Village Squire, 1976-08, Page 17He was a lean weather beaten man slightly stooped from 50
years of hard work. He had asoup strainer mustache stained with
chewing tobacco and his clothes and person could have been
cleaner. There was about him however, an air of simple
friendliness, a lack of pretension and an easy manner disarming
to children.
He produced a long official looking envelope slightly mussed,
and pulled out a letter.
"Boys, I feel like hell about this but something's happened. I
got this here letter from the Lord's Day Alliance, now who in heck
are the Lord's Day Alliance?"
They're people who don't want you to do things on
Sunday," said Tim Flaherty.
"I know about them," piped up Bill Cooper, "My Uncle Ab
that has the store, sold some stuff to campers on Sunday and
some one squealed and he got pinched."
There was silence while all considered the fate of Uncle Ab.
"Well, anyway this here letter says I have to stop you boys
playing Hall here on Sunday. Now I don't care...you could play
ball here 'till hell freezes over because I like to see you have fun.
But you know what will happen."
"If I don't stop you some damn snoop will write in to these
characters and it will end up with your Maws and Paws hearing
and you know what that means."
The boys were silent while this sank in. They most surely did
know what that meant.
There was some shuffling of feet in embarassment. Clearly,
the ball playing would have to stop but somehow they were more
sorry for Tom Watson than for themselves. Here was another of
these odd adults like Joe Pratt who didn't moralize, didn't talk
down and even could be counted on for help in a pinch. They were
a rare breed and perhaps in danger of extinction. They should be
cherished and protected from hurt.
Gabby Ryan broke his usual silence.
"It ain't your fault Tom, we know you're a pretty good guy.
Don't feel bad. We don't want to make you no more trouble no
how " Gabby's English was fractured but the sentiments sound.
It echoed the feeling of all.
guess we'll just have to call it off," said someone.
So the ball games ceased. It would be pleasant to relate that
some players went on until they reached the big leagues but this
was not so.
Tim Flaherty became a good athlete in college and later a well
loved priest with a particular understanding of the devious ways
of small boys.
Charlie played some ball afterward. He was a pitcher on the
team in the local village. The team was the best in the league
which was something but the league could be described as the
worst in North America, so this detracted from the achievement.
Tom Watson had another letter from the earnest well meaning
people in Toronto. They spoke of how pleased they were that the
young people had ceased breaking the Sabbath.
"People like you, Mr. Watson," they wrote, "are the ones we
depend on to aid us in preserving the sanctity of the Lord's Day.
We appreciate your co-operation. We know that later the boys
will be grateful that their feet were turned aside from the
quagmire of wrong doing and guided into the paths of
righteousness "
Tom read the letter in his slow careful way. Then he read it
again. These people seemed pleased. They spoke well of him in
an odd way that left a sour note. He leaned on the mail box and
contemplated the whole affair, • turning it all over in his mind
slowly much as he had read the letter. From where he stood he
could see his nearest neighbour working in his turnip field.
A good neighbour, John was and his wife Martha, too, but a
little hard to take at times. They held forth at length on things he
didn't rightly understand. They were very sure in their discourse.
He had never argued with John and Martha, they meant well and
he, Tom, had never got past the 6th grade. He got confused in
arguments. Now he wasn't confused, it might be a good thing to
speak to John.
He walked the 100 yards to the line fence sat down on the top
rail and waited while John approached through the long rows of
turnips holding the handles of cultivator.
A bored looking horse was pulling the cultivator. He stopped of
his own accord as they reached the fence. dropped one hip,
MID -SUMMER
NEWS! ! !
August is White Sale month - Now is your
chance to save on those beautiful FIELDCREST
TOWELS you have been wanting to buy for
yourself or for a gift. We have a great selection of
new designs and colours.
Wanting to add a little spice to your life? Why
not come in and see our new line of HORTON
SPICES - also , wooden spice racks, jars and
cookbooks.
By the way - we do FREE GIFT WRAPPING.
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VILLAGE SQUIRE/AUGUST 1976, 15