HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 1981-02-05, Page 3• J
J.K. Cold* of Bruce& Id celebrated his 90th birthday with agate party on January 25.
The celebration also marked a presentation of his 50 year association with the Brucefield
IOOF and J.K. plans to be with them and the Clinton Legion for years to come. (Shelley
McPhee photo )
stuck in
the middle
ses
"Hicc!"
Now that's an innocent little noise,
right? I mean, we're all afflicted with
the hiccups at least 4,000 times in our
life.
It's a common occurence, one of
those little bodily functions that none of
us can avoid, and attempt to treat with
old home remedies. ,But how come
people get so upset when we let out
those little noises and gasps of air?
At the first "Rico," there's usually
some curious teasing and smart
remarks like, "So you've been in the
sauce again, eh!"
The second "Hicc," brings com-
passion.
"Jeer, do those hurt?" concerned
bystanders ask.
The third eruption starts grating on
their nerves and the poor innocent
hiccupper gets the blast, "Can't you be
quiet. Holdyourbreath or something."
And thus, another case of the hiccups
takes its course.
People just don't take kindly anyone
hiccupping in their ear. They find the
breathing spasms embarrassing, an-
noying and generally not in good taste.
But what's one to do? When you've
got to hiccup, you've got to hiccup!
Life for a hiccupper isn't too
pleasant, you ' know: A case of
diaphragm contractions rarely occurs
in the privacy of your own hone.
Irsstead, they're timed to break-out
right in the middle of the Sunday
church service, during a silent prayer.
They'll echo off the walls in the public
washroom at Eaton's, or burst forth
into an unprepared ear, just when
you're trying to use your best telephone
voice.
In saiich public circumstances, kids
can scream, people can hack, cough,
wheeze and snort without any direct
criticism, but just try to hiccup, and
you'll be bombarded with a 100 com-
plaints and suggestions.
They'll try all sorts of witch doctor
treatments on the hiccupper. None will
shelley
y mcphee
work, and only satisfy the morbid sense
of humour the so-called doctors.
"Just hold your breath for another
three . minute*" _.. they'll announce,.
ignoring the definite bluish tinge on tiie
hiccupper's face.
"Put your head in this bag," the
specialists will order, handing one of
those clean, plastic jobs to the victim.
"Bend over and drink a glass of water
from the far side of the glass: It's .
easy," they • assure, "You'll get rid of
those hiccups in no time."
And sure enough the hiccupper does,
for if he can accomplish the acrobatic
feat, he's bound to be left on the floor,
choking to death.
The torturers will run through a
whole slew of edible remedies, like
eating sugar, drinking vinegar,
devouring a pint of vanilla ice cream
and a jar of peanut butter.
Don't think they don't know what
they're doing. They're paying the
hiccupper bade for his annoying
aliment, by giving him another one,
,nausea.
Suddenly they'll back off. •
"At last..hicc..i can..hicc..hiccup in
peace, .the victim thinks. But no
sooner has another hicc erupted when
the witch doctors gull a surprise attack
on the poor suspecting victim and,
without a moment's notice, scare the
living daylights out of him.
In the end they always win. If the
hiccupper s strong enough to live
through the home remedies, the torture
of the whole affair will surely make him
vacate the room
But there is no justice here. Once in
peace and quiet, with only one's little
noises to break the silence, the con-
tractions stop.
The hiccupper waits, tries to utter
another sound, but nothing comes forth,
only a small prayer that another attack
won't hit.
And thus another case of the hiccups
bites the dust.._ untnl the next tune!
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CLIN'TON NEWS-REOORD, THURSDAY,
Brucefield's "mayor", J.I. Co
By Sl'hielley McPhee
Peers of hand work have been J.P.
Cornish's answer to the fountain of youth.
"There wasn't any man that worked any
harder than I did," this spirited 90 -year-
old cLairns.
0-yearoldclainis.
Whether or not those tough years of
survival have really allowed J.K. to
celebrate his 90th biithday cannot be
definitely proven, but it's clear to see that
they haven't done him any harm.
Apart from the hearing aid and
wheelchair he uses, there is no sign that
J.K. may perhaps be tiring with age. He's
a bright, witty, healthy nonagenarian, who
loves to tell a story, lame the one that
gained him the title, "Mayor of
Brucefield."
Back during the WWII days, according
to J.K. the eight businessmen in Brucefield
decided they wanted to close their shops en
Wedensday afternoons. A petition was
signed by the owners of the three general
stores, the two blacksmiths, the lumber
fru, Jet's gist_ mill and John
Snyder's harness shop. It was sent to the
local paper and'it was signed J.K. Cornish,
acting mayor.
"I never knew anything of it," J.K. still
Laughs, but the name has stuck for all
these years.
His intials have also made for a long
standing nickname, they stand for John
Kendall, buteveryone in the village, young
and okl refers to him as J.K.
The name John Kendall Cornish was
given to the baby boy, born in Lester,
England on January 22, 1891.
There J.K. lived and received his
schooling until the age of 12, when he, his
father and step -mother, two sisters and
four step -brothers left 'England and
arrived in Canada on May 11, 1903. They
settled in Farquhar, just north of Exeter,
and in 1904 moved to Eilmville where J.K.
worked for a farmer, aaking$5 a month.
Although it's said that our memories
tend to shorten as our years extend,
there's no evidence of this claim in J.K.
He has no need for a diary to remember
days long past Each date, place and event
is accurately stored away, just waiting to
become a story. Like that day, nearly 70
years ago when J.K. gained his in-
dependence.
In 1915, duty called and a new adventure
films in store when J.R. enlisted in the army
and went overseas -on November 12, 1916
with the 161st Huron Battalion. He was
stationed in England and anxiously
awaited to see action in Fi ance, but that
was not to be.
I passed all the doctors tests before
going. Then I got to the dentist and he said
my teeth were bad and I wouldn't. be able
to eat those: hard biennia.," JR.laughed- -
At the time it was a disappointment for
the young man, but later J.K. went to
France with the 47th Battalion. He was
wounded on August 10,1918 at the Battle of
Amillon and was sent to a hospital in
southern France and later was in a con-
valescent camp when the announcement
came that the war had ended.
In May, 1919, J.R. returned to Canada
and a few months after his return married
Jenny Hill of Brucefield.
"Farmers were needing help," J.K.
recalled, so he returned to farm work for
four years before moving to Brucefield in
1924 with his bride.
Along with a move to a new home, J.K.
leather right for carnival
By Jim Fitzgerald
The weather may be cold and snowy, but
it's just about perfect for a Winter Car-
nival, and the Clinton Optimist dub are
hoping the conditions stay favorable for
their Carnival this Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday.
The Optimists are trying to revive the
once popular event after a three-year
lapse, but are doing it on .a More modest
scale, with a three-day event instead of a
ten-day event.
Most of the events will be held at the
Clinton Community Park and arena
The kick-off will be held on Friday,
February 6 at 7 p.m. with some fun broom -
ball matches between variousservice
clubs and volunteer groups like the
firemen. Then at 9 p.m., a licensed social
will be held upstairs in the arena
auditorium.
On Saturday, February 7, an eight -team
pee wee hockey tournament gets under-
way at 1 p.m. on the ice, while upstairs, a
mixed progressive euchre tournament will
be held, complete with prizes. Admission.
will be $1.
At 9 p.m., the gala Winter Carnival
dance will be held upstairs in the
auditorium with Star Trex acting as enter-
tainment for the $15 per. couple affair.
Tickets are limited.
On the final day, Sunday, February 8,
starting at 12:30 p.m., a snowmobile poker
rally will get underway, to be followed by
log sawing contests, snowshoe races,' and
toboggan races, at 1 p.m.
The toboggan races will feature three
categories for schools, service clubs and
business sponsors. All must be pre -entered
with Dave Renner at 482-3595.
Following the races, a free family skate
will be held at the arena from 2 to 4 p.m,
followed by the finals of, the pee wee
tourney at 4 p.m.
Oto -
through February, select
from our extensive collectioj of
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Whether you're starting from scratch, or giving on
old space a new face, you want your home
to be functional. fashionable. and above all personal:
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U RY5, 3901—PAGES
sh marks
started a new job with the Tuckersrnitih
Telephone System, but shortly afterwards
went into partnership with Harry
Dalrymple.
`We fixed up a chopping mill and went to
work for 32 years," be summarized. "In
1956 it was sold to the Hensali Co-op."
Yet J.R.. was not quit ready to retire, and
continued to use his business education
with the Tudtersmith Telephone System,
as secretary treasurer. J.R. took up that
sideline work in 1940 and served with the
system for 25 years.
J.R. claims the best thing he ever did
was go to business college, it helped him
manage his grist mill well and he left
business free from debt.
But only a few decades ago, debt was not
such a common states of affairs tobe in.
"There wasn't as many people
borrowing money. They didn't have much,
but they paid their way as they went
along," J.R. explained
"In the older days, we had more time.
We had more pleasure among the negh-
bore. It was a rfcefeut Life. We were more
satisfied," he philosophized
Although J.K. has many years of
business experience and wisdom behind
him, he said, "You can hardly give a
person advice today, the way things are
going. Just in today's paper I saw that
bread is going up three cents."
But J.R. isn't complaining, he's just
grateful to behyard happy.
Until 1919, four year after his wife diel,
J.K. continued lived at Three Maples, his
Bray , buti ' in hes spin' al
cad, sent J.K. v tat L
.
to the Blue Water Rest HameitaZu.
The arthritis has left J.K. in a
wheelchair, with little use elf his hands or
legs, bit new invitation seems to be
helping and J.R. said, "I can feel a change
inmyself "
J.K.'s .l y, .. Anna and her husband
Roy Brock e at Maples, and
. no
J.K. is at the Blue Water, had ad-
mits there was some ditRcuhies adjusting
to his new home, `a1 had my way of doing
things and they had their way."
Along with the rest benne party, J.K. got
a big surprise on Sunday, January 25 when
over 150 relatives, friends and neighbors
came oat to celebrate J.K.'s 90th birthday_
The party started as a small open house at
Three Maples, but soon had to be moved to
the United Murch hall, down the road, as
dozens of people turned out to offer their
congratnlatteita
He was presented with a special award
from the province, given by Huron -
Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell.
Another proud and special moment
came when J.K.'s son Jake, of Queen-
sville, pinned on his father, a 50 year
badge, honoring J.K.'s long and dedicated
association to the Brucefield IOOF.
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