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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1939-12-22, Page 2i uron Expositor Established 1860 Je tb McPhail McLean, Editor. .,,. Published at Seaforth, Ontario, ev- ery Thursday afternoon by Mclean rosb Subscription rates, $1.50 a- year in advance; foreign, $2.00 a year. Single copies, 4 cents ,each. Advertising rates on application. P,EAFOIeTH, Fri ay, December 22 Merry Christmas Perhaps by the time this reaches ,our readers the weather will be more like Christmas weather, as we `un- derstand it. And weather plays a very large part at. Christmas time. But there is really nothing that we can do about the weather but take it as it comes. And after all, it is the' spirit we put into Christmas,' and not the weather, that makes a real Christmas. So it is with a real Christmas spir- it that we wish all our readers and friends and enemies a Very Merry .'Christmas. ItIs The Record That Counts The Expositor is not in favor of giving municipal councils an unlim- ited lease of life or even for the dur- ation of the war without the consent of the ratepayers. And it dislikes still more the autocratic manner in which the Government proposes to abolish future municipal elections during its pleasure. But there are in .tances where the new Government edict barring elec- tions may not prove disadvantageous to a municipality and others where the new edict may prove to be de- cidedly advantageous_ It depends en- tirely on the kind of council that is sleeted at the New Year, or on the record of an old council that is given an acclamation. In fact it is the record of past achievement of a council that pro- vides a better guide to municipal ad- vancement than the anticipation of what a new council will achieve along the same lines. And, speaking of records that count, we do not know where we could instance a better example than that of our own town council of Sea - forth. When the present council was el- ected four years ago, it faced an ov- erdraft of approximately a thousand dollars. In the intervening four years it has not only wiped out that deficit but closed its books this month with a balance of six thousand dollars. In addition to that, it has reduced the general rate one mill; spent six thousand dollars on capital construc- tion on streets and roads, including new pavements on both sides of Main Street; purchased a new stoker for the town hall heating plant at five hundred and fifty dollars, and made repairs, alterations and decorations to the town hall and old waterworks building at an approximate cost of one thousand dollars. All 'of which have been paid for. That is a record that speaks very plainly for itself, and one that would have been impossible of attainment without close attention to town busi- ness, the exercise of keen business ability and close co-operation among the several members. It is a record moreover, that should' receive ap- proval and recognition at the hands of the ratepayers, We are not in a position to . say whether the present council will 'stand for re-election or not, or whe- orthey can be persuaded to stand, kit if the ratepayers are alive to their best interests, we do not know 'here' those interests could be more .isafebr _placed than in the hands a ; resents council. a, eht Is Called ryJ li on Parliainent has ret offUrinary 25th, r' than the a oisuai o vat bii inns y.it is rw THE' .IRON EXPOSITOR • believed, has been the cause of the delay. however, if expectations are re- alized, there will still be ample time to hold a very lively session. War contracts and other work in the prosecution of the war, it is' said, will be tabled in the House when the members meet, and if there is not en- ough fighting material found in these, there is the fact to face that this will be the last session before a general election, anif .that fact alone will be responsible for many stiff verbal battles. Circumstances will, of course, de- termine the length of the session, but if there is no material change in the war situation, we may look for lively times at Ottawa during the next few months. • The First Real Victory The first real victory on the Allies side came at the end of last week when Ihe German pocket battleship, the Admiral Graf Spee, was chased, in a badly damaged condition, into the harbor of Montevideo, off the shores of Uruguay. But that is not all the story. Ow- ing to the laws of neutrality, the Graf Spee was forced to put to sea Sunday evening from the neutral port into which it had dodged, and rather than suffer defeat at the hands of the Allied warships anx- iously awaiting it a short way out at sea, the German Commander, on the personal command of Herr Hit- ler, blew his ship up; and it now rests on the bottoth of the ocean some three miles off the shore. These German so called pocket battleships, of which the navy pos- sessd three, have been to a certain extent mystery ships to the British navy. Their power and effective- ness were largely a matter of con- jecture, and as long as that mystery remained, they were looked upon with respect, if not with fear. The destruction of the Graf Spee, however, has brought a 'large meas- ure of assurance to naval authori- ties, because it has now been proven that British cruisers, although far outranged in guns, with their speed are more than a match for the Ger- man battleships, provided they at- tack in numbers. It will only be a matter of time be- fore the two remaining German battleships are run down and cap- tured or destroyed, unless Germany recalls them to her home ports. They may and possibly will do serious damage to Allied shipping before that day of reckoning comes, but their fate is sealed. Britain is still master of the seas, and as Iong as she retains that mas- tery, she can never be defeated. The submarine menace has already largely been overcome; means are being found to conquer the mine menace, and soon German ships will be driven from the seas. That day will see the beginning of the end. • The First In Ninety Years We were told the other day that we have not had a fall or winter like the present for ninety years. Ninety years is quite a long time, so long, in fact, that we are unable to go basik quite that far in mem- ory, b as far as we can go back, we have no recollection of a fall or winter just like the present. We have had a week or two of fine weather in every month from Octo- ber to January, but never before, we are told, have we had three whole months of fine weather like the present. There has been no snow, no frost, no cold and very little rain. The weather has been more like April and May and we have had more sun- shine than we often have aft least in the first of those two months. And the probabilities tell us there is no change in prospect, at least for a time. It is all right, of course, to live in, but have we any guarantee that whenminter does come, that it Will not be eine of the ,kind that they used to have ninety years ago, or at least the kind that we hear about in song and stow? I�• 1 t : i �.r•Jh g�� !.Ls1�1 v.�a�.it �;,,i„k. Years Agone Interesting item picked freak The Expositor of fifty .ad twenty-five years ago. From The Huron Expositor December 27, 1889 The Brussels Post understands that Rev. W. T. Cluff has received a call to the pastorate of the Episcopalian Church- Seafortle On Monday afternoon of this week a very interesting ' event occurred in Hansall public school. The pupils made a presentation to their esteerd- ed teacher, Miss Jennie. Murray, who has taught for a number of years with great acceptance. The presentation wase made by Rev. J. S. Henderson. Wood bees are the rage of the country. One took place the other day on the estate of Robert Laidlaw in Morris Township. There were 36 saws, 11 axes and 6 pilers. At 5 p.m. 197x/2 cords were piled up. In the eveninigea dance was held with the following string band: McCaughey Bros., Lucknow; Laidlaw and Stalk- er, Kincardine; W. J. Tough, Bayfield; J. S. DingwelI, celebrated dancer and piper, of Lucknow, and all assisted by Miss Amelia C. Cook, of Chicago. Dur- ing the afternoon Mr. Peter McFar- lane was struck by a falling Iimb. Messrs. Eidrige Kellam, Seaforth; Hector Elliott, Egmondville, John Hogg, James Dodds, A. Simpson, Robt. N. Hays and Mass Bell Dickson, of McCiflop, who have been in attend- ance at the Clinton and Goderich Model Schools, have all passed cred- itable examinations and are now full fledged certificate 'A' teachers. All the above are graduates of the Sere forth Collegiate Institute. •On Tuesday evening last the fam- ily of Mr. Roderick Gray in McKillop, near Seaforth, were startled by the sudden clap of thunder and sharp lightning and on looking out they no- ticed the implement house in a blaze. Fortunately thebump was close by and by the application of water the fire was extinguished. On Friday morning last a team of horses belonging to Mr. H. Colbert, of Egmondville, got frightened at the station and gaining their liberty made up Main Street at a furious speed. The front wheels parted company with the rest of the rig and they had arrived at Wilson & Young's Hard- ware More, where they were caught by Mr. Ed. Hinckley. No serious damage was done. Mr. Crawford, the new Collegiate Institute teacher, was'in town last Friday on his way to Chicago, where he intends spending his holidays. Several of the teachers, including Miss Kate Cowan and Miss Grace El- der, received Christmas souvenirs from the pupils before the school clos- ed for the holidays. Messrs. George Hammill, Orville Jones, W. Govenlock, J. Muldrew, F. J. Ewing, C. Mackay and Jas. Pren- dergast have all returned from Toron- to to spend the holidays with home friends, as also have Messrs. J. Kerr, of McKi.11 and Mr. W. McQueen, of Brucefleld. Mr. Thomas Carter, of the Huron Road, Tuckersmith, brought to Fair- ley's store on Tuesday a dressed tur- key which weighed 26 pounds. It was purchased by Dr. Mackid, A short time ago Mr. Thomas Liv- ingstone, of Hallett, had his leg very severely injured by having it run ov- er by the truck wheel of a threshing machine engine. He was driving the machine out of the yard and the hors- es being spirited, started off, throw- ing him down. During the high winds on Thursday morning about half the roof was blown off the barn of Mr, W. J. Ches- ney, on the farm lately owned by Mr. Wm. °Sproat, in Tuckersmith. Mr. Thomas Carr, who for several years has been the faithful keeper of Mr. Peter McGregor's stables, of Brucefield, is going to take up land in Algoma. Mr. Howson, of Clinton, has been engaged as coatmaker in Mr. Weis - miller's tailoring department, Kippen, which is crowded- with orders. Mr. George Stephens, of Hullett, near Kinburn,'has purchased.from Mr. Braithwaite, of the same township, his three-year-old Durham bull, "Lord of Gllsland-" On Monday might a runaway hap- pened near the market in Exeter, which nearly proved. fatal. The horse which ran away was driven ..by Mrd. Monteith, daughter of Mr. Alliston, of Thames Road, Usborne. She was thrown out, with much force, break- ing her skull and one of her arms. She was picked up and taken into the Metropolitan House where Dr. Brown- ing cared for, her. She is still very low. The examination in the school at Leadbury took place on Friday, the 20th inst. The teachers, Mr. Hogg and Miss Pollard, were ably assisted by Misses Hillen, McDougall, Goven- lock, Campbell. and Simpson and Messrs. Pearin, McLeod, McGregor, Govenlock, McIntosh and Dorrance. At the elose of the examination Miss Pollard was presented with a bands some gift from her pupils. Mr. W. McGavin was cailed to the front and made a seasonable speech. At the close of the school. on Fri- day afternoon last, Mr. Hicks, of Eg- mondville, was presented with a handsome easy chair by his pupils. Miss Barr, who also closed her con- nection- with the school for the pur- pose of attending Normal, was made the recipient of a very beautiful dress- ing case.. Oh'ristmas day passed very quietly in town. The weather was more like the early part of October than the latter part of December, being sun- shiny, balmy and very pleasant over- head, although somewhat muddy, un- derfoot, The lack of sleighing and skating made it duller for pleasure seekers than it might otherwise have been. - Mr. Ben Sutciifie, of Tnekersmith, who for the past two years has taught with great acceptance in Section 1, being about to retire to pursue his studies at the Normal, was presented by his ,pupils with an address and a liands'otne album. • • Phil Osifer of Lazy Meadows •i (By Harry J. Boyle) • • "CHRISTMAS DAY" The years roll by, and Time, that great changer of all things, makes many renovations in this world, of ours, but fails to make a dent on that spirit of Christmas that seems to af- fect all of us as the great day comes around again. Yes, another Christmas has come. During the year we have seen and heard of many things that •will go down in the pages of history. Royal- ty coming to visit loyal subjects; two wars that threaten to rock this civil- ization of ours to the very core; life and death playing their- eternal game of chess with one removed. and an- other filling its place. And still wo somehow forget the worries of the year as the days draw closer to the 25th of December. Somehow every man knows, be he farmer or city man, that there will be snow for that day, a fleecy lot of it piling up like drifted whipped cream. He knows that whether be be rich or poor there will 'be something extra on the table for that meal, and a glow of a finer spirit in his heart as the happy bells mal out the age- old story of Christmas:' Even as I write this I can picture a fresh, green Christmas tree draped with bells and tinsel and flimsy gim- cracks standing in the corner of the front parlour. I can see the parcels piled around the tree . . . the candy canes . . the bells and stars. So real does the thought became that I can even find' myself tiptoeing in to peek at the parcels and feeling them, try to figure out what I'l'l be getting when they're opened. There'll be a crowd of relations, petty family differences forgotten for the day and everyone abounding in good cheer. Some will be helping with the dinner, others laughing and talking in the sitting room where the Cosy Glow heater is beaming with the heat, units from solid dry hard- wood and outdoing itself in honor of the occasion. Christmas dinners are always late. Maybe it's the fussing with the extras that does it, but nobody ever seems to complain no matter how hungry they are. But they'll be well repaid for the wait because that Christmas tattle will be laden down with a host of the most delicious food you ever set eyes on. There'll be turkey . . agleaming, golden brown bird enthroned on the largest platter in the house steaming bowls of potatoes that are ready to fall apart with a prod from your fork . - . rich, shimmery gravy in boats . . . glistening jellies - and pickles that make your mouth water just to look at - . - 'and plates of hat vegetables - . . and dress- ing with its savoury touch of spices - . and mince pie with its hot tang . . . and when you feel as if i DECEMB R 22, 1949. it would be exer'ti'n to eat any more food . . . they'll bring on the pud- ding . , a concoction of fruits and nuts . . . and savoury delight with a rich sauce over all. 'Somehow we'll manage to navigate into the living room, feeling just. a. trifle ashamed for prodigious appe- tites and with that pleasant glow of being well fed, and happy, .we'll ex- change little pleasantries. It's strange what pleasant things you can think about on Christmas. How much good you can see in somebody that ordin- arily doesn't appeal to you. open there'll be the presents. The feeling of anxiousness as you fumble with ribbons and paper and the won- derment you have when somebody else open your present to them - wondering if they'll like it. You find just what you wanted., forgetting about your( subtle hints leading up to the great day. Then pr the day will be over and the sound of sleigh bells will echo across` the still night air as the folks leave and you'll go hack in the house, with one happy day spent out of the hectic ohes that go to make up the year. And may your Christmas be as merry as the one I have been dream - in • of! • "Yes," said the world traveller, "the Chinese make it an invariable rule to settle all their debt on New Year's Day." "So I understand," said the listen- er, "but then the Chinese don't have a Christmas the week before-" • "So you're a young man with •botis feet on the ground. eh? What de- you do for a' living?" "I take orders from a man with, both feet on the desk!" � t p 1 t ri M. .�r1a �(i°1 ti,�':" �..tGaiii�, k•M hu CHAPTER X SYNOPSIS Anne Ordway, nineteen, is afraid of marriage, of love. Her parents, Francis and Elinor, are divorced and the bottom drops out of Anne's 'World. She does not want to marry Garry Brooks, whom she has known all her life. Shegoes to live with her com- panion, Vicky, in her farm home. Charles Patterson, whose life Margot has brought sensational charges against hem in a divorce suit, is in love with Anne. At first she will not listen, but fip- ally consents to marry him. Gar- ry tells Margot of their engage- ment. Margot, wishing to go back to Charles, visits Anne, but Anne is away seeing her father, in response to a Letter from her mother in which she says she needs money, and asks Anne to persuade Francis to give Elinor an allowance. there will be times when he will re- member, and nothing that you can do will make him stop remembering—" She was very eloquent, very much in earnest. She had within her the elements of a great actress, and the Hewitt porch was her stage. The part she was playing had to do with destroying in this child's mind the romantic thought of herself' as the one woman in Charles' life. "You will always have to share him," she said. "You will always have to share him with me." Anne said, "Do you want him back again?" "Yes. But he will never take me back if he thinks I have talked to you." They were still .standing and Anne said now, uncertainly, "Shall we sit down?" She felt faint and unnerv- ed. She said, "You gave Charles up and made him unhappy. What right have you to ask anything of him now?" "I should not ask it as a right. But I might remindhim that my ghost would haunt him—forever----" bad said that, about ghosts. Anne said, "Perhaps if you will Was it trjue, Anne 'asked herself? fielp them out, Daddy, she'll be dif- Would she, on ,that honeymoon trip ferent with David." on the Baltimore boat, in Brittany, And Francis said in his heart, everywhere, find the wraith of Mar - "The darling ." got travelling with them? Having agreed to see David, he She sat very still looking out over warned her, "Heaven knows I don't the quiet water and at last she said, need the money. But he will hate "If he is willing to take you back, it." • you may have him- I shall write him Anne said slowly, "That's the tonight releasing price he must pay." Margot 1raid incredulously, "You It was when they were having will do that?" their coffee on the clubhouse terrace "Yes•" that Anne said, "Daddy, I'm going to "Give him back to me?" be married," Anne shook her head. "I can't. "My dear child! Garry?" give him back. I can only go out of "No. Charles Patterson." his life . . . And. now I think we "I thought you had had enough have said all there is to be said. of divorce." haven't we?" "I know. For a long time I was And Margot said, "Yes . . and afraid. But we belong to each other, went down through the rose -scented Charles and I." She stopped, and garden and left Anne standing' pale went on, "We're not asking anyone to and still on the wide porch. thewedding. Not even you, Dad- When all the Hewitts. came home dy. Only Vicky will go withus to a Vicky, going upstairs, found Anne little church at the crossroads." face downward on the bed. S•he. "When?" knelt beside her. "My •darling, what "A week from today+ --Saturday." is it?" "And inothing I can say will stop And Anne, white and distraught, you?" told her, "I've given him up, Vicky. "What could you say? My life is It isn't because she asked me to do my own, Daddy." it, but because the things she said "Anne, don't be so hard." were just an echo of all the things Garry had called her hard. Per- I've been thinking. If he loves me haps she was. She melted for a mo- he won't take her (back, but that mlent into wistfulness. "Won't you won't make any difference. He told wish me happiness?" me once he would always think of "With all Duty heart, my darling." 'leer as 'his wife. He loved her, Vicky, So they parted with his moved and then thought he didn't. And voice saying, "Good luck, little Anne. how do I know that some day he God' bless you." won't stop loving me? You see there Anne, driving rapidly home, put ,are Daddy and Mother, and David the past resolutely behind her. Her and Charles, all loving the wrong future was with Charles. In a week people and not knowing it until too she, would be married. Later they late." would take a slow Baltimore boat to It was raining hard on the morn - the shores of France, and• then on to frig that Charles, going to the main- Brittaay- land for the mail, found Anne's let - thus with her thoughts of ter waiting. her own wifehood, Anne came to the It was a good world, he tolyl him - Hewitt house and found Charles' first self as he steered his boat back to wife waiting for her on the front the island, The days were hurrying poretowards his marriage and the great Ann e knew her at once. .dventure whteh was to follow. He "Do you .know me?" she asked as and Ane were -facing the sunshine of Anne came up the steps. tomorrow. "Oh, yes. You are Charles' wife It 'had stopped raining when he reached the long low pier which S;he stopped there. Why had she stretched out into the bay. IIe did put it that way? Margot wasn't his nut at once make a landing, but sat wife. She was nothing. And why in the stern of the boat and read was she here? what Anne had written Margot asked the unspoken ques- After the first shock, he told him - tion. "I was told that you and self that the thing of course was in - Charles are to be married, and I writable. For a few weeks he had felt I must come to you. I know lived in a fool's paradise. He had *hat •yjou have 'heard about me. thought that, he, with his smirched Some of it is true and some of it history, could blot it out as if it had isn't. I thought I loved another man never. been. and found that I didn't. I found that And now here was Anne saying: you can't put marriage away from "I can't marry you, darling. Yes - you lightly. In spite of myself, I feel terday I had a letter from Mother. bound, Bound to Merles', For years She is not happy with David, and it I was in his life, and I can't forget is all such a muddle - , Andl when those years. Nor, I- think, will he I 'came berme, I knew I just couldn't. forget them. He loved me once, mad-, No matter how hard we tried, ghosts lj+'. Now he thinks he loves you. But would always-- haunt us. An*t so I 1 gf. F'lfr eT1i' .�L•dJ Ri •.v f�. fi ya, ;171' must say 'good-bye.' Please, please,. don't try to see me or'to change my decision: "i shall love you always." After three days Charles, having sent old King to Baltimore for'sup- plies, spent the morning fishing and at noon turned his boat towards' home. As he approached the land- ing, a full sense of his desolation swept upon him. During the days of his romance. he had loved the island more than ever. Every tree, every flower had been glorified by the thought of Anne's joy in it. And now he must put it all behind him. He was plan- ning definitely to go away — as far as he ..could get by train and boat and airplane—from the sight of the- things which reminded him of ' his• hopes and dreams. As he trod the narrow path be- neath the trees the world was stilt and lovely beneath the noonday sun. The laurel gave its perfume -and the - birds gave their songs. Suddenly his heart stood, still. On the path . in front of him lay a woman's handkerchief — a wisp of sheer white. What woman had been here in bis absence? Who but Anne?' Yet there was no boat at the land- ing. Could she have come and gone' He went with quick steps to the house. In the dining room King bad put a tray on the table. On it were sandwiches covered by a napkin_ Charles saw at once that the neat arrangement of linen bad been dis- turbed and that half of his usual quota of sandwiches was gone. He went to the door and looked out. He could hear Ruff barking and he followed the sound. He came at last to the end of the - grove where he and King had built a small summer house. On the torp step, leaning down to speak to. Ruff, her pomegranate frock bright against a background of dark wood,. was—Margot! She looked up and saw him.. "Hello," she said. "lylargot! How did, you get here?" "Speed boat from the mainland," "Where is the boat?" "I sent it back." "Why did you come?" _' "Sit down and I'll tell you." "Not here. We'll go back tot the, house." She walked 'beside him. "How wonderful this is!" "You didn't always think it won- derful." "I was a selfish little beast, dar- ling." His face was stern; and he did nott answer her. When they reached the house, he asked, "Will you have something more to eat? There's coffee in the thermos." "I'd love it." " He poured a cup for her and She -- leaned back against the cushions. "Won't you sit down and be so- ciable?" He flung himself into a chair. "Go' on." She set her cup on the arm of her dhair and rose and went toward him. "Carl," she said, "I want you to • take me back." "Don't be foolish, Margot." She began to sob. "I'm not fool- ish. I'm ill. You promised once— before God's altar—to take care of me. I am learning that one can't. break a vow like that and be happy.. I tried to make myself think I loved Bart. But I don't, You were always in my heart." Her acting was superb, and how could he know she was acting? "You said—you are ill, Margot?" "Yes. The doctor tells me I must have a complete rest and peace. He recommends a sea voyage. But I Can't go alone, Carl. I can't-" again she was sobbing. "Take me back, darling. Take me ." For two years the island in the Chesapeake had been deserted save for old King and the setter, Ruff. ('Continued Next Week) • ee l 1 E %�r4„1J u4,oat. rd� 11.•,�'Sieees,�'