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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-11-17, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS 71H'U1RSDAY, NOV. 17, 1938 The Little rphan "A high stepper," said Uncle E'b. "Couldn't be in better bushiest," "We want a slick coat, a 'kind uv a said he as he sat down' beside me. soppy head, an' a lot o' ginger. So't More than once he ,had been myeta- ther confessor and I was glad he had come, "In love?" he asked. "No boy ever thinks unless 'he's in love." "In trouble," said I. "Same thing," he answered, light- ing his pipe. "Love is trouble with,,a bit of sugar in it—the sweetest trou- ble a man can have. What's the matter?" "It's a great secret," I said, "I have never told it. I ant in love." "Know it," he said, puffing at his pipe and smiling in a kindly way. "Now let's put in the trouble." "She does not love me," I an- swered, "Glad of it," he remarked. "I've got a secret t' tell you." "What's that?" I inquired. "Wouldn't tell anybody else for the world, my boy," he said, "it's -between you an' me," "Between you an' me," I repeated, 'Weir," he said, "you're a foal." "That's no secret," I answered much embarrassed. "Yes it is," he insisted, "you're smart enough an' ye can have most anything in this world if ye take the right road. Ye've grown t' be a great big strapping fellow but you're only —sixteen?" "That's all," I said mournfully, "Ye're as 'bi'g a fool to gu falling in dove as I'd he. Ye're too young an' I'm too old. I say to you, wait. Ye've got to go t' college." "College!" I exclaimed, incredu- lously, "Yes) an' tint's' another secret," said he. I tol' David Brower what I thought o' your writing thet essay on bugs in .pertickler--an' I tol' 'im what people were sayin' o' your .work in school." "‘Vhat d' he say?" I asked, "Said Hope had tol'•him all about it—that she was as proud o' you as she was uv her curls, an' I believe it. 'Well,' says 1, 'y' •oughter sen' that boy t' college,' 'Goin' to,' says he. He'll go t' the 'Cademy this fal 1 if he wants to. Then he can go t' coll- ege soon's he's ready.' .Threw up my hat an' shouted I was that glad." As he spoke the old man's face kindled with enthusiasm. In me he had one who understood him, who saw truth in his thought, music in his verse, a noble simplicity. in his soul. I took his hand in tine and thanked him heartily. Then we rose and came away together. "Remember, he said, as we parted at the corner, "there's a way laid out fer you. In God's time it will lead to every goad thing you desire, Don't jump over the fence. Don't try t' pass any milestun 'fore ye've come to it. Don't mope. Keep yer head cool with philosophy, yer feet warm with travel an' don't worry 'bout yer heart. It won't turn t' stun if ye do keep it awhile. Allwus hev enough of it about ye t' do 'business with. 'Good - by!" CHA'PTER XV Gerald Brower, who was a baby when I came to live at Faraway, and was now eleven, had caught a cold in seed time, and he had never quite re- covered. His coughing had begun to keep him awake, and one night it brought alarm to the whole house- hold. Elizabeth Brower was tip early in the morning and called Uncle Eb, who went away for the doctor as soon as light came. We ate our 'breakfast in silence. Father and mo- ther and Grandma Bisnette spoke only in :ow tones and somehow the anxiety in their faces went to my heart. Uncle Eb returned about eight o'clock and said the doctor was com- ing. Old Doctor Rigsby was a ,very great man' in that country. 'Other physicians called him far and wide for consultation. 'I had always re- garded him with a kind of awe inten- sified 'by the aroma of :his drugs and the gleam of his lancet. Once I had when we hitch 'er t' the pole ,bine (bye we shan't be 'shamed o' her." "Eggzac'ly," said David Brower, laughing. "An' 'then we shall have the best 'harness in the market." Hope did not seem 'to comprehend all the rustic metaphors that had been applied to her. A look of ,puzzled amusement came over her face, and then she ran away into the garden, her hair streaming from under her white 'sunbonnet. "Never see sech a beauty! Beats the world," said Uncle :Eb in a whis- per, whereat both David and Eliza- beth shook their heads. "`Lord o' mercy! Don't let her know it," Elizabeth answered, in a low tone. "She's beginning to have"— gust then Hope came by us leading her pet filly that had been born within the month. Immediately Mrs. Brower changed the subject. "To have what?" David inquired as soon as the girl was out of hearing, "Suspicions," said 'Elizabeth mourn- fully. "Spends a good deal of her time at the looking glass. I think the other girls tell her and then that young Livingstone has ,been turning her head." "Turning her head!" he exclaimed. "Turning her head," she answered. "He sat here the other day and de- liberately told her that he had never seen such a complexion and such lovely 'hair." Elizabeth Brower mocked his ac- cent with a show of contempt that feebly echoed my own emotions. "That's the way o' city folks, mo- ther," said David. "It's a 'bad way," she answered. '`I do not think he ought to come here. Hope's a child yet, and we mustn't let her 'get notions," "1'1 tell •him not t' come any .more," said David, as he and Uncle Eb rose to go to their work. "I'm 'fraid she ought not to go away to school for a year yet," said Elizabeth, a troubled (look in her face. "Pshaw, mother! Ye can't keep her under yer wing alveus," said he. "Well, David, you know she is very young and uncommonly—" she hes- itated. "Han'some," said he, "we might as well own up if she is our child." "If she goes away," continued Eli- zabeth, "some of us ought t' go with her." Then Uncle Eb and David went to their work in the fields and I to my own task. That very evening they be- gan to talk of renting the farm and going to town with the children. I had a stent of cording wood that day and finished it before two o'clock. Then I got my pole of mountain ash, made hook and line ready, dug some worms and went fishing. I cared not so much for the fishing as far the sol- itude of the woods. I hada bit of thinking to do. In the thick timber there was a place where Tinkle brook began to hurry and break into mur- murs on a pebble 'bar, as if its feet were tickled.: A few more steps and it burst into a peal of laughter that lasted half the year as it 'turnlbled over narrow shelves -of rock into a foamy pool. Many a day 'I had sat fishing for hours at the little fall under a birch tree, among the brakes and moss. No ray of sunlight ever got to the dark water below me—the lair of many a big fish .that had yielded to the temptation of my bait. Here I fay in the cool shade while a singular sort of heart sickness came over me. A wild partridge was beating his gong in the near woods all the afternoon, The sound of the water seemed to brealc in the tree tops and fall back upon me. I had lain there thinking an hour or more when I caught the jar of approaching footsteps. Looking up I saw !Jed Peary coming through the ,bushes, pole in hand. "Fishin'?" he asked.. "Only thinking," I answered. been his patient and then I had trem- bled at his approach. When he took my :little wrist,in his big 'hand, I re- member with what reluctance I stuck out my quivering ; tongue, black, as 1 t'eared with evidences of ,prevarica- on, . He was a :picture, for a painter man as he.. came that moaning erect in his gig. Who could forget the hoary ma- jesty of his head—his `stove Pt e ' tilted back, his white locks flying about his ears? He had a long nose, a smooth shaven face and a 'left eye that was a trifle turned. His thoughts were 'generally one .day be.hm'd the he•di- calendar. To -day seemed d to be gesting the affairs of yesterday. He was, therefore, absent minded, to a degree that made no end of„gossip. If he came out one. day with shoe- strings flying, in his remorse the next he would forget his collar; if one told hiin a good joke to -day, he might not seem tp hear it, but to -morrow •he would take it up in its turn and shake with laughter. I remember how, that morning af- ter noting the' symptoms of his pat- ient, he sat a little in silent reflection. He knew that color in the cheek, that look in the eye -the had seen so nmohh of it. His legs were .crossed and one elbow thrown carelessly .over the ,back of his chair. We all sat looking at hint anxiously, In a moment he began chewing hard on his quid of tobacco. Uncle Elb pushed the cuspi- dor a bit nearer. The doctor expec- taeated freely and resumed his atti- tude of reflection. The clock ticked loudly, the ,patient sighed, our anx- iety increased, Uncle E'b spoke to father, in a low tone, whereupon the doctor turned suddenly, with a little grunt of inquiry, and seeing he was not addressed, sank again into thoughtful repose. I had begun to fear the worst when suddenly the hand of the doctor swept the bald peak of 'benevolence at the tap of his head. Then a smile began to spread over his face. It was as if some fea- ther of thought had begun to tickle him. In a moment his head was nod - cling with laughter that brought a great sense of relief to all •of .us. In a slow, deliberate tone he began to speak. I was over t' Rat Toper's t'other day,” said he, "Rat was sitting with me in the door yard. Purty some a young chap came in, with a scythe, and asked if he might use the ,grind - stun, He was a new hired man from somewhere near. He didn't know Rat, 'an' Rat didn't know :hint, So Rat o'course had t' crack one o' his jokes. " 'May I use yer grindstun?' said the young feller, " 'Dunno,' said Rat, 'I'm only the hired man here. Go au' ask Mix' Tupper.' "The o•1' lady had overheard ,him an' so she says t' the young feller, 'Yes— ye can use the grindstun. The hired man out there'll turn it fer ye.' "Rat see he was trapped, an' so he went out under the ,plum tree, where the stun was, an' 'begun t' turn. The scythe was dull an' the young .feller bore on harder'n wuz reely decent fer a long time. Rat begun t'git very sober lookin.' 'Aint ye 'bout done,' said he, " 'Purty nigh,' said the young teller bearin' down a leetle 'Harder all the time. "Rat made the stun go faster. Pur- ty soon he asked agin, "Aunt ye done yit?' 'rorty nigh!' says the other feel- ing a the edge. " 'I'm done,' said Rat, an' he let go o' the handle. 'I dunno 'bout the scythe 'but I'm a good deal sharper than I w•pz.' " `You're the hired man here aint ye?" said the young feller. 'No, I aint,' said Rat, 'D ruther own tip t' rein' a liar than turn that stun another minnit.' ' As soon as he was fairly started with this droll narrative the strain 'of the situation was relieved. We were all laughing as much at his 'deliberate way of narration as at the story itself. Suddenly he turned to Elizabeth Brower and •said, very soberly, "Will you bring me some water in a glass?" Then 'he ,opened his chest of medi- cine, made some ,powders .and told us how to give Them. ''''In a few days I would take him into elle big wood fora while,".:he said, "See how it agrees with hint." Then he gathered up his things:'and mother went with .him to the :gig. Humor was one of the specifics of Doctor Rigsby. He was always a poor man. He carie to his death rid- ing over the ,tills one bitter day not long after the time :of which I write, to reach a patient. The haying rover, we made ready for our trip into the woods. ,Uncle Eb and Tip Taylor, who knew the forest, and myself, were to: go to Blueberry Lake. We loaded our wag- on with provisions .one 'evening and made ready to be off at the break of day. Brower land 'Hope waving their ianddcerc;ti •§a oo the :porch and David tear them��hittling. They had told as what n 3 t do over and over again. I sat with Gerald on blankets that were spread over a thick mat of hay. The morning air was sweet with the odor of stew hay and the music of the bobolink. Uncle Eb and Tip 'Taylor, sang merrily as we rode over 'the hills. When we cohered the shade of the big forest Uncle Eb got out his r•ilfle and loaded it. He sat a long time whispering and looking eagerly for game to Tight and left. He was still' a I I One could see evidences of age boyg only in his ",rite hair and ,beard and wrinkled brow. He retained the little tufts in front of bis earns, and lately had grown a silver crescent of thin and silky hair 'that circled his throat under a 'bare chin. (Youngs as I was I had no (keener relish for a holiday than he. At noon we halted 'beside a :bro'o'k and unhi'tc'hed oils horses. Then we caught some fish, banit a fire and cooked them and 'b'rewed 'our tea. At sunset we 'halted at Tuley Pond, look- ing along its •reedy margin, under purple tamaracks, for deer. There was a great silence, here in the deep• of the woods, :and Tip Taylor's axe, while he peeled the (bark for our camp, seemed to 'fill the :wilderness with echoes. It was after dark when the Shanty was covered and we lay on its fragrant Mow of :balsam and hem- lock. The great logs that we fad roll- ed in front of our shanty were set afire and shortly supper was cooking, :Gerald had stood the 'journey well, Uncle Eh and' he stayed in while Tip Taylor ,and .I ,got our jack ready and went o13 in quest of a dugoutt. He said Bill Ellsworth had one hid in -a thick- et on the south side 'of Tuley. We found it after 'an hour's tramp near- by. It needed a little repairing but we soon made it water worthy, and then took our seats in the stern, with the paddle, and I in the bow with the gun. Slowly ,and silently we clove a way through the stars' shadows, It was like the hushed and mystic movement of a dream. We seemed to be above the deep :of heaven, the stars below us. The shadow •of the forest in tithe still water looked like the ivall of a mighty castle with towers and :battle - talents and myriads of windows light- ed for a fete. :Once the groan of a night -hawk fell out of the upper air wibh a sound like that of a stone striking in water. I thought of the deer that Tip was after. His only aint in life was the one he got with a gun barrel. I had forgotten all but the beauty of the scene, Suddenly Tip roused me by laying his hand to the gunwale and gently Shaking the dug- out. In the dark distance, ahead of es, I could hear the faint tinkle of drip- ping water. Then I knew a deer was feeding not far away and that the wa- ter was falling from his muzzle. When I opened my jack we were close upon 'hint, His eyes gleamed. I shot :high above the deer that went splashing ashore before I had pulled my trigger, After the roar of the gun had got away, in the distant timber, Tip mentioned a .place abhorred of all men, turned and paddled for the landing. "Could 'a killed 'int with a club," said he snickering. "Guess he must a looked .purty tall didn't :he?" "Why?" I asked. "Cos ye aimed into the sky," said he. "IVIebbee ye thought be was 'a bird." 'Minds me of Bill Barker," he said in a 'half whisper, as he worked his paddle, chuckling with amuse- ment. "How's that?" I asked. '.Nothin' safe but the thing he shoots at," said he, "Terrible bad s•Itot. Kills a cow every time he goes humin'." 'Uncle Eb was stirring the fire when we came whispering into camp, and 'Gerald lay asleep tinder the blan- kets. "Willie couldn't hit the broadside of a ,barn," said Tip. "He don't take to it natr'l." "Killin' an' book learnin' don't often go together," said 'Uncle Eb. I turned in by the side of 'Gerald •and Uncle Eb went off with Tip for another trip in the dugout. The night was chilly but the fire flooded our shanty with its warns glow. What with the 'light, and the boughs under us, and the 'strangeness of the 'black forest we got 'little sleep. I heard the gun roar late in the night, and when I woke again 'Uncle Eb and Tip Tay- lor were standing over the fire in the ohilly gray of the morning. A dead deer hung on tate limb of a tree near by. They began dressing it while Gerald and I went to the spring for water, ,peeled potatoes, and got the pots boiling, After a hearty break- fast we packed up, and were soon on the road again, reaching Blueberry Lake before moon. There we 'hired a boat of the 'lonely keeper of the res- ervoir, found an abandoned .camp with an excellent 'bark shanty and made ourselves at (home. That eening in camp was one to be rerrtembeced. Alt 'Thomas, the guide who tended the reservoir, came CHAIPTIER XVI I remember (how hopefully we started that morning with Eiizalbetlt over and sat [beside our ;fire until 'bed- inve. He had spent years in the wilderness' going out for n'othin'g less important than an .annual spree at cir- cus time. He eyed us over, each in turn, as if 'he thought _us all very rare and interesting. "Many {bears 'here?" Uncle E!b in- gsih ed. "More pletaty '•n human 'beiu's," lie answered, puffing lazily at is pipe with a dead calm in his voice and manner that I 'have never seen equal- ed except in a tropic sea. "See 'em often?" I asked. He emptied his pipe, strikingit on his1m until :tha ''bow]:rang, .without pa w a atiswering. Then he b'1'ewi intd 'the stent with great 'violence. "Three or four 'n a summer, meb- be," he said at length. tiEver 'git sassy?" 'Uncle 'Eb asked. He whipped .a coal out of . :the ashes then and lifted it in 'his fingers to the 'bowl of his pipe. "Never real sassy," be said between vigorous puffs. .'''One stole a ham off' my 'pyazz las' summer; Al Fifield brought 't in fer ane •ane day—smelt good tool I kep' savin' uv it thinkin' I'•d enjoy it all the more when I did !hey it. One day I went off •cu'ttin' timber an' stayed 'til ' mos' night. Contin' home I got t' thinkin' o' :diet ham; an' made up my mind I'd 'hey some fer supper. The more I thought uv it the faster I (hurried an' when I got hum I was dnungrier'n I'd .been fer a year. When I 'see the o'1' bear's tracks an' the empty peg where the ham had 'hung I went t' work an' got road. Then S started after thet bear. Tracked 'im over yonder, up Cat Mountin'." Here Ab paused. He bad a way of stopping always at the most interest- ing point to puff at his pipe. It looked as if he were getting up steam' for another sentence and these :delays had the effect of "continued in our next" "Kill 'im?" IUnote Eb asked. "Lic`ked him," he said. 'Muhl" we remarked incredulously. "Licked 'im," he repeated cheek- ling. "Went into his cave with a sled stake an' whaled 'int—whaled 'im he run fer his life." Whether 3t was true or not I have never been sure, even to this day :but Ab's manner was at once modest and convincing. "Should 'a thought he'd 'a rassled with ye," Uncle Eb remarked. "Didn't give 'im time," said Ab, as he took oat his knife and began.slow- ly to sharpen a stick. "Don't never wan' t' rassle with no bear," he added, "but .hams is too scurce here 'n the woods t"hey 'eat tuk away 'fore ye know the taste uv 'ent. 1 aint never been hard on bears. Don't seldom ever set no traps an' I aint shot a ,bear fer mor'n 'n ten year. But they've got• t' be decent. If any bear steals my vittles he's goin' t' git cuffed hard." (To Be Continued) PROFESSIONAL CARDS ' Medical, SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B.,' Gradu- ate of University of Toronto, J. D. Colquh'aun, M.D., C.M., Grath nate of 'Dalhousie University, Halifax.' The Clinic is, fully equipped with complete and pl tomodern x-ray and other. up-to-date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret IC. Campbell, M.D., L.A.B.P., Specialist in Diseases in Infants and- Children, w ill be at the 'Olinic last Thursday in every month from 3' to '6 p.m. Dr. F. J. R. Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, Eye, Nose and' Throat, will be at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m. Free well -baby clinic will 'be held on the second and last Thursday in every month ''from 1 to 2 p.an. I hear thee speak of the better land; Thou call'st its 'children a happy :band. _Mother! lO'h, where is that radiant shore? Shall we not seek it and weep no more?: Is it where the ,flower of the orange blows, And the fire -flies glance through the myrtle -boughs? Not there, not these, my'chiddl I's it far away, in some region old, Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold? Where the burning rays of the ruby shine, And the diamond lights up the secret mine, And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand,— Is it there, sweet sister, that better land? Not there, not there, my childl Eye hath not seen it, my gentle :boy; Ear :hath not 'heard its deep songs of hoY—' Dreams cannot picture's world so fair, Sorrow and death may not enter there: Time doth not 'breathe on its 'fadeless :bloom; Far beyond the clouds, an•d beyond the toni'b— It is there! it is there! my child! According to reports received from agricultural representatives 'pasture conditions are excellent throughout the 'province,and cattle are still on pasture in most sections. Fall work is well advanced though several counties in Western Ontario complain of lack of rain resulting in hard ,plowing and shortage of water. Several counties report' the •potato crop as low as 5101a/a of normal and some farmers are hav- ing trouble with potatoes rotting in storage, Bruce, Middlesex and Gren- ville Counties report an increase in the number of saws :being °kept with a good demand for weanling pigs. Middlesex reports that sugar beets are giving good tonnage .and an ex- ceptionally high percentage of sugar. content ranging up to 20 per cent, Table turnips there are selling slowly W. C. SPROAT, M.D., F.A.C.S. Surgery Phone 90-W. Office John St., Seaforth DR. H. HUGIH R'OSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special wt• tenti'on to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and nesidenoe behind Dominion Bank, Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. DR. F. J. BURROWS, Office Main St., Seaforth, over Dominion Bank. hours 2-15 and .7 to S p.m. and by ap- pointment, Residence`, ,Goderich St., two doors west of United 'Church. 'Phone 46. DR.. F. J. R. FO'RSTER—Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. 'Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto 11897. Late Assistant New York Ophbhal- atio and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and 'Golden Square throat'hospi- ta4s, London. At Commercial 'Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from f1.30 p.m. to 'S p.m. Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT', Licensed - Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges Moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Aucliot eer for Perth and Huron Counties. Sales .Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stook, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell, Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in 'First -Class Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Insurance C HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OF1FI CERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea- forth; Vice President, William Knox,. Londesbor'o; Secretary Treasurer, M A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. MnKercher, R.Ra1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R, G.. J'armoutli, Brodhagen; James Watt,. Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Wm. Yeo, Holmesville. DIRECTORS Alex. Broadfo'ot, Seaforth No. 3;. James S'h•oldice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No. 1; Frank M•eGregor,, Clinton No. 5;' James Connolly, God- erich; Alex McEwing, Blyth No. le Thomas Moylan, . Seaforth 'No. 5;. Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other 'business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post- offaces, at prices down to Sc per :bushel. Reg- ular steer feeders in Durham are pur- chasing feeder cattle at front $4,214 to $9.00 per cwt. This price is' consider- ed .out of line but they must have. stook to feed the large supply of feed which most of them have on hand, Purchases of .feeders, however, will not be more than '60% of '19317. From Lennox and Addington comes the re- port that poultry pool shipments to the killing station at Brookville have shown an 'improvement and 'the far- mers are quite interested in this me- thod of marketing. Want and For Sale ads, 3 wks.,' 50c