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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-12-23, Page 20Page 2A—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2.3, 19115 Yuletide Greetings To know and serve you this past year was a true delight. Thanks and Merry Christmas! HAROLD'S SHELL Harold King Proprietor 227 VICTORIA ST. CLINTON 482-9023 • On' a note of good cheer, we greet our many friends with best wishes and appreciation. From all of us at ETV T 215 VICTORIA ST. CLINTON 482-7021 The Kindergarten students at St. Joseph's Separate School in Clin- singing are, from left, Adam Biesinger, Tim Nolan, Nicole Anstett, ton sung some Christmas songs for the rest of the classes during the Jackie LeBeau, Kevin Ball, Mary Pharnnavong, Jeff Heipel and Christmas concert dress rehearsal on December 17. Joining in the David Wammes. (Alan Rivett photo) Christmas on wheels was special... •from page 1 • It was a time when isolated families would join together and celebrate, in spite of their many language barriers. The Italian and French boys would play their mouth organs and accordions for danc- ing. And everyone sang favorite carols, like Jinge Bells and Away in a Manger. Jingle Bells, Margaret remembers seem ed a mysterious song for the northern children. She recalled, "The children hardly knew what a horse was. It was more to the point to have a dog pulling a sleigh." The children loved the song Away In a Manger. , - "All the families had babies in their homes," Margaret said, "and they knew about cattle in the stable.' In fact, at Christmas time, special con- sideration had to be given to the cattle in the barn. Christmas concerts at the School Car had to end well before midnight as some northern families believed that it was a great sin to walk by a. barn after midnight, as the cattle would'be praying. And there were Northern Lights to worry about too. Italian mothers were terrified of the evil spirits who made the unusual lights in the night skies. They saw, this as a bad omen. If the Northern Lights were shining on concert night, the Slomans would journey into the bush to escort the nervous families to the Christmas event atthe School Car. In spite of the fears associated with the praying cattle and Northern Lights, Cela remembers that the Christmas concerts were always held on a lovely winter's night. "We always had 'a starry night for the fam}lies to walk home." • For the most part, northern winters were always tolerable. With warm scarves, hats and coats, snowshoes and skis, travelling was made easy. There was always snow to contend with, but acres of bushland pro- tected the northern settlements from harsh winds. "Everyone loved the winter," Margaret said. "It was spring that was a dreaded season. It brought the blackflies and that was gruesome:' One particularly harsh winter storm put the School Car out of commission for the Christmas season. It's the Christmas that Cela remembers best. High winds and temperatures that drop- , ped to -60 F. froze all the pipes in the usually warm and cozy School Car. The pipes ran under the side of. Fred's bed and he developed the habit of awaking in the night and reaching down to feel that the pipes were still warm. Not even Fred's diligent checks could keep the pipes from freezing on that par- ticularly bitterly cold night. The crippled School Car was hauled into the railway car shops at Caperol, and there the Sloman family spent Christmas, sur- rounded by other CN engines. Dining fare consisted of salmon sand- wiches, and a special treat on Christmas Eve when the section men brought a spaghetti dinner to the Sloman family. . Other Christmases for the Slomans were more r traditional, in spite of their unusual 5S Iis folks like you, our customer, who make being in business a pleasure!. ry CherylBalfour, Joan Addison, Sandra Balfour LEFT TO RIGHT. Ma Sutter, Dunn, John In the spirit of the season, we wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS with good health, happiness, and prosperity throughout the coming year. JOHN & SANDRA BALFOUR AND STAFF CLINTON HARDWARE -J.A. Balfour Retail Sales Ltd. - 24 ALBERT STREET, CLINTON 482-7023 the Slomans set off for their trek through the bush. Christmas Day was spent opening gifts, which included fine toys and clothing from aunts and uncles, homemade wines, moose steak, fish and Italian macaroni from the northern people. An old gramophone provided the Christmas music and the Sloman family shared their turkey dinner with a variety of people, including friends, trappers, section men who were away from their families, and a hobo or two. "In the depression years the hobos were .men who were out looking for work and had their families at home," Cela remembered. "The hobo would come to the School Car, he'd smell fresh baked bread and remember that his mother made bread, and tears would come to his eyes." "We never met one travelling man who wasn't a dear," she said. The Christmas turkgy, purchased on the last visit to Capreol, was always accom- panied by a feast that included lots of gray� Christmas cake and plum pudding. School desks were used as dining tables to accommodate any extra guests, then later in the evening transformed into beds when extra springs, blankets and pillows were brought out. Christmas season was a long and a busy one for the Sloman family.' It's finale came on New Year's Eve when the cedar tree, came down, and was taken outside to 'the surroundings' and railway coach living highest spot of land and set it ablaze. quarters. Families who lived in the vicinity of the Christmas Eve was a time for the School Car could see the blazing tree and Slomans 'and their five children to visit the knew that this represented a symbol of pro - bush families. Dressed in their warmest mise - a sign of good luck in the new year to winter clothes, complete with snowshoes, come. iL � Qand `° HEAT INC H AIcyOLIUAV �. and u Happy New Year to everyone! Thank You for your patronage during 1985. We will continue to give the best of service in the coming year. fir, DAVEMUSTARD = PLUMS/NC AND MEATINO BRUCEFIELD 482-9803 Dave, Cathy, Leisa, Krista, and Laura Mustard qe "re/ eair #0442 rae THE DUTCH STORE 55 ALBERT STREET, CLINTON •