not prompt­ ly eradicated. A good wet or powder shampoo repeated in ten 'days time will do the trick. “Dad, it says here that a certain man was a financial, genius. What does that mean?” “That he could earn money faster than his family could spend it.” STILL LOWER FARES TO PACIFIC COAST! $ Luray A aAe.«> CANARIAN NATIONAL TELEGRAPHS MONEY ORDERS AND EXPRESS a CbFK ti DEPENDABILITY, SAFETY Indulge ih your favorite Summer Sport -—all .Winter—-in the balmy, invigorate ingclimateof Canada’s Evergreen Play­ ground. Golf/ hiking, riding motoring, yachting, tennis * . * enjoy majestic mountain scenery—see snow-clad Canadian Rockies eh route. Special Winter rates at hotels. Still lower rail fares now in effect and until May 14. Return limit 6 months. Stop-overs al« lowed at intermediate points. Reduced tltipfasWhfti Lew meal retei cntrsiM WINTER GOLF TOURNAMENT Victoria Marek X»37 FhU in/oman'on from tfefce* agent CANADIAN NATIONAL V \ A’