Clinton News-Record, 1977-02-24, Page 8PAGE 8--CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1977
Stop the presses
By Chris Zdeb
The cruiser pulled up and the prispner was led into the
back seat without much of a struggle. It shouldn't happen
to a dog, but it did to the first victim of the town's dog
trap this week.
Watching the little head bobbing into view of the car
window would melt the heart of any stray-aninial„loVer,
and I was just about to step forward and say, `Unleash
that dog' ! ! , when the thought of earlier encounters with
stray animals made me cringe back.
The.Jmost memorable incident involved a stray cat that
used to live under the cement staircase of a neighbour's
front porch. The tough part of growing up in a home full
of allergic people, was that we could never have a furry •
• pet.' A scaley fish or a feathery bird was all right, but
futiy critters were definitely a no. So the only way you
could ever get the feeling of owning a dog or cat was to
sneak one into the house and try to keep it around until
somebody figured out what had happened to the five tins
of sardines and half pound of salami that you had tried to
pass off to the voracious appetite of Your two-year-old
brother.
I don't know why, but for some reason, stray cats or
dogs never came to the door unless it was raining cats
and dogs, if you'll pardon the expression. I guess it pulled
letter at your heartstrings to see a soaking wet ball of fur
shivering in the cold.
In trying to sneak in the poor dejected creature you had
to find some way to get your mother out of the path
leading from the back door to the bedroom. The most
reliable method was to yell "Mom come quick, Jane's
drowning in the bath tub!" This would get mother into
the bathroom and give, you the few minutes needed to
reach the bedroom unseen.
Sneaking stray cats into the house required the team
effort of three kids, leaving one to wonder how only
children ever managed similar feats. One thing you
learned early, never include the sibling that had a big
mouth and was easily offended. The jig would be up
minutes after you had snuck the critter safely in behind
closed doors,' if you included the guy with the big mouth
who would run to mother and spill the beans at the first
sign that he was getting a raw deal in the scheme.
On drying the cat off, you'd realize that that wormy
smell of..rain just would not leave requiring half a bottle
of Mom's Chanel No. 5 to douse the smell. Once done,
came .the next task of feeding. Tins of sardine and
bologna were the most easily acquired from the kitchen
refrigerator, and a. saucer of milk was a little more
daring, but added challenge to the job.
When you're doing something you're not supposed to,
the time just seems to fly and before you know it it's bed -
time. The cat that curls up to sleep beside you at 10
o'clock somehow develops insomnia at 2 a.m. and is
intent on letting everybody know about -it by standing at
the bedroom door and wailing at the top of its voice.
Maybe if you stuff its face with more food it will shut up,
you think and proceed with a midnight feeding.
It does the trick, and the next minute the light is put out
and sleep resumes. A couple of deep breaths later
however, is living proof to the did saying that what goes
in must come out and it has, all over the bedding.
Panic!
The bed has to be changed, but it has to be done quietly.
First thing is put the cat outside, he's making too much
noise and besides, with a full stomach he's raring to go
out and prowl the neighbourhood.
Yes, you were only being. taken advantage of, he cares
nothing for you. •
But no time to dwell on that rejection, there's a bed to
remake. The only problem that remains is to find the
right explanation- for having changed your bed in the
middle of the week and three days after it has just been
changed.
Your story of being' really sweaty and forgetting to
wash your feet last night may work the first time, butyolt' '
better have a better tale for the next time. Fortunately,
there was no next time as, little Billy's mother,finally
decides the stray can stay.
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rhe Clinton Brownie pack begins its trek up the centre aisle of Wesley -Willis United
Church, Clinton, last Sunday for a special service Jri honour of Guide and Scouting week.
The front three aisles of the church were filled. by -the Brownies, Guides and Cubs who
participated in the service. (News -Record photo)
1\
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limon yes
Hun,
deer
Whitetail deer herds in
Parry. Sound and North Bay
Districts are facing their
hardest winter in five years,
Natural Resources Minister
Frank S. Miller said today.
"Other areas of the
province within the deer
range are seriously affected
but .not as critically," Mr.
Miller added.
In the Parry Sound and and
North Bay areas, extreme
snow depths, prolonged sub-
zero temperatures., and an
e*tra long winter have all
combined to severely test the
hardiness of existing deer
herds.
Ove''r much • 'f the southern
. deer range, the Ministry of
•Natural- Resources is
engaged- in 'cutting browse
and trail breaking to make
food more accessible tothe
deer.
In Parry Sound District,
wildlife manager John
Macfie employs 15 woods
workers in a series of small
•1
ace hard winter
logging operations to in-
crease the food supply and to
provide the deer with an
intricate network of foraging
trails.
Vanastra curling
(continued from page 7)
since willing hands make
light work.
Saturday, March 5th will
see our ladies' open bonspiel
take place. This vent is
being sponsored by Joe
Murphy of Murphy's Bus
Lines and boasts one of the
best prize tables in the area.
Teams are much needed to
fill -this bonspiel so if you can
get a team together, please
call Gayle Brownridge at 482-
7118 to enter either the 9 a.rn.
or ll a.m. draw. There are,
• three eight end games with a.
$28 entry fee.
Keep in mind the two day
wind up mixed bonspiel on
April 1st and 2nd. To enter
ca11�.Gayle Brownridge 482-
7118 or Ward Hodgins 482-
7338.
According 4o Mr. Macfi,e,
the deer become so ac-
customed to the men and
machines they often rush to
graze upon the tops of trees -
moments after they have
been felled.
Elect Hurter
�meon:down to A&P ..
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