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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-05-31, Page 4Page 4—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, May 31, 1978 The Lucknow Sentinel *CNA LUCKNOW, ONTARIO "The Sepoy Town" On the Huron -Bruce Boundary Established 1873 - Published Wednesday Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. Robert G. Shrier - president and publishes Sharon J. Dieti - editor Anthony N. Johnstone - advertising and general manager Subscription rate, $10 per year in advance Senior Citizens rate, $8.00 per year in advance U.S.A. and Foreign, $14 per year in advance Business and Editorial Office Telephone 528-2822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow NOG 2H0 Second class mail registration number - 0847 Play Ball! There are many young boys and girls living in. the Lucknow area who are interested in playing softball through .the summer months. Bill Hunter, chairman of the Lucknow Recreation Committee, says there is enough interest to field three boys teams for boys between the ages of 8 and 10. Bill would like to organize these teams and enter them in the Recreation League to play with teams such as North Ashfield, Dungannon, Kingsbridge, Port Al- bert, Brookside and Belfast. There is a problem though, there are only two people who have indicated they will coach or manage a team and Bill requires at least four others. Girls are also interested in playing ball but, Bill was unable to find anyone interested in coaching a girls' team and the organization of a girls' team will have to wait until next year. This league does not require the coaches and managers to travel distances with their teams; as it is not affiliated with WOAA, the Western Ontario Athletic Association Softball League. Since there has been very little, - organized baseball in Lucknow., the pitchers have not received the training necessary for them to compete in the WOAA. Lucknow.is sports minded when the game is hockey. There seems to be no real difficulty finding coaches and managers for the hockey teams. The summer months are busy for many of the farmers in the area who, perhaps, supply some of the potential for coaching but, there are many other people, men and women, who could find the time to give to your youth to supervise them in a summer sport. Lucknow has a boys and girls Intermediate team who compete outside our area and these teams would benefit from players brought up through a minor league. The boys between 8 and 16 who are interested in playing are being called to a practice at the ball park on Tuesday, May 6. Let's see that they are not disappointed. Anyone who is interested in coaching or managing a team can come out to the practice or contact Bill Hunter. Coaching and managing a team may be hectic and requires the patience of working with children, but, it is a rewarding experience as you deal with the enthusiasm of children and it can be a lot of fun. Just ask the coaches and managers of our minor hockey league. The Lucknow Leo Club raised $1,150 in their Bike-a-thon on Sunday when 26 bikers rode a forty kilometre course from the Lucknow Arena to the Nile and back to the Arena. These three cyclists, from the left, Fred Martin, Gerald Mart d Karen Metzger, were among the 24 bikers who LOOKING BACKWARDS THROUGH THE SENTINEL FILES 75 YEARS AGO Master John Henderson, son of Mrs. Wm. Henderson had the four fingers of his right hand taken off by one of the machines in the furniture factory on Wednesday morn- ing. descent and spoke Gaelic which endeared him to the people of South Kinloss congregation. 25 YEARS AGO On a fishing trip forty mile's north of Capreol, Raynard Ackert of Holyrood 50 YEARS AGO shot a bear described by his guide as "the biggest -black Rev.. K -.-.A. Gollan who had bear ever shot in those parts been- m'inisteir to South during his time." Kinloss Church between Enrolment at Lucknow 1920 and 1925 died in Public School for 1953-54 Toronto following surgery. appears to set a new record He was of Highland Scotch of about 170 students. finished the course. Top money earner was Julie Le Blanc whose pledges raised $172. Part of the money raised by the Leos will go towards the purchase of new roller skates for the Lucknow Recreation Committee. Story and pictures on page 15. crew 0/ Tflernozy BY D. A. CAMPBELL Standing in the semi -gloom of the blacksmith's shop, I watched Charlie Grant move the wooden arm of the bellows up and down in slow •rythmic motion. The induced air enlarged a small red eye of fire into a bright yellow glow, which spread across the coals and spewed up a blue tinged flame with every downward thrust. The firelight lit the hairy chest of the smith and reflected from the glistening trickles of sweat, which collected the dust and appeared as black streaks upon his face. The earth floor was strewn with the remnants of shoeings and in the middle of it all .was a neat pile of fresh manure - the calling card of a recent visitor. Charlie's tools were a mixture of the old and the new, to provide a service for both horse and tractor. There was an anvil resting upon a block cut from a tree, long before the smith had known the smell of scorching hooves or the hiss of the steel from the quenching tank. He was a squat, thick set man, with a well worn leather apron tied around his middle. His free hand produced a dirty scrap of paper and when he spoke it was slow and casual. "I want this in the classified," he said, passing me the note with a blackened hand. "Just a small ad - you'll know how to word it better than me." Picking up a half finished shoe with a pair of tongs, he thrust it into the heart of the fire, agitating the coals until he found a position to his satisfaction.. He nodded towards a Case "D" tractor in a dark corner of the shop, the symbol of his pride and Workmanship. "Gonna 'ave to,ell-ler," he said sadly and almost to himself. "Gottapdo it:.I need the money real b`ad." At that moment, an old horse appeared at the entrance to the smithy and. the rider slid off his bare back. "Looks like you got yourself a customer," I said. The smith glanced towards the doorway then spat a sizzler into the fire with disgust. "Yeah," he drawled. "I got too many o' 'is kind. Credit customers if they'd all pay me, I wouldn't be sellin' mi tractor." "I don't think I know him," I said, fishing for the newcomer's identity. Charlie's face took on a contemptuous leer. "You ain't missed much - that there's Windy Perkins. Spends more time an' money in the hotel than 'e does on the farm." He paused with a white hot shoe on the anvil and the hammer poised about to strike. "But 'e'll pay" me today - so'e will - by the jeeze, 'e'll pay me today." He brought the hammer down with a force that emphasized his anger' and sparks flew in all directions. Windy Perkins advanced towards the forge while Charlie continued his task. As the smith paused to consider each blow, he continued to strike the anvil with short taps. It produced music which only a blacksmith can play - a clang, clang, clit-cit, clang, which resounded down the dirt road of Redtrees. When the glowing heat of the steel had died to a dull red, Charlie replaced the shoe into the fire ,and began once again to puntplhe bellows. The lull in the clang and clatter gave Windy a chance to speak. "I'll leave 'er wan you cnarhe. riot a little business to do in town. No 'urry as long as I git 'er before, chore time." 'Charlie nodded, biting his lip to contain his anger, and Windy and I left the shop. I headed for the newspaper office and Windy made a beeline for the Redtrees Hotel. Throughout the afternoon, I laboured over the re -write of the "who visited who" copy, and tried to inject some excitement into an editorial about the projected sewage system. "Nuthin' in your stupid rag," a disgruntled subscriber once told me. "Ony fit for use in the out 'ousel" Hence, the product of my literary endeavours became nicknamed the "Redtrees Grunt and Thunder." From time to' time I peered out of the window, curiously awaiting the appearance of Windy -Perkins at the smithy to recover his nag. How would the blacksmith collect his debt? Having the long nose of a newshound I was determined to find out l It was past my closing time when I spied Windy weaving unsteadily up the street. I grabbed my coat and hat andclosed up the office. The race to the smith was no contest and I was already showing Charlie his advertising copy, when the flushed face of Windy appeared. "You ain't finished - your ain't shoed mi .'orse," Windy -complained with alcoholic bitterness. "It's time for mi chores - so it is." Charlie faced his debtor squarely, hands on hips and feet astride. His black face cracked into a triumphant grin. . I've pulled the old shoes off an'. I'll fit the new uns - as soon as I 'git paid. That'll be for three shoein's. Twelve number sevens at seventy cents and twelve settings at thirty-five. That's twelve dollars and sixty cents." Windy broke into a drunken fury and he puffed and blew in exasperation. "I'll take 'er some place else - so I will - you sonnovawitch...you...you." "Ride 'er into 'ell for all I care," Charlie interjected, "but she's goin' no place without shoes." He clenched his fists in anger and his arm muscles rippled in the firelight. "I want my money Windy, and I want it now!" Windy threw his hands in the air in utter defeat. Had he been a chess player he would have know that he had been placed in checkmate by a horse - his own horse! Relunctantly he pulled out a tattered wallet and extracted a couple of crumpled bills. "Gimme the change," he said. The game of high finance was over and it was time to return to my other occupation at the "Hungry Hundred". Charlie hurried towards me as I left the smithy. "Say", he said, bubbling with success, "would i0be O.K. if I didn't put that ad in the paper? If I could collect a few more debts this way, maybe I could hang on to mi tractor!"